Councillor Graham Allman joined other VIPs at the ribbon-cutting event to mark the opening of Portuguese digital textile printer supplier MTEX Solutions’ UK operation, which is located in Moira, Leicestershire.

MTEX Solutions set up subsidiary MTEX Technologies in May to help drive its UK sales. The company is also keen to develop a UK training centre and is planning collaborations with local universities.

The three-day opening event, which was attended by over 100 customers, featured demonstrations of a wide variety of digital textile printing products including MTEX printers, AVA CadCam design and colour software and Blackman & White flatbed textile cutters.

DPI sewing machine options, Primex lightbox frames, Tecna UK exhibition framework systems and a range of medias supplied by DPM and Georg Otto & Friedrich were also on display at the event.

Allman said: “I feel very privileged to be invited to officially open the local operation of MTEX Solutions. We are committed to encouraging business relocation to our district and are pleased to see that MTEX has chosen to open its first UK branch in Moira.”

MTEX Technologies managing director Stewart Bell, who is also managing director of former UK MTEX distributor Digital Print Innovations (DPI), added: “This event was the first of its kind in the UK where every piece of the digital textile printing jigsaw was brought together under one roof. Delegates stayed for several hours, which is a true testament to the quality of what was on offer.”

The demo facility permanently houses an MTEX 5032Pro and an MTEX 1800, which were installed by POD Iberia, the manufacturer of the MTEX range of dye-sub printers, in August.

Further equipment, including the MTEX TurboSub, MTEX 500C, MTEX PAD, MTEX Steamer and MTEX Wash & Dry, is due to be installed at the showroom in January.

The next MTEX Technologies event will also be held in January with further quarterly events due to happen throughout the year.

“Digital textiles is really booming. There’s major growth coming from the sign and display market for retail applications such as lightboxes, flags and POS but there’s also going to be major growth in traditional textiles such as printing onto cotton as well as polyester and silk,” said Bell.

The UK base has created five jobs so far, with two more staff due to join the firm in the next month.