While Covid-19 caused huge disruption right across the industry, The Big Display Company took the opportunity to invest in multiple HP devices to help see it through the pandemic and build for the future.
The Slough-based company was born out of Bullseye, a business founded in 1978 to supply trophies and printed garments to a range of sports clubs, local businesses and blue-chip companies across the UK. Established 12 years ago, The Big Display Company is a true family operation and focuses on wide format print applications for its range of trade customers. Vince Murphy is the Managing Director and his three sons all work within the company.
The emergence of Covid-19 in the UK in early 2020 led to a sudden change in direction and demand from customers of The Big Display Company, as clients rushed to secure floor stickers to promote social distancing and one-way systems in various environments.
The Big Display Company had been running HP printers for several years and had a number of HP devices in place before the pandemic, including two HP Scitex Industrial Printers and three HP Latex 570 machines. An additional HP Latex 570 was installed in June 2020 shortly after the Covid-19 crisis took off.
Jack Murphy, Marketing Director at The Big Display Company, said that demand for floor graphics skyrocketed at the time, and such was the pressure on the existing machines to produce these graphics, the business decided to invest in additional printers.
"We spoke with Papergraphics and they recommended an HP Latex 3600 that had barely been used," Murphy said. "We did the maths and discovered that the HP Latex 3600 would give us higher output and speed with reduced running costs."
The Big Display Company installed the HP Latex 3600 in July 2020 in a move that Murphy described as a ‘game-changer', allowing the business to produce between five and six rolls of 3.2m-wide banner each day.
Since installing the HP Latex 3600, The Big Display Company has taken on jobs they ‘couldn't have imagined possible'. "When the machine was first installed, we printed over 6,000sq m in the first week for a time-critical job, which just wouldn't have been possible with our previous equipment," says Murphy.
Aside from floor graphics, another major trend to come out of 2020 was face coverings. The Big Display Company also saw a massive increase in demand for these products and invested in another new HP machine.
Working with RA Smart, The Big Display Company purchased an HP Stitch S500 dye sublimation printer which was installed in November 2020. Murphy said the main reason for opting for HP again was the team's familiarity with the technology.
"The Stitch has bedded in so well; it runs all day, every day," he said. "It can operate unattended and has boosted output. It's cost-effective and straight-forward to run. The investment was a no-brainer for us."
While work related to Covid-19 was the main focus for The Big Display Company in 2020, the business is keen to plan for additional work they can take on when demand for face coverings and floor stickers slows down.
In terms of the HP Latex 3600, Murphy says the machine will be used to support the company with its growth plans within the interior décor market. He describes the device as being ‘impeccable' for producing wallcoverings, as well as other higher-end products.
Another major advantage of the HP Latex 3600, Murphy said, is that it will allow the company to bring work in house that it had previously been outsourcing to Europe. He added that this will be particularly important now that Brexit has been finalised.
"The HP Latex 3600 does double-sided print unbelievably well," continues Murphy. "Previously we were outsourcing double-sided print over 1,500mm to a company in Europe. Since bringing that work in-house we have reduced turnaround times for this type of print massively. And that's even more beneficial when you consider the potential for further delays with regards to ports, and possible issues with tax."
As for the HP Stitch, Murphy says this will continue with much of the usual work that The Big Display Company traditionally has outside of Covid-19 times, including display products such as flags and backdrops
"Installing these two pieces of HP machinery has massively increased our print capacity," Murphy said. "We always have so many positive things to say about the HP engineers that we deal with - they consistently go above and beyond with the level of support, and practical expertise they can bring to an issue.
"Crucially, the HP printers are well-positioned in the market and hit the right price point for us as a business."
For more information on The Big Display Company, please visit www.thebigdisplaycompany.co.uk
For more information on HP Latex printers, please click here
For more information on HP Stitch printers, please click here
