Company walks away with an
unexpected surprise from the event.
Colourprint’s Shelley Pilson with her new iPad co the Wide Format WaveUK based Colourprint – the wide format arm of long-standing North Liverpool litho printer and regional magazine supplier Keep it Local - walked away with an unexpected surprise after attending the inaugural Wide Format Wave event at Mimaki distributor, Hybrid Services Ltd's premises in February.
The free, two day event which offered training and hands on experience to print companies saw Colourprint proprietors Steve and Shelley Pilson and their designer, Daniel Jenkins leave with a head full of great ideas – along with an iPad from the prize draw that was open to all attendees.
"We've been trading for 15 years, but our move into wide format was only made last year," Steve said. "The Wide Format Wave event taught us so much and to receive the iPad is the icing on the cake."
The company originally started litho printing two-colour local magazines – hence the Keep it Local brand – and this still forms a big part of the company’s business today, with some 40,000 printed and distributed each month. Colourprint invested in its first wide format printer at PaperLinx's 2012 Discover Digital event in Manchester, and consistently produce a large self adhesive vinyl contract that almost fills its Mimaki CJV30-130.
"We're looking to push digital print forward from what we learnt at the Wide Format Wave" adds Shelley. "We're doing lots of photographic work, garments and banners but we've realised there's potential to create so much more on the Mimaki than we currently offer our customers."
High quality digital output is the order of the day at ColourprintThe reason for the investment in the CJV30-130 printer/cutter was to ensure they could dispense with buying in trade print, thereby retaining better control, improving margins and being able to add new products to their line-up. "This side of the business is growing very fast," says Steve. "But whilst there's a lot that's quite new to us, we're experienced printers and know our customers well."
Having owned a vinyl cutting plotter for most of the life of the business, the Pilsons thought they knew which direction they were going with their wide format print investment. However it was after meeting members of Hybrid's team at the PaperlinX event which impressed them with the opportunities the Mimaki offered over alternatives that convinced the couple to invest on the spot.
"We get so much pleasure from seeing the finished jobs," enthuses Steve. "The first impression we got of the Mimaki at the open event is something that carries through day-to-day. Producing quality prints that look great and that we know are going to last, pleases our customers - so it makes us happy too!"
The Colourprint team with their Mimaki CJV30-130Colourprint’s growth is such that it is already considering another Mimaki printer to provide capacity. The company’s well planned office and workshop comprises a large work area containing a laminator, heat press, Mac & PC design and RIP stations, a selection of colour copiers – as well as a separate litho room and trade counter. Consistently delivering contract work keeps business stable, but the addition of the wide format capability is something Steve is relishing. "There's a new website coming to show the company off better, but the Mimaki is the best piece of equipment I've ever invested in. It's brought in so much new business and allowed us to do so much more for our customers – and that's what it’s all about."
Colourprint can be contacted on 0044 (0) 151 526 7773. Further details can be found by visiting www.colourprintmaghull.co.uk.
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