Hardware - Wide Format Print

Wincanton Print has invested in an Agfa :Anapurna M2050 wide format inkjet printer to expand the services it can offer its customers.

In an effort to broaden the appeal of the company, Wincanton Print conducted a survey of its 400 customer database to see if they could capture their exhibition, POS and display material business in addition to their litho work. The response was very positive, subject of course to price and quality.

Wincanton Print looked at a range of leading manufacturers’ equipment but, having had a good experience with its Agfa Graphics prepress equipment over many years, the company was initially moving in the direction of the popular :Anapurna M1600. Then, after further consideration, Steve Taylor, MD of Wincanton Print, decided to go for the 2 metre wide and 6-colour + white :Anapurna M2050 instead. This, they believed, would be a better longer term investment because the larger width of the machine would increase the variety of work it could produce. Wincanton Print went even further and also invested in a Zund cutting table, as recommended by Agfa, and these machines are now both housed in their new premises.    

“We have always enjoyed a good working relationship with Agfa so we knew their recommendations would be solid; the :Anapurna has done everything they said it would, and more. It has already proved to be a cost effective investment and the quality is fantastic,” explained Steve Clark, studio manager at Wincanton Print. “Both the printer and cutting machine have proved to be easy to use and are managed by one of our press minders who believes the addition of inkjet to our printing portfolio is a very positive move for the future,” he added.

It is just a few months since the display equipment became operational but Wincanton Print has already won new business from its existing clients and has made a striking impression at this year’s Royal Bath & West Country Show where the company received a bronze medal for the non-agricultural display. Its stand featured images of the Aston Martin Racing Le Mans race car - a major long-standing customer of Wincanton Print.

“We started working for the Arrows F1 Racing team followed by the Renault F1 team. Then about five years ago we were approached by Aston Martin Racing and now produce all the print display material for the racing events such as Le Mans. It is a high profile account, which requires the very best quality print,” explained Peter Vallis, sales director at Wincanton Print.

“This investment has also given us the confidence to establish a web-to-print facility to further expand our business. To prosper, we believe printers need to diversify to offer customers a total service and wide-format POS and display is a logical way forward,” concluded Steve Clark.

[photo shows Steve Clark with Wincanton Print's Agfa :Anapurna M2050 wide format printer]

Wiltshire-based Superior Creative is not simply a print service provider, but a team of specialists and consultants who think outside of the box and rely on technology to help clients to reach their marketing goals. Located outside Melksham, the company was founded in 1976 and went through all the significant milestones which marked the print industry across the years.

Originally focused on commercial print, Superior Creative has since expanded its range of services by supplementing its litho equipment with a large suit of finishing and digital presses. The result today is a facility with four different sites, together boasting one of the largest, brand-new design/artwork studios in South West England, alongside a direct mail operation. Developments are still ongoing in alignment with company growth.

Superior Creative embraced digital evolution in 2006 with an investment in small format equipment, followed by its first wide format printer, the Inca Spyder V from Fujifilm in 2009. The increasing demand for short run and print-on-demand applications that has come out in the last three years also persuaded the company to embark on a massive business investment programme at the end of last year to pursue new business opportunities.

Superior’s growth has predominantly come from the retail sector, as it has won several major contracts and is working with well-known brands such as Heineken UK, Molton Brown, Booker Cash & Carry, Noble Foods and United Biscuits. In the last three years the company business has soared and Superior reached a turnover of £15.2 million in 2011. The demand for wide format applications plays a key role in this achievement.

“In 2009 we decided to invest in an Inca Spyder as we were outsourcing a large amount of work,” says Richard Blueitt, commercial & operations director, “Just a year later we were literally inundated with requests and the Spyder soon reached capacity. The amount of wide format work coming through the door continued to increase as we responded to the rising needs of our blue-chip client base, and we realised that there was a big business opportunity; a technology upgrade was pivotal to accomplish it and stay competitive.”

Following some meetings with other key digital wide format suppliers, Superior Creative turned once again to Fujifilm. “We were mostly disappointed by the quality guaranteed by other leading print manufacturers as we were searching for a high-end and productive wide format printer without compromising on quality. The Inca Onset S40 suited us perfectly.”

Stewart Powell, production director, adds, “The Inca Onset S40 offers increased productivity and excellent quality. Speed is no longer an issue and we value the printer’s flexibility as it gives us the opportunity to print on fluted board together with different substrates. We like to say that an Onset S40 is a Premier League machine that helps us win our business matches!"

The Inca Onset S40 prints at up to 470 sqm/hr and has been engineered to provide outstanding levels of performance, ‘best-in-class’ quality and flexibility at low cost per print. The Onset S40 produces superb POS-quality display graphics economically and onto substrates up to 50mm thick. It meets the high-volume, fast-turnaround production needs of specialist display print companies, such as Superior, using up to 168 new-generation, user-replaceable, printheads (28 per colour) on a full width print bar delivering a 27 picolitre drop size. This, combined with Inca's precision ink drop placement, produces superb 600 dpi print quality with the option of four or six colours.

Superior Creative has also been one of the first companies to adopt the new generation of Fujifilm Uvijet OZ inks, launched at Drupa 2012, which feature a higher degree of flexibility allowing users to fold, crease, cut, drill and route printed media.

Richard Blueitt is excited by the stream of opportunities made possible through the Onset S40, which was installed in September 2011.  “The added capacity of the S40 has given us additional space to grow. We are working on some new projects and this machine can truly support our creativity. We've never wanted to be identified purely as a print management company. Out of 130 employees, we have a dedicated design team of 20 people and 60 working in the production department. On top of this there is an experienced team of sales managers and consultants committed to engaging in the decision making processes and strategic plans that assist brand owners in reaching their targets.”

On the strength of three years’ experience in the wide format business, Superior Creative today can take stock and assess the value of its investment. “The Spyder was our first big jump into a market which immediately attracted us with its huge potential, but the replacement of this machine with an Onset S40 took us to the next level. The Onset S40 is seven times faster than the Spyder and the whole engine is new and advanced. Quality is unquestionable and results on corrugated and fluted board, which represent 95% of our POP & display production, are unmatched. Ultimately, we have achieved greater efficiency and cost savings, which helps us to run a profitable business,” underlines Richard.

Service and customer relationship is another key element for Superior Creative. The company has long lasting partners and clients and prides itself on working with highly professional and loyal suppliers. “Once, we experienced a problem at the weekend, when we had to set up extra time to meet a tight deadline. Service was prompt, and the customer care team helped us to deliver the job on-time without additional stress.”

As a forward looking entrepreneur, Richard loves to keep pushing the company boundaries and improving quality standards. “Technology is moving fast, as well as our clients’ demands. We continuously invest to meet specific requirements and increase our competitiveness. We are convinced that a company needs to reinvent itself every day. This is what we also expect from print manufacturers, Fujifilm included.”

He concludes, “Our next investment will be in the finishing department as we want to boost our entire workflow and avoid any bottlenecks to deliver end-to-end solutions in the most efficient way. We are really keen on seeing significant technology developments in the print industry, especially in terms of automation and efficiency. We are also aware that our production capacity will probably need to be reinforced in the future by an additional piece of print equipment. It’s a logical assumption to think that another Onset device might be installed at our premises within the next two years.”

South Wales-based Ottimo Digital has invested in a second Epson SureColor SC-S30600 printer to meet increased production demand. The 64-inch (162.6cm), four-colour, roll-fed machine was supplied by Epson reseller Spandex and joins one installed earlier this year.

Ottimo Digital, based in Newport, was started in January 2010 by Lee Crew and Nick Lindwall. The company prints a full range of large-format products – banners, exhibition graphics, retail signage and interiors, vehicle wraps, photo canvasses, even custom wallpaper – on a wide variety of media.

Lee Crew comments, “We print a lot on self-adhesive vinyls, plus PVC and mesh banner materials, canvas, poster paper, stoplight stock.  Essentially, we print anything we can!  A lot of jobs are last-minute, particularly when they’re for exhibitions - a market we’re strong in.”

For Lee and Nick, decision time on expansion came within just two years of starting the business, when year-on-year growth of around 40% regularly tested its existing production capacity to extremes. “We hate turning work away, so we coped somehow, even if it meant sub-contracting work out, but we needed to add capacity. In particular, we wanted to be able to take on high-volume jobs with tight deadlines, a category of work we weren’t confident of handling with our existing kit,” adds Nick.

Guided by Epson distributor Spandex, Ottimo found the solution in the shape of the Epson SureColor SC-S30600. Launched earlier this year, the SureColor SC-S30600 sets a new price/performance ratio in a highly competitive market sector. The SC-S30600 can produce everything from posters, signs, banners, backlit panels and POS materials to vehicle wraps, interior decorations and exhibition displays. The printer supports a wide range of media, allowing users to print reliably and cost-effectively on vinyl, PVC and clear film, photographic paper and a range of popular banner substrates. Print speeds range from 7.3 to 29.4m2/hour depending on printing mode and maximum resolution is 1440 x 1440dpi.

“When Spandex introduced the Epson SureColor to us it looked perfect on paper,” says Nick. “It had the print speed we wanted, three times faster than our fastest existing printer, plus larger-capacity ink cartridges and a heavy-duty take-up roll system. A demonstration confirmed that first impression. We ran a series of our own test files using all the print modes and the results were excellent.”

Since Ottimo’s SureColor SC-S30600 - one of the first installed in the UK - arrived, its impact on the business has been dramatic. “It quickly became our ‘go-to’ printer,” says Lee. “Now when we get a job, out first thought is, ‘Can we run it on the SureColor?’ It handles around 50% of our workload.”

The quantum leap in production speed was just one factor in choosing the SC-S30600. Like a lot of large-format printers, Ottimo’s workload is unpredictable as they often don’t know what they will be printing on next, so have to be able to handle as broad a range of products as possible on as many different media. The SC-S30600 not only handles all the media but also features really fast, simple media changeover - thanks to a unique jack system loading heavy rolls is a one-man operation that takes about five minutes. Also the media tensioning, which is traditionally only accessible from the front of the printer, is controllable from both front and rear, so you don’t waste time going backwards and forwards.

The different print modes the SureColor SC-S30600 offers are also a big plus, explains Nick. “For really high-quality applications, like some retail interiors, we use the ten-pass mode, while in the two-pass mode - which is very fast! - we can print a banner in minutes, compared to the half an hour it can take on our other printers. It all depends on the size of the product, and how close the viewers are to it. That said, we find the six-pass mode perfectly good for most applications.”

Within six months of installing the SC-S30600 they were confident enough to take on the large-volume, high-quality, last-minute jobs they previously thought twice about. As an example, they cite a rush job they produced for the RAC’s stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Says Lee, “It was a big banner job, very last-minute, and high quality. Without the Epson SureColor we couldn’t have handled it all in-house, but we delivered on time and more RAC work followed.”

They were also confident enough to sign up for new premises: five times bigger than the first site, the new headquarters provide additional production capacity, extra office space, and showroom facilities where they can hold regular open days. This created enough space for them to invest in a second SC-S30600 which means they are able to split even larger jobs between the printers without consistency issues. As Lee concludes, “In this industry you have to stay on top of the technology and keep looking ahead to what comes next. Thanks to the SureColor SC-S30600 we have the time to make those strategic plans.”

[photo shows Nick Lindwall and Lee Crew standing next to wallpaper printed on Epson SureColor SC-30600 wide format printer]

Stanford Marsh Group, the provider of wide format printing equipment, computer aided design software and large format consumables, has announced that it is now offering a 0% finance deal to prospective purchasers of its large format printer solutions.

As an established, privately-owned business, Stanford Marsh Group is able to offer the 0% finance deal through its own in-house finance company and cash reserves.  The offer has been devised to facilitate customers wanting to invest in the most up-to-date wide format digital printing equipment.

Matthew Perkins, director at Stanford Marsh Group, explains, “We’ve developed the offer to support our current and potential customers and help them to invest in the equipment they need to sustain and expand their businesses.”

“As well as helping start-up businesses or those needing finance to invest in new equipment, the 0% offer can also be used to help with tax purposes or to aid companies simply wishing to keep cashflow within the business,” he adds.

The range of hardware solutions available under the 0% finance scheme is extensive as Stanford Marsh Group is a reseller of most major wide format printer manufacturers – including Canon, Epson, HP and Océ – and the associated software and consumables.

Perkins continues, “As it is our own finance company underwriting the loans, we can be flexible and work around each individual customer’s needs.  For example, a customer might need the first 2 payments deferred in order to get its business off the ground and this is something we are able to consider.  Another customer may wish to take out a longer term finance option or place a larger deposit on a machine and again, this is something we can comfortably negotiate.”

“We’re confident our flexible 0% finance deal will help form the basis of many a long-standing business relationship,” concludes Perkins.

The 0% finance offer is subject to status and some standard terms and conditions.  Interested parties should email info@stanfordmarsh.co.uk or visit www.stanfordmarsh.co.uk for more information.

About Stanford Marsh: Stanford Marsh Group was established in 1965 to provide wide format printing equipment, computer aided design software and large format consumables to any business with a design requirement or wide format output need. Stanford Marsh Group Graphics (SMGG) is the commercial graphics division of Stanford Marsh Group.

 

Chippenham, UK-based Image Factory has installed an HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press to provide cost-effective, versatile solutions for its customers.  The installation of the new machine follows the installation of an HP Scitex FB7500 Industrial Press less than a year ago. The company is now able to continue the migration of POS/POP and other graphic displays from screen to digital.

In October 2011, when HP launched the FB7600 press, it also made an optional Upgrade Kit available to HP Scitex FB7500 Industrial Press users, which Image Factory installed. Image Factory has added the optional HP Scitex FB7500/FB7600 White Ink Kit to one of its presses and can use HP FB225 White Scitex Ink on the full range of substrates.

"The addition of the white ink was part of the process to phase out screen printing," said Tim Boore, head of digital technologies, Image Factory. "The results are excellent and it is far more cost-effective. The ability to print white really puts the last nail in the coffin for screen as far as we're concerned. We will retain our last screen line for one- and two-colour jobs and special projects requiring metallic inks, but our normal work is going to be digital."

For Image Factory, the migration from screen to digital is about being able to deliver what its customers want, at a price they want to pay and making a decent return.

"The speed and capacity of these printers has enabled us to shut down one of our three screen printing lines, and when we've completed the options and upgrades, we'll be able to shut down a second."

The HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press uses UV-curable inks and is capable of imaging a broad range of substrates, from films, papers, and boards to more unusual materials like metal, glass and wood up to 25mm thick. With the optional multi-sheet loader on both presses enabling the simultaneous printing of four sheets, Image Factory is able to maximise productivity.

"The result of these investments is that we have presses with identical functionality that enable us to move work from screen to digital," said Boore.

While the market remains challenging, Boore feels that Image Factory is well positioned to give its customers the quality and service that they want, while ensuring its competitiveness and margins.

"Using our MIS system we have been monitoring our press speeds, ink, and material use and production throughput carefully," he said. "The presses are performing at the levels promised by HP, and our customers have been impressed with the improvements in the print quality and speed of delivery."

The HP Scitex FB7600 Digital Press can print up to 95 full-size sheets per hour, but for POP/POS display quality, POP55 mode (up to 55 sheets per hour) offers maximum productivity of 290m2/hr (3120ft2/hr).

[image: Tim Boore, head of digital technologies, Image Factory, is very pleased with the installation of the HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press.]

Mimaki's new JV400-SUV wide format printer has won the Viscom ‘Best of’ award in the Large Format Printing category.

Seeing its German debut at the Viscom show, the JV400-SUV utilises Mimaki’s newly developed inks which feature the flexibility of solvent combined with the durability of UV curing inks. During the printing process, the solvent in the ink is absorbed by the receiving layer of the media and the pigment is therefore securely anchored in the substrate. The UV unit then cures the ink, which provides the completed print with a smooth and shiny surface. The prints are highly scratch resistant, weatherproof and immediately dry.

The JV400-SUV is available at either 1.3m or 1.6m widths and achieves a print speed of up to 18 square metres per hour, offering a new generation of printer for the sign and display market. Distributed in the UK and Ireland by Hybrid Services Ltd, the award was presented to Mimaki Europe’s marketing manager, Mike Horsten.

John de la Roche, national sales manager at Hybrid Services Ltd - Mimaki's exclusive UK & Ireland distributor - comments, “The JV400-SUV opens up new options for sign and display companies and the initial impression of the printer is very exciting...  The glossy and hardwearing finish of the output provides a unique product for print providers and we look forward to demonstrating this solution to our customers very shortly.”

The Viscom Frankfurt jury consisted of editors-in-chief of trade magazines Large Format, TVP and SignPro Europe, representatives of the Zentralverband Werbetechnik e.V., EFRA Lichtwerbung Ernst Franke, Acrylland GmbH and of the organizer of Viscom, Reed Exhibitions Deutschland.

More more information on the JV400-SUV and Mimaki’s full range of products, please visit www.hybridservices.co.uk