Fleet graphics specialist Fleet Livery Solutions has added an Epson SureColor SC-R5000 resin ink printer to its own fleet of Epson machines, bringing additional flexibility for ad-hoc local signage work.

The 12 year-old company, which has offices in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and near Bristol, produces wraps for the AA’s 4000-odd vehicles and uses four Epson SureColor SC-S80600 1.6m eco-solvent printers. Colour consistency is a key requirement and founder and owner Ashley Gloyn said that with these printers, ‘the only variation is down to UV and fading’.

However, a growing volume of signage work for local firms meant that when it was time to replace one of the SC-S80600 printers, a direct replacement wasn’t necessarily the best option.

Mr Gloyn explained, ‘When it came to our first SC-S80600 being replaced we discussed the new SC-R5000 but it hadn’t quite launched yet and we needed something immediately. When it became available, we were seeing an increase in demand for more ad-hoc work. This was not always easy to manage on the SC-S80600s and often meant interrupting jobs and changing rolls of stock over. This is something we wanted to avoid in the future.

‘Adding the SC-R5000 gave us the ability to offer the capacity to manage ad-hoc signage for local companies. We now offer a next day service. It fitted the purpose we needed a machine for, which is utterly amazing.’

The 1.6m SC-R5000 is Epson’s first resin-based printer. It has a six-colour UltraChrome aqueous ink set that is suitable for use in environments such as schools, hospitals, hotels and other indoor facilities and is said by Epson to offer accurate and consistent colour similar to that achievable with the company’s eco-solvent range.