Lollipop Print has invested in a Canon Colorado M5W from CMYUK to strengthen its wide format production and support growth in display and graphics work.
Based in Crawley, West Sussex, the business traces its roots back to the late 1980s, when it operated as a litho printer offering microfilm services, document management, and plan printing for architects and engineers. It has since evolved into a four-site digital print operation serving sectors including retail, engineering, defence, and medical.
“We’ve always seen wide format as a real growth area,” explained Dan Patience, head of print services. “For years we were doing a lot of plan prints on wide-format laser machines, but that work just fell off a cliff. Wide format and display went the other way, it’s where the opportunities are.”
Lollipop previously ran HP Latex systems and installed a Canon Arizona flatbed with roll-to-roll capabilities, alongside a digital cutting table from CMYUK. While this improved rigid production, roll volumes exposed limitations.
“Our work is roughly 50/50 between rigid substrates and roll-fed media,” said Mr Patience. “Whilst our flatbed printing work is strong, the roll-to-roll side just wasn’t good for what we needed. Jobs were taking too long.”
After reviewing options, the Colorado M5W was selected. “When we saw the Colorado, it was obvious it was a different animal. The speed and the quality, especially the white ink, are exactly what we needed,” he said.
The printer’s unattended operation has extended production hours, while white ink capability has improved efficiency on layered and double-sided window graphics. “For us, the big win is time,” adds Mr Patience. “Jobs that would have taken 16 hours now take less than half that.”
Lollipop is also exploring matt and gloss effects to broaden its offering, including packaging and bespoke mailers. “Working with CMYUK has been very positive,” said Mr Patience. “The Colorado M5W has been a game changer for our roll-to-roll work. It’s a proper workhorse and it’s allowing us to grow.”
