Signarama Chatswood says it is on a roll since installing a Roland Pro4 XR-640 wide format printer cutter, more than doubling production and looking to put on extra staff. Marlin and Flora Wang bought the franchise in November 2013 with no previous signage experience, starting off door knocking to generate business for a Rastek H652 UV hybrid printer. Marlin Wang says the store’s sales have grown at a steady rate, in part thanks to its increased production capacity and broader range of applications possible after installing the Roland printer cutter.
Flora and Marlin Wang, owners of Signarama Chatswood, with their Roland Pro4 XR-640 printer cutter
He says, “We can now have both printers running so we not only get more roll-to-roll work, but we also get more corflute and rigid work as the Roland has freed up the flatbed. “The Roland runs around five hours every day but till now we have only one production person so that is our main limitation. We did the Roland training course which gave us basic production skills, so I run the machine when possible, but I also have many other jobs to keep the business running. “Thankfully, the Roland printer is easy to operate. I really do not need to worry about anything like media feed errors, colour banding or head strikes. With our flatbed, I need to watch it while it is printing, but the Roland makes life so much easier, which means I can get on with other jobs while it prints.” The XR-640 caters to 1625mm (64 inches) with eight colour ink settings for optimum quality and uses Roland’s Eco-Sol Max 2 inks. Print speeds reach 49sqm an hour, with four ink configurations available including a choice of white, metallic or light black. The machine prints on both uncoated and coated media, lasting up to three years outdoors without lamination. Resolution is up to 1440dpi.
Roland’s Pro4 XR-640 wide format printer cutter
The two franchise owners originally hail from a background in IT and mathematics, making training an important consideration when looking for a new machine. Flora Wang says, “We wanted to do something other than sit in front of a computer. We chose the signage industry because signage is different, and we like that it makes life more colourful. “One big reason we chose Roland was the sales experience. Chris was helpful which made it such a positive experience, and he is still always in touch to see how we are going and to help us out. I also liked that other Signarama stores run and recommend Roland printers.” Wang says the franchise plans to get more out of its XR-640 with bigger jobs and plans for a second or third press; she says, “We also want to work more efficiently, and we know that the Roland will help us to do this.” Marlin Wang says next year will see a new phase of growth for the franchise store, after the initial 12 months the owners will now look to take on more work and the keep momentum going. He says, “This year, our first year, has gone well. We have hired two new staff members with comprehensive skills and bought a new Roland laminator as well as the printer cutter. “We can offer printing with white ink, we fabricate letters inhouse and we offer LED light boxes – we do just about everything. In the next couple of years we would like to bring in more jobs and grow the business.”
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