“Now is the perfect time. If you want to grow the grass you need to clear the forest, and that’s what Covid has done in a sense,” said DecTek managing director Mike Beese.
“You need to look for the opportunities, and I can’t help being optimistic.”
The centerpiece of the Pontypridd-based business’s latest spend was a Duplo DuSense Pro DDC-810 ‘sensory coater’ and DC-646iPro multi finisher. Duplo also sourced two Vivid Matrix laminators for the firm, one for laminating, one for foiling special effects.
The autumn post-press spend follows the installation of a Canon imagePress C810 production press in March, which Beese said he essentially bought “just to see what it could do for us”.
As a result of the success of the Canon, the business is looking at adding another cut sheet device with a white printing capability in the near future, but its immediate impact was to make the company look at embellishment options for its output.
“We’re heavily investing in small-format effects and embellishments, for packaging but we’re also seeing a huge interest in high-end brochures too,” he said.
“We’ve woken up to the full spectrum of Duplo finishing. When you consider print, anyone can print essentially, but the secret in diversifying is in the finishing.”
Beese said the investment in the DuSense digital spot coater was fueled by a spike in requests for brochures, leaflets and promotional literature following the arrival of the Canon, which was something the business wasn’t specifically geared up for in a big way previously. So he scheduled a visit to the Duplo showroom in August to see what technology was available.
“And I was totally flabbergasted about what is possible and bought the equipment on sight.”
As a result of the significant growth in brochure work, Beese said he thinks he will likely be spending around £400,000 in additional kit for brochure production next year.
“The full print to crease, fold, finish solution. Our new strategy is: we don’t make everything, we make anything.”
The 1,800sph DC-646iPro automated slitter, cutter, creaser, meanwhile, was bought in primarily for the production of digitally printed sticker sheets – significantly driving down costs, in some cases by up to 80%.
At the end of 2020 the business, which prior to the pandemic specialised in domed labels, targeted the short-run packaging opportunity with a significant investment in kit and additional space. The plan was to potentially generate around £100,000 in additional sales per month through the rapid production of items such as samples, custom packaging, bespoke boxes, and transit packaging.
Both the DuSense and the DC-646iPro were installed in the 36-staff trade company's additional unit, which it expanded into earlier this year.
Beese said the second unit is now home to £1.1m in new kit.
The firm, whose plant list features an impressive battery of wide-format kit, has also invested heavily in kit for the production of promotional items such as mugs, coasters, and textiles.
“I’ve also bought 22 new computers and one new server this year,” quipped Beese.
More details about the business, which serves both B2B and print resellers, can be found on Printweek’s Services Portfolio+ microsite.
Last month, Beese was one of the panelists in a Printweek virtual roundtable titled ‘Stick or twist - is now the time to diversify or consolidate?’ where he advocated diversification strategies and shared some of his own experiences.
You can view the webinar, which also featured The Delta Group CEO Jason Hammond, Mohammad Jogie, head of creative and strategy, Morning Star Design, Rapidity managing director Paul Manning and Nicole Spencer, managing director, RMC Digital Print on-demand here.
