Rob Goleniowski, business manager, sign and graphics, Roland DG (UK), explains what the company is doing to promote wide-format print possibilities to creatives.
The creative and design sectors rely on raw inspiration and creativity as their engines for success and at Roland DG the corporate mission statement focuses on exactly that: “transforming imagination into reality”.
“We work hard to achieve this every day by providing a portfolio of wide-format printers that offer a truly extraordinary range of exciting and creative applications, then reaching out to those in these communities to ensure they understand how the real power of wide-format technology can enhance and fulfil their creative inspiration,” says Rob Goleniowski, business manager, sign and graphics, Roland DG (UK).
“We are the world’s number one provider of wide-format inkjet printers for the durable graphics market* and we have achieved this by always focusing on understanding exactly what our customers need now and working tirelessly to deliver what they will need in the future. As part of this, we undertake an extensive range of activities to ensure all those in the creative and design communities get the message about wide-format technology and the vast array of exciting, dynamic and innovative applications on offer.
“Central to our interaction with the creative and design communities is our Creative Centre, based at our HQ in Clevedon – a facility we believe to be unique in terms of both its size and the scope of applications on show. This dedicated facility holds literally hundreds of application examples – from the weird to the wonderful, the highly creative to the practical and functional. Almost without exception, every designer and creative that has come through the doors of the Creative Centre has been amazed by exactly what can now be produced and how wide-format technology can give real life to their imagination.
“Naturally, we also reach out to our customers in the creative and design communities through the media outlets that serve this sector, trade exhibitions like Fespa and Sign and Digital UK, and through interaction via our social media channels. All of these serve as valuable communications channels for the on-going dissemination of information, updates on new products and our views and opinions on the latest industry trends and technology developments. Our extensive and very proactive Roland authorised dealer network also plays a fundamental role in getting the message out there to those in the creative sector. Many of these dealers run their own open days, again demonstrating first hand, just how incredibly versatile wide-format technology really is.”
Goleniowski stresses that with over 2000 active users, the Roland Forum – an online peer-to-peer forum - has proved a very successful route for those in the creative community that want to understand more about what wide-format can offer, or how they can maximise the full extent of their own wide- format machines.
“It’s a very active and supportive community, driven by its members and full of tips, tricks, advice and thoughts on applications, technologies and operational matters,” explains Goleniowski. “From a more formal educational perspective, we also offer our product-specific ‘Better Business Boot Camps’ as well as courses at our now internationally- respected educational facility, The Roland Academy. Both of these play a key role in helping creatives and indeed customers right across all sectors of the marketing and communications industries to up-skill and understand all the tools they have at their disposal with wide-format technology.”
In 2012, the company held its first international Creative Awards, receiving over 1,100 entries from Roland customers across the creative, design, print and sign communities in 123 countries spanning 14 regions. Scotland-based The Vinyl Cut was the UK winner and attended a special 30th Anniversary event held in Japan to compete against other regional finalists. A Chinese 3D entry ‘Rapid Prototype of Tunnel Boring Machine’ was eventually crowned worldwide winner.
“The Creative Awards gave us a great opportunity to showcase to all our customer communities – including the creative sector – some of the truly extraordinary applications and incredible results that can be achieved on a Roland DG wide-format machine,” says Goleniowski.
He adds: “At Roland DG we are committed to always working hard to help all our customers ‘transform their imagination into reality’ and the many ways we reach out and interact with the creative and design communities reflect this fundamental philosophy. Our Creative Centre is always open to those in the design and creative arenas who want to come into and gather inspiration from an exhaustive range of fun, classic, innovative and whacky applications produced on Roland DG’s print, engraving and 3D machines. Our extensive technology portfolio really does have the power to inspire, excite, amaze; and we believe create magic. But, like all magic, it truly needs to be seen to be believed.
*The Roland VersaCamm is the best-selling wide-format inkjet printer for durable graphics. Source: InfoTrends, 2009 – 2013
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