Norwich-based Sign Force has deployed Roland DG's printing and print and cut technology to secure its position as a leading trade supplier of display graphics.  As well as owning a number of Roland machines, the company also insists on using Roland DG's Eco-Sol Max inks.

Sign Force's two SolJet Pro III XJ-740 printers, a SolJet Pro III XC-540 printer/cutter and a VersaCAMM SP-540i are used daily to produce vehicle graphics, roll-up/pop-up displays, canvases, exhibition signage and banners, plus stickers and decals by the thousands.   Roland’s Eco-Sol Max ink delivers Sign Force supreme quality and performance that it can rely on time and again.

Sign Force Managing Director, Justin Watts, believes that using genuine Eco-Sol Max inks with his Roland wide format printers has ensured a continuously high standard of vibrant, durable prints that in turn has helped him secure a high level of repeat business.

“As a trade supplier, we have to deliver the best quality at all times. We’re dealing with customers who know exactly what to look for so everything has to be spot on,” said Justin in the latest video instalment of Roland’s national tour of proud Roland users.

Justin has been approached many times by suppliers of third party inks but considers the risk of a sub-standard product failing later down the line not worth taking.  “We’re loyal to Roland and want to ensure we do everything possible to provide a high quality and reliable service to customers. We get fantastic peace of mind from the Gold RolandCare warranty coverage and, as third party inks would jeopardise this, it’s a false economy to risk it for short-term gain.”

Eco-Sol Max is a remarkable innovation in ink technology, offering fast drying time, high density, wide colour gamut, rugged scratch resistance, low cost per square metre, broad coated and uncoated media support and is virtually odourless.  Eco-Sol Max comes in CMYK+Lc+Lm+Mt+W colours and is water and UV resistant up to three years outdoors for CMYK graphics, up to one year outdoors for white ink and one to three years outdoors for metallic silver ink.

“We sell branded materials and we use branded materials so we like to be associated with the very best in the market, and Roland certainly fits the criteria,” said Justin.  “In line with this we chose the Eco-Sol Max inks purely because you know that if you’re buying products from Roland it’s going to be consistently high quality and there’s going to be a good, reliable supply chain.”

Sign Force typically runs its Roland machines on the high quality, lower speed setting in order to maximise the durability of the graphics produced, but the SolJet Pro III XJ-740 will print graphics for almost any application at speeds of more than 40m2/hour.

“Customers often comment on the durability and quality of the prints, which plays a huge part in securing the repeat business that has been critical to our success,” said Justin.

Throughout his experience with Roland, Justin and his team have found its technology easy to use. Another important factor in Sign Force’s partnership with Roland is the Roland Academy training facility at Walsall College, where Justin has sent a number of employees.

“As well as showing the correct and efficient use of the hardware they encourage you to use your imagination and to try different media and applications. This is something that as a business we’ve definitely benefitted from,” he said.

“We have been using Roland machines for several years now and their help has been essential to our business growth. It would take an extraordinary machine to lure us away from Roland. They are fantastic machines, very easy to use and the service is fantastic – I won’t be using anything else in the foreseeable future,” concludes Justin.