The Gerrards Cross-based company has bought a Mutoh ValueJet 1638WX 64in dye-sublimation printer and a Klieverik calender heat press, which were installed at its 1,858sqm premises last month, and a Kongsberg C64 3.2m cutter, which is due for installation next week.
After researching the market and looking at a range of alternatives, the firm bought the Mutoh and Kongsberg equipment from reseller CWE Solutions and the Klieverik machine direct from the manufacturer.
The business will use the Mutoh device to produce flags, soft signage and bespoke packaging. It had previously outsourced some of this type of work but hopes to push further into these markets now it has the capabilities in-house.
The company extended its premises last summer to equip it with the space to house its quickly expanding large-format operation in a dedicated unit.
Gpex account director Peter Webb said: “We introduced large-format printing in 2011 and have experienced year-on-year growth within the retail and exhibition markets.
“The introduction of this new equipment will help us strengthen our offering to these markets and hopefully open some new doors.”
He added: “We are very fortunate to have long-term, supportive clients who understand the need to push forward with new technology and products.
“This is our opportunity to jump into fabric and soft signage, as well as packaging markets.”
The new machinery is additional to the firm’s existing plant list, which also includes three Heidelberg presses, a five-colour Speedmaster 74, a five-colour Speedmaster 52 and a mono GTO 46, three Canon digital printers and wide-format machinery including an HP FB700 flatbed plus Latex 260 and 360 roll-fed printers.
The business also operates a Summa cutting table while its other in-house finishing services include laminating, folding, stitching, collating, shrink-wrapping and sewing.
Gpex, which has 30 staff and a turnover of £4m, was established in 1962 and serves customers including B2B companies, councils, charities and retailers.
