Print Solutions
Print on-demand technology specialist Prodigi Group has invested in a swissQprint Impala 3 UV-LED flatbed printer as part of a £1 million expansion project. The Impala has been installed at the company’s Alton, Hampshire production facility – which has recently been extended by over 30,000 square feet – as part of a project to meet rising customer demand and to open doors to new markets.
According to Karen Ogden, head of marketing at Prodigi, personalised print on-demand turns any image into any product that can be printed anywhere in the world. ‘Our print on-demand model allows our business to consumer seller community to advertise a ‘virtual’ inventory of products – with no minimum order – utilising either their own store, or online marketplaces such as Etsy and Wayfair. When the end customer purchases a product, the order is either handled by one of our production centres directly, or by one of our print on-demand fulfilment partners who will manage the entire supply chain from print production to drop shipping and final delivery.’
‘It is an attractive proposition for many because we don’t charge for the use of our software. Therefore, the model has very low start up costs, since you don’t need to invest any money in printing machines, product stocks or manufacturing labour,’ she added. Premium partners include Disney, Natural History Museum, Royal Shakespeare Company, Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Red Bubble, and the Royal Botanical Gardens to name a few.
Highlighting its dedication to print perfection, the swissQprint Impala 3 flatbed printer has taken centre stage in a purpose built climate controlled room at the Alton production facility, where it is currently being put through its paces. ‘We are in the process of creating an entirely new range of products based around the swissQprint technology, which we will be announcing soon,’ continued Karen. ‘The samples thus far have been stunning, especially those printed using swissQprint’s droptix 3D technology. The ability to print optical 3D effects directly onto regular plastic will certainly enable our user base to explore the creativity of their images and designs.’
swissQprint’s droptix technology creates a 3D effect and movement on a clear printed panel without the need for lenticular substrates, pitch calculation or optical alignment. The system works by printing lenses on the front of the clear panel and the design is printed on the rear of the panel. This is ideal for high end interior decor pieces, posters, packaging, lightboxes, point of sale items, and bespoke signage. The effect requires the utmost precision – which is why swissQprint machines are employed the world over in the production of museum quality fine art printing.
Prodigi chief operating officer, Steve Levin, is confident that the Impala is a proven technology in the commercial supply of ultra high quality photographic prints to the business to business and business to consumet marketplace. ‘While we are already a global leader in what we do, staying ahead of the competition means continually investing in the newest print technologies,’ he said. ‘We want to continue to create even better products for our customers, and bring new capabilities into the business. We will be using our Impala flatbed to expand our large format wall art capability, develop some niche products and pursue commercial contracts as part of our strategic growth plans.’
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