Case Study
Print and design company Typecast Colour benefits from cost savings and quality improvements thanks to Fujifilm’s PLATESENSE Printing Plate programme
Typecast Colour
Kent, UK
PLATESENSE
The press operators love the Fujifilm plates – they’re cleaner, more durable and deliver better print quality due to a sharper dot on the plate.”
Chris Stainton | Typecast Colour
Highlights
- Annual turnover of £1m in commercial print and reprographic sales
- Founded in 1980, Typecast has had a long-standing relationship with litho print specialist, Principal Colour, since 1997
- First UK PLATESENSE Printing Plates customer, following 15 years with previous plate supplier
- Services a wide range of clients, from publishers and design agencies to end users
- Became aware of PLATESENSE and Superia plates at Fujifilm’s UK showroom in Bedford
- Enjoyed a seamless transition onto Fujifilm’s Superia plates.
Typecast produces a wide range of commercial print using both offset and digital equipment. The company services a range of clients from publishers and design agencies to end users, all of whom expect consistently high quality.
When Typecast’s incumbent plate supplier of 15 years announced it was increasing its prices, Typecast decided it was time to benchmark the supplier against others and, as a result, became the first company to invest in Fujifilm’s PLATESENSE Printing Plate programme. Six months after starting to rent a Fujifilm plate processor and Superia thermal low chemistry plates, Typecast is now enjoying multiple benefits and has no regrets about the move.
“We had a good relationship with our previous plate supplier, but after it increased its prices, we decided to explore other options.”
Chris Stainton | Typecast Colour
As part of his research into alternative suppliers, Stainton visited Fujifilm’s UK showroom in Bedford and was impressed by the range of high quality equipment on offer. “Having seen Fujifilm’s plates in Bedford last year,“ he says, “we decided to carry out a comparative test and ran the same job on plates from our existing supplier and then on Fujifilm plates. The Fujifilm plate quality was noticeably higher.”
Typecast signed up to a three year contract to rent a processor and pay for the 11,000 plates per year, all for a nominal monthly fee, eliminating the capital expenditure required to invest in a new processor and providing a consistent and predictable cost.
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As part of its wider global Sustainable Value Plan 2030 (SVP2030), Fujifilm undertakes environmentally conscious product development based on its design for environment initiative. This considers the entire lifecycle of a product, from procurement, manufacturing, transportation, use to the eventual disposal, to set targets from the perspective of climate change mitigation (reduced power use, etc.). From the design stage, the “Reduce, Reuse & Recycle” principle of resource saving, risk reduction of chemical substances, and biodiversity are all considered as part of the development process.
This approach is applied not only to materials and standalone equipment, but also to software and solutions in a bid to reduce environmental impact in the society as a whole. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is conducted to achieve a quantitative and objective assessment of the environmental impact of a product. The environmental label is also used for active dissemination of information.
“Green Value Products” Certification Program
In an effort to “contribute to resolving environmental issues in society through our products and services,” as set out in the Sustainable Value Plan targeted for FY2030, Fujifilm introduced a “Green Value Products” certification program in FY2018. This program compliments the company’s existing internal regulations on design for environment, and aims to clarify any product’s environmental values and involves the certification of products exhibiting outstanding environmental credentials.
This certification program sets certain priorities to the certification criteria according to the product category and the use and features of each product through its entire life cycle. Fujifilm then clarifies the environmental value of each product by conducting environmentally conscious design assessments based on such certification criteria at the time of product development. Certain products are then selected for certification based on the total score of each assessment item. These products are reviewed and approved by the Group Certification Council, and finally certified as a Fujifilm “Green Value Product”.
The certification criteria are determined for the entire life cycle of each product with a different weight for each assessment item, by comprehensively assessing the environmental items such as “measures for climate change,” “resource saving and recycling,” “risk minimisation for chemical substances,” and “biodiversity” as well as considering the social requirements for each business/product category.
This certification program is implemented in compliance with the requirements of the international standard “ISO14021 Self-declared Environmental Claims” and obtains the opinions of external experts in order to ensure the objectivity, reliability, and transparency of the program.
Certification ranking and criteria
Fujifilm classifies its products into three certification ranks (diamond, gold, and silver) according to the degree of their contribution to the reduction of environmental impact.
| Rank | Certification criteria |
|---|---|
| Diamond | Products and services that user their respective industries’ innovative technologies to substantially contribute to reducing environmental impact |
| Gold | Products and services that reduce environmental impact at their respective industries’ highest level |
| Silver | Products and services that reduce environmental impact at a higher level than their respective industries’ standard |
Product examples
In Fujifilm’s Graphic Arts business, the following products have been certified for their environmental performance:
Jet Press 750S High Speed Model: GOLD
Effects on reduction of environmental impact:
- Many of the consumables associated with conventional offset printing are eliminated
- Significantly reduces the amount of wasted paper
- Smaller footprint compared to previous models
- The efficient drying mechanism reduces drying times, contributing to significantly higher speeds, and saving power
- Excellent paper recycleability (de-inking ability)
Overall, there are significant reductions in resources, water use and waste compared to equivalent offset presses, with excellent paper recycling.
Revoria Press PC1120: SILVER
The requirements of major environment labels for energy consumption, hazardous substances, audible sound levels during operation and recyclable design are satisfied.
Revoria E1 Series: SILVER
The requirements of major environment labels for energy consumption, hazardous substances, audible sound levels during operation and recyclable design are satisfied.
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Fujifilm’s Sustainable Value Plan 2030 (SVP2030)
The Fujifilm Group announced its Sustainable Value Plan 2030 (SVP2030) in August 2017. The new plan set targeting FY2030 as its long-term goal, which is expected to lay the foundations of the Group’s business management strategies for sustainable growth. One of the key pillars of the SVP2030 is dedicated to the environment.
The environment and sustainability
There are four priority issues, regarding the environmental part of the SVP2030, each with its own set of targets:
- Address climate change
- Promote the recycling of resources
- Address energy issues towards a decarbonised society
- Ensure product and chemical safety
1. Address climate change
Reduce the Fujifilm Group’s own CO2 emissions
Reduce CO2 emissions across the entire product life cycle*1 by 50% by FY2030, compared to the FY2019 level
So far (2020) the progress is 15%, 29% of the way towards the target
Reduce CO2 emissions from its operations (Scope 1 and 2) *2 by 50% by FY2030, compared to the FY2019 level, aiming to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by FY2040
So far (2020) the progress is 6%, 13% of the way towards the target
Contribute to reduce CO2 emissions in society through the use of Fujifilm’s products and services.
Contribute to a reduction in the CO2 emissions generated by society by 90 million tons by FY2030
Fujifilm has recently increased its target for contributing to reducing CO2 emissions generated in society from 50 million tonnes to 90 million tonnes. The aim is to achieve this by replacing conventional products with products that are more sustainable.
So far (2020) the progress is 20 million tonnes, 23% of the way towards the target
Increase the % of products certified as “Green Value Products” to 60% of group-wide sales by FY2030.
The Fujifilm Group operates the “Green Value Products” certification scheme, a mechanism for continually creating superior environmentally conscious products and services. In fiscal 2020, 30 new products were certified, bringing the total to 166 (32%), and the company increased the target for the number of products certified to 60% of group-wide sales. As such, Fujifilm is over half-way towards this target.
So far (2020) the progress is 32%, 53% of the way towards the target.
*1 Including phases such as procurement of materials, and manufacturing, transportation, usage and disposal of products.
*2 Direct emission from the company at the manufacturing stage of the product (Scope 1) and indirect emission due to the use of electricity / steam supplied from other companies (Scope 2).
Promote the recycling of resources
Reduce the amount of water the Fujifilm Group uses by 30% by FY2030 (compared to FY2013 levels)
The result in FY2020 was 16%, so the company is over half-way towards the goal of 30% by FY2030.
Contribute to the treatment of 35 million tonnes of water per year in society by FY2030
The result in FY2020 was 8 million tonnes, so the company is around 23% of the way towards the goal of 35 million tonnes by FY2030.
Reduce the amount of waste produced by the Fujifilm Group by 30% by FY2030 (compared to FY2013 levels)
Fujifilm has managed to ensure that the amount of waste produced by the Group did not increase in FY2020, despite rising revenues and an expansion of the business, but has not yet managed to make the reductions planned. This is a key area of focus for the future.
Achieve a recycling index*3 of more than 10 by FY2030 (was 6.5 in FY2020)
Achieve a valuables conversion index*4 of more than 1 in FY2030 (was 0.63 in FY2020)
*3 Recycling index = (Recycled volume + Valuable-converted volume) / Simple disposal volume
*4 Valuables conversion index = Valuable-converted volume / Recycled volume
Address energy issues towards a decarbonised society
By contributing to the creation and widespread use of renewable energies through advanced materials, Fujifilm aims to help address energy issues and the move towards a decarbonised society. In particular, a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organisation (NEDO) started the development of an “all solid state lithium-ion battery” – a next generation storage battery for electric vehicles, under an industry-government-academia collaboration. Fujifilm is participating in the project as one of 23 manufacturers of cars and batteries.
Ensure product and chemical safety
Under this objective, Fujifilm’s aim is to minimise the adverse effect of chemical substances on human health and the environment. In particular, Fujifilm completed the replacement of 2 of 7 chemical substances within the high priority substances for risk management, a new classification established in 2020. In addition, Fujifilm held online briefings for business partners and achieved 90% understanding of the chemSHERPA chemical information communication system, contributing to further improvement of management accuracy for hazardous substances used in products.
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Fujifilm’s award-winning factory in Broadstairs, UK, manufactures high performance inks for a range of markets, including Uvijet wide format UV inkjet inks, and Sericol screen and flexo inks. The company has implemented a number of sustainability initiatives over the last ten years, and more recently the recruitment of Antonina Realmuto as Group Sustainability Director, and Craig Milsted as Sustainability Advisor for the site, has brought about a much greater focus to accelerate change towards more sustainable operations.
When it comes to sustainability and protecting the earth, it’s important for us all to do more. Whether it’s consuming fewer products, opting for products with less packaging, or reducing waste – we must all play our part.
Fujifilm’s ink R&D and manufacturing facility in Broadstairs, Kent, has regularly made the news as a three-time winner of the UK’s Best Factory Award in 2011, 2013 and 2015, but it is for its sustainability initiatives that it is now rapidly creating waves.
Craig Milsted outlines the initiatives that have been implemented so far: “With the recent changes in personnel, including my own role, there is now a renewed focus on sustainability, and therefore a tremendous amount of work going on behind the scenes to help us operate more sustainably. This work is ongoing, but we have made a number of notable recent changes to our equipment and processes which are enabling us to operate in a more environmentally friendly way.
Big energy savings
“Firstly, we have massively cut back on our conventional energy use and have instead turned to alternative energy sources to help power our site. Back in 2016, we started to buy renewable electricity to power our factory, and in the same year installed many solar panels on the grassy grounds of our site. But in March this year, we expanded our solar power generation with the addition of panels on our site roof.
“We have an ongoing objective to generate more solar power over time and steps towards achieving this goal include reviewing our current processes and equipment. Through these checks, we have found that the solar panels on the roof are more effective than the ones on the ground, so we have repaired and improved those on the grass, while also scoping out new areas on our site where panels can be installed to effectively generate more solar power in the future.
“Our efforts so far have been successful – this year in June alone, our solar panels produced 82,240 kW of power. This is enough to power a typical UK household for 26 years and is also 181% more power than the 29,185 kW produced in June 2021.
Since 2013, we’ve significantly cut back on the waste produced at our ink factory, and last year (2021), 689.7 tonnes of waste produced on site went for recycling.
Craig Milsted | Sustainability Advisor, Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems
“Another way that we have saved on conventional energy is by turning our factory HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems off overnight, which achieved savings of £183,000 – and 1 million kW – per year. We have also upgraded our factory’s gas boilers – some of which were more than 50 years old – with condensing boilers, and replaced gas heaters in the International Logistics Centre with infrared heaters.
“Meanwhile, in our R&D facility, we operate our air conditioning on a timer system to save energy, as well as turning off equipment overnight, where possible, when it is not being used. Additionally, we have installed multiple free-to-use electric car charging points across the site for our team members to use.
Impressive waste reduction
“But it’s not only energy consumption that we have been targeting. Since 2013, we’ve significantly cut back on the waste produced at our ink factory, and last year (2021), 689.7 tonnes of waste produced on site went for recycling.
“Other initiatives include: 100% of our raw materials packaging is reused and recycled; we return 1000 litre IBCs for cleaning and reuse, rather than disposing of them; and a number of moulded components used as part of our ink pouches are made from recycled materials. Additionally, we now secure our pallets with straps rather than using shrink wrap, which reduces our waste by around 8 tonnes annually. We are also in the process of swapping plastic tape for paper tape.
“In R&D we have also achieved a 50% reduction in glass jar testing; a 38% reduction in end container testing for one litre bottles; a 74% reduction in end testing for five litre cubitainers; and we have cut back on the use of one, two and three litre pouches by 29%, 33% and 20% respectively. We are literally looking at every single part of our operation and making changes to reduce our environmental impact.
Smart cutbacks on solvents
“Overall, thanks to the printers we sell becoming more technologically advanced over the years, less ink is required during the printing process. This is obviously a better and more sustainable situation in itself. However, you can’t print without ink – it’s the most crucial element of printing. So for the inks that we produce at our factory, previously we would typically use around 140,000 litres of oil-based solvents to clean the vessels used in our ink-making and mixing equipment.
“However, very recently we replaced our oil-based solvent cleaner with an 80% water-based (aqueous) cleaning solution, manufactured by a company called Safe Solvents. Coinciding with this, a first-of-its-kind pot washing machine, also supplied by Safe Solvents, was installed at the factory.
“Suitable for use with the new aqueous cleaning solution, the machine offers a significantly more efficient pot washing solution on our site. The aqueous cleaner and pot wash machine combo makes it possible for us to separate solvent and aqueous waste, and in the future, it could enable us to reuse the pots after they have been cleaned, and then when they are beyond reuse, have the clean plastic shredded and sent for further recycling.
Measuring and analysing is key
“The recently installed pot washing machine at Broadstairs is a world-first, so we look forward to reviewing our credentials in the future and seeing the difference it has made. The most important thing is that we continue to measure and analyse everything, as only by measuring can you improve.
“It really is a painstaking, but ultimately very rewarding process – we have achieved a great deal in the last 12 months with our renewed focus, but we are confident we can continue to make iterative improvements all over the site, across all areas of energy, waste and material reductions, to make this award-winning factory a world-class, sustainable one too.”
Case Study
The Revoria Press PC1120 investment is Arti Grafiche Biellesi’s first foray into digital print technology after many years producing print on analogue presses.
Arti Grafiche Biellesi
Candelo, Italy
Revoria Press PC1120
Fujifilm has a lot of expertise in this area and we’re excited to work with them and see how our new Revoria investment can help us embark on a new chapter
Alberto Maula | Arti Grafiche Biellesi
Highlights
- Arti Grafiche Biellesi is an experienced print service provider specialising in high value commercial and packaging applications
- Following an increase in demand for shorter runs and specialised print jobs, the company invested in Fujifilm’s Revoria Press PC1120
- Investment marks a switch-over from offset to digital for the company
- Arti Grafiche Biellesi previously had to outsource work requiring white ink, but can now produce it all in-house
- The ability to print in special colours, with white ink, and on a wide range of substrates were all key reasons for the investment
- Arti Grafiche Biellesi is confident that the investment will help the company move forward and address customer demands
Based in the Biella area of Candelo, north-western Italy, Arti Grafiche Biellesi is an experienced print service provider that specialises in a wide variety of printed products. From catalogues to brochures, and from window displays to labels and packaging, the company offers much in the way of versatility and expertise. It is also an adaptable, forward-thinking company and has recently invested in Fujifilm’s Revoria Press PC1120, 120ppm toner-based press – recognising the increase in demand for shorter runs and specialised print jobs. Arti Grafiche Biellesi believes this investment will help the company move forward.
“We print on such a diverse range of materials to produce our products,” explains Alberto Maula, owner of Arti Grafiche Biellesi. “We’re not a conventional print company; 90% of our work is textile-related packaging and packaging for fashion and luxury goods. This involves complicated print jobs on special paper – some coloured, some very thick – these may be cardboard based and have rough surfaces. The end result is products of exceptional quality, and while we have enjoyed much success with our offset equipment, we recognise digital printing to be an increasingly important factor in the evolution of the industry.
With the new Revoria press, we can do print jobs with special colours and print onto a wider variety of substrates with varying thickness. The white ink in particular is remarkable, and the silver and gold also look fantastic.
Alberto Maula | Arti Grafiche Biellese
“We’ve now made our first ever investment in digital printing equipment with Fujifilm’s Revoria Press PC1120. This machine will help us to address the needs of our customers; not just for the creation of more short run jobs, which are now becoming increasingly common, but it will help us to create some incredible print work.”
Colours and versatility were key to the investment. Maula continues: “With the new Revoria press, we can do print jobs with special colours and print onto a wider variety of substrates with varying thickness. The white ink in particular is remarkable and will open a lot of new doors for us – we have had a lot of requests for print jobs with white ink which we had to outsource, up until now. The silver and gold also look fantastic and there are many ways in which we can create some beautiful products for our customers.”
The digital printing market may be new for Arti Grafiche Biellesi, but for Alberto Maula, it’s an exciting journey to embark on: “We are known for offset – we have always been offset. But this move to digital, while mainly an unknown area for us, is full of opportunities. Fujifilm has a lot of expertise in this area and we’re excited to work with them and see how our new Revoria investment can help us embark on a new chapter.”
Taro Aoki, head of digital press solutions at Fujifilm Graphic Communications Europe says: “Arti Grafiche Biellesi knows how to print exceptional work and create some stunning visual products for its customers. We are delighted they see the Revoria Press PC1120 as a crucial part of their business moving forwards.”
Revoria Press PC1120
Find out more about the award-winning features of the Revoria Press PC1120
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Leading UK label manufacturer adopts Fujifilm’s water washable Flenex FW Printing Plates following successful trial
Aztec Label
West Midlands, UK
Flenex FW
We already had a strong working relationship with Fujifilm, having used their inks for some time, and the Flenex trial was an instant success, immediately remedying the problems we were facing.
Colin Le Gresley | Managing Director, Aztec Label
Highlights
- The commitment follows a successful trial of the plates in May 2021
- Aztec Label credited the processor with further time savings to the platemaking process and said it is impressed with the performance of the inks
- The UK-based firm also invested in a Fujifilm C-Touch processor and new Fujifilm UV-LED JJ inks
- The company’s investment is helping it meet customers’ quality and speed of delivery demands
Established in 1993, Aztec Label manufactures a huge range of self-adhesive labels and tags in a variety of colours, sizes and quantities for customers in the UK and abroad. The company has been growing steadily since its founding and now employs 25 people at its West Midlands facility and turns over £3.6 million annually.
“The key demands our customers place on us are quality and speed of delivery,” says Colin Le Gresley, Managing Director, Aztec Label. “Whatever the industry, whether it’s food and beverage; pharma and medical; household and personal care; automotive or any number of other sectors – all of our customers are looking for consistently high-quality and reliable prompt deliveries. To make sure we’re meeting those expectations, we’re always on the lookout for technological solutions that will help us to improve, and that’s why we decided to trial Fujifilm’s Flenex FW water-washable plates.”
We achieved excellent plate washout in half the time with no sludge build up in the processor. Platemaking is faster now, and there are far fewer plate failures, so it was an easy decision
Colin Le Gresley | Managing Director, Aztec Label
“We’d been having some issues with the plate material from our previous supplier, and Fujifilm’s Flenex solution looked like a promising alternative to us. We already had a strong working relationship with Fujifilm, having used their inks for some time, and the Flenex trial was an instant success, immediately remedying the problems we were facing. We achieved excellent plate washout in half the time with no sludge build up in the processor. Platemaking is faster now, and there are far fewer plate failures, so it was an easy decision.”
Aztec is no stranger to water washable plate technology, having been making water wash plates for nearly a decade, part of the company’s commitment to sustainability and the environment. Aztec also made a massive investment in solar power several years ago with the installation of solar panels across the factory roof as part of a £250,000 refurbishment. The company was also an early adopter of the BPIF ‘Zero Labels 2 Landfill’ scheme in 2017. “The Flenex investment is yet another step in helping us to continue to be a sustainable pre-press and print supplier,” says Le Gresley.
A Fujifilm C-Touch processor and new Fujifilm UV-LED JJ inks also formed part of the investment. Le Gresley credits the processor with further time savings to the platemaking process and is impressed so far with the performance of the inks.
Flenex FW
Find out more about all the advantages of Fujifilm’s water-washable flexo plates
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Tech:art reaps productivity benefits with Fujifilm’s Acuity Prime 30 Flatbed Printer
Tech:art
Trofarello, Italy
Acuity Prime
The productivity of the machine is far beyond what we had expected and exceeds any other machine we have seen before within a similar price bracket.
Davide Salvo | Tech:art
Highlights
- Tech:art was on the lookout for a machine that could handle its growing customer demand for quality, speed and the use of special inks and varnish
- Ease of use, outstanding print quality, productivity and confidence in Fujifilm were cited as key reasons for investment
- The Acuity Prime 30 Flatbed Printer exceeded all of Tech:art’s expectations and requirements to meet customer demands
- Customers have provided positive feedback since the installation and the investment has even led to Tech:art aquiring new customers
- Aside from the technical benefits, Tech:art was impressed with the sleek design of the Acuity Prime 30
- Tech:art was very happy with the service and support provided by Fujfifilm and feel confident that they have found a long-term partner
In the few months since the installation, Tech:art has been thoroughly impressed. Davide Salvo, General Manager, Tech:art says “When the machine was first installed, there were some final calibrations to sort, but we just couldn’t wait to use it so we started running production jobs anyway. We were instantly impressed. The productivity of the machine is far beyond what we had expected and exceeds any other machine we have seen before within a similar price bracket.
“We first heard about the Acuity Prime in the summer of 2021 from a Fujifilm sales contact.” Mr. Salvo continues. “We were very impressed by how easy it is to use and the outstanding print quality and productivity it offers. This, along with our confidence in Fujifilm as a brand, ultimately led to the investment decision.”
We were very impressed by how easy it is to use and the outstanding print quality and productivity it offers. This, along with our confidence in Fujifilm ultimately led to the investment decision.
Davide Salvo | Tech:art
“We are typically using the machine for interior design applications such as wood, plexiglass, glass and metal as well as signage. We were previously using a competitor’s machine, but it was proving impossible to print with the quality and speed that we now can achieve with the Acuity Prime 30.
“Our customers place very specific high demands on us. They require high quality and fast turnaround times, and more recently, they request work that requires the use of special primers, varnishes and white inks. With the Acuity Prime 30, we have been able to meet such demands and many of our customers have already provided positive feedback on the print quality and the wide colour gamut it offers. They have also been impressed by the strong ink adhesion and the wide range of materials that can be used. In fact, with the addition of this machine, we have been able to acquire new customers. Looking ahead, I see customisation as a major trend within the market this year and I am confident the Acuity Prime will enable us to meet such demands.”
“Aside from the technical benefits, we were also very impressed with the sleek, attractive, user-friendly design. I would not hesitate to recommend the Acuity Prime 30 – it has made our business significantly more profitable due to its speed, and reduced ink consumption levels.”
Mr. Salvo also acknowledges his appreciation of Fujifilm. “We can’t fault the service and support we received from Fujifilm throughout the sales and installation process. We feel confident that we have found a great long-term partner in Fujifilm.”
Acuity Prime
Find out more about why the Acuity Prime can achieve industry leading productivity and quality
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UK signmaker says the performance level of the Acuity Prime is far beyond any other flatbed printer at a similar price point.
Ebbsfleet Printing Solutions
Gravesend, Kent
Acuity Prime
I don’t believe there is any better way we could have spent this amount of money in terms of the overall quality, print capability and production capacity we’ve just added to our business than with the Acuity Prime
Ebbsfleet Printing Solutions | Sam Cherry
Highlights
- Kent-based digital print company with over 20 years of experience in sign making
- Became aware of the Acuity Prime Flatbed Inkjet Printer and booked a video demonstration, where they were immediately impressed and couldn’t believe how well the printer performed
- The company was formed in 1999 and has built a reputation for service and quality
- Supplies Local Government Authorities as well as major supermarkets
- In late 2021, the company was on the lookout for a highly efficient flatbed printer
- Invested in the new machine in January 2022 through RA Smart – one of Fujifilm UK’s distribution partners
Kent-based digital print company, Ebbsfleet Printing Solutions, has over 20 years of experience in sign making, servicing Gravesend and the surrounding areas of Kent. Formed in 1999, the company has built a reputation for service and quality which has seen it supply major Local Government Authorities as well as leading supermarkets. Late last year, the company was looking for a highly efficient flatbed printer, and upon discovering the Acuity Prime from Fujifilm, they were so impressed that they invested in the new machine in January 2022 through RA Smart – one of Fujifilm UK’s distribution partners.
Ebbsfleet Print Solutions initially booked a video demonstration of the Acuity Prime Flatbed Inkjet Printer, and after being sufficiently impressed by the printer’s capabilities, the company immediately booked in for a live demonstration at Fujifilm’s facility in Broadstairs in late 2021.
It’s our belief that the Acuity Prime flatbed performs at a level above any other printer at this price point
Sam Cherry | Ebbsfleet Printing Solutions
“We almost didn’t believe what we were seeing during the video demo,” says Sam Cherry, Director of Ebbsfleet Printing Solutions. “The printer performed beyond our expectations, but as it’s a new printer to the market we felt it was necessary to go and take a closer look. We went to Fujifilm’s facility in Broadstairs and liked what we saw so much, we placed our order there and then.”
Cherry believes such was the quality of print produced during both the video and live demos, that he is more than comfortable saying that the Acuity Prime is by far the best printer of its kind. “It’s our belief that the Acuity Prime flatbed performs at a level above any other printer at this price point,” he says. “In fact, the other machines we considered that did offer this level of print productivity were typically double the price.”
The printer was installed at Ebbsfleet Printing Solutions in the middle of January, with Cherry saying that the machine has already made a big impact on operations. “The Acuity Prime enables us to provide a better service to our customers, meeting their deadlines in a world where time is of the essence. We can provide a more streamlined approach along with a great end product. We’ve only been using the printer for a very short time on Acrylic, Foamex and Dibond so far, and are already really impressed with the output.
“I don’t believe there is any better way we could have spent this amount of money in terms of the overall quality, print capability an production capacity we’ve just added to our business than with the Acuity Prime.”
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Acuity Prime UV Flatbed Printer
Find out more about why the Acuity Prime can achieve industry leading productivity and quality
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RGI becomes the first commercial offset printer in France to invest in Fujifilm’s Jet Press 750S Inkjet Printer, citing increased customer demand for short-run, fast turnaround work.
RGI
Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes, France
Jet Press 750S High Speed Model
Watch the video
Now we can offer our customers short run jobs, in B2 format, at the same exceptionally high level of quality they’re used to, allowing us to grow our business with existing clients, and to find new ones as well.
Jean-François Le Borgne, Associate Director | RGI
Highlights
- RGI produces a huge range of applications for a wide variety of clients and has developed a deserved reputation for exceptional quality and outstanding customer service
- Despite a long existing plate supply relationship with Fujifilm, RGI tested the market and compared multiple options before selecting the Jet Press 750S HSM Inkjet Printer for its first major digital investment
- The quality of the Jet Press was a significant factor in making the decision
- Ease-of-use was also a major reason behind the decision, with the Jet Press able to fit seamlessly into the existing offset environment with no major changes to processes required
- The investment will enable RGI to grow its business with existing clients and find new ones as well
It’s nice to be able to develop our partnership with Fujifilm, but we picked the Jet Press 750S High Speed Model on its merits, particularly the excellent quality and the ease of use
Jean-François Le Borgne, Associate Director | RGI
Founded in the mid-1980s, imprimerie RGI is a commercial print business in Saint-Thibault-des-Vignes, east of Paris. For nearly 40 years the company has been producing a huge range of applications for a wide variety of clients and, over this time, it has developed a deserved reputation for exceptional quality and outstanding customer service.
In early 2022 the company decided to make its first digital print investment and, after carefully considering all the options on the market, they installed a Jet Press 750S Inkjet Printer from Fujifilm.
“Covid-19 changed everything,” says Jean-François Le Borgne, Associate Director, RGI. “It changed the way we work, and it has really turned our industry upside down. We were already seeing a market trend towards targeted, high quality, short run print jobs and the pandemic has massively accelerated that trend.”
Despite an existing, strong relationship with Fujifilm, having been a plate customer for the past ten years, the company directors were determined to carefully consider all their digital press investment options to ensure they picked the right option for their business. “It’s nice to be able to develop our partnership with Fujifilm, but we picked the Jet Press 750S High Speed Model on its merits,” Le Borgne continues. “Its capabilities quickly won us over, particularly the excellent quality and the ease of use. We’re an offset print business and the Jet Press fits seamlessly into that environment with minimal changes required to our processes.”
Jet Press 750S High Speed Model
Find out more about why Jet Press 750S High Speed Model is regarded as ‘the new standard in print’
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LED UV curing technology is energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and extremely well suited to the production of a huge range of applications. It’s a massive area of R&D focus for Fujifilm and it is, quite rightly, seen as a key “technology of the future.” So far, so uncontroversial.
And yet, none of that means to say that conventional UV curing has – or will – become a “thing of the past”. Despite the obvious cost and environmental advantages of LED technology, there is no reason to believe that it will replace conventional UV altogether. It won’t. In fact, both technologies will continue to play valuable roles in the future of wide format print long into the future, and where conventional UV is the more appropriate solution, we at Fujifilm will continue to offer customers that option. This is something we’ve clearly demonstrated with the launch of the new Acuity Ultra R2 – which is available in either LED UV or conventional UV curing formats.
Pros and cons
LED UV does, of course, use far less energy than its conventional alternative. As LED UV lamps have a significantly lower level of applied voltage, LEDs have a lower radiance than conventional UV lamps. LEDs emit light in the visible part of the spectrum from 400 nm to 700 nm or in the near infrared (700 nm and 2000 nm), so only part of the spectral energy they emit is UV light. Because they use a fraction of the energy of conventional UV lamps, they don’t need to warm up or cool down, so they are immediately ready for use and don’t use energy unless they are operating.
Furthermore, LED UV lamp lifetimes are much longer than those of conventional UV lamps (approximately 10,000 working hours compared to 1000+ working hours). As a result, one of the main selling points of LED UV for customers is the fact that it is more environmentally friendly and that costs are lower. There is only one real downside: the lack of safe cure and adhesion of high ink deposits at speed, which for some printers is a substantial issue.
Understanding the relevant regulation
Another common reason cited for the inevitable decline of conventional UV is government regulation. But here, many of the regulations concerning conventional UV are widely misunderstood. The European Union’s Restriction on Hazardous Substances II (RoHS II) regulation bans the use of heavy metals, including lead, mercury and cadmium. As a result, domestic light bulbs that use conventional UV can no longer be purchased, having been replaced by LED UV. For this reason, many assume that conventional UV for business use is on a similar path to regulatory oblivion.
However, this regulation does not apply to larger printing equipment, which is typically classified as ‘large-scale stationary industrial tools” (LSSITs), so the UV dryer modules manufactured for them are exempt from the RoHs II directive. Through the development of UV technology and compliance with the manufacturer’s information on safe disposal, the use of medium-pressure UV lamps containing mercury within the printing industry is deemed safe. As a result, mercury is still widely used throughout the industry and there is no indication that this is likely to change.
Counting costs
The operating costs of LED UV are certainly lower than the costs involved with a conventional UV machine, where increased energy and consumables usage needs to be factored in. But if the extra speed and increased adhesion and block resistance of conventional UV allows a print business to produce more work, the additional business can more than cover all these costs, as well as funding responsible waste management systems to minimise environmental impact.
Heat and speed
Another common belief is that conventional UV cannot be used on heat-sensitive materials, but Fujifilm’s Acuity Ultra R2, for example, features a unique water-cooled vacuum table that allows rapid UV curing on a huge range of thin, heat-sensitive materials. The main benefit of conventional UV that cannot be matched by LED UV is the speed at which it is able to print. Depending on the user, this one benefit can outweigh many of the negatives, meaning that it’s often the option that makes the most sense for many businesses. As conventional UV undoubtedly dominates the market in terms of productivity, it remains the obvious option for printers producing high volumes with rapid turnaround times.
Conventional UV is best for high production, fast-turnaround print. LED UV offers environmental, cost, and energy saving benefits when speed is not as crucial.
Kevin Rhodes | Marketing Manager, Fujifilm WFIJ Systems
The choice is yours
LED UV, of course, has an extremely valuable role to play in the future of wide format print– and we’re very proud at Fujifilm of our extensive range of LED UV curing printers. But it is not a complete replacement for conventional UV. There is still very much a need for both types of technology, depending on the customer’s requirements. The two exist in tandem and will continue to do so. Conventional UV is best for high production, fast-turnaround print, while LED UV offers a multitude of environmental, cost, and energy saving benefits when speed is not as crucial. Until LED can match conventional UV’s performance, specifically its speed and depth of cure, it is unlikely to be a wholesale replacement for conventional UV.
Ultimately, it’s up to the customer to decide on the most appropriate solution for their business, and we will continue to offer them that choice.
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