John E Wright has invested in an EFI VUTEk M3h UV LED hybrid printer from CMYUK at its Nottingham site. The installation replaces a 12-year-old EFI VUTEk GS 3250 LX Pro as the company looks to increase production quality, substrate versatility, and capacity.
The new machine joins an existing EFI VUTEk h5, also supplied by CMYUK, alongside Mimaki and Canon Colorado systems. The h5 will continue to be used mainly for Foamex boards and high-throughput panel work, while the M3h becomes the primary production platform at the company’s flagship premises.
Technical director Alan Edwards said the business spent two years assessing options from manufacturers including swissQprint, Fujifilm, and Agfa before choosing the EFI system after a demonstration at CMYUK’s Shrewsbury training and demonstration centre.
“From day one, the VUTEk M3h felt like the practical, no-nonsense upgrade we needed – high quality, fast to adopt, and confidence-building for the team,” he said. “Together the M3h and the h5 give us the perfect balance: hybrid versatility and panel power, exactly what we need to deliver consistent excellence at scale.”
According to the company, the M3h was selected in part because it supports the types of applications John E Wright is targeting and is aligned with its wider production strategy. The existing relationship with CMYUK, including continuity through the Fiery XF Pro RIP, also helped reduce retraining requirements and speed up installation. CMYUK colour specialist Rob Cawston completed profiling to visually match legacy output.
The CMYK-plus-white printer offers resolution up to 2400dpi and is aimed at close-view graphics for applications such as exhibitions, retail, POP, and experiential work. It can produce 40 POP-quality boards per hour, supports dual board and roll printing, and can handle up to five ink layers in a single pass. Optional clear ink is available for flood coating or spot effects.
The printer is also due to receive a Media Edge Guide system to improve positioning and stability when feeding flexible roll media and fluted boards.
Mr Edwards said the machine had already altered the company’s production workflow. “The M3h has already changed our production rhythm, so there’s less maintenance, more uptime, and the headroom to say yes to bigger, closer-view work without hesitation,” he said.
Managing director Tony Barnett said the investment would support growth, help the company respond more quickly to changing demand, and strengthen its ability to work with a broader range of applications and more environmentally responsible substrates.
