Banner Box is considering replicating its Young Guns Sports on-demand dye-sub printed sportswear satellite business model for the decor and interiors markets on the back of its success and further investment in dye-sub production kit.
Chesterfield-based Banner Box has just installed a Mimaki TS55 -1800 sublimation transfer inkjet printer from CMYUK, which operates alongside three existing Mimaki printers (two are solvent and one transfer) and an EFI Vutek FabriVu 340.
Two years ago, the company set-up Young Guns Sports, specialising in fast turnaround production of dye-sub, customised sportswear and accessories. “It’s a division that we set-up to complement the Banner Box side of things. It’s owned by us, operated by us and run by us but under a different name. We staff it purely from the Banner Box side, so depending on where the influx of work is, our staff move around accordingly,” explained director Ryan Shelton.
So far this satellite brand has quadrupled year-on-year and continues this momentum. “It works seamlessly with the infrastructure that we already have available to us,” added Shelton. Banner Box is now looking closely at decor and interiors as a possible next move.
Banner Box is a long time sign-up to CMYUK’s CSAF finance loyalty scheme.
By customers switching some, or all of their roll-to-roll consumable spend to CMYUK, the latter contributes a monthly amount directly into a customer’s finance agreement, thereby reducing the monthly repayment. In a year Banner Box, has earned a substantial amount back on its materials spend and has used this against the purchase of its new Mimaki printer.
For 50% of the time, the new machine will be used for soft signage requirements - for the rest, it will be printing sportswear.
Banner Box has also now entirely migrated to Beaver Paper 25gsm ProTex Protection Tissue, a high yield protective tissue specifically manufactured for grand-format, dye-sublimation and rotary heat calenders at 3.2m wide.
Made from high-density natural eucalyptus fibre, it provides highly robust barrier properties. Its recyclable and formaldehyde-free formulation prevents yellowing of white synthetic textiles.
“It’s a process waste material that we have to use. It does exactly what it promises. It is recyclable, comes in at the right price and the correct width. We use it for every textile print we produce and we use it all the time. Its heat-resistance helps to prevent tear-outs, extending the life of the calendar belt. Longer roll lengths push productivity further by reducing the amount of time needed to change the roll,” said Shelton.
