Ricoh investments help Next remain open
Clothing, footwear and home retailer Next has revealed how its purchase of two Ricoh printers has allowed the company to remain operational throughout the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Friday, 29 Jan 2021 09:00 GMT
Next operates over 550 stores across the UK and Ireland
The retailer had been running an EFI H1625 LED wide-format hybrid production printer - also supplied by Ricoh - in its print room, alongside a Ricoh Ri 100 DTG printer for proofing onto garments.
Next then opted to invest in a Ricoh T7210 UV flatbed printer and Ricoh Pro L5160 latex printer to reduce the number of projects it had been outsourcing, including window displays for its network of 550 stores in the UK and Ireland.
These were installed at its Leicestershire-based reprographics department in March 2020, shortly before the first UK nationwide Covid-19 lockdown, when Next was forced to close all of its store.
Next was able to continue running its online store, but had to ensure that its warehouses were operating in line with Covid-19 rules, including installing floor graphics to promote social distancing and directions for one-way systems.
Robert Foote, reprographics controller for Next Retail, says the two new Ricohs played a major role in producing this material, producing the graphics in just a matter of days, which in turn allowed the online store to remain fully functional.
Thanks to our new Ricoh machines, we were able to produce the graphics we needed and keep our online service running for customers across the UK and Ireland”
“In the lead up to the first lockdown, I noticed that many supermarkets had begun to install floor graphics, so I decided to get ahead of the game and purchase a lot of vinyl,” Foote says.
“This meant that when we were asked to create floor graphics for our own warehouses, the Ricoh machines were able to produce this work.
“This was especially crucial as many print companies had shut up shop when the lockdown came into effect and were unable to support us.
“Thanks to our new Ricoh machines, we were able to produce the graphics we needed and keep our online service running for customers across the UK and Ireland."
When lockdown rules were eventually relaxed, Foote syas the attention turned to ensuring its physical stores could reopen safely, with new Ricoh machines put to work on producing floor graphics such as social distancing markers.
“Thanks to Ricoh’s printers, we were able to help ensure the safety of customers and staff when they were inside our shops, as well as guarantee that our shops were operating in line with the strict Covid-19 regulations,” Foote said.
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