The device, which was supplied by Blackman & White graphics’ distributor i-Sub, was installed at the Nottingham-based company’s premises last month.

The business started out providing aluminium systems for the signage and graphics industry and first diversified into print in 2016 when it invested in a dye-sublimation machine and a 3.2m UV roll-to-roll system.

It has since installed further large-format kit, which has opened up potential new avenues for the business but also left it needing to upgrade its finishing capability.

“Finishing was definitely the bottleneck in our business. We could print a lot of work; we just couldn't finish it. We realised that what we needed was that missing link – and, as it turned out, that was the Blackman & White Genesis V cutter,” said Sign Up Systems managing director Jon Bromhead.

The company was initially searching for a used cutting machine but quickly realised that only a new one would meet its needs.

After speaking to i-Sub, which the company had dealt with on a previous purchase before, and following a demonstration on the system, it decided that the Genesis V would be the best fit for its requirements.

“Due to the pandemic, we felt it was better to go with a machine manufactured in the UK. It offered a better price point too, so seemed to be the right fit for us,” Bromhead explained.

“We put the machine through its paces before we purchased it, running some tests using different substrates and cutting tools. We were happy with the results and decided to go for it.

"I-Sub have always been really helpful, and we knew that we would get really good service from them.”

The Genesis V has a maximum cutting speed of 1,200mm/sec and can cope with materials up to 50mm thick. Tool options allow cutting, creasing, routing, v-cutting, and cardboard engineering, which enables Sign Up Systems to finish packaging and marketing materials, as well as branded workwear for staff.

“It gives us a bigger product range and helps us to diversify, as well as allowing us to finish and produce a lot more products in-house,” said Bromhead.

“Rigid board, banner, paper, vinyl, fluted board, display card, textile, composite materials finishing and more mean we can now look into completely different areas that we couldn't even consider before; there are so many possibilities, we’ve only just scratched the surface of what it can do.”

He added: “It's obviously been a challenging 18 months and we decided that we wanted to invest during the pandemic rather than be passive. The whole industry has changed, and people are having to be more dynamic and think in different ways. This machine gives us a competitive edge that we didn't have before.”