Scunthorpe signmaker A Signs has invested in a new H1650i LED Agfa Anapurna hybrid wide-format printer.

The company, which produces an array of signage including external building signs, internal health and safety signs, vehicle wraps, exhibition display boards and wall art, was looking for a machine that would allow it to take on more work and improve production times whilst reducing costs.

‘The machine was a sizeable investment for a business the size of A Signs but I have no regrets,’ said owner Shaun Fisher. ‘Producing signage on my older printer required a number of processes, but the Anapurna prints in one pass, including white, it comes complete with all the latest technology and I am delighted with both the speed and quality. I’m also impressed that whilst my output is up, the amount of ink usage has actually reduced, and the room doesn’t require the same level of ventilation to be a pleasant place for us all to work.’

The printer was procured via Litho Supplies, who already provided A Signs with inks and consumables. After seeing the H1650i in action at Agfa’s Leeds showroom Mr Fisher decided it was a good size for the space he had available and for the sheet sizes A Signs uses. As a hybrid it also offered the choice of roll-to-roll or flatbed working, with a quick change over.

At 1.65m wide the 1650 is the smallest member of the Anapurna family, designed as an ‘accessible’ hybrid printer offering high quality output. It is intended to provide the same quality of imaging, white ink printing and ink-saving technology as the rest of the range, whilst being less expensive and suitable for smaller spaces. It features automatic head height measurement, crash prevention, an anti-static bar and air-cooled UV LED lights that allow printing on thin and heat-sensitive materials. It is driven by Agfa’s Asanti workflow.