Increasing demand at Merchr’s Greater Manchester plant prompted the firm – which went independent from the nearby Product Source Group in January – to bring on board more printing capacity.
The installation round included a new digital flatbed printer, capable of printing 60 notebooks at once with a varnish finish, a 360-degree cylinder printer for water bottles and flasks capable of 250 bottles per hour.
Further custom kit – all sourced through ex-parent company Product Source Group, which has a partnership with an undisclosed East Asian OEM – included a laser-guided dual heat pressing printer for glitter, neon and textured print on t-shirts, hats and bags, with the final custom piece a 360-degree heat press for hats.
Merchr also took delivery of a GraphTec CE7000 vinyl cutting plotter, bought through reseller Stahls.
Installations were carried out in mid-October.
The machines have geared Merchr up for rapid expansion: on water bottles alone, the company can now print 90% faster than before, and it has doubled the quantity of t-shirts, tote bags and other flat cloth items it can produce, thanks to the new dual heat/transfer press.
Jack Fox, Merchr’s head of operations, said: “Advancements in technology have opened doors to a new era of sustainable merchandise printing.
“The ability to print retail quality items on demand, without having to order in bulk, not only enhances our commitment to sustainability but also empowers our store owners with more choice and customisation options.”
Sarah O’Donovan, Merchr’s marketing manager, told Printweek: “We are delighted with the machines.
“They have equipped us with a bigger, better, and more efficient design and product capability, really allowing us to push the boundaries [of what we previously could achieve.]”
Fox added: “Customers will benefit from even higher quality printing with varnish finishes and faster turnaround times. For example, it takes only two minutes to full colour print a water bottle.
“These digital machines are designed and built to integrate with the Merchr ecosystem, enabling ‘cart to print’ in seconds, representing a fundamental advance in the supply chain.”
Merchr, which employs nine staff, is currently looking to take on five more recruits, including software development and marketing professionals to help power its further expansion.
The start-up, which also has offices in London, won its independence in January after securing £350,000 in an oversubscribed pre-seed fundraising round, backed by personalised product entrepreneur Martin Varley.
