UK-based tech start-up parrotprint.com has become the first company in Europe to invest in an EFI VUTEk Q5r digital printer, having acquired the 5m roll-to-roll UV LED printer from CMYUK as part of its long-term growth strategy.
Offering the ultimate in print quality for the highest volume output at the lowest cost of production, the VUTEk Q5r – which was launched by EFI in January this year – has been acquired by parrotprint.com as the company looks to cement its position as the most affordable, highest quality and fastest printer operating in the digital economy.
The acquisition comes after a period of considerable growth for the brand, which has recorded triple digit percentage growth year-on-year over the past five years. Recently the company has also built their own automation algorithm and is now using AI software that checks and auto-corrects the creation process with production robotics to ensure the business can scale the manufacturing process, after sales increased 500% during the first lockdown.
“The EFI VUTEK Q5r undoubtedly enhances our current and future production demands, enabling us to continue to offer our unbeatable, next day delivery promises, whilst retaining market-leading print quality. As we continue to see record growth, the VUTEk Q5r will also enable us to scale to even more markets,“ says parrotprint.com Marketing Director, Dane Hamer.
Ultimately, the company went for the VUTEk 5Qr because, says Dane, “It has market leading production speeds that no other vetted printer can match, along with meeting our strict requirements for quality and running costs.”
The fastest, most productive roll-to-roll display graphics printers in their class, the 5m VUTEk Q5r printer runs at speeds up to 672 square meters per hour. It features up to nine ink colours (standard CMYK and optional lc, lm, lk, white and clear coat), enabling exact customisation of each printer to application requirements. It also boasts EFI UltraDrop Technology, featuring native 7-picoliter printheads with multi-drop addressability for high-definition image quality.
Users gain outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients and transitions, as well as precise and sharp 3-point size text with a true resolution of up to 1,200 dots per inch. UV LED curing ensures not only cost savings but also a more environmentally friendly printing solution, consuming less energy and enabling the use of thinner, heat-sensitive substrates.
The 5Qrs also features EFI’s Power Tool options for advanced productivity capabilities, including in-line quality inspection, in-line slitting and cutting, roll and tape collection, auto-calibration, automated backlit printing, automated blockout printing and more.
The company is looking to expand the parrotprint.com offering into high quality premium framed prints, and also has plans to build an online marketplace expressly for photographers, setting new standards of e-commerce for both buyers and sellers.
With a vision to be the internet brand leader in print, the company is actively pushing into new markets over the next 12 months. Says Dane, “The VUTEk Q5r is an incredible printer with excellent capabilities, and we’re delighted to be the first in Europe to have one. It will really drive the brand forward.”
