MLG purchases swissQprint Nyala 5 to meet surging wide-format demand

Scottish commercial printer, McAllister Litho Glasgow (MLG), has installed a new swissQprint Nyala 5 flatbed printer to handle a surge in demand for wide-format print output and expand into new markets.

The Glasgow-based print business traditionally focused primarily on sheetfed litho printing, but has invested more than £1m in its wide-format capabilities over the past two years due to the volume of requests from its customers.

The Nyala 5 is the latest addition to its production line-up, following a particularly strong increase in workload during the past five to six months. The family-owned business a operates from a 40,000sq ft site with a workforce of 45 and reported turnover of £6m.  

MLG’s Nyala 5 is configured with a CMYK inkset alongside white and varnish inks, as well as the addition of roll-to-roll capabilities.

The swissQprint solution is being used across a broad range of applications including point-of-sale (POS) materials, signage, display stands, window graphics, and floor vinyls for customers ranging from local businesses to blue-chip organisations.

Brian McAllister, director at MLG, says that the company already had a strong track record in producing wide-format work but had stepped up investment significantly two years ago. Since then, demand has increased and its current line-up of equipment could not keep up with the workload.

McAllister says: “We looked at three or four manufacturers when considering the next stage of our investment programme. The quality produced by the Nyala 5 and the speed at which it can achieve that quality stood out. There were also substantial potential savings in running costs and consumables, which made the overall package very attractive.”

Wide-format output now represents approximately 20% of MLG’s business, with the company benefitting from crossover between its litho and wide-format customer bases.

MLG has noted that its clients are increasingly seeking to place litho, wide-format, and digital print and finishing work with a single supplier.

The Nyala 5 is also helping the company handle a wider range of substrates including 5mm foam flooring used for retail advertising campaigns.

The flatbed’s white ink capabilities support the growing requirement for window graphics and other specialist applications, while varnish enables MLG to offer haptic effects such as drop gloss.

McAllister adds: “Although it is still early days, we have been very impressed by the machine’s build quality, output, and speed. The quality of the white ink is noticeably stronger than the previous capability we had on site.

“The Nyala's performance gives us confidence that we have invested in the right platform for our continued growth.”

The Nyala 5 features a 3.2 × 2m flatbed and can reach a top speed of 253sq m/h, with a modular platform that offers up to ten individually configurable colour channels that can be adapted as production requirements develop.

Ian Maxfield, regional sales manager at swissQprint, says: “It's great to be part of MLG's strategy to grow their wide-format business. The Nyala 5 is ideally suited to support their growth strategy.

“The combination of superior print quality, versatility, and productivity enables the Nyala to be the workhorse of a digital print operation and will give MLG a critical business edge.”