Ottimo Digital has invested in a new EFI VUTEk Qx5r super-wide UV LED printer from CMYUK. It replaces an ageing 5m printer, which while a long-serving workhorse, senior management recognised could fail just as demand for the business’ super-wide services was accelerating.
Having already purchased an EFI VUTEk M3h 3.2m wide hybrid printer from CMYUK just months ago, the Ottimo senior team wanted a 5m solution that would drop straight into its existing workflow. It also needed to satisfy the business’ evolving requirements for greater speed, automation, and capacity in a growing operation.
Automated cutting drives Qx5r productivity
The EFI VUTEk Qx5r was developed to deliver the highest image quality at the fastest rated speeds in the industrial roll-to-roll printer market. It offers an array of capabilities including white and clear inks, double-sided printing, continuous printing with minimal supervision, and multiple media handling options for large and heavy rolls. A unique set of optional power tools automate processes, minimise waste, offer better usability, and expand applications offering.
For Ottimo, the inline cutting facility was one of the biggest factors in choosing the Qx5r.
“We send a lot of wraps out on separate cores so crews on site can grab exactly what they need. On the old machine the team had to manually set the slitters, which slows everything down. With the Qx5r, the splitters are built in, they read the information from the file and move automatically. The phrase ‘game changer’ gets overused, but in this case, it really is going to speed things up massively for us,” says Craig Boxley, Commercial Director, Ottimo Digital.
Balancing rigid and roll-to-roll production
Together, the M3h and the Qx5r give Ottimo a fully rounded, future-ready platform that balances capacity across rigid and roll-fed production. The M3h is currently used to deliver fast, high-quality output on rigid substrates such as Foamex, while the Qx5r delivers speed, width, and production features needed for high-volume textile work, as many exhibition projects require a combination of rigid panels and large format display textile graphics. Now with both printers working in tandem, it means roll-to-roll output can keep pace with the rigid side, eliminating bottlenecks and decreasing turn-around times.
Qx5r opens new opportunities in textile printing
The Qx5r is also opening doors to fresh opportunities in textile printing. Ottimo is keen to experiment with a wider range of materials supplied through CMYUK, including materials that perform better when folded, with a particular focus on developing more durable, foldable graphic solutions. Over the coming months, the team plans a programme of testing and ink profiling on different fabrics, with the aim of broadening its textile offerings, and providing customers with more flexible, lightweight alternatives.
Building a scalable platform
This latest investment isn’t purely about capacity; it balances production with the company’s wider drive towards automation and scalability. Over the last decade Ottimo has transformed its internal systems, moving from simple job sheets to heavily automated software workflows. The missing piece was production equipment that could keep pace.
“When I started here over eleven years ago, we were running jobs off basic paperwork,” Craig recalls. “It worked then, but it just wouldn’t cope with the volume and complexity we handle now. We’ve invested heavily in automation on the front end so we can process jobs really fast. The M3h and the new Qx5r are the production side of that same strategy – now we can produce as fast as we can process.”
Expanded production space supports future growth
The Qx5r has been installed in a dedicated unit next to the company’s existing facility, which is also undergoing a refresh with new signage and an upgraded boardroom space.
Says Craig, “With the M3h and now the new Qx5r, we’re investing in the future of the business. We’re making sure that we keep abreast of technology to better support our customers and build a production platform that we can scale for years to come.”
