What the suppliers think

What the suppliers say

Jane Rixon,

Large-format production business development manager, HP UK/Ireland Duncan Jefferies,

Head of marketing and business development, Hybrid Services (UK/Irish Mimaki distributor)

Q1

Q2

The majority (69.56%) of UK-based wide-format PSPs polled will spend under £20,000 on wideformat technology over the next two years. More than half (58.21%) said they will not buy a new digital wide-format printer in that period. How is that likely to impact your own development, sales and marketing strategies?

We introduced new wide-format printing devices during the pandemic and continue to invest millions of dollars in R&D in this area. Post-pandemic, we are taking a hybrid approach to sales and marketing and investing in both face-to-face and virtual events. We recently had a booth at Fespa and sponsored the Wrap Master event as well as Printeriors, and have also hosted many at our Graphics Experience Centre in Barcelona. We also regularly host virtual events and demonstrations.

Among those print companies looking to invest in a new technology, we have witnessed a huge spike in demand for environmentally friendly print technologies, and we pay a lot of attention to developing more planet-friendly print solutions to add to our current portfolio of large-format machines.

We continue to work on the HP PrintOS family of software products, designed to help users optimise their print operations, automate production and also open new opportunities. In particular, we have committed to the development of HP PrintOS Print Beat, a cloud-based print optimisation solution that delivers historical and near real-time data. It focuses on three key performance indicators - volume, utilisation and maintenance - and provides indepth visibility into production site operations, for one or multiple printers. PSPs can also use PrintOS Print Beat with their HP largeformat printer to gain access to status updates virtually anytime, anywhere, with a dedicated mobile application.

Another solution is the cloud-based HP Application Center, designed to help PSPs and/or their customers create and print professional looking large-format prints with a suite of easy design tools. Thanks to this, PSPs can grow their business with online. This helped them during the pandemic, particularly when it came to design decoration and signage applications. Mimaki is a consistent innovator and wide-format printer launches in the last couple of years have included the 100 Series and the 330 Series. Each incorporates a common platform and comprises multiple machines featuring alternative ink technologies, which in turn has resulted in six new wide-format solutions being launched with prices ranging from £12,995 to around £25k. This brings most of the new products inside the £20k mark suggested in the survey, but it’s in part the job of the hardware manufacturer to communicate the advantages that investing in new products will bring the company - for example, lower running costs, better efficiency, reduced waste and an improved carbon footprint.

Mimaki continues to put a substantial focus on delivering products that help improve workflow efficiencies, with a perfect example being the JV330 and CJV330 - new 1.6m solvent wide-format printer and printer/ cutter respectively. Both feature core technologies designed to minimise operator intervention, reduce waste and downtime and increase output quality. To feature on a pair of production printers that currently retail at under £25k delivers a significant level of technology for the investment.

Almost half of the PSPs surveyed said they would be looking to improve workflow efficiencies over the next two years. What is your company doing to help them with this specifically, given investment levels?

The Widthwise survey threw up some interesting data that begged consideration and comment from t

Paul Fitch,

Sales manager UK and Ireland, Agfa (UK) Derek Joys,

Product manager, digital printing and solutions, Canon UK/Ireland Carmen Eicher,

Chief sales and marketing officer, swissQprint

After two years with a lot of uncertainty, we understand very well that companies are hesitant at first to think in terms of high investments. But we also recognise that there is a growing trend where companies need to take the next step in their business. And that’s where we as Agfa are present, offering solutions that are tailored to customers’ needs. Whilst the industry has been hit by challenges in recent years, we haven’t seen any significant impact in demand for our wide-format printers. Instead, we have been innovating in this area. With many digitally fatigued customers seeking out brighter colours, personalisation and prints on unusual substrates, our devices can support our customers to address this need and help them to boost their profits. Our equipment is generally on a higher price level than that £20,000 mark that Widthwise respondents say they will spend under. Fortunately, this finding has not been reflected in our price range. Our potential clients seem to have strong order books and we not only had a strong first six months but also a promising portfolio for the rest of 2022.

Our workflow solution Asanti works in a modular way, thus can be adapted to a company’s needs. We are in regular exchange with our customers as also the service part is within Agfa. Our Inkjet System Specialists (ISS) do not only set-up the workflow but also help in optimising it. We work collaboratively with our customers to help them improve their workflow management, supporting them with the right technology to deliver faster turnaround times, shorter lead times and cost efficiencies. We can also offer our customers Prisma, a print workflow automation and print production tool which helps to increase flexibility, efficiency, and performance across print operations. N/A

What the suppliers say

Jane Rixon, Large-format production business development manager, HP UK/Ireland Duncan Jefferies, Head of marketing and business development, Hybrid Services (UK/Irish Mimaki distributor)

Q3

More than two-thirds of UK-based large-format PSPs said they have experienced supply chain disruption over the last year. What are you doing to improve the situation?

We have not encountered any major issues with our supply chain in the last 12 months. We put this down primarily to long-term relationships with our suppliers. We have also worked closely with our customers to try and give an accurate forecast to our global business unit to ensure we have a continuous and reliable supply of machines, consumables and spares. With the technology built into the devices we can analyse big data to help with our forecasting too. The only disruption of note up to now has been driven by post-Brexit complexities of importing goods.

We could talk on and on about the different sustainability programmes HP is driving, hence we are currently working on a sustainability whitepaper in cooperation with Image Reports that will cover all of HPs environmental efforts. The new HP Sustainable Impact Report 2021, sets out in full our commitment to the environment and the many ways HP is working to not only become a greener business itself, but to also help its customers become more environmentally friendly.

Schemes to help customers with their green goals include the HP Planet Partners programme that allows HP users to recycle HP ink and HP printheads via an easy process, and the HP Amplify impact programme, which allows members to tap into HP’s extensive knowledge, training and resources to assess and improve their own sustainability performance, while optimising sustainability-driven sales opportunities.

We are seeing plenty of movement in the area that suggests textile printing remains an attractive prospect for PSPs in the UK and across the wider print industry as they seek to grow their business by moving into new and profitable markets.

We must consider that this part of the market was significantly impacted during the pandemic. Events and exhibitions did not take place, theatres and shopping centres were closed so the demand for soft signage etc dropped. Recently, we have seen business start to return in this area and at HP we experienced our most successful quarter ever in terms of sales of our 3.2m dyesublimation machines globally.

Outdoor events are on the increase and some people are still more comfortable in an outdoor setting, so we expect demand to increase. With HP Latex and dye sublimation HP is particularly well placed to satisfy demand in this sector. Supply chain disruption is affecting every industry. At Hybrid, we have increased our stock holding of both hardware and inks and we work closely with Mimaki on logistics and production scheduling to minimise impact wherever we’re able.

Mimaki’s product line-up incorporates an increasing number of lowenergy usage LED UV printers and these are popular solutions with PSPs. A requirement to print to non-PVC based substrates is also something we’re more frequently responding to and printers like the UJV100-160 will take it in its stride.

Where customers require a solvent printer - and these remain hugely popular - Hybrid offers a rebate linked solvent cartridge recycling scheme. In place since 2008, Let’s Do More not only rewards print companies with an ink rebate but takes away the need for them to manage their waste ink cartridges, with Hybrid handling (and paying for) every aspect of their disposal and recycling.

Whilst your survey suggests that large-format print service providers are slow to adopt textile printing, we continue to see growth in the textile sector - with dye-sublimation solutions including the sub £10k TS100-1600 being well received by the market in recent months. The Tx300P-1800 ‘hybrid’ textile printer also remains a popular model, with its ability to print to transfer paper and onto fabric on the one machine affording great flexibility for PSPs.

With the requirement for personalised textiles still high after the significant demand seen during lockdown, large-format print companies with fabric printing capabilities continue to take advantage of consumer desire.

Q4

A massive 91.04% said it is more important for their company to be seen as environmentally friendly than it was two years ago. Given that, have you noticed any change in the questions you are being asked as a supplier, and are you in a better position to respond more fully?

Q5

Professional large-format printers here in the UK are still not putting much onus on textile printing - 7.46% are now printing for garments, 4.48% for banners/flags, and 1% for home/interiors. Is there a realisation among inkjet suppliers that it’s not a suitable investment for this sector?

Paul Fitch, Sales manager UK and Ireland, Agfa (UK)

We have had no impacts in terms of manufacturing - the impact has come from shipping delays, as for most other companies. In these situations you need to set the right expectation to customer and not over promise on what is out of your control.

Derek Joys, Product manager, digital printing and solutions, Canon UK/Ireland

The pandemic demonstrated just how important a resilient supply chain is and, like many manufacturers, we experienced some disruption. During this period we worked continuously to ensure that there was minimal effect on our customers - and that they were equipped, as much as possible to deal with these market challenges.

Carmen Eicher, Chief sales and marketing officer, swissQprint

We have long-standing partnerships with our suppliers, and that has helped a lot. Our suppliers consider us a key customer. When required, we try and find solutions and options together to ensure continuity. Nevertheless, we have stocked up, and so have our main suppliers. Our procuring department monitors delivery times closely and reacts early. All in all, we have been able to deliver all printers ordered on time. Also, we have kept ink supply flowing at all times.

Yes, It’s the topic of conversation. Agfa as a company is making huge progress from a sustainability standpoint. This goes right the way through the company, not just on our wide-format printing machine. Sustainability is becoming an even bigger priority across all industries, with PSPs adapting their offering in line with the changing needs of customers. This is a key priority for Canon and we have a number of environmentally friendly solutions available. Our Arizona and Colorado Series are engineered with the circular economy in mind - they have a lifespan of ten years or more and are eligible for remanufacturing after their first lifetime.

Additionally, our UV and UVgel ink technologies are designed to have minimal environmental and health impacts. The Arizona and Colorado devices come equipped with filters and can be installed and operated without the need for extraction. Radiation and noise emissions are also minimal. It is true that some years back only few would ask any questions on the ecological footprint of printing equipment. Today, this is a key factor when evaluating new printers and sustainable production is part of the mission and strategy for a great number of our customers. They hence choose their equipment and partners accordingly.

At swissQprint, we have focussed on sustainability for many years. Our Greentech approach summarises that.

No, they realise this is a suitable investment but the process is different from just laying down UV ink on foamex. You also need the space for finishing. Agfa sees this as a growth area, hence the investment into the new Avinci CX3200. This covers all application from home décor, flags and retail application. Being able to print direct to material and paper opens up more applications. Canon does not manufacture specialist devices for the textile industry, however, our technology is increasingly being used to create products for interior decoration such as digital wallpaper and murals. The Colorado 1650 with UVgel technology is a perfect fit for digital wallpaper printing, offering odourless prints that combine a very rich colour gamut with a velvety matte finish, which is preferred by many interior décor specialists. Prints are instantly dry and are extremely robust. The Colorado also secures the colour consistency and dimensional stability of output. These are three quite different markets and not all of them are suited for the technology we offer. We have made some great inroad with home/interior décor customers and see good potential for us in the years to come.

Premier Service for Better Business: how UK merchant Premier constantly adapts to support their customer base

To say it has been a particularly turbulent two or three years would be an understatement. Almost all industries and households have been impacted by the pandemic, rising fuel and energy costs as well as the economic uncertainty brought about by Brexit. Despite all of this Premier have constantly sought out ways to improve their ability to service and support their customers’ needs.

Back in March of this year, at the Sign & Digital UK exhibition, Premier showcased an interesting stand. At face value it was an undeniably eye-catching, ‘Back to the Future’ themed stand with plenty of printed samples and demonstrations. Behind the visuals though, the core message that was being pushed by

Premier was an important, positive one. It was aimed at helping businesses not only return to normal but to excel; getting ‘Back to the Future’.

Strategic Investment

From acquisitions to portfolio diversification, strategic investments can of course relate to a great number of developments but ultimately it comes down to the same goals; careful, well thought out commercial enhancements.

Premier take this one step further, a driving force behind the merchant’s investments are the everchanging needs of their customer base; one recent example is the acquisition of a new site close to the M1 in Wellingborough. This brand-new facility features a 45,000 square foot warehouse that has a capacity of over 4,000 pallets with dedicated stocks of wide format rolls, display sheet media and commodity paper grades. This new site is strategically located to improve and enhance Premier’s ability to service customers both locally and around the UK.

Conversion is another area that has seen investment by Premier, with a centralised conversion facility that is dedicated to cutting down material for the sign and display market. Machines such as the Schelling FK6 plastic and composite panel saw, a Cauhe GH 366 heavy-duty guillotine and the semi-automated, wall mounted

Streibig Saw, increase Premier’s capabilities to precision cut materials such as Plexiglas, Foamalux and Etalbond; with a fast and efficient turnaround, all from under one roof.

Product Choice

Maintaining a product portfolio is an important process for any business. Developing their portfolio and ensuring that their products adhere to the ever-changing market requirements is something that Premier do quite well; at the start of the pandemic, Premier were very quick enhance their product offering with PPE solutions in a bid to help keep their customer and their clients running.

Sustainability remains a growing trend and is a big focus of Premier’s. They have been actively increasing their rigid substrate portfolio, whilst at the same time investigating new, cost effective materials that meet high environmental standards.

For example, the growing issues with the production and recycling of PVC based products has meant that there are increased environmental implications. As such Premier have set about to offer a more sustainable choice to their customers and their clients. New additions to the Premier range such as eTEC PVC-free self-adhesive polypropylene film, features a water-based adhesive that is free of volatile organic compounds (VOC), provide an ideal, PVCfree alternative.

The introduction of the fully recyclable, honey combe centred Ultraboard range has proven to be a popular display sheet media amongst Premier’s customer base. Not only do the sheets carry impeccable environmental credentials, their unique and innovative design provide printers and sign makers with the ability to produce some truly eye-catching point of sale displays, exhibition stands and so much more; at a time when businesses are seeking new ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Premier Service

Premier offer a next day and sometimes same day delivery service. Naturally, the merchant has paid close attention to how they can improve the way their products are delivered; subsequently, 20 New vehicles with the latest technology engines, have been added to the merchant’s fleet. Developed and created specifically for Premier by Dhollandia have a unique ‘double-decker’ style trailer allowing for the safe and reliable distribution of display sheet media and wide format rolls. These new 18 tonne DAF LF230FA models are Euro 6 emissions tested to CAZ regulations, reducing their impact on the environment and improving their fuel efficiency.

Sustainable Solutions

Sustainability has always been a key focus of Premier’s and this is reflected in the choice of products and services that are offered. As an area of diversification, sustainability can be looked at purely in terms of the environmental impact of product procurement or it can be looked at as part of a wider cause related business strategy.

A cause related business strategy can be described as a strategy based on enlightened self-interest whereby an organisation clearly communicates sustainability and social values to build its reputation. If sustainability and cause related values are important to your customers and other stakeholders then it should be a key part of your business.

Almost ten years ago, Premier launched Carbon Capture® an environmental programme that not only provides habitat for wildlife by creating new native woodland here in the UK but also gives participating companies numerous marketing and PR opportunities to communicate their own environmental values; shared values can help to both win and retain business.

Over 600 customers are fully signed up and committed to the cause; from sign makers to printers, local authorities to banks and many other corporate organisations, all directly supporting the creation and maintenance of local native woodland throughout the UK. To date Premier and their customers have raised in excess of £1.4m for the Woodland Trust and have captured over 85,000 tonnes CO2; something that their customers can share with their clients, providing a clear statement regarding their environmental values.

The Carbon Capture® programme is low cost, simple, easy to understand and totally transparent with 100% of the Carbon Capture® amount going directly to the Woodland Trust. There are no deductions for marketing, third party carbon trading companies or management fees. The programme is also highly credible, operated by the Woodland Trust under the UK Government’s Woodland Carbon Code, based on emissions data calculated from approved DEFRA criteria.

More information about Premier, their product offering and service capabilities can be found at www.paper.co.uk.