Bluetree installs second JWEI as part of wide-format expansion

Commercial print corporation, Bluetree Group, has added a second JWEI JCUT-3230 digital cutting table to its production portfolio, as part of its expansion into wide-format print.

The Bluetree Group is made up of four brands, each catering to a specific audience in the print buying sector. This includes Route 1 Print, which works predominantly with print resellers, as well as web-to-print brand, instantprint, which focuses primarily on SMEs.

The latest purchase follows significant equipment investment last year including its first JWEI JCUT-3230, a High Roller Carousel roll storage system, and a Neolt XY Matic Plus 165 Trimmer Plus from supplier CMYUK, which joined four EFI super-wide industrial printers.

While a large portion of the wide-format investments took place during early 2024, the decision to move into the sector was reportedly made back in 2018, to capitalise on a sustained period of growth in Bluetree’s existing small-format print business.

In late 2019, the company acquired a next-door unit to begin its wide-format venture. However, the Covid-19 pandemic then delayed proceedings until 2024.

Much of the kit was chosen after attending drupa 2024, followed by further consultation with CMYUK.

Speaking about the wide-format expansion, Mark Young, managing director of Bluetree Group, says: “We decided we needed to throw everything at it to make it work and went to drupa with that in mind.”

Senior management at Bluetree were impressed with the reliability and build quality of the JWEI JCUT, which Young says “has all the gadgets and routing tools” needed for a wide variety of applications.

The JWEI JCUT 3230 digital cutting table is the largest in the JCUT family with a 3.2m x 3m bed. The 3.2m width capacity reportedly appealed to Bluetree, as it matched the width of its EFI printers.

Four EFI printers were installed at Blutree’s facilities last year, namely the roll-fed EFI VUTEk Q3r, the hybrid VUTEk h5 and VUTEk h5+, and the VUTEk FABRIVU 340i+, a roll-to-roll dye sublimation printer with in-line fixation.

The speed and versatility of the cutting tables was also calculated to match the output from the EFI presses, ensuring that finishing would not bottleneck the production workflow.

With a second JWEI JCUT, Bluetree is now able to run PVC materials on one machine and soft textiles on the other concurrently. This set-up is designed to complement the multiple EFI printers, allowing for a more streamlined and efficient workflow across a variety of materials and applications.

Young also highlights the ease of training for the JWEI and the accompanying OptiScout software, adding: “It was fairly effortless. CMYUK trained a few guys when they first came in, and then a couple more, and we’ve had no reported problems.”

The High Roller Carousel automatic roll storage system is able to hold up to 16 rolls up to 3m wide and is sited behind the EFI printers for convenient access, ensuring minimal slowdown during material handling.

“We probably work with nine or ten live materials. Our run lengths are fairly short, and we do quite a lot of changeovers throughout the day, so it’s important for us to have the ability to switch between them quite quickly,” notes Young.

The business has also invested in a Neolt XY Matic Plus 165 specifically for the slitting of posters. As a ‘plug-and-play’ trimmer, it offers a standard roll load capacity of up to 70kg, adjustable X and Y axis speed, and an adjustable waste collection system.

Earlier this month, CMYUK was chosen as the exclusive UK distributor of Neolt’s XY Plus Trim range.

Neolt introduced the latest model in the range at this year’s FESPA Global Print Expo, the XY Trim Plus 3300mm, which has been engineered for high-precision cutting of super-wide wallpapers, banners, and displays.