Steve Laing, founder of Fresh Graphics, explains why he believes Roland DG is the supercar equivalent of the print industry and the key to commercial success.
Having first started in the print industry as a school leaver over two decades ago, Steve Laing, from Belfast, always knew he wanted to start his own print business. In 2009 the opportunity arose to do just that, and Steve took the plunge and launched his specialist branding and print services company, Fresh Graphics.
Steve has recently invested in the newly launched TrueVIS VG-640 wide-format inkjet printer/cutter from Roland DG, a decision which has seen his business soar to new levels of success. Steve purchased the machine to meet the increasing volume of work he was receiving, and he’s not been disappointed.
After purchasing the machine from Roland DG certified dealer Sign+Digital who have Creative Centres in both Dublin & Antrim, he commented:
“I was instantly drawn to the TrueVIS VG-640 as it is a very professional looking piece of equipment, and its performance didn’t disappoint either. The TrueVIS could easily handle our increasing volumes of work with its speed and accuracy, allowing us to deliver even quicker turnaround times for our customers. Even at such high speeds, we have never had a problem with the quality output of the TrueVIS, which is always 100% spot on, another factor that made us want to stay with Roland was training and support we received from Sign & Digital with our 1st 2 Roland VSi Machines
Despite having had ambitions to start his own business for years, Steve’s venture hadn’t come without its challenges.
A technical issue with a competitor machine had cost his business a significant amount of money in ink waste and Steve knew it was time to explore alternative routes. In 2015, after being recommended the brand by a peer in the print industry, Steve booked an appointment to visit Sign+Digital’s Extensive Creative Centre to find out more about the wide-format printer/cutters Roland DG had on offer. The TrueVIS is now Steve’s third piece of Roland equipment from Sign & Digital
“My first impression of Roland DG was how solid and robust the machinery was. It didn’t take long for me to realise the VersaCAMM VSi Series was the ideal solution for me, its capabilities were beyond anything I had seen before. The amount of materials it could print on was impressive, and it opened my eyes to new possibilities that my business could exploit. I had started to see an increase in customer demand for wide-format prints and the VSi Series allowed us to start offering these products.”
Instantly impressed with the VersaCAMM VSi Series, Steve invested in not one but two machines in the form of the VS-540i and larger VS-640i model. The introduction of the printer/cutter meant that Steve could exploit its endless profit-making applications and expand the products that Fresh Graphic’s could offer its customers, resulting in massive business growth.
“Before we invested in the Roland DG machines, we were mainly designing and producing business cards, posters and leaflets for businesses. The addition of the VS-540i and larger VS-640i has meant we now can produce wide-format prints. Jobs that we were previously turning down such as vehicle graphics, window graphics and signage, are now our main source of income thanks to the quicker turnaround times and higher profit-margins.”
Less than a year after introducing the two Roland DG machines, Fresh Graphics began enjoying record sales having expanded into new, profitable markets.
Now a loyal Roland DG customer for two years, with three Roland DG machines under his belt, Steve even has plans to invest in another TrueVIS in the near future. Despite the speed, versatility and output quality being the original factors that won him over, Steve explains it is the reliability of its machinery that assures him he is investing his money wisely.
“The best thing about Roland DG is the peace of mind it gives me. By using such high performing, quality equipment, I know that I don’t have to worry about anything going wrong – they’re like the equivalent to a supercar!”
For more information on Roland DG please visit: www.rolanddg.com / www.rolanddg.co.uk
For more information on Fresh Graphics, please visit: www.facebook.com/freshgraphicsbelfast
For more information on Sign+Digital, please visit: www.signanddigital.co.uk
