H&H Reeds drives industry innovation with investment in cutting edge printing technology to expand its business offering, environmental and antibacterial capabilities
Cumbria’s leading print, design and graphic media agency bucks industry trends with a significant investment in machine hardware for their signage department. Cutting-edge equipment will allow the business to maintain its position as leaders in the sector, where a strategic £100,000 has been invested in the newest technologies offering more powerful and precise automated printing. With new materials coming to market all the time, and a rocketing demand for signs with anti-bacterial surfaces, H&H REEDS targets flexibility and enhanced efficiency.
This investment in the latest models purchased indicate H&H REEDS’s strong confidence in the signage market and its overall business.
The MIMAKI TEKCEL EXR is a specialist wide format router and cutting table able to produce bespoke designed and in-house manufactured products; from simple flat designs to more complex 3D LED illuminated lettering. The second MIMAKI machine provides a print and cut combined capability with a newly developed UV eco-friendly ink and rapid drying times to speed up production without comprising on quality.
Anthony Donnelly, Commercial Manager of H&H REEDS, commented on the business strategy: “We are absolutely delighted to be in possession of these high-tech, high-level machines. This investment will allow our workshop to be more efficient in every aspect of sign making. With a fully integrated workflow, the process will be sped up to create a significantly enhanced capacity along with opening up brand new possibilities in terms of volume and the range of work we can do.
“Another advantage is being able to expand our flexibility in terms of the types of materials we can print on. This makes business sense as we see customers increasingly interested in new sustainable or recycled materials. Since COVID we’ve also had a number of enquiries relating to cutting-edge antimicrobial and antibacterial materials. With these machines, as a result of this investment, we can print on these while streamlining the process too. We’re really pleased and excited to apply these enhanced capabilities to pipeline projects.”
Designed to prevent the proliferation of bacteria, a surface material with substances resistant to microbial growth shows these signage options are the 2020 solution to high-traffic areas with high-risk touch points such as in hospitals, care homes, and schools. As employers strive to create COVID safe environments, these signage trends look set for application in offices, gyms, restaurants and anywhere where large groups gather closely or frequently together. This new antibacterial technology can be applied to a range of materials and vinyl signs, and can now be printed in the H&H REEDS workshop from their base in Penrith.
Looking to the future, Anthony concludes: “We are 100% committed to future-proofing our business in terms of our technological power. The two investments combined allow us to not only service our current clients and markets but also widen our capacity and offerings to new areas. This will see us printing and designing bespoke signage from our own creative hub well into the future. The team are thrilled with being able to meet evermore specific customer needs with shorter lead-times, and also to step up to their preference for antibacterial or environmental products too.”