Colouration, a London-based visual solution provider with a strong footprint in producing retail and store displays for the fragrance and cosmetics industry, has become the first company in the UK to install the high speed Océ Arizona® 550 GT UV flatbed printer.
Océ, an international leader in digital document management and printing for professionals, has strengthened its range of Océ Arizona UV flatbeds – the world’s number one selling product family in this sector – with the launch of the Océ Arizona 550 GT printer. The system is the fastest yet, printing at twice the speed of other Océ Arizona models; it can produce more than 40 square metres of high quality printing per hour, with stunning prints suitable for closely-viewed signage and Point of Purchase, made possible by Océ’s unique VariaDot™ imaging technology.
Colouration first saw the new system late in 2009, during a trip to Océ headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands, and was immediately impressed, says Managing Director Tony Dennington: “We went to Venlo and we liked what we saw. We did some tests of our own, and the quality was as good as, or better, than anything else out there. There are more expensive machines, but this is better. It was by far the best machine we looked at.”
Dennington reveals that the Océ Arizona 550 GT printer, which was installed in late January, will have a significant impact on the 31-staff company’s business. Colouration produces a lot of “visual merchandising” for retail and department stores – anything from magnetic wallpaper to backlit display units to hanging banners. Clients have included prestigious brands such as Thierry Mugler, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein.
Before installing the Océ Arizona 550 GT printer, the company had to print onto rolls, and then mount the substrate onto board or perspex. Now, using the flatbed Océ Arizona 550 GT printer, Colouration can print direct to a wide variety of media types, including metals, woods, acetates and acrylics. The system also comes with a Roll Media Option, which Colouration has chosen to take, as it also has with the White Ink Option to augment the four-colour output with under- and over-printing capability.
Dennington says: “This is going to open the door to so many new ideas, things that we hadn’t even talked about in the past. Our creative team are falling over themselves coming up with new applications. For visual merchandising, the Océ Arizona 550 GT printer is a dream, with the quality, the detail it can produce, and the speed. I’m very, very happy.”
The Océ Arizona 550 GT printer allows print companies to take on peak demand and rush jobs with confidence, due to its productivity and image quality. The next generation model in the award-winning Océ Arizona Series, it uses UV curable inks and Océ VariaDot technology to deliver near-photographic image quality. Designed as a true flatbed, it can print on a wide range of rigid substrates up to 1.25 by 2.5 metres, and roll media up to 2.2 metres wide.
Dominic Fahy, Business Group Director, Display Graphics and Imaging Supplies, said: “The initial response to the Océ Arizona 550 GT printer has been overwhelmingly positive, as companies like Colouration have found. Océ is proud of its reputation as an innovative company that’s continually bringing new products and services to the market. This is a major step forward with another addition to the world’s number one selling product family in this sector. We are delighted.”
