Mimaki flatbed doubles speed for signage company

Prestige Signs, an Irish provider of corporate branding and signage solutions, has boosted its production capability with the installation of a Mimaki JFX500-2131 superwide-format flatbed UV printer.

The press, supplied by reseller Spectrum Digital in Dublin, has reportedly delivered significant efficiencies, allowing Prestige Signs to complete a high-volume contract in half the previously expected time.

The press was purchased after Prestige gained a major contract in 2024, with production director John Nolan recognising that the existing production capacity was going to be tested.

Nolan says: “We were running an older Mimaki flatbed, which we’d been happy with in terms of quality.

“However, we had a lot of work coming in, and knew we needed something faster. We took our time to evaluate the options. When we realised that Spectrum Digital could supply and support the Mimaki range locally, that made the decision to investigate things further even easier.”

Spectrum ran live samples of the JFX500 flatbed for Prestige to show its performance credentials, with the signage company noting an immediate difference. Nolan comments: “It was considerably quicker than what we had, it hit the right price point, and the results were excellent. We placed the order, and it’s been going extremely well since.”

Immediately upon installation, the new JFX500 was used to produce large orders of polycarbonate panels for light boxes. The 3m x 2m panels had previously been printed overnight due to long cycle times, taking up to eight hours each. With the new flatbed, print times were significantly reduced.

Nolan says: “Those big panels used to take up to eight hours and this time has now been dramatically reduced. It’s a colossal difference. We now have the capacity to run all our jobs during the normal working day, which is a game changer.”

The JFX500 has been designed to efficiently handle white ink, which can be critical for high-impact backlit applications. The press is equipped with white ink circulation capabilities and an ink degassing module to enhance operational stability.

Prestige Signs also noted the availability of assistance from Spectrum, as well as exclusive UK and Ireland Mimaki distributor, Hybrid Services, as being a key reason behind the purchase. Nolan adds: “Any time we needed assistance, we were looked after straight away by both Spectrum and Hybrid.

“We’ve been really, really happy with how we’ve been supported. It’s reassuring to have that kind of service behind you.”