The 702 and 703 series are the first inks suitable for "the plug-and-play UV inkjet market", according to Nazdar market segment manager for the UK Rich Dunklee.

“There's a gap in the market and it's for a viable third-party option for the Océ Arizona and Fujifilm Acuity platforms,” he said.

“What's different about them physically? Nothing; they are designed to be the same as the OEM versions but are considerably lower in price.

“End-users meanwhile don't have to re-profile their printers, they can just plug in the inks and continue running as before. There are currently around 1,000 of these machines in use in the UK.”

Dunklee said ink prices varied from one country to another, but they would work out between 30% and 35% less than the OEM versions. The inks come in one- and two-litre packs.

The 702 series is designed for use in the Océ Arizona printers that use IJC256 inks. The 703 series is for Fujifilm Acuity printers running the KI series inks.

The inks offer good compatibility, quality and cost effectiveness, combined with a seamless conversion process, said Dunklee. Closely colour matched and chemically compatible with the IJC256 and Fujifilm KI inks, users can save time and money by switching one colour at a time, he added.

Flushing, purging or re-profiling is not necessary when transitioning to Nazdar 702 or 703 series inks due to the accurate colour reproduction capabilities of the ink set, the company said.

Lancashire-based wide-format kit reseller Quality Print Services (QPS) has started supplying the inks in the UK with immediate effect.

A number of QPS’s existing customers took part in beta tests of the new inks to ensure they delivered the best results at the best price. QPS managing director Chris Bailey said feedback from testers has been “very positive”.

“The 702 series and 703 series inks provide all the qualities that display print businesses expect and demand from OEM inks but at a much lower price point,” he said.

“Our customers will also have the advantage of our team of expert engineers to ensure switchovers go smoothly.”