FastAnt Marketing Materials Management, the fulfilment arm of leading Leicestershire printer Taylor Bloxham, has installed an HP FB7600 flatbed inkjet press and Kongsberg XP cutting table as part of its continued expansion into large format display printing. This investment will enable FastAnt to be in a position to offer a complete design to fulfilment service to customers in retail, events management and bespoke packaging.

The investment follows 14 months of continuing success, during which FastAnt Instore, FastAnt’s dedicated Point of Sale brand, has grown from zero to around £1.4 million. Increasing volumes have led to the company requiring its own equipment to bring previously outsourced production back in-house.   

The company already has an HP5000 Indigo press on its Leicester site, which will make for easier staff integration with the company’s new equipment. A new Buhrs 300 enclosing machine will replace smaller less automated systems to create space for the point of sale investment.

FastAnt managing director Matthew Wennington says: “The new equipment investment means that we now have the ability to completely control campaigns for our customers as we can provide in-house the design, planning, production and fulfilment that will result in shorter lead times and eliminate cost.  By partnering with FastAnt, customers can be assured that their campaigns will be effectively managed from start to finish.”

The move is also planned to bring the print and fulfilment sides of the businesses closer together to provide customers with a true single source production route for complete marketing campaigns.

The FB7600 is a six-colour press running with UV inks and able to print at 500 square metres an hour, printing from rigid materials 2mm high to 120gsm papers. Automated handling systems means it can be operated by one operator.