ADS focuses on digital printing with EFI installation

Print and signage company ADS Australia has installed an EFI VUTEk h5 superwide format hybrid inkjet printer.

The Victoria-based company is the first owner of the printer for the Australia and New Zealand region.

The VUTEk h5 is not the first EFI installation for ADS – the company has been part of the EFI family of users for about 10 years and has owned a number of its printers.

ADS managing director Dean Wright bought the company in 2001, when it was still a small screen printing and vinyl cutting signage shop.

He then invested in some wide-format digital equipment, which included its first EFI VUTEk commercial printer, the QS2000.

“That allowed us to move into the digital technology space and away from screen printing,” Wright told Sprinter.

“From there, we invested in another wide format machine, the VUTEk GS3250. It was a 3.2m wide printer that sped up our print production and boosted business. We started seeing big growth rates, which led to our purchase of a company, Bull DSP.

“When we acquired that business, it had a VUTEk printer as well. We consolidated that business into Thomastown, which is where we are now. After the consolidation, we had three VUTEk machines on the floor. I upgraded one of those older printers to a VUTEk LX3 Pro.

“At the same time, we invested in a few Kongsberg cutting machines – big flatbed cutters to help with the production and keep everything in house.”

ADS’ customers include print management companies, retail, signage companies and packaging businesses. The three EFI printers – the VUTEk GS2000, VUTEk LX3 Pro and VUTEk GS3250 led to more gains for the company.

“There are campaigns that needed a fast turnaround; we needed a better solution. We decided to trade in the VUTEk GS2000 and VUTEk GS3250 for the EFI VUTEk h5. The h5 enables us to provide our clients with faster speeds and quicker job turnarounds,” Wright said.

“The new VUTEk h5 has been outstanding for me. Together, the LX3 Pro and h5 has allowed us to deliver 30 percent in production gains. I used to have two operators running three machines, but our operators can now deliver on more campaigns with lesser carbon footprint.”

The EFI VUTEk h5 is a 3.2m hybrid roll/flatbed LED inkjet printer platform that has a print resolution of up to 1200 dpi. It comes with eight colours plus white, with a dual CMYK mode option for productivity levels of up to 109 boards per hour, and has an up to nine-layer print capability.

In addition, it has UltraDrop Technology 7pL grayscale printheads; EFI LED technology; 3/4 automated media loading and stacker systems; EFI Fiery proServer Premium digital front end with Fiery Command WorkStation, FAST RIP and enhanced colour management and screening features; as well as Cloud and diagnostics services.

“I was amazed by the improved green capabilities of the h5 – the recyclability of its inks, and that it runs on LED which means we don’t have to change the bulbs like we did on the older machines. It also saves on power,” Wright said.

“We’re up to date with current technology, which means we can service our clients faster. We would pass on the cost savings in our quotations to our clients as well, as the time to print is lesser,” he said.

“I can also provide clients with solutions that have textured capabilities as the h5 can print up to nine layers of ink. The quality of the prints is close to offset quality with nice finishing, and it prints onto thin films that cannot withstand high heat as it uses LED.

“The purchase of the h5 is a proactive approach to us reinvesting back into our business and focusing on quality and speeds.”

(In photo: ADS managing director Dean Wright with the EFI VUTEk h5)

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required

Advertisement

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Advertisement