Printing Innovation Asia Issue 7 2021
4
The EFI Roadm Asia Pacific Gro EFI highlights its commitment to growing the Asia Pacific region with a game plan and an expanded product portfolio suited for its needs. By Sha Jumari. As vaccine rollouts proliferate in 2021, economies are starting to recover and open up - including the print industry in Asia Pacific. “In 2020, we did better in some markets than others because COVID-19 was in different stages in each country. Overall, the net effect is that we started to see recovery in Asia Pacific in 2020, relative to what we were expecting. In particular the areas of strength were Australia and China, and that’s expected to continue in 2021,” said Rodd Harrison, vice president of sales for Asia Pacific. One of the key growth drivers in Australia can be credited to the increasing onshoring of work, jobs that would have otherwise been outsourced to China had to be produced locally.
New product rollouts EFI made a series of new launches in 2020 and 2021, all of which will soon be available for sale in the Asia Pacific region. Some of the ground breaking solutions include the VUTEk XT, a super high speed, superwide-format inkjet hybrid device, the VUTEk Q series, EFI’s fastest roll-to-roll printer yet, and the Pro 30h, an entry-level production hybrid flatbed/roll printer. “We're very focused on bringing the latest generations of our technology to the existing market. We've completely revamped our technology platforms in the display graphics space,” said Harrison. The VUTEk XT The VUTEk XT hybrid printer is EFI’s new breakthrough solution in
its superwide family. The machine has the highest throughput in the VUTEk product line, exceeding 375 boards per hour, nearly twice the throughput of its predecessor, the VUTEk HS125 F4 printer. “The VUTEk XT is a super high speed hybrid, which fits into that space of producing high end display graphics and backlit work for multiple applications. The list of new technologies designed into this production solution is vast, from full magnetic linear drives, the latest high resolution writing systems, incredibly powerful yet flexible modular vacuum belt systems, to full pallet to pallet automation, and even robotics,” said Harrison. The new XT model utilises the CP5G ink system which boasts complete ink
“There's been a lot less offshoring of work in Australia with some people running at peak volumes even during COVID,” Harrison explained. “The Australian economy is improving with some consolidation happening. Some smaller businesses are shutting down and other bigger businesses are consolidating and taking in more work.” “China is also on an upturn, because the country has largely got Covid-19 under control and has started recovery, particularly in the domestic economy. We’ve always had very loyal customers in China, with a strong base of over 200 installs,” said Harrison.
The VUTEk XT hybrid printer
