The current setup at The Vinyl Guys is a far cry from when it started out as a business, with just a PC and a small 60cm plotter cutter to produce graphics for friends as and when required. Other, larger work was outsourced to companies with more firepower.
However, as Alex Liggett, owner of The Vinyl Guys, explains, the new Roland DG machine has enabled the company to bring a lot more work in-house.
“I started The Vinyl Guys business as a hobby three years ago, to meet the growing needs of friends in the motorsports sector,” Liggett says, adding: “Initially, I outsourced all my printing whilst doing as much as I could with the plotter and cut vinyl at home.
The printer has been pivotal in transforming my sideline enterprise into a profitable business”
“The printer has been pivotal in transforming my sideline enterprise into a profitable business. The difference now is unbelievable. I can print samples, test my artwork and turn work around faster, at a higher quality and at a lower cost.
“As soon as we installed our Roland, our profit margins grew by a significant amount overnight. Customers also noticed the difference in terms of quality, which meant I could be more creative and offer additional print services.”
Liggett continues: “As my customer-base grew, outsourcing printing proved to be time-consuming, expensive, and I had no control over the quality of the end-product. It became clear that I needed to invest in a printer and bring all the work in-house.
“I have used [the SG-540] for banners and posters, but as our main areas of business are vehicle graphics and signage, 90 percent of the time we are printing vinyl of some sort.”