31 Jan 2024

R A Smart announce first HP Stitch Open Days in November

Digital Textile Print Experts, R A Smart, Announce First HP Stitch Open Days in November.

R A Smart invite signmakers, flag printers, exhibition & display graphic producers and universities to get up close and personal with the new HP Stitch range of digital dye-sublimation printers.

For over 20 years, R A Smart has led the UK in digital textile print production and the supply of CAD and CAM printers and finishing solutions to the textile industry. Testament to their expertise in this field, the company was recently appointed exclusive UK reseller of the HP Stitch range of dye-sublimation digital textile printers.

Following their recent installations across the UK and the printers’ UK debut at The Print Show, R A Smart are also now planning two open days at their impressive Cheshire facility. Registered visitors will be treated to a full factory tour which includes their commercial textile printing operation covering traditional screen printing, silk weaving and the digital print department. Visitors will be able to gain a better understanding of the differences between different textile print processes by viewing every type of print process including acids, re-actives, pigments and disperse dyes for printing on to silk, cotton, polyester, linens and velvets.

In addition to the full educational factory tour, R A Smart will also be demonstrating textile finishing in their purpose built HP Stitch demonstration room to include silicone edging for tensile textile displays, home furniture manufacture and more. Visitors will be able to view, discuss and test numerous textile print solutions for their print business and be confident that they are speaking with true experts in their field.

Managing director Magnus Mighall comments, “We have been preparing for these open days for some time, ensuring that we have the best solutions the market offers. We spoke with numerous printers, signmakers and display professionals looking to expand into printing textiles and listened to what they perceive as barriers to entry. The biggest barrier being that suppliers very rarely truly understand what it is like to run a successful textile print business. We’ve been successful for over 20 years and supplied equipment and solutions all along the way, so we’ve already lived through the problems, and are thriving. We want to share this knowledge and our skills to help print service providers make the best textile printer choice for their business, and we will stand beside them every step of the way.”

Parking is available on site, though visitors are encouraged to travel by train to Macclesfield station, where R A Smart are offering free collection and drop off. There will be so much to see, do and learn at the R A Smart open days in November, that they recommend allocating around 2-3 hours to ensure you get the most out of your visit.

Magnus continues, “Registering early for these open days is very important, they are extremely popular when we run them because of their educational nature and the fact that you will be visiting a working commercial textile print operation. We’re showing full end-to-end turnkey solutions with specialists in the market including tension framing systems, lightbox and lightwalls, sewing machines, kadar silicone edging for example, so it will be a very full few hours and I’m in no doubt visitors will leave with exciting ideas and solid solutions to grow their wide format print business, successfully, into the digital textile print market.”

Light refreshments will be available throughout the day. Register now to book your place here (http://hxv.e18.myftpupload.com/stitch-open-house/).

For commercial signmakers, print service providers and wide format print companies, register here for the 12th of November. http://hxv.e18.myftpupload.com/stitch-open-house/

For Universities, colleges and educational establishments, register here for the 13th November. http://hxv.e18.myftpupload.com/stitch-open-house/