Rolling Meadows, Ill. - As a leader in custom printing specializing in wide- and grand-format graphics, Olympus Group has provided branding solutions for over 118 years. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Olympus Group does business with some pretty high-profile clients. The digital and screen printing specialist has created custom print solutions, as well as custom mascot characters, for food and beverage giants, storied ball clubs and popular motor sports organizations.

Olympus utilizes wide-format and grand-format digital printers, traditional screen printing equipment and dye sublimation technology to deliver distinctive color graphics. The latest addition to its printing arsenal is a Screen Truepress Jet2500UV inkjet printing system.

"We have built a reputation on exceeding our customers' expectations and are always looking for the next level of service and quality we can provide," stated Andy Arkin, technical director. "We are constantly researching the newest technologies in the market. We wanted a dependable UV inkjet printer that could generate quality superior to our existing machines and serve as a backup system when necessary to get the job done."

Olympus was founded in 1893 as a manufacturer of banners and pennants. Since manufacturing its first U.S. flag in 1914, Olympus has continued its original product offerings along with a complete line of U.S. and specialty flags, while expanding the products and services throughout the years. Today, point-of-purchase displays, special event signage, table coverings, wall murals, theatrical curtains, billboards and vehicle graphics test the $15 million firm's talents.

The average turnaround time for most jobs is three to five days. In many cases, however, customers place orders in the morning for shipment later in the afternoon.

"Our turnaround times are so short that, if we have a problem with hardware or software where the machine goes down, we still have to be able to produce and ship completed materials the same day," Arkin said. "We realized that we needed redundant capabilities. Buying the exact model printer that we currently use was an option, but it would have prevented us from taking advantage of new technology that enables higher print quality. Screen's improvements to the speed and printing functions made the Truepress Jet2500UV extremely competitive with better-known production printers in its class."

Versatility to accommodate roll-to-roll and rigid materials at least 2 inches thick and at least 80 inches wide was a priority in selecting a new printing system.

"The Truepress Jet2500UV handles both roll media and rigid substrates," Arkin pointed out. "Its 98.4-inch width is an added benefit. We can rotate a 4-by-8-foot board."

The ability to print tiny droplets of ink was an absolute must. The smallest ink dot size with Olympus' existing UV inkjet equipment was 30 picoliters. One customer in particular had an important specialty project that called for 6 picoliter droplets.

"We compared every device capable of printing 6 picoliter droplets," Arkin said. "They all print a sharp enough dot at 6 picoliters, but not all of the printers are true hybrid systems. The Truepress Jet2500UV offered a wider range of capabilities to satisfy the various demands of our other products. For instance, it offers white ink as an affordable option, which we employ in every possible combination."

Arkin said he was confident at the time of the purchase, based on previous experience with Screen prepress imaging technology and software, that the Truepress Jet2500UV would combine Screen's "high precision and attention to detail."

"The print quality is as high as we had hoped," he stated. "It is a solid machine. Soon after the Truepress Jet2500UV was installed, our other printer went down for a couple days. We moved a lot of work to the Screen device. It performed very well in the backup role. That reconfirmed our belief that we made the right choice."