Lancashire-based wallpaper specialist Surface Print is expanding its capacity to produce unique wallcoverings with the purchase of a third HP Latex 3000 series printer. The move comes ahead of a new 1838 range of wallcoverings being launched by the company at Heimtextil this week.
"The whole company is about wallpaper printing, wallpaper innovation, and creating beautiful products for your wall," says James. "So we always want to include the latest innovations to show off our talents."
The fourth-generation family business - which in 2016 launched its own brand ‘1838’ in honour of the year the first wallpaper machine was invented - has analogue printing and finishing processes at its Accrington factory, where in 2013 it moved into digital with its first HP Latex printer. It is by blending analogue and digital printing techniques that Surface Print is setting itself apart, overprinting traditionally printed substrate with digital details, or vice versa.
The company currently runs two HP Latex 570 systems for proofing, development and short-run panel wallpapers, and now has three HP Latex 3000 production printers - the new one being a Latex 3600.
"Our investment in HP digital technology has been consumer driven," said Jason Gilliat, business development manager, Surface Print. "The demand for digitally printed products has grown at a rate nobody could have predicted. The machines have the ability to print on a variety of grounds - paper-backed fabric, grasscloth - all of which are very tactile, very textured, and create some truly beautiful products.
“Surface Print has worked closely with HP in the development of the HP Latex series and its applications within the wallpaper industry. Our company will continue to work with HP to develop its new technology now and in the future - it’s a partnership which is a great benefit both to us and our customers.”
James Watson, managing director of Surface Print, added: "The whole company is about wallpaper printing, wallpaper innovation, and creating beautiful products for your wall so we always want to include the latest innovations to show off our talents.”
