Venture Banners takes on third EFI VUTEk FabriVU

Essex-based Venture Banners has invested in a third EFI VUTEk FabriVU dye sublimation printer to further strengthen its service offering and allow it to serve more customers.

Purchased from CMYUK, the VUTEk FabriVU 340i offers both direct-to-substrate and paper sublimation printing. It also features an integrated fixing unit that removes the need for a separate heat press.

Key features on the machine include eight Kyocera printheads rather than the usual four, which EFI says doubles resolution from 300dpi to 600dpi and increase POP speeds by around 48%.

A redesigned heating plate ensures improved temperature uniformity, particularly between jobs and less outgassing, while a new flag ink removal kit allows the system to manage high ink volumes without touching the loaded material.

Speaking about the new purchase, Scott Conway, director at Venture Banners, says: “Apart from the fact that we needed another textile printer to cope with increased volumes, we also wanted to buy ourselves some contingency.

“If our Klieverik calendar press ever went down for any reason, we wouldn’t be able to sublimate our materials, so investing in a printer with inline fixation, gives us a complete back up.”

Conway also explains that the new machine will support Venture’s expansion plans in the textile print market, with demand for such services on the rise. Going hand-in-hand with this is Venture’s impressive finishing setup, which includes 17 sewing machines and nine dedicated finishing operatives working in-house. 

“There seemed to be a shortage of good finishing staff a couple of years ago, we put it down to Brexit and the post Covid situation of people wishing to work from home,” Conway says.

“The situation has changed and I’m not sure why, all I can say is that we have a thriving, high calibre cohort of finishing staff. They are busy producing large amounts of silicon edge graphics for lightboxes, displays, and flags.”

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