L-R: Graham Davey and Jake Davey from Artisan Signs with James Argent from Agfa
Kettering-based business Artisan Signs has invested in Agfa’s new Anapurna Ciervo H3200 hybrid wide-format inkjet printer after bring impressed by the Asanti software.
The investment follows a shift in business with approximately 70% of work now catering for the exhibition trade rather than on hard signage. This latest kit is required to satisfy this market specifically, and Artisan has invested £190,000 to meet those needs.
Artisan first became a customer of Agfa when it purchased Agfa’s Anapurna 1650 print engine in 2010. Subsequently, Artisan has invested in a Canon Arizona 3.2m flatbed UV printer and a Mimaki UHV 320 roll-to-roll machine. However, both of these machines began to show signs of ageing and were becoming problematic. As a result, Artisan decided to replace them with a new Anapurna Ciervo H3200 hybrid print engine installed in January this year.
The Anapurna Ciervo family consists of hybrid wide-format inkjet printers available in three sizes: the H3200, with a print width of 3.2m, the H2500 (2.5m) and the H2050 (2.05m). Their hybrid design allows them to handle a diverse range of rigid and roll media for both indoor and outdoor applications. Productivity is enhanced by efficient continuous board feeding and the ability to print on multiple boards simultaneously (up to four).
Graham Davey, managing director of Artisan Signs, said: “The decision to acquire another Agfa machine was primarily driven by the Asanti workflow software, which we have been using since 2023 after purchasing the Avinci dye sublimation print engine. Since the Anapurna Ciervo also operates on the Asanti software, it streamlines the production flow to our Zund G3 cutting table and eliminates a step in the studio’s workflow. This reduction in processing time is very beneficial for us, especially when meeting tight deadlines for exhibitions.”
