UK-based wallpaper supplier Graham & Brown has invested in Durst’s Alpha Wallpaper Edition technology as it transitions towards total carbon-neutral production.
The company said the technology has been “absolute game-changing” as its digital journey runs in parallel with its e-commerce proposition to create unique wallpaper, more flexibility and reduce its warehouse stock by becoming more of a print-on-demand brand to meet evolving customer demands.
Its installation of the first Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition production printer in January 2022 was so successful that a second machine was installed in January this year.
“The potential is enormous. Digital is an extremely important technology for the wallpaper industry. It’s about print-on-demand, reducing print run-lengths and giving a more bespoke offering to customers,” Graham & Brown operations director Sam Dobson said.
“At the moment, this industrial-scale digital production has filled the gap between high run lengths of conventional printing and the low volumes on our previous digital machines.
“We see the Durst as a complementary technology that has many environmental and other benefits.
“As one example, the main resource we need to power the machine is electricity, and all of that is renewable. For the last year, all of our digital production – representing 35 per cent of the Graham & Brown brand offer – has been carbon zero.”
The Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition is one of the most productive digital printing systems on the market, with a production capacity of over 1,500 rolls per day or up to 1.2 million linear metres per year.
In addition to productivity and outstanding colour consistency across the entire print width or run length, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is also important for producers. This is where Durst has another advantage with its expertise in print quality and ink consumption.
With Durst Alpha Pigment Inks, Durst also offers fully water-based inks in eight colours that enable “Healthy Sustained Wallpaper” with a natural and high-quality look.
The machine also shifts from conventional printing presses to more sustainable production processes using less water and energy consumption, enabling smaller volumes to be produced inexpensively. Other important drivers are the use of new environmentally-friendly materials that are odour-free and can be made from recycled raw substrates.
Durst Group wallpaper specialist and textiles business development manager Martin Winkler said, “The move to digital production in the wallpaper industry is accelerating as buying habits change. We are proud to have partnered with Graham & Brown as it expands digital printing volumes to provide carbon-neutral production, which only digital can deliver.
“The installation of a second Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition underpins our belief that wallpaper has since ceased to be just a ‘renovation object’ and has now become a lifestyle product with which customers express their individuality and create a feel-good atmosphere.”
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