Drive new conversations

I do not believe companies need to invest constantly but what is important is considered and comprehensive investments for the long term; investments that offer innovation and versatility. Too often companies invest in replacement technology that does not often offer them a diversity in order to grow or retain profits.

 

Investing in simple replacement style technology needs to be done with a constant innovation on cost of operation, reduced cost of sale and faster time to market. Customers will always demand more, higher quality and for less, that has become what we know them for. So, investing in a technology that drives new and different conversations with brand owners is critically important for a healthy ROI. HP are also supporting ArtSystems at this year’s Sign & Digital UK. ArtSystems are unique in the market as a distribution partner; they absolutely understand the value proposition of a wholesaler in ensuring they provide a great variety of solutions for the market combined with credit terms for the reselling channel. However, ArtSystems offer so much more value to our partners. From business-critical onsite service to keep production environments running to application consultant and training services in order to get the best ROI from our technology. This is why we are very happy for them to showcase the R Series in true partnership with Summa’s range of cutters. We launched the R Series last May as the first flatbed hybrid on the market that embodies everything that has become synonymous with HP Latex. Versatility, environmentally responsible and friendly without compromising the highest quality in print.

Research and development

As Mimaki’s UK and Irish distributor, at Hybrid, we’re very fortunate that Mimaki’s range is so extensive and offers such a broad range of potential products for those moving into the wide-format sector. Stepping up, or indeed starting up, in the wide-format printing industry holds many benefits. Productivity is key, with high print speeds and unattended printing keeping turnaround times low. If you’re already offering a small-format print service, it’s likely that many of your customers will have a wide-format requirement too, for pull up banners, signage and decals and by investing in wide-format technology, such as Mimaki’s UCJV series UV printer/cutter, you can upsell and ensure you retain your existing customer base.

Some smaller print companies will be outsourcing wide-format print to a trade printer, rather than making the investment in the technology themselves. By adding wide-format technology, they can keep the entire workflow in-house, allowing them to retain control of the whole process, avoiding delays and increasing profitability.

The wide-format printing industry moves at quite a pace, with new hardware, ink and software technology continually being brought to market. Mimaki’s strong research and development ethos has led to a steady release of new products for the wide-format sector being released in response to customer demand, pushing forward the print possibilities, especially for creative applications. The printing industry is never at rest and it’s important for sign and graphics companies to invest in new equipment to be able to keep up with their competitors and make their offering fresh.

Exhibitions, like Sign & Digital UK, are not just an opportunity to purchase new hardware but are an important part of keeping up-to-date, learning about new technology and how that can fit into your business. The chance to network brings about communication and it’s those conversations that can prove invaluable in finding out about what’s happening in the wide-format industry and where the new trends are emerging; this is something that any forward-thinking printing company should be considering in order to grow their business.