The company had been using HP kit for 18 years but decided to trade in a two-year old Latex 360 for the Epson device, which was supplied by Perfect Colours. The machine went in around three months ago at the firm’s 790sqm premises.
“The accuracy is bang on, the quality is outstanding and it has not only allowed us to supply existing customers with almost photographic quality print results but it has won us new business in the backlit and stickers markets,” said Motion managing director Phil Highton.
The company said it had been experiencing issues with substrate and image distortion using heat-based Latex technology.
It also considered alternatives from Mimaki, but Highton said he was immediately impressed with the SC-S80600 when shown the technology by Perfect Colours.
“I had never seen such quality on a roll-to-roll machine, irrespective of whether it was printing onto paper or vinyl,” said Highton.
“It is an eco-solvent printer so there was no stretch or distortion issue and its ability to print in nine or ten colours and achieve 98% of the Pantone range means we achieve a depth of colour that is exceptional and has given us a stand out advantage with Duratrans/backlit work and stickers, as well as our core POS business.”
The white option on the SC-S80600 brings the firm’s roll-to-roll capabilities in line with its two Inktec Jetrix flatbeds – a KX7 and a KX6. It also operates a Xerox Versant 80 digital printer, an Esko Kongsberg cutting table and a Summa vinyl cutter.
The SC-S80600, which can print at speeds of up to 95.1sqm/hr, uses dual PrecisionCore TFP printheads and runs UltraChrome GS3 inks.
“There are faster machines and it is true that sheets take a couple of hours to fully cure, but the big advantages are that the quality of the eco-solvent SC-S range is great and there is no substrate distortion – or the poor quality results and waste that go with that,” said Highton.
Eight-staff Motion, which turns over around £1m, offers large-format and digital print as well as bookletmaking and cutting services. The company’s business is 90% from the Midlands, but can be from as far away as Leeds, Cornwall, Suffolk and Wales.
