Innovative Sydney sign and display house Art & Soul is putting on extra shifts to cope with demand following the installation of its new HP Latex 3100 grand format printer through Spandex.
“It has been a game changer for Art & Soul," says John Nicolas, a qualified sign-maker, animator, colour psychologist and self-titled 'Grand Pooh Bah' who established the business in 1983. "We have focused strongly on our UV technologies for the last 15 years and we've been really pleasantly surprised by the quality and reliability of HP Latex & Spandex.”
The 3.2 meter HP printer is the latest addition to the Alexandria-based company, which employs 22 specialist staff members including 3D animators, designers, electronics and animatronics experts.
Production manager Dan Nicolas, son of John, says the HP Latex 3100, along with Spandex-supplied latex-compatible media, has been a great success and extra shifts have been added to cope with expanding demand. Support and training from both Spandex and HP direct has been outstanding, says Nicolas, with a smooth roll-out and little interruption to production. The HP Latex 3100 is capable of production at up to 180 sqm/hr in 2-pass billboard mode but is regularly used for high quality indoor graphics in 6-pass mode at 77 sqm/hr. For textiles and backlit media, more passes are typically needed and speed of 44 sqm/hr is the regular speed.
The advantage of the 3.2 metre width is that when full-width is not required, two 1.6m rolls can be loaded side-by side. The HP Latex printheads deliver up to 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution in six colours (CMYK, lC & lM) with a seventh channel used for Latex optimization jetting.
Other high-speed production equipment at Art & Soul includes two new HP Latex 360 printers for proofing and short run jobs and a recently-installed Canon 6170XT double-size flatbed UV for rigid sheet media. The latest Zünd computerized cutter, router table and laser machine automates Art & Soul’s finishing. With a heavy focus on the creative side, in-house designers work to create eye-catching original point-of-sale displays and exhibitions using both flexible and rigid media.
Art & Soul services an impressive list of corporate clients in the fashion, entertainment, liquor and cosmetic industries across Australia and internationally. Spandex is one of the world’s leading trade suppliers to the sign making and display industries.