Newcomer TWR Acrylic invests in Mimaki flatbed printer

Scottish acrylic, craft blanks, and bespoke signage provider, TWR Acrylic, has reported significant improvements to its print output after investing in a Mimaki JFX200-1213EX flatbed UV printer.

Founded only a year ago, parent company The Wee Rhubarb has grown from operating in a spare room into a multi-faceted business supplying crafters, small businesses, and event professionals across the UK.

The Wee Rhubarb now operates from a workshop in Glasgow alongside a dedicated print setup in Dunfermline, supporting a growing customer base through personalised products, print services, and wholesale materials.

Speaking about the company’s origins, director Claire Sutherland says: “We started the business almost by chance. My daughter (and fellow director) Loren Nelson-Parker was getting married and less than 48 hours before the big day, the signage person let us down – they had the wrong date for the wedding.

“We redesigned everything and had it printed locally. The feedback was incredible and we thought, ‘actually, we’re quite good at this.’”

Just a year after launching the core company, The Wee Rhubarb has expanded with the introduction of TWR Acrylic, created after identifying a gap in the UK market for premium acrylic sheets in modern colour palettes and finishes.

Sutherland explains: “We could see incredible acrylic ranges being used by makers and small businesses in the US, but there was very little available in the UK that matched the same premium look and feel.

“We realised there was a real opportunity to bring those styles and colour palettes to the UK market, making them accessible for crafters and small businesses.”

The company’s investment in the Mimaki JFX200-1213EX is enabling the business to add new products and services to its offering.

Purchased through authorised reseller, Xpres, following one of the company’s local events earlier this year, TWR Acrylic chose the machine after having already seen the capabilities of the larger JFX200 model through a US-based contact.

TWR Acrylic is already seeing steady growth in its print offering, with the ability to produce one-off jobs and bespoke personalised items proving particularly valuable.

The mid-size format of the JFX200-1213EX also offers a mix of flexibility and the chance for future growth. Sutherland says: “We considered a smaller machine, but I knew we’d outgrow it quickly. The JFX200 gives us a longer-term solution with a larger bed size and faster production speeds. It just opens us up to so much more."

Speaking about the quality of the machine, Sutherland adds: “The print quality from the Mimaki is incredible. There is just no comparison.”

Sutherland and Nelson-Parker remain focused on growing the TWR brand, with plans to launch their bespoke printed acrylic range in the next few months under the ‘Boundless by TWR’ brand.