The Big Interview
A heritage of continual innovation
Earlier this year, Hybrid Services showcased two new printers for the first time in Europe. Sign Update assistant editor, Cameron Beech, visited the Crewe-based company’s showroom to learn more about these technologies as well as the distributor behind them.
H
ybrid Services, the exclusive distributor for Mimaki Engineering in the UK and Ireland, has been maintaining its market-leading position in the sign and graphics industry with its unveiling of four new printers, and recent public showcase of two of them.
influence and offerings, highlighting the company’s presence at the forefront of innovative and cutting-edge technologies. Mimaki’s relationship with innovation was a theme which became foundational to my conversation with Duncan. With this all explained to me, I asked to see Mimaki’s latest sign and graphics offering: the CJV200-160 printer/cutter.
The CJV200 Series
L-R: Duncan Jefferies, head of marketing and business development, and Brett Newman, managing director
I was invited to speak with Duncan Jefferies, Hybrid’s head of marketing, on the matter, as well as to learn more about Hybrid’s ethos and history. My tour around Hybrid’s polished showroom began with Duncan explaining the segmenting of Mimaki’s product range into four key sectors: sign and graphics, industrial products, 3D printers, and textile and apparel solutions. Entering Hybrid’s reception, one sector instantly jumped out. Due to its historical relevance and impact on the industry; Duncan expressed his pride in Mimaki’s contribution to the textile and apparel sector, admitting: “Textile and apparel is a real strength at Mimaki. On display in our reception area, we have a 26-year- old, first-generation textile printer, which printed at only 1m sq/hr – yet totally transformed the textile industry when it was launched in the late 1990s.” What this did, though not directly relevant to the sign industry, was underpin the extent of Mimaki’s
| 50 | November/December 2024
Launched and demonstrated for the first time in Europe in September, the the Mimaki CJV200-160 is an entry level vinyl printer and cutter with a print speed of 17m sq/hr, which is being marketed as being accessible for businesses of varying levels. Duncan said: “A new entry-level sign and graphics machine is an important launch for Mimaki, and the company has deliberately designed the machine to be extremely accessible, and really easy to use. While it’s still a big bit of kit, it shouldn’t be off-putting to completely new users – yet still feel familiar to more seasoned sign and graphics professionals.”
What makes the printer so accessible is the printer’s use of automated processes and easy operation. Duncan added: “Technology on the CJV200 supports everything from the simple to use interface, and the ease of loading material and inks. Mimaki incorporates something called Core Technologies, and a lot of these automate onboard processes. These include numerous maintenance activities and cleaning, as
CJV200-160
well as monitoring the quality of the printed output. With a printer that’s happy producing high-quality output at 17m sq/hr, you don’t want to waste ink, material and time if a fault has occurred while it’s left running. Mimaki’s innovative PICT cloud technology software allows the user to monitor printer operation and ink usage by providing real-time operational and performance data.”
As we delved into the discussion of automation, Duncan explained Mimaki’s drive to provide integrated solutions that not only improve the overall performance of the machines, but reduce costs, lead times and operator strain. With automated processes and low maintenance being key USPs for the printer, I was keen to hear of the printer’s reception when demonstrated. Duncan admitted: “People like to see new things, new things from somebody like Mimaki.
“Mimaki has a heritage of continual innovation; as well as constantly driving to deliver ‘something new, something different’ they also adapt quickly to market needs.”
This was very well demonstrated with the development of Mimaki’s new solvent ink ranges: the new SS22 Sustainable Solvent product and the BS4 Budget Solvent inks. SS22 is Mimaki’s most recent ink and it’s taking mighty strides towards sustainability not only with its use of cardboard cartridges but also the intentional absence of gamma- butyrolactone (GBL). Duncan outlined how in early 2024, the initially proposed amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, for GBL to be reclassified as a Class B drug, had been scrapped. However, Duncan also made it clear Mimaki’s proactive development of a GBL-free ink was designed to fully future proof the product, which included the environmentally friendly cardboard carton.
www.signupdate.co.uk
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