ST ALBANS, UK - Staffordshire-based large-format digital print company Printdesigns Limited has ordered its second Zünd G3 digital cutter to cope with increasing demand for its expanding range of portable fabric-based display stands.

Printdesigns launched its TEXStyle display range in 2013 following the installation of a 3.2m-wide Mimaki JV-5 DS printer and a rotary Monti Antonio heat press.

"Our main area of business is the production of quality, portable display solutions for the self-build exhibitor," says Mark Thompson, Director of Printdesigns. "For many years, the market has been dominated with traditional products that employ heavy, rollable graphics printed onto PVC or polyester films.

"Our customers are always looking for new products that can provide easier assembly, increased portability and, most importantly, a higher lever of aesthetic finish. The introduction of fabric graphics along with lightweight supporting frameworks have allowed us to offer newer, more innovative solutions to our customers."

However, the success of the line created a bottleneck in production as the seamstress team was hand-cutting the fabric – a process that took longer than the actual printing – so Printdesigns decided it was time to invest in digital cutting equipment.

"We considered both Zünd and another digital cutting brand but were definitely more impressed by Zünd's professionalism," says Mark Thompson. "While the other manufacturer allowed us to see its equipment in situ at the print room of an existing end user, it was a little awkward and difficult to see it up close. Zünd's dedicated demonstration centre in St Albans, on the other hand, gave us time to sit down, ask questions and really consider the machine in a comfortable environment. It's a big investment so that level of professionalism and sense of security is very important. You feel you're buying into a more supported product."

Since that time, Zünd's demonstration suite has been renovated and upgraded, providing an even better experience for current and future users.

Printdesigns has been running the Zünd G3 2m-wide cutting table for almost three years. "It revolutionised what we did," says Mark Thompson. "We went from struggling to finish at the end of the day to having time to spare. It's worth every penny that we paid for it and more."

The company is now awaiting the arrival of a second Zünd G3, configured specifically to meet their needs, in September. "Soft signage graphics are generally produced on one big piece of fabric measuring 3.2m wide, which is great for the customer as there are no panels to line up, but harder for us with our existing 2m-wide cutting table," explains Mark Thompson.

The new Zünd G3 cutter has a 3.2m-wide bed to allow full-width rolls of fabric to be trimmed quickly and with perfect precision every time. The new cutter will also feature a specially developed fabric tensioning system, critical for the effective transport of the high elastane-content polyester fabrics used for Printdesigns's graphics.

Mark Thompson admits that he didn't actually see the wider Zünd in person before submitting the order, basing the decision on the success of the 2m table and the high-quality support of Zünd engineers. Zünd will ensure that both the new and older cutting machines are located in the most ergonomic way possible in Printdesigns's warehouse in Stone, Staffordshire.

"For print businesses who traditionally cut materials manually, the addition of a Zünd digital cutting table – configured for their unique requirements – can absolutely transform production, as Printdesigns discovered," says Nick Reed, Product Manager at Zünd Plotting Systems (UK) Ltd.

"Since so few UK graphics companies can handle very wide fabrics, this 3.2m machine gives Printdesigns an even greater competitive edge in the marketplace. The demand for lightweight exhibition graphics is set to grow and grow, and Printdesigns is ideally placed to grow with it."