The current industry buzzword is "convergence", and this is for good reason-with the transformation of the printing industry and the continuous popularization of new technologies, more and more commercial printers are looking for applications beyond the traditional service menu. One option that has gained attention is digital wide-format printing, which opens up new sources of income for those willing to take risks.

In other words, wide-format inkjet printing is different from other technologies. It cannot be sold like offset printing or production inkjet, it needs a completely different knowledge base to be truly successful.

"We just don't know what we don't know," admitted Mike Corridori, director of CR Print based in Westlake Village, California. He pointed out that the biggest challenge comes from trying to understand everything from how the printer itself works to the wider range of available substrates.

"We have all the technology, but we don't know how to operate it," he said. "We thought it would be like a photocopier, but it is not the case-it is very different. It is also a moving target-things get hot, and then other things come in and take their place."

Corridori said his store was also surprised by the difference in substrates. "It's not like paper," he pointed out. "Inventories are completely different and prices fluctuate more... We found this very difficult."

David Ashton, a partner at Linemark Inc. in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, agrees with this experience. "When we first started, simple items like boards and banners weren't a major challenge," he said. "What's really interesting is all the projects related to those projects that our customers think are large format... booths, pop-ups, custom boxes, hardware. We have very little experience in these areas, and we have to catch up with the market and successfully purchase it. It’s a huge challenge. Not only do we need to be experts in the factory, but our entire customer management team also needs to be competent.”

Department head Matt Wagner and factory manager Joe Dodson are responsible for overseeing the production of Linemark's EFI flat-panel LED-UV printer and Kongsberg routing table.

Although adding wide-format printing to business operations may be more challenging than expected, it can bring equally broad rewards for those who persevere and are committed to learning new businesses.

For Lewis Color, headquartered in Statesboro, Georgia, the wide format not only gives the company the opportunity to return to customers when many people withdraw printing projects, it also helps boost morale throughout the store. According to President Justin According to Lewis and Steve Owens, vice president of large format, when the pandemic hits and it is difficult to make sales calls (or even virtual calls), adding the Ricoh Pro TF6250 LED-UV flatbed printer makes all the difference.

"We have a lot of customers in the healthcare field," Owens pointed out. "[So we] print floor decals, posters and signs for hospitals and restaurants. We were able to seize this business because we can provide them with what they need. We have also tried selling personalized masks, but everyone is in This is not appropriate for us. But in general, increasing the width gives us more opportunities to reach out to customers again, especially those who need [professional] materials to conduct business."

This is also the long-term gain that Linemark sees. This commercial printer first invested in wide-format equipment in 2010 and is now running multiple EFI UV flatbed printers, including the new Pro 30f LED-UV printer installed in February this year.

"Able to provide our customers with a variety of product support, so that they can purchase and purchase more efficiently," Ashton pointed out. "This, in turn, has further strengthened many of these relationships and generated additional business in other areas. We also use this service as an account entry point, and some of our other services may not necessarily have room at the moment."

CR Print added its first wide format device in February 2020-just before the pandemic broke out. Corridori pointed out that COVID-19 will definitely change the way equipment is used and the types of applications produced, but he expects that this will change as the introduction of vaccines continues. By next year, he hopes to see the return of the type of work originally purchased for Fujifilm Acuity flatbed printers, including window graphics and activity signs and displays.

In other words, Corridori pointed out that when they install wide-format equipment, this is an important case of "right place, right time", because it enables the store to develop quickly and provide the types of products that customers need to spend. An unprecedented period without having to push all these tasks away.

He added that having a lithographic press is also "good for recommendations-and it looks good on LinkedIn. If you do a good installation and post it on social media, it’s cool and very creative, We will receive a call. Just posting a business card will not solve the problem."

Mike Corridori, owner of CR Print in Westlake Village, California, stands next to the Fujifilm Acuity flatbed printer in his print shop, which was installed before the pandemic broke out in February 2020.

One thing to keep in mind when adding wide format features is that one size does not fit all sizes. The range of applications is very wide. Each application requires not only a different substrate, but also a different ink technology, printer, and installation expertise. One suggestion that resonates widely is to find a niche market and become an expert in making such works—but at the same time, be flexible enough to make adjustments when the situation requires it (for example, during a pandemic).

"This is what we have been trying to figure out," Lewis said. "We are trying to find a market segment that can be produced day after day, and it is perfect. We haven't found it yet, but we are close.

"We have been cutting vinyl, car packaging, wallpaper, and even the exterior of arcade machines. He added that we have also been doing acrylic printing, and now the real growth is short-term packaging. "We have some partners nearby, and they do For many of these jobs, they are companies with large machines and large molds. But they also need to make prototypes, only 50 or 100 are needed. We can help them, which brings us considerable profits. "

Another potential niche market that Lewis Color is exploring is the production and delivery of printed products directly to consumers. Owens pointed out that there is a huge market for printing on substrates such as wood, glass or acrylic. Just in the past May, the store launched a dedicated website where people can upload photos and print them directly onto a rigid substrate option.

The shop also sells accessories such as frames, which customers can take out and hang directly on the wall after receiving them.

"We are confident that this will become something for us to grow," Owens said. "We will add more products at any time-we just launched it. We are doing a lot of social media and are preparing to shoot ads for this market, hoping to enter the country in the next few months."

Before the pandemic, Linemark mainly exported conference support products, such as banners, displays, signs, floor graphics, etc. "

Ashton said: “When the COVID closed the market, we were just beginning to study wall art.” “When other businesses dropped sharply, it started to grow. In addition, due to supplier issues, we introduced the custom box market more broadly. So Now we are doing quite a bit of wall art (acrylic, metal, canvas) and custom boxes/packaging. We also see demand for more projects that support face-to-face meetings."

All three stores have provided good advice to other commercial printers, hoping to follow in their footsteps and increase their production capacity in wide format.

Corridori provides three suggestions for other printers-the first is to cooperate with resellers to understand how to sell wide format, customer requirements and actual needs, and then expand and install the equipment yourself. His second suggestion is: "It's a great idea to buy knives. We haven't bought them yet, but this will be our next [investment]." Third, Corridori warns that wide-range pricing is not the same as offsetting pricing. It's very different, so he recommends that the store take time to understand this aspect and determine the pricing as early as possible in the process.

Lewis advises other printing suppliers to look at all the machines, understand their capabilities, and compare them with the needs of their customer base. In addition, compare the quality of service provided by each supplier.

"This is very important for our rural areas in Georgia," he pointed out. "All wide format machines can print beautiful pictures, but what makes them unique is the service and response time. It can be the best machine in the world, but if it fails (within a week), this is a major Problems, and the latest technology won’t help us until Friday morning."

Therefore, research as many suppliers and distributors as possible to truly understand the equipment you are buying.

Ashton agrees with his other printers, stating that once you have in-house equipment, you must train your team to sell and produce wide-format output. "Look for opportunities and research in your existing customer database. Buying the right printer from the beginning-and all the [extra peripheral] equipment needed, followed by some important team education should improve the prospects for success. "

Ashton also recommends first using external partners for production as a good way to enter the market while also reducing risks.

Wide format printing can be an excellent opportunity to add new products, new applications and new revenue streams to the commercial printing business. Not only does it open the door for capturing more work that current customers are producing elsewhere, but it can also serve as an entry point for customers who currently don’t do business with you at all.

If commercial printing houses are willing to take the time to ensure the right equipment, the right substrates, and the right training for their employees, this is an investment worth taking a risk.

In October of this year, we will help you discover more new profitable growth opportunities driven by printing technology and market integration. PRINTING United Expo, formerly known as SGIA Expo, brings together all market segments of the global printing industry under one roof. Connect with peers, discover new product applications, and more in Orlando, Florida, October 6-8, 2021. Register for PRINTING United Expo now.

There are some considerations to keep in mind when adding wide-format printing to your business operations. Here are 10 tips from printers that use wide format technology, explaining what to watch out for and how to prepare for success.

Toni McQuilken is a senior editor in the printing and packaging group.

In these unprecedented and uncertain times, PRINTING United Alliance and NAPCO Media are committed to providing the printing and visual communications industry with the latest resources on the current COVID-19 situation. When we get through this storm together, the staff will be here to help you.

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