The Hull-based business, whose turnover has grown by 20% to £3m in the past two years, took delivery of a Rho 512R Plus 5m-wide 12-picoliter UV inkjet machine in February.
It has replaced one of the 22-staff company’s two existing EFI Vutek GS5000r printers, which has been sold on, and joins other kit including the retained GS5000r, a Vutek GS3250LX, a Durst Rho P10 250HS inkjet flatbed that was installed in 2017, and four Mimaki printers including a UCJV300-160 that went in last year.
The roll-to-roll Rho 512R Plus features Durst Quadro Array printheads along with Variodrop technology and uses multiple impulses for modulating drop sizes.
RMC’s existing Rho P10 250HS was specified with a white configuration to enable the company to continue producing multi-layered backlit work. With a double white configuration on the new Rho 512R Plus, the firm said it will now be able to produce better quality, partly illuminated flex face and textile graphics for the signage and exhibition sectors.
“The quality on the Dursts is exceptional, particularly with fine text and for high density colours. One exhibition client has found that instead of double-striking to get the green, it can now all be done in a single pass,” said RMC operations director Nicole Spencer.
“We can also leave the machine to run on its own in the evening with unattended printing due to the carbon fibre bars and encompassed tracking software.
“It’s faster than the Vutek that we had, which has already increased our capacity, and being able to run it overnight has increased it again.”
RMC’s circa-£450,000 investment in the new Durst machine follows a prior £1m kit and plant investment programme carried out by the firm in recent years. It has recently completed extension work on its factory, which has been doubled in size to increase space for storage, finishing, wrapping and packing.