SwissQprint has reached a milestone in the UK market with the installation of its 150th system, as Fine Print Services invests in a new Kudu flatbed printer to expand its wide format production capabilities.
The installation, completed in June, marks a significant point for swissQprint’s UK operation and reflects continued growth in demand for wide format printing technologies. According to swissQprint UK managing director Erskine Stewart, the milestone highlights a wider trend among commercial and packaging printers seeking to diversify their services, improve turnaround times and increase profitability.
“Reaching 150 installations in the UK is a significant milestone for us,” said Mr Stewart. “It reflects the trust customers place not only in swissQprint technology, but also in the local support and long-term partnerships we’ve built with print businesses across the country. We’re proud that so many have chosen swissQprint as part of that strategy.”
The company says it has tripled its UK install base over the past six and a half years, driven in part by commercial and packaging printers bringing wide format work in-house rather than outsourcing it. By doing so, businesses can retain greater control over colour management, scheduling, quality and margins while expanding into applications such as retail graphics, point-of-sale materials, mock-ups, branded products and short-run packaging components.
Fine Print Services, based in Witney, first invested in swissQprint technology in 2015 with an Impala flatbed printer. Since then, the company has developed wide format printing into an established part of its business, allowing it to offer customers a broader range of services from a single supplier.
Its latest investment in the Kudu platform is intended to provide additional capacity, productivity and flexibility as demand for short-run and high-quality work continues to increase.
The new system features swissQprint’s Generation 5 flatbed technology, including enhanced printhead resolution and productivity for media up to 3.2m wide. Fine Print Services opted for a four-colour configuration, which the company says delivers the required quality while helping to reduce ink consumption and production costs.
Dan Bakewell, owner of Fine Print Services, said: “Our new Kudu gives us the productivity, quality and flexibility we now need to deliver the consistency our customers expect from Fine Print Services.”
Mr Stewart added: “The combination of our printers’ precision, performance and reliability, together with our UK-based technical support, has been key to our growth.”
