Cambridgeshire-based HoF Display Solutions (House of Flags) has signed up Tech8, the technical support and spares provider for the wide format printing industry, to support its two Uniform Grenadier wide format printers.
The Grenadier printers at HoF Display Systems (HoF), which run Colorific fresh ink, offer 720dpi and are able to print up to 1800mm wide and up to 50m long without joins. They are ideally suited to creating output such as photographic prints and almost any indoor or outdoor signage application, regardless of media type.
Founded in 1977, HoF employs 60 people and is one of the UK's leading manufacturers and suppliers of flags, banners, bunting, flagpoles, exhibition stands, temporary signage and promotional displays. The company helps businesses get noticed with creative, eye-catching and high impact promotional and advertising solutions spanning a wide range of materials including PVC, knitted polyester, canvas, vinyl and paper.
HoF primarily targets customers in the construction, automotive, retail, leisure and charity sectors. It has recently worked on projects for MacMillan Cancer Care and has just won a contract for First Choice Holidays for which it will be undertaking work during 2012.
The organisation had been having issues with one of its Grenadier printers and mentioned this to its ink and media supplier, Selectech. Selectech recommended that HoF get in contact with Tech8. According to Martin George, Print Manager, at HoF, “Our previous contractor was giving us poor service, bad communication and we were more than ready for a change.”
Tech8 offers UK-wide rapid response breakdown cover which is provided by its fleet of fully-trained field service engineers. It has a fully-automated call-logging system which enables customers to track the status of their support requests in real-time on-line. The company also offers a comprehensive all-inclusive warranty with accidental damage cover included as standard.
Martin George comments, “Tech8’s online service is really easy to use. You simply log on, complete your machine details and list the issue or fault. Within an hour or two, you receive a phone call offering initial technical support and - if necessary – Tech8 arranges for a next day site visit.”
On the quality of the engineers at Tech8, Martin George adds, “The engineers are very experienced and knowledgeable and in fact, our local Tech8 engineer - Graham Parkinson - is the best engineer I’ve ever worked with in my ten years at HoF. One day we had an issue with the light magenta dropping out. I tried all the obvious fixes – changing filters etc – but nothing worked. I had a conversation with Graham and he identified the problem almost immediately. It was an air leak in the ink line and once that issue was resolved, we were back up and running the very same day.”
Justin Atkinson, Business Development Manager at Tech8, concludes, “It is crucial that a print business’s printing equipment is fully-operational at all times. We understand that. As in the case of HoF’s Grenadier printer, around 30% of all commonly reported faults can be rapidly resolved by Tech8 with advice offered over the telephone. Our fully trained engineers are able to get our customers back up and running quickly with minimal fuss. If a site visit is also required, we offer a next day service.”