Lending a supportive hand

What is your own professional background?

Before working at Signmaster Systems I was at college studying Engineering Processes and Engineering Mathematics, while I had also previously studied Graphic Design and Art. I had great interest in all of these areas and when a position arose in a company that enabled me to combine both disciplines, I knew that I was on to a winner. I found the installation job at Signmaster and knew straight away that it was something that I wanted to be a part of. I have now been a part of the technical team at Signmaster for five years and have progressed my position to become the head of the technical department.

How has the company grown over time?

The company has grown massively over the last five years and gone from strength-to-strength. I have watched it go from a re-seller to a distributor as it grew in reputation and strength, taking on more and more leading brands.


This was great for me as I had to quickly learn and adapt to new equipment and technologies that we had to install and support.



In addition to the introduction of new brands, we have also increased our customer support team, built a consumable sales department, and added a fully functioning on-site print department to tailor to the needs of our customers. We now pride ourselves in being able to help the customer through every aspect of the sign-making process, not just in supporting them through the initial purchase of hardware and helping them find the best solution for them and their business, but also offering the best ‘after purchase support’ they can get.

What are some of the most exciting products in Signmaster’s portfolio currently?

Currently at Signmaster we have two pieces of equipment that really stand out to me, one of those is the Mimaki UCJV300-160. This is a print and cut machine with the added feature of also being a UV printer, boasting the outstanding features that are already tried and tested in the big range of Mimaki UV printers already on the market. The Mimaki UCJV300 has the ability to slash production time as it does not need any ‘gassing off’ like alternative technologies in the market, but the UV ink cures hard and leaves you with a product that in most cases doesn’t need to be laminated. All of this combined with the Mimaki’s cut features make it highly effective.

Another machine we currently have as part of our portfolio that really stands out to me is the Rollover application table. This product can cut hours out of the sign production process, its large table space (which is available in many different configurations) is LED backlit and covered in a self-healing cutting mat, this helps our customers weed and cut vinyl and prepare jobs. The Rollover is fitted with pneumatic roller, which can also be heated, this can then be used to apply application tape to cut jobs, printed vinyl to sign substrates, and also allow for bubble free flood coating. The feedback we have from these machines is great and we have seen a big buzz around them on the forums.



For promotional  printing and customisation of products we have the Roland Versa UV series. What we can create using these is stunning and proves that in most cases you are only limited by your imagination. We have been working on developing a foil system that works with Roland’s LEF-300 and this combined with the gloss and white enables the creation of some visually stunning results.



The other product that is rather exciting in our range is the HP latex. The HP latex continues to amaze us with its versatility and certainly bridges the gap between what you can do with standard wide-format and dye-sublimation. Printing textiles, furnishings, and décor is now within the reach of companies that have traditionally offered wide-format signage.

Are there any services you offer that people may not be aware of?

At Signmaster we now have a fully functioning print room; this is a service that is available to our customers at special VIP prices. This service is available to Signmaster customers and enables you to keep your production running if you experience any issues with your print machinery, or if you are at capacity and need production overflow. This reduces any headaches in the long run. The print room also enables you to speak with people who have encountered the same challenges that you may encounter and share their experience and knowledge. We also have numerous training days and courses available throughout 2018.

What feedback did you receive from your Complete Solution Open Day?

We received a fantastic response to our Complete Solution Open Day. The day let us welcome in customers to see the print room in full production, letting them see the possibilities in a combination of the latest technology. It also let us showcase the creative features that the HP latex printers offer.

What is your opinion on the key challenges sign-makers and printers are facing, and how can Signmaster help?

In my opinion, coming from a technical point of view, one of the main challenges that a sign-maker faces is getting the correct support to go with the equipment that they have purchased. We think it is important to give the customer a support structure around them so they can be confident that they are not going to be left high and dry.

What are Signmaster’s plans for the future?

With new management, Signmaster has lots of exciting plans for the future. Over the last four months they have been busy working on a new website which is due to go live in April—this website will be much easier to navigate and offer capabilities for online ordering of all the ink and media we sell. Alongside a new website, Signmaster is adding lots of new courses to keep helping and supporting customers and ensuring we are at the front of new technologies and products.



Key stats

• Training days and courses available throughout 2018
• Complete Solution Open Day took place on 21st March
• 15.7sq m/h is the four-colour standard speed on the UCJV300-160
• 770mm print width on Roland’s Versa UV LEF-300

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