i-Sub Digital, the specialist supplier of wide-format digital printing systems and consumables, has successfully installed an Agfa Anapurna H2500i at Cheltenham-based Typecraft.
The new machine has replaced a previous Agfa model which Typecraft inherited following its takeover of fellow Cheltenham business Mark Latchford Screenprint back in 2017. The company made the decision to upgrade after recognising that the new technology in the Agfa Anapurna H2500i LED would allow it to offer a wider range of applications to its customers.
Sales and Production Director Matt Magovern explains: “We also knew we wanted to increase our speed and productivity and the new LED version has allowed us to do that.”
Beyond its speed – Typecraft’s new machine is able to print at speeds of up to 115sqm/hr in ‘Draft Mode’ – the hybrid UV LED-curable inkjet printer boasts a printing width of 2.5m and can produce both indoor and outdoor applications. Its six-colour plus white ink set combines high quality with high productivity for rigid and flexible wide-format jobs and its white ink function also creates possibilities for printing on transparent material for backlit applications or for printing white as a spot colour.
Typecraft made the decision to invest after taking a trip to Agfa’s HQ in Belgium to see the technology in action. “It was extremely beneficial and interesting to see the substance behind the Agfa brand. The Agfa HQ is a large operation and as a customer it is important to know and understand what the manufacturer is about. To see the scale and detail of the company first-hand during the visit was invaluable,” says Matt.
“We were shown all of their different systems in the range as well as their inks and the processes behind them. There was plenty of printing taking place, so we got a chance to examine the sort of work the H2500i LED could produce.”
The machine itself was installed just before Christmas 2021 and has been up and running for almost two months. Matt says that he is delighted with how things are going.
“Day to day we use it to print onto Foamex, vinyl, paper, acrylic and various other different materials. It was key for us to make the move to the LED machine; we don’t have to wait for the lamps to warm up as LED lamps are ready instantly. The speed really is the key difference for us; the quality is undoubtedly superior to what we were working with before, but the speed alone is gaining us two hours of production time per day.”
Emma Plant, Sales Director at i-Sub, comments: "We were delighted that Typecraft trusted i-Sub to work with them and guide them to the best solution for their new UV printer requirements. We have built a strong relationship with Typecraft over the past 5 years.
“They have full confidence in our knowledge and guidance, and this gave them the peace of mind that the Agfa was again the right choice to progress their business and offer a wider portfolio of applications to their growing customer base.”
Matt Magovern was also full of praise for the way i-Sub handled the purchasing and installation process.
“We’d worked with i-Sub before,” he explains. “In fact, Mark Latchford bought a number of previous wide format systems from i-Sub, and Typecraft has always purchased its consumables via i-Sub, so we’ve had lots of conversations over the years and built a strong relationship.
“They really were fantastic, looked after us from start to finish, and they’ve set us up with the best and most suitable machine for our market.”