Buying the 3.2m roll-to-roll press to cope with growing demand for its soft signage business, SWD decided to go for the Avinci after finding success with an Agfa Jeti Tauro H3300 that it bought in late 2019.

Luke Drogan, business development manager at SWD, explained: “During Covid the Tauro worked 24/7, producing many miles of social distancing graphics for our customers.

“It quickly became the production team's favoured print machine, and it was the reliability of the Jeti Tauro that gave us the confidence in the Agfa product.”

When the firm decided to add another dye-sublimation printer to its stable of wide and super-wide format machines, the Avinci was top of the list. The machine was installed in December.

Expanding its dye-sublimation business has, unusually, not been a problem for the firm during the energy crisis, thanks to its ability to generate much of its power itself.

Having installed solar panels across a quarter of its factory roof in 2016, SWD will by the end of February have installed them over the remaining three quarters.

When paired with the firm’s off-site wind turbine, SWD will soon be able to run fully on its own power, even with a stable of energy-hungry calenders.

Drogan added: “It’s been an interesting and challenging few years in business, first with Covid, then the fall in supplies and now the cost of living and energy crisis. 

“As a business we have looked at a wider investment plan to help us through the turbulence and the resulting solar power and wind turbine will help us significantly this year. 

“We are also trying to navigate through potential greenwashing in the industry to focus on truly sustainable products and materials. 

“Strong relationships with suppliers who have the same values are key to our business and our relationship with Agfa is growing."