Thomas Swales, director of Elite Sign Solutions (ESS), stands alongside the new VeloBlade Nexus 3032
Manchester-based Elite Signs Solutions (ESS) has invested in a VeloBlade Nexus 3032 from Soyang Europe.
ESS designs, manufactures and installs signage for customers across the UK, and its portfolio includes illuminated signage, built-up letters, wayfinding, wall and vehicle graphics, exhibition displays and bespoke display solutions.
The company suffered a fire at its premises in March 2020 and has since then been building the company back up from scratch after securing a new facility, including purchasing an AXYZ CNC router, two Roland printers, a Canon Arizona 480 XT and Mimaki JFX200-2513EX, along with several Vivid solutions.
Thomas Swales, director at ESS, said: “The result of all our investment was that our printing capacity had increased enormously, but it also highlighted the next area we needed to address – finishing. That ultimately led us to Soyang and the new VeloBlade machine.”
Installed at the end of June this year, the VeloBlade Nexus 3032 features a cutting area measuring 3,000×3,200mm and can handle a wide range of materials up to 25mm thick, including Dibond, MDF and acrylic.
It combines CNC routing with cutting, creasing and perforating in a single pass, while features including an automatic tool changer, automatic cut-depth setting and cutting speeds of up to 1,500mm/s are designed to maximise efficiency.
Since the investment, Thomas said ESS has been able to move further into the sustainable display and exhibition market.
Mr Swales concluded: “Within the first month of having the machine, we were able to design, manufacture and supply a complete exhibition stand made from honeycomb cardboard for a client.
“That is a product we simply wouldn’t have been able to offer before. The VeloBlade isn’t just allowing us to manufacture the same products faster; it’s expanding what we can produce and creating entirely new opportunities for the business.”
