The roll-to-roll printer, which was launched at Fespa in Munich in May, was installed at the Stockport-based firm’s 750sqm premises around four weeks ago, replacing two Mimaki printers that have been retained as back-up.
It represents the latest part of a circa-£500,000 investment programme for Multiprint, which was initiated after Andy Bruce and Mike Riley bought the company in June 2018, becoming its joint directors.
The first piece of kit the pair purchased was a Zünd G3 CAD cutter, complete with automatic routing centre, which enables it to automatically select and change routing/cutting tools without operator intervention.
This was followed by an Oce´ Arizona 6170 XTS flatbed from Canon in January this year, which replaced an Océ Arizona 460GT and was taken on to boost the firm’s output and increase its ability to print onto a variety of substrates up to 3x2.5m.
The Oce´ Colorado 1650 is a four-colour, 1.6m-wide device that makes use of Canon’s UVgel ink technology and prints resolutions of 1,800dpi at up to 159sqm/hr.
“It’s so fast it’s untrue and it’s so versatile. The fact that you can run with two medias at the same time means there’s less messing about,” said Riley.
As well as running a new inkset that offers 85% ‘stretchability’, for applications such as soft signage, vinyls, and canvasses, the device also features a new curing system, FLXfinish LED, which enables users to automatically switch between matt and gloss finish, without changing inks or substrate, to suit high-quality indoor and high-impact indoor/outdoor applications respectively.
“We can now print a matt image onto gloss paper, which if you have white text on a coloured background gives the appearance of the white text looking as though it has been gloss varnished. Up until now this was not possible without extra lamination,” said Riley.
Established in 2012, Multiprint serves advertising agencies, POS and merchandisers, retail, display/event companies and construction businesses locally and nationwide.
With four staff, which the company is looking to expand in the near future, its sales have reportedly increased by around 20% since Bruce and Riley took the reins just over a year ago.
