ESS completes business rebuild with VeloBlade Nexus from Soyang

Manchester-based signage business, Elite Sign Solutions (ESS), has invested in a new VeloBlade Nexus 3032 wide-format digital die-cutting machine from Soyang Europe, as part of its latest growth plans.

The new equipment marks the final stage of ESS’s premises and hardware rebuild, following a devastating fire in March 2020.

ESS was located inside Morton Mill, which was destroyed during a major arson attack. As a result of the fire, ESS lost its premises, machinery, equipment, and stock.

The timing made an already difficult situation even more challenging, as the fire occurred at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic when restrictions made viewing potential new premises, machinery demonstrations, and installations difficult.

After securing a new facility, the company began the process of investing in print hardware to ensure it could deliver the wide range of signage services it previously offered.

ESS first purchased a new laser cutter, an AXYZ CNC router, and two Roland printers, followed by a Canon Arizona 480 XT in 2021 and a Mimaki JFX200-2513EX in 2024.

The company completed its investment cycle in 2025 and 2026, purchasing a range of equipment including several finishing solutions from Vivid Laminating Technologies.

Rather than simply rebuilding its output to levels seen before the fire, the latest investments have been made to supercharge its production capacity and enter new markets.

Thomas Swales, director of ESS, says: “The result of all our investment was that our printing capacity had increased enormously, but it also highlighted the next area we needed to address – finishing. That ultimately led us to Soyang and the new VeloBlade machine.”

ESS was first introduced to VeloBlade technology by Damien Martin, sales manager at Soyang, following its purchase of a Mimaki UCJV330 from the company.

The VeloBlade Nexus 3032 combines CNC routing with cutting, creasing, and perforating in a single pass, with features including an automatic tool changer, automatic cut-depth setting, and cutting speeds of up to 1,500mm/s.

Installed at the end of June, the Nexus 3032 also features a 3,000 x 3,200mm cutting area and can handle a wide range of materials up to 25mm thick including Dibond, MDF, and acrylic.

Swales adds: “The speed, size, automation, and versatility have transformed our finishing workflow. It has removed a significant bottleneck and given us the capacity to take much greater advantage of the print equipment we’ve invested in.

“What has probably impressed us most is that it hasn’t just made existing work quicker – it has also allowed us to offer products we couldn’t realistically manufacture before.”

Since the investment, ESS has been able to move further into the sustainable display and exhibition market, enabling the company to cut and crease honeycomb cardboard and manufacture lightweight, recyclable display structures and three-dimensional products.

ESS also aims to further develop its capabilities in short-run print, packaging, labels, and bespoke products, with further investment likely to follow as these opportunities develop.