Case study from ArtSystems

Specialized Signs has continued a period of investment with the purchase of an HP Latex R1000 - a highly versatile machine it predicts will help it double its business.

Established in Edinburgh in 2009 by Managing Director Graham Sim, Specialized Signs has increased in size and scope from the outset. Each year it has employed two or three new team members to bring its current workforce to around 24, and at present runs twelve fleet vehicles to help service its customers from across the UK - from multinationals including hotel and gym chains, to independent restaurants and shops. It tripled its business in the past five years and plans to double it again in the next five, supported by recent appointments of its third project manager and first salesperson - and by cutting-edge equipment. Around ten months ago Specialized Signs installed a CNC cutting machine to automate formerly manual finishing processes and needed a new printing system to accompany it. Graham Sim explains he had been researching flatbed printer options for four or five years, and this year discovered that the HP Latex R1000 was the ideal solution. "No other machine we looked at could justify the ROI compared to what the HP R1000 can produce, how quickly it can produce it, the quality, the price and the cost of inks," he comments. "Previously, we had been printing onto vinyl and applying it manually to sign boards, so by printing directly to substrates we are making substantial cost savings on both vinyl and labour. The quality is also better; the appearance of vinyl application is nowhere near as good as direct-printed work on the HP R1000." Designed for growing businesses with investment and space constraints, the versatile HP R1000 printer offers a single set of inks for a wide range of flexible and rigid media including applications for retail, outdoor signage, window graphics, events and exhibitions, and decorations. As an existing user of HP Latex 570, Specialized Signs saw other benefits of investing in the R1000. "The R1000 is a hybrid machine - you can print both direct to substrate and from roll media - which gives us a back-up in case of any downtime for the roll-fed 570," says the Specialized Signs MD. "Both HP machines are Latex which makes compatibility easier in terms of colour consistency, and the eco-friendly credentials of HP Latex ink is also a major selling point." The HP Latex R1000 was supplied by authorised HP reseller Adapt. "The new HP R1000 is a beast of a machine and the service from Adapt was very good," comments Graham Sim. "The engineers are very knowledgeable and helpful in answering any questions." He concludes: "We've seen fantastic results so far from the HP R1000 with a lot more to come in the next twelve months. Specialized Signs has a huge potential for growth."