Graphics Works in Milton Keynes rounded off a year of significant investment with the installation of a Canon Océ Arizona 660 XT flatbed in December 2013.
Top of the Arizona range, this machine replaced GWL’s 350GT which had been running almost 24 hours a day for the previous 18 months. This upgrade was the follow-up to the installation of a very well-tooled Zund G3 3200XL cutter in February 2013, and marks a reinforcing of the company’s commitment to UV direct-to-substrate printing alongside substantial roll-feed capacity.
The choice of the Arizona 660 XT, running the new IJC258 inkset, followed a lengthy assessment of the UV Flatbed market, which has recently seen some new UK offerings.
"In the end, our knowledge of the Arizona, and over 99% up time on our previous model were major deciding factors," commented Graphics Works Ltd’s director Peter Barham. "We needed a very slick transition, minimal loss of production time and job continuity. The new 660XT is not only a very productive machine, but we knew that we would have little difficulty porting existing work from the previous model. Canon provided excellent support throughout the process, and we scheduled the upgrade over a weekend to reduce down time."
The Arizona 660XT provides a 3.05m x 2.5m bed size, as well as incredibly accurate roll-to-roll printing up to 2.2m width. "The accuracy of the roll unit was vital," commented Peter Barham. "As a specialist in digital wallcoverings, dimensional accuracy and colour consistency are paramount, and we have not found any UV machine to equal the Arizona range in this respect."
The new printer will greatly increase the company’s flatbed capacity and the bed size fits neatly with the Zund G3 installed earlier in the year.
"The G3 has transformed the way we work," said Barham. "We deliberately chose comprehensive tooling from the start because this is not simply a great finishing tool, but is an essential part of our creative process. Extra investment in front-end workflow and KASEMAKE packaging design software have ensured that we can achieve very fast turnaround and maximum capacity from a dedicated and very highly skilled team."
Graphics Works has grown steadily since entering the large format market in 2005, from roots in design and litho print dating back 15 years earlier. Growth continued even through the worst of the recession and the 2013 investment demonstrates the company’s confidence in the future.
"Timescales have become insane," says Barham, "but you either have to respond to that and have the agility and flexibility to deal with it, or your customers will move elsewhere. The more timescales contract, the more important service, quality and trust become. We can only offer the best service if we can rely on our machines, and that’s why the Arizona and the Zund G3 are a perfect partnership."
Graphics Works is a predominantly trade supplier and will be running the Arizona with white ink and clear varnish to maximize creative flexibility. Their flatbed capability is complemented by four Mimaki roll-feed machines offering up to 2.6m width and a Canon iPF8000s for fine art work. The company offers a wide range of large format print services for the exhibition, POS, digital wallcovering and interior design markets.