The device, supplied by Josero, was installed at the branding and signage specialist in October, replacing a Mimaki JFX200 flatbed.
“At 2.5m-wide it takes up the same footprint as the other flatbed but with the Anapurna we can rotate boards, print wider media and also print rolls,” said Freestyle managing director and founder Jayson Godridge.
“It is around four times the speed of our other UV as well, so it really gives us an added value and where we had a bottleneck before, we now don’t, we have capacity.”
The new device joins a Roland XR640 roll-to-roll primarily used for vehicle wrapping, a Mimaki UCJV 300-160 roll-to-roll for general signage and posters, a Trotec laser cutter and a Summa flatbed cutter.
Godridge said that since installing the new printer the company has been running exhibition graphics, display boards and POS projects through it as well as being able to produce tension fabric displays, which it has previously been unable to do. The new device has also attracted trade work from businesses who don’t have the capacity themselves.
“Our client base is large and we get asked weird and wonderful things all the time so it’s nice to be able to say yes without having to outsource it,” he said.
With more work coming through the doors and the ability to handle larger substrates, Godridge said it was inevitable that the business would soon need to find a larger premises than its current 280sqm footprint.
“Sometimes we feel like we’re tripping over ourselves, we’ve got so much kit and moving will help us streamline our operations,” he explained.
“We’d also like to have a showroom to be able to showcase what we do to customers because at the moment we just have an industrial space and a small reception,” Godridge added.
He said a larger space would also support a move into wider format banner printing, which is currently outsourced because of the space required, as well as new substrates.
“Our capacity has just grown so much and we need more space for bigger rolls and racking because we want to stock more of the sustainable, recyclable products. That’s going to be part of our key offering,” he added.
“We haven’t had time to really focus on this until now. But the new machine has allowed us that because we’re no longer backed up with work. Focusing on sustainability has got to be the way forward and prices of the products seem to be levelling out with PVC now and I think that’s helping people to move across.”
Beginning his career in signage around 20 years ago, Godridge launched Freestyle Designs six years later and has grown the business to employ seven members of staff with a turnover of between £600,000 and £700,000.
