Invest a little, gain a lot in return

There are plenty of established sign businesses and sign-makers that have been practising their craft for 20 years plus that read this magazine, however, there are also many people who are new to the field who read it looking for inspiration. Well, it is good news for these start-up sign-makers who are on a budget and looking for equipment that is both easy to use and affordable, as Mutoh believes it has the answer—the Valuejet 1604X.

The printer is distributed by UK wide-format print and finishing specialist distributor Colourgen, which works with global manufacturers and brands such as Mutoh, Epson, Kala, Seal, and Caldera. Colourgen exhibited at Sign and Digital UK back in April, where it showcased not only the Valuejet 1604X, but also a range of other new equipment from flatbed printers to direct-to-textile printers.

“Mutoh has once again hit the absolute sweet spot in the wide format market,” says Jeff Biggs, managing director of Colourgen, adding: “More and more sign-makers and print providers are recognising that diversification is key to building and maintaining profitability, and the new Valuejet 1604X is the ideal investment for meeting this need.


“It is an easy-to-use, versatile and affordable solution that opens the door to an infinite array of application opportunities to help companies in-crease its business offerings and expand into new markets.”

When Signlink caught up with Biggs at Sign and Digital UK this year on the Colourgen stand, he said the machine ‘represents fantastic value’ for entry level sign-makers or printers, and that Sign and Digital UK was a “very good opportunity” to show the product.

Endless possibilities

If you are wondering what you can create using this printer you will be pleasantly surprised as it is a very versatile machine, suitable for both long-term outdoor and indoor prints, on both uncoated and coated substrates. For example, you could make posters, point-of-sale displays, backlit signage, wall coverings, vehicle graphics, stickers, and more. There is plenty of opportunity available in these markets to make a profit, as you will see throughout the pages of this magazine.

The Valuejet 1604X is a 64? wide model with a motorised take-up system for rolls up to 30kg. It is compatible with Mutoh Eco Ultra and Universal Mild Solvent (UMS) inks. With drop-on-demand Micro Piezo Inkjet Technology and speeds up to 11.5sq m/h, the compact four-colour printer will provide extra versatility to meet application requirements. The machine’s top speed is 15sq m/h for banner production and it can be operated at 2.8sq m/h to produce high quality vinyl.

The printer, at the time of writing, is priced at £8,995, which includes all the essential features you will need: stand, take-up, software, and a set of inks. That will give you everything you need to be up and running within no time, having made a reasonable amount of investment that is easier to stretch to for a start-up or smaller sign-maker.

With so much focus on diversifying your business and looking at new revenue streams, there may never have been a better time to think about investing in new equipment—especially an entry-level model that is versatile enough to create a range of exciting new products.


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