Available immediately, the new models replace the first-generation VG family of wide-format printer/cutters, which were first unveiled at Fespa 2016.

The new range consists of two models,  the 1.6m-wide in the VG2-640, priced at £15,799, and the 1.3m VG2-540, which costs £13,999. The machines will have their UK show debut at Sign & Digital 2019 in April and will take centre stage on the firm's stand at Fespa in May.

“In developing the VG2, Roland DG have looked at every element of the original VG and made any improvements possible,” said Roland DG head of sales for the UK and Ireland Rob Goleniowski.

“On their own, each of these developments yields modest improvements, but together, more than 40 modifications take the VG series into a new league making it the obvious choice for a wide gamut of industries.

“The VG series has enjoyed enormous popularity and thousands of units have been sold worldwide since its launch in 2016. With a high volume of users comes a large pool of potential feedback and we have taken direction from our customers to develop a new generation of machines that better fit their needs.”

He added: “Any business looking for a reliable, affordable and high-quality print-and-cut solution will find the VG2 to be a strong contender for their next investment.”

Making use of Roland’s new eco-solvent TR2 inkset, the VG2 upgrades on its predecessor’s seven-colour plus white capabilities of CMYK, light cyan, light magenta and light black by adding orange as an eighth colour.

The new ink technology is designed for faster turnaround, making prints ready for lamination within six hours of printing – with Roland teeing up the possibility of same-day jobs on applications such as vehicle wrapping. The TR2 inkset has been approved for use on the VG2 machines by both 3M MCS and Avery Dennison’s ICS warranty programmes.

In eight-colour configuration, the TrueVis VG2s can reach print speeds up to 12.3sqm/hr, while those in double-four-colour configuration can print as fast as 30.4sqm/hr.

On the cutting side, Roland has added middle pinch rollers to automatically allow media to be cut without the rollers travelling over the printed area, and new crop mark options are designed for consistent and accurate cutting on laminated and long-run jobs.