The Leicester business, which sells wallpaper through the online shopping platform Etsy, bought the 1.6m-wide roll-to-roll UVgel inkjet from reseller CMYUK and installed it in December 2022.
Founded by Rastislav Hascic and Nav Jakhu in 2018, Bella Stampa began life with a single Roland press and some licensed images.
Business exploded in the pandemic’s home-improvement boom, however, and the pair bought a second Roland - but by late 2022, they had found that they needed a press that could handle the increasing demands of the business.
Long days of up to 18 hours, inconsistent output, and frustration over wasted material pushed Hascic and Jakhu to look at other presses.
“Sometimes I’d just dread coming in, as I knew what timelines were ahead of me,” said Jakhu.
At the insistence of an industry peer the pair decided to look at a Canon Colorado; seeing it in action at CMYUK’s Shrewsbury demonstration centre, the matter was settled.
“The Colorado 1650 is a real game changer. The quality of the finish, given the speed of output, is just incredible. The UVgel inks dry instantly, and we’re really looking forward to getting to grips with the FLX finish that produces high gloss and velvet matt on a single print,” Jakhu said.
The Colorado represents a significant investment for the young firm, which turns over around £250,000. The press - and inline XY Fotoba trimmer, bought from CMYUK in January - cost the firm just over £100,000.
The investment is well worth the cost, according to Jakhu, who said the pair were looking at doubling their turnover in the next 12 months.
He said: “We are 75% quicker now. Ras, who always likes to start early, comes in at 4.00 a.m. and by the time I arrive at 9.00am all the printing for the day is complete.
“We don’t have banding issues or half unusable printed media rolls anymore, neither do we have to maintain printheads obsessively and constantly monitor output. We’ve gone from 10% wastage to zero.”
Bella Stampa will soon be looking at developing its own online brands, Jakhu said, and open up their trade to local businesses and authorities.
“We’re excited about the Colorado and the advantages it has brought to our business. We’re looking forward to optimising its capabilities, which in turn will help us expand and move into additional market sectors.
