The agreement, which will also see CMYUK offer the material unwind/de-tensioning feeder system for the machine, was effective as of late June and CMYUK’s demonstration machine is due to land in the UK later this month.
UK sales for the MCT cutter were previously handled directly by Gerber Europe. While CMYUK’s contract is currently non-exclusive, it is the sole UK distributor for the kit at this time.
The MCT is equipped with a high-powered laser that delivers heat-sealed, non-fraying edges and cuts accurately every time. The system offers highly reliable ‘no-touch’ laser cutting to ensure no accidental lifting or moving of the fabrics while cutting.
By implementing a single MCT cutter, CMYUK said a company can offer a wider range of jobs without the need for multiple machines. The kit is said to offer eight to 12 times the throughput and productivity compared to manual cutting while also reducing waste through close nesting of parts.
CMYUK digital cutting specialist and Esko business manager Nick Reed said the machine gives CMYUK “a unique product for soft signage, flags, fashion and textile markets”.
“These markets tend to want more intricate cut parts and sealed edges of fabrics – no fraying, meaning no sewing – which the laser facilitates,” he said.
“CMYUK also sell the Esko Kongsberg machinery which is perfect for the signs and graphics marketplace but as yet does not have a laser function available, so the MCT unit helps fill that void.
“It has lots of unique features like the patent pending conveyorised bed system. Plus the laser mounting on the head is horizontal, allowing for much quicker cutting speeds without affecting the quality of the cut.”
He added: “The potential is massive, the UK’s textile market is in rapid growth, both in fast fashion and interior decor personalisation plus more traditional signs and graphics markets. We also see potential to move into other marketplaces like automotive and aerospace with this technology.”
Reed said prototyping and highly customisable short-runs will also be “screaming out for this type of finishing” further down the line.
Gerber Technology automation solutions president and chief operating officer Scott Schinlever called CMYUK’s appointment “a natural fit”.
“The UK is the second largest Western out-of-home signage market in the world, following the US. With CMYUK’s position in the market, I see it as a huge opportunity for us together to serve CMYUK’s growing customer base with digital finishing and workflow software,” he said.
While pricing is dependent on the machine size and configuration, CMYUK will be looking to market these machines at a price point between £150,000 and £200,000, which Reed said is comparable to other similar manufacturers in the marketplace.
CMYUK has recently constructed a new digital textiles development facility, expanding the floorspace of its Shrewsbury base by an additional 50% to make room for the facility.
