With increasing customer demand for rapid turnaround tasks, Harrisons Signs needed to expand its printer range in order to meet its workload. Having previous experience with Mimaki products (a JV3, followed by a JV33) account manager Peter Robinson accepted an invitation from Paperlinx to trial the J400 SUV at its demonstration suite. After seeing the output first-hand, the company placed an order on the day.

The Mimaki SUV, available in 1.3 and 1.6m, is a photo quality engine designed to output durable prints with a glossy finish that can be cut and applied immediately. Part of Mimaki's 'eco' range, The SUV is suitable for use in office environments, as it only requires a standard 240v power connection.

"We'd initially looked at other ink technologies to sit alongside our JV33, but the SUV clearly offered something different that we could pass onto our customers," explains Robinson. "With our current high workload, we were starting to see production bottle necks which we were keen to eliminate.

"Ease-of-use of the new machine was a key factor in our purchase decision, with similar technology and interface to existing machines, coupled with valuable on-site training from Paperlinx, the transition was virtually seamless and delivered almost immediate production benefits."

Harrisons has continually invested in new technology throughout its history but, with the economy in bad shape, it was important to choose wisely. "Reducing business operating costs is critical, though this must be done without compromising quality," Robinson explains. "The potential for cost and efficiency savings in all areas of production was one of the main reasons for our investment in the new Mimaki and, whilst the new machine has only been in use for a couple of months, we are already reaping the rewards and expect a very early return on investment."

The instant dry print has meant that Harrisons is capable of producing jobs in much less time than was previously required. "Much of the time we are now cutting out post-print processes, such as laminating, which makes us more competitive and efficient.

"Whilst a 30m print run might previously have taken as long as four and a half hours to output, the new SUV reduces this to between three and three and a half hours, representing an efficiency gain of around 25 percent, bringing huge benefits to the customer – and to the business."

The 17-strong team at Harrisons Signs features designers, printers, fabricators and a crew on the road, capable of installing jobs for a range of clients across the length and breadth of the country. The addition of an SUV is expected to help Harrisons continue to meet their customer commitments, as well as diversifying its signage output.

"We now have new products coming off the Mimaki SUV, such as 1.5m pull-up banners. We don't need to laminate it because of the toughness of the inks; the colours jump off the media and it's quick to produce," says Robinson. "In addition, without the need for drying or degassing of the print output, it can be trimmed and fitted into the cartridge the instant it comes off the printer."

Harrisons's work with high-profile retail clients has gived the company an opportunity to test the capabilities of its new kit. An in-store product promotion for a coffee manufacturer required more than 30 metres of printed self-adhesive vinyl applied to foamboard, which Harrisons provided via the SUV. "The high-gloss finish suited the agency's requirements perfectly and, with the client demanding very high image quality, we felt confident in using the new SUV printer.

"Removing the need for lamination has reduced labour costs and kept us competitive, and we were able to install well inside their deadline by mounting the graphic to the board within minutes of it leaving the printer."

Feedback from customers on the output produced by the new machine has been positive, while the company has benefitted in-house as a result of the purchase. Looking forwards, Robinson sees only one direction. "Our past is important, but we're always looking ahead. We have future plans to expand our metal fabrication, which sits well with our more traditional products – a combination which sets us apart."