Prismaflex Canada has expanded its client and trade business by installing an EFI™ VUTEk® 5r+ roll-to-roll LED inkjet printer. The company is now able to produce more work with the same staffing level.
Prismaflex produces a wide range of display graphics products, from point of purchase materials and backlit signs to wall coverings, interior décor, indoor and outdoor signage and more. It produces work for its own clients as well as for the trade. Prismaflex recently acquired EFI’s high-quality, high-speed, 5m roll-to-roll LED inkjet printer to update their production fleet and boost their productivity.
‘Our production platform consisted of several smaller printers, a latex printer, a flatbed and three 3m VUTEks,’ said Stéfane Comeau, Prismaflex Vice President. ‘We also had an aging five metre printer that was no longer being supported by the manufacturer that we needed to replace. We couldn’t get parts for it anymore, and in doing our due diligence, we saw that the quality and speed of five metre display graphics printers has improved considerably.’
Comeau noted that Prismaflex has been a long-time EFI customer, both in Canada and worldwide, and added, ‘We print 16 hours per day, five days a week, and we needed a reliable printer that would print the same quality from the first to the 80th hour of the week. And from our experience, VUTEk is the leader in both quality and reliability.’
The EFI VUTEk 5r+ roll-to-roll LED inkjet printer was a natural choice for the team. Capable of handling a wide variety of flexible substrates, it offers a good speed/quality ratio with production speeds up to approximately 486 square metres per hour and true resolution up to 1200 dots per inch (dpi). It features EFI UltraDrop™ Technology and native seven picolitre greyscale printheads that deliver high apparent resolution and high-definition print quality, as well as outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients, transitions and superb text quality. Its advanced LED curing technology significantly reduces the amount of energy consumed compared with traditional UV or latex printers.
‘The addition of the new printer has allowed us to keep our existing five metre clients happy by increasing our production capacity and lowering our production times, and has enabled us to increase our capacity for future business.’
Comeau said that the installation of the printer was fast and the system was up and running within a week, adding, ‘We didn’t need a great deal of training since we already had VUTEks for many years, so that likely sped up the process as well. But we were delighted with the entire implementation process and the follow-on support we have received.’
Comeau said that the team has been pleased with the support it receives from EFI, another key component to Prismaflex’s decision to invest in the VUTEk 5r+ printer. ‘We’re a busy shop and cannot afford downtime,’ he said. ‘So a robust printer with consistent quality was a must, as was reliable after-sale support. EFI ticked all those boxes.’
Another advantage of acquiring an EFI VUTEk 5r+ printer was the fact that if a sister company at another Prismaflex International location receives an order destined for North America, the team can transfer it directly to Prismaflex Canada. Comeau explained, ‘The colour management has already been done and the print files are ready to go, so we can deliver the exact same quality worldwide.’
Adding the VUTEk 5r+ printer has boosted Prismaflex’s trade business, because it enables high quality products with a faster time to market. ‘With the extra speed and capacity,’ Comeau said, ‘we are now taking on work that we would have had to pass on before, and with the same number of employees.’
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