The machine, which was supplied by Papergraphics, joined three Latex 570 systems at OPG’s Lanarkshire headquarters in July.
OPG’s circa-930sqm premises required considerable structural work to accommodate the new printer, as its production floor is a few metres above ground floor level, and delivery needed to take place within a tight time window to ensure a safe work environment.
“We’re always looking to streamline our operation to maximise available space through efficient and effective jobs scheduling, production planning, materials handling and storage, all the way through to just-in-time dispatch and fitting,” said OPG general manager Alan Watson.
The 3.2m-wide Latex 3200 is designed to support higher-volume printing and is particularly suitable for vehicle graphics, as well as general graphics applications such as retail or outdoor advertising, events and exhibitions, and interior decor.
The machine's environmental credentials were key for ISO 14001-certified OPG, which employs just under 30 staff and whose clients increasingly demand credible “green” options, according to Watson, who described the printer as “the machine we’ve been waiting for”.
“We like its productivity; not just how fast it prints, although it is very fast, but also the general increase in uptime we’ve experienced since its installation,” he said.
“There is minimal waste; just one linear metre each time we load the roll, which are savings that add up. Crucially, the colour consistency when tiling large-scale vehicle graphics is excellent – the 3200 is achieving corporate colours that CMYK would struggle with – and the quality is stunning.
“It’s wonderful. We absolutely love it.”
OPG's client base includes both end users and manufacturers of fleet vehicles, with giant-scale graphics projects intended for semi-permanent use of up to eight years.
