“The Arizona 135 GT is a smart investment for any signmaker, print service provider, offset printer or screen printer… it has been specifically designed to help customers access the exciting growing market of large-format flatbed applications,” said Stefanie Schumann, senior European product manager display graphics systems, EMEA, Canon Production Printing.
The new 34.2sqm/hr Arizona 135 GT runs a fixed CMYK plus white colourset and can handle 1.25x2.5m boards up to 50.8mm thick. It’s also field upgradable to a roll-to-roll hybrid that can handle 2.2m wide reels up to 50kg, including thin and heat sensitive media.
According to Schumann the 135 GT is ideal for users looking to produce volumes from just 2,000sqm per year upwards that also need a device capable of handling production peaks of up to 100sqm a week at a single shift business “on almost any rigid or flexible media”.
Bread and butter applications include retail display graphics, point-of-purchase, short run packaging, interiors, OOH graphics, backlits, and special substrates.
The application range can also be expanded with the optional Arizona Static Suppression Upgrade for hard plastics.
Canon is lauding its low barrier to entry and attractive total cost of ownership, which Schumann said is illustrated by the fact that the Arizona printing process can cut ink usage by up to 50% compared to rival five-colour systems, as two of its USPs.
The fifth generation Arizona features VariaDot greyscale heads, running the IJC357 inkset from the Arizona 1300 and 2300s, with one 636-nozzle variable droplet (6-30 picoliters) printhead per colour.
Arizona Classic high pressure vacuum system comes as standard, as does Xpert pre-media software, automated maintenance programmes and advanced ganging and nesting capabilities.
Through its combination of automation and flat-out speed, the 135 GT offers a significant productivity boost over the 18sqm/hr Arizona 318 GL it replaces in Canon’s range.
Canon’s latest wide-format launch follows the introduction of an entry level machine in its Colorado UVGel roll-to-roll series, the 1.6m wide 1630, last month and the mid-range Arizona 2300 LED-UV flatbed series last Autumn.
Like the Colorado 1630, Canon is targeting the Arizona 135 GT at its partner reseller network and, as a result, Printweek understands it will not be available as Fujifilm OEM product.
According to Wouter Derichs, sales and marketing director, Large Format Graphics, EMEA, Canon Production Printing, this latest launch is another indication of Canon’s confidence in the industry’s bounce back.
“Although the world was forced to slow down, we have been able to maintain the pace of our development and our endeavours have resulted in today’s announcement of yet another milestone in the evolution of our large-format flatbed portfolio,” he said.
“Demand is picking up and more and more face-to-face events are being prepared and held this year,” he added, citing Canon’s own commitment to exhibit at Fespa in Amsterdam come October.
“We believe it’s now a good time [for print business owners] to look beyond the challenges of the moment and adapt their business and technology in preparation for the future.”
The Arizona 135 GT is available for order now, with deliveries starting mid-July. List pricing starts at around €69,000 (£59,000) for the base model, rising to €85,000 with the roll-to-roll option.
