Surrey-based M Partners has launched a stand-alone division to concentrate on wide-format printers: M Partners Wide. Coinciding with the announcement, it has detailed its first distribution contract, which is with South Korean printer manufacturer DGI. The deal means M Partners Wide is now the exclusive UK distributor for the DGI wide-format products and it is activity seeking specialist resellers for these products in the fabric and soft-sign markets.
The equipment line-up from DGI features the 3.2m wide Velojet VE 320 4D printer that is designed and built in South Korea, but uses Konica Minolta printheads. It runs odour free eco solvent inks from DGI. Throughput is up to 120m2/hr and the machine uses bulk ink tanks for on-the-fly refilling, and automated cleaning and end-capping. Image resolution is up 1440dpi. A Wasatch Rip is included.
Commenting the launch of M Partners Wide, Mark Stribley, joint MD of M Partners, said: “This is a sector that we have been monitoring for some while. It is no great secret that much of the printing equipment market right now is static at best. Wide-format continues to grow. However, we didn’t want to enter the market with a ‘me too’ product.
“We believe that the impressive build quality of DGI equipment gives us several important points of difference with which to announce our arrival in this market: it is extremely well designed, and built with the best of South Korean know-how and technology, combined with Japanese quality. The use of Konica Minolta heads ensures that the products will be taken very seriously in a market that is keen to seek cost-effective solutions, but only so long as the quality of the output meets the highest of standards.”
He added: “We were very impressed by the DGI headquarters in Seoul on our visit, where we were given a lot more background into the company’s extensive track record in innovation in this market, amongst other things.”
M Partners Wide is backing up its equipment offering with specialised servicing and a finance package.