The move has allowed the company to begin producing a host of new applications such as corporate signage and wall art in public buildings.
“We’ve been in business for 70 years now, so our glass working skills are second to none, and we knew we wanted to do the printing ourselves,” Churchill says.
He adds: “We spent two years looking for the right printer and working out the best pre- and post-treatment methods to ensure a hardwearing yet beautiful result.”
We’ve been in business for 70 years now, so our glass working skills are second to none, and we knew we wanted to do the printing ourselves”
As part of this expansion project, Southern Counties Glass contacted CMYUK to purchase a Mimaki JFX200 for producing the applications.
Churchill goes on to explain that after mastering the technical side of production, the company got in touch with photographer Osbourne to develop a unique range of products: “We’ve teamed up with Richard and his work is now seen by more than eight million people in Britain each year on the walls of hospitals, conference centres, offices, leisure centres and private homes.
"We now have a licence to use 4,000 of his works, which makes this a great opportunity for people to bring stunning images into their own environments.”
The initiative has been such a success that Southern Counties Glass recently invested in a new Mimaki JFX500, increasing the size of panels it can print from 2,400 x 1400mm to 3,100 x 2100mm.
Working with the four biggest kitchen industry suppliers in the country we carry out installations across the UK, and we now produce show-stopping pieces for printing companies that don’t have the experience with printing onto glass”
Churchill continues: “Our complete focus on glass, and our skill in handling this tricky substrate, makes us unique in this market.
"Working with the four biggest kitchen industry suppliers in the country we carry out installations across the UK, and we now produce show-stopping pieces for printing companies that don’t have the experience with printing onto glass.”
Jon Price, director at CMYUK, adds: “The Mimaki JFX200 and JFX500 are both great machines offering quality and consistency, and are perfect for printing onto glass.
"Put that together with the skills of the Southern Counties Glass team in developing the right treatments to fix the image, then handling and installing such large panels, and you’re onto a winner across both the signage and display markets.”
