dotrix is a relative newcomer to the market. Formerly a business unit within Barco Graphics, dotrix was born out of Barco’s mergr with Purup Eskofot. The formation of Esko-Graphics with its extensive focus on prepress, according to Willem Swiggers, dotrix business development manager, meant that for the business to survive it needed to branch out on its own. Currently, the only dotrix product still represented by Esko-Graphics in Australia is its security application software.
Swiggers says that dotrix has chosen to work with agents instead of setting up its own presence within the various regions around the world so that “we may concentrate on the development of technology”.
The principle product involved in the arrangement is ‘the.factory’ (pronounced the dot factory) full-colour digital printer. First shown at drupa 2000 and officially launched at Ipex 2002, three machines have been sold into the packaging and decorative printing industries.
The the.factory features speeds of 900sqm per hour of full variable data printing at 300dpi up to six colours, utilising drop on demand technology and UV curable, real pigment inks, and oil-based inks. It also features a maximum web width of 650mm, and handles a variety of substrates from absorbent papers to polymers.
According to Swiggers, the arrangement came about after he “bumped into” Martin Lloyd, Cohesion principal consultant, and got to know him.
“We are now going to take it one step further and see whether we can bring this technology to Australia,” says Swiggers.
Lloyd says that he is very impressed with dotrix’s the.factory and is confident that sales of the machine in Australia will not be long in coming.
“This is the closest thing to a plug and play printer you are likely to come across,” says Lloyd.
“We are also looking at some interest in publishing, not just in packaging. That’s how flexible this machine is.”
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