The Embroidery Column
Add embroidery to your print business and provide the total solution
Giving your customers everything they need, can improve your bottom line. Adding an embroidery department on to your print business is not that difficult, if you follow some basic guidelines, says Peter Wright, managing director of Amaya Sales UK.
Y
ou already should have a good customer database which gives you a great start to promote your new add on. Every time you send out a print order let your customers know about your new venture. At some time, nearly every business will require some type of embroidered goods, so why not provide them.
How do you find the best equipment? There are many suppliers out there so you need to be careful that you find one that will provide you the best available machine together with comprehensive training and ongoing support. You need to check out the background of the suppliers, their experience and especially how they operate their after sales support. Make sure they have engineers that can support you at your premises and by telephone.
Sourcing the correct machine will normally follow on from finding the experienced dealer as discussed above. Many companies go on the advice of embroiderers that they know or have been using for putting work out. Because technology has changed over the last few years, this is not always a good idea. Machines that were the favourites 10 years ago may not be now. So, my advice is to do your own research, read the relevant trade magazines, search the websites and try and find a machine that suits your needs.
Look for a machine or machines that will give you flexibility on production and growth. With a modular system, you can start with one or as many as you want and then add on when your requirements grow. If you went for a fixed head machine, you would have to try and guess what production needs you might have and go for that. The chances are, you will require much more capacity than you first thought. So, going the modular route can save you heartache and money. You will find that modular machines are initially more expensive but
| 64 | September 2017
in the long run they work out cheaper because of their speed and efficiency. Modular machines should come with their own operating software, this will allow you to control each machine. It will also allow you to switch from a multi- head system to individual heads at the flick of a switch. Make sure that the operating software is created by the machine manufacturer. This way you get a seamless path between the machines and software. Ask your supplier where their machines are in operation and ask for references.
Look for a machine that comes with good warranty for a year or better still two years. Some companies offer longer ones but they can have limitations on what is covered.
After your research Try and narrow down your search to two or three makes and models. Call the supplier and arrange a demonstration so that you can see the machines working on different garments. If you are looking at modular systems please make sure that the supplier explains the benefits and
efficiency of this kind of setup. Compare the different types of machines in terms of speed, ease of use, efficiency and most of all the quality of embroidery. Ask your supplier to run the machine at full speed for a while and see if the quality is still there. This will show you that the machine is built to a high quality or not.
Embroidery design software
Ask for a demonstration of their design software. Being in print yourself, and used to design programs, you will probably want to create your own embroidery designs. Look at the programs they have to offer but especially the auto digitising software which will easily turn vector files into embroidery.
Use your ability on programs like Adobe and Corel Draw to create the design in a vector form and then run them through the embroidery design software to convert to stitches. You will need training on these programs so make sure the company has training staff with experience and offers online support.
www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk
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