Brixen, Italy – A new system from Durst, manufacturer of advanced digital and production technologies, is the centerpiece of a £1million investment by an entrepreneur who is relocating his unique wallcovering design printing business from Hong Kong into the UK to grow markets across Europe and the United States.

David Qian’s high-end, exclusive, wallpaper designs retail on average at £150 sq/m and are customized to meet the demands of major brands that include numerous five-star hotels across the globe. A rapid growth in digital printing and a desire to be closer to US customers led to Mr Qian moving to Nottingham and setting up a production hub to grow business in the UK and expand into Europe.

The £3 million-turnover business combines bespoke, made-to-order hand-paintings and embroidered wall coverings combine ancient eastern artistic traditions with western and contemporary aesthetics. D’Arts , the digital printing brand, is unique because traditional hand-painting adds further artistic touches to the outstanding print quality from the Durst P10 160 with heavy duty roll in Nottingham.

Initial testing with wallpaper applications have been completed successfully. Full-scale industrial printing using digital technology is due to start soon.

Mr Qian said: “With a previous system we had problems with colour-matching, which cost us time and money. But the Durst machine has been an absolute revelation. Digital printing is the next step for the wallpaper industry – it’s the future. We are really satisfied with the high-end quality from the P10.”

He added: “We are the only company in the world that can combine hand-painting and digital printing together. This is a core of our business where we create bespoke customer designs for major brand names within interior design and furnishing sectors who demand the very best service and quality.”

David Qian’s company started as an exclusive hand-painting business 20 years ago in Hong Kong, where production is still based for the Asia market, and started digital printing in 2010. “The Durst is a really important part for us, particularly as digital printing is now 50% of our business,” said Mr Qian. “Setting up in the UK enables us to develop a European market and to better serve our US customers. Controlling the printing process achieves the highest standards and results.”

Peter Bray, Managing Director of Durst UK and Ireland, said: “Customers, particularly those like David Qian who are dealing with high-end brands and demanding the very best quality, increasingly rely on Durst to provide technology to match the exacting requirements. The P10 is recognised as a byword for productivity and quality, as our growing number of users will testify.”