MediaCo has taken delivery of the first SwissQPrint Kudu in the UK, giving the Manchester retail print specialist the opportunity to print neons as well as white and varnish.
The Kudu was announced a year ago at Fespa as a 3.2×2 metre flatbed with ten colour channels across three arrays. This allows the press to accommodate both neon inks that the manufacturer has developed in the same press. This currently remains a unique feature for SwissQPrint.
MediaCo specialises in very large format display panels and holds the UK distribution for BeMatrix, a Belgian developer of a bespoke framing system for extra large graphics. The company can print to 5 metres superwide printing and more recent investments have focused on this aspect with an HP Latex 3600 installed in 2020 and two 5m Vutek 5R UV printers the year before as well as a FabriVu printer for soft signage.
The SwissQPrint machine has roll printing capability being able to print on films, banners, mesh and more up to 180kg in weight. MediaCo managing director Stephen Arthur says: “SwissQPrint’s reputation for quality is second to none. The flexibility, productivity and energy efficiency offered by the Kudu made it the perfect fit in support of our commitment to deliver innovation as part of our net zero, carbon reduction plan.
“Installing the UK’s first Kudu is another first for MediaCo and I have no doubt the Kudu will quickly become the go to solution for outstanding and innovative displays.”
The printer uses LEDs to generate the UV energy to cure the inks, can print text to 2pt and can apply up to five layers of ink to create textured effects as well as gloss, satin and matt varnishes as well as the high impact yellow and pink neon inks.
Arthur adds that the Kudu will “print amazing 3D images on acrylic” which coupled with the BeMatrix system “will help revolutionise both the impact and sustainability of display graphics”.
