58 email: news@printmonthly.co.uk November / December 2023 - Issue 345 MARKET TRENDS / WIDE-FORMAT PRINT KIT PT.2 ▲ SwissQprint is known for its highquality range of applications including wood, glass, fine art, and interior décor PRINTING United Alliance Pinncacle Awards leading the company to receive seven awards. The Colorado M-series was the winner in the Roll-to-Roll/Hybrid/Flatbed New Technology category, while the Arizona 135 GT, 1380 GTF and 2380 XTF won each of their five respective categories. Faulkner adds: “Canon’s approach to research and development in the wide- format graphics market is driven by the needs of our users which we consistently seek to learn from. These awards are a testament to this customer-centric approach and reaffirm the impact of these innovative solutions in our customers’ businesses. “We’re confident that our Colorado and Arizona product lines will continue to enable users to boost profits, expand their application possibilities with new highvalue products and open up new exciting market opportunities, including interior décor, signage, and packaging.” Embracing Versatility Just as other manufacturers have demonstrated the ability to print on a range of substrates with various effects, producer of wide-format kit, swissQprint, has made this one of the key benefits of its machines. The company has recently celebrated key moments like selling its 1,000th Nyala model, winning two EDP Awards, and highlighting its sustainability concept. Since 2015 swissQprint’s Nyala flatbed printer has been ranked as one of Infosource’s top-selling machines in Europe. The model was launched in 2012 and is now on its fourth generation and sits among five other flatbeds in the swissQprint range. The machine has a 3.2m x 2m print bed with the standard model outputting up to 206sq m/h, or 370sq m/h with the speed model. With its roll-to-roll option, the flatbed printer is capable of a wide range of high-quality applications. Christof Lüchinger, production manager at swissQprint, says: “Right from the start, practically every customer has ordered the roll-to-roll option and thus, so to speak, gets two printers in one.” Carmen Eicher, chief sales and marketing officer at swissQprint, adds: “Nyala's unbroken success confirms something enormously important to us: over multiple generations, our products meet customer needs.” Recently MacroArt, a specialist in branded environments, invested in the Nyala 4 in order to further enhance its offering to customers with increased speed and graphic quality. Operations director at MacroArt, Mark Rose, comments: “The addition of the Nyala allows us not only to continue producing high-quality graphics but to deliver them at a rate which we have never seen before in the business. “We are excited to see how it helps take MacroArt to the next level in terms of quality and innovation. When you marry all the machine’s qualities with its terrific green credentials, swissQprint’s kit ticked every box for us.” SwissQprint is known for its high-quality range of applications including wood, glass, fine art, and interior décor. Its flatbed range including the Oryx, Impala, and Nyala are all known for their versatility and efficiency and are capable of being used with special inks like neon, white, and varnish. Customers can enhance and differentiate themselves thanks to the capabilities of swissQprint’s other roll-to-roll and high-end printers. The Karibu 2 has special capabilities thanks to its neon, varnish, white, and relief printing as well as features like the Tip Switch Vacuum, and multilayer mode for registration accuracy while overprinting various layers. The only printer in swissQprint’s range to include ten colour channels and up to 30 printheads is the Kudu. Speaking about the machine’s presence at FESPA in May, swissQprint said: “Audiences at the stand were impressed not only by Kudu’s print quality, but also its productivity of up to 304sq m/h, for both its flatbed and roll-toroll printing option (3.2 m).” The printer was recently awarded Best flatbed/hybrid printer > 250sq m/h' at the EDP (European Digital Press) Association Awards and has received a flux of orders in the UK following its first installation in March. The Kudu, like all swissQprint flatbed printers, is certified first-class energy efficient consuming just 2.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the same amount as an average kettle. Erskine Stewart, managing director of swissQprint UK, says: "We are delighted with the interest in the award-winning Kudu. The fact that we can now show its many benefits to our clients at our Bracknell demonstration centre is great news and will ensure that the Kudu continues to meet the demand for high-volume, high-quality print production." Weighing Up The Market It’s undeniable that PSPs and wide-format specialists have a vast array of wide-format kit available, all suitable for a range of different applications. As businesses continue to diversify and new trends come and go in the worlds of business and marketing, certain machines will clearly suit some companies more than others depending on their output and clientele. Companies that deal with customers in live events, interior décor, or fine art may find themselves going for an advanced flatbed printer capable of different special effects and finishes. However, businesses that cater to retailers, the public sector, advertising, or the entertainment industry may be better suited to traditional large-format printers or roll-to-roll devices which incorporate high-quality inks and quicker turnarounds. Investment in any type of kit should always come with optimism but also a critical eye in order to know which machine is right for you. Exhibitions or open house events are an ideal chance to get up close and personal with the kit and see if the results justify the investment.
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