CIM's new Agfa Anapurna hit the ground running in December 2013 when a client ordered 155 display boards – for completion ASAP – just days after its installation.
The Agfa Anapurna M1600, supplied by i-Sub Digital, replaced a Rasterprinter UV flatbed machine that display printing and installation company CIM had run in its Norwich printroom for the past six years. Its speed and quality were lacking, so CIM looked around for a complete upgrade.
"Of all the machines we looked at this was an all-rounder," said John Cornwell, director, CIM. "The Anapurna has a roll-to-roll option which improves speed, it's easy to use and takes up a small amount of space. Our choice was based less on price and more on quality."
The Agfa Anapurna M1600 can print in four colours plus white at up to 46m2/hr onto rigid boards such as Foamex and roll-to-roll media like vinyl and PVC banner, plus a wide range of other substrates up to 50mm thick. The white ink is applied by a separate management system, allowing display producers to print pre-white or post-white in one production run. After seeing the wide-format printer in action at both Fespa London and Sign and Digital UK, CIM contacted i-Sub Digital on the recommendation of another local print company. "I-Sub Digital really guided us all the way through," said Cornwell.
December's order for 155 Foamex display boards was for an international insurance company's exhibition stand – a market sector CIM is keen to expand into.
"On the Agfa we can print one display board roughly every ten minutes; on the old printer it would have been one an hour," added Cornwell. "We would have had to field that out to a trade supplier, so it's great to do that work in-house now. It's made a huge difference to output.
"We've also purchased a cutting machine recently so combining it with the Agfa means we can take on more exhibition work. We get a lot of enquiries about recyclable boards and eco-friendly exhibition boards."
CIM was able to pay for the new Anapurna thanks to a local government grant from the Regional Growth Fund via Anglia LEP. The funding was contingent on hiring new employees, so in addition to the new equipment the print business took the opportunity to expand its team with two new trainees, an experienced sign-maker and a part-time position.