Riverside Printers has invested in a new JWEI 2131 digital cutting table from CMYUK. This move marks a significant step in the company’s expanding large format division and future growth.
Based in the busy town-centre location of Corby, Riverside has long been known as a versatile general print provider, offering a mix of small format and digital wide format services. Over the last few years, however, demand for large format work has grown rapidly, reshaping the profile of the business and prompting a review of its production capabilities.
“We’d had our existing Zund cutting table for about six or seven years,” says Duncan Raisin, director, Riverside Printers. “It had done its time. It was getting slow, and we were struggling to get parts for it because it had become obsolete. Sooner or later, we were going to need something to replace it.”
Bringing acrylic cutting and finishing in-house
While the old Zund cutting table had served the business well, it could no longer keep pace with Riverside’s evolving needs. One major limitation was materials processing. It couldn’t handle acrylic in-house, forcing Riverside to outsource this work to a local supplier. That added cost, lead time, and reduced control over quality and scheduling.
By contrast, the JWEI 2131 enables Riverside to cut and polish acrylic on site, bringing that work back under its own roof. This capability is already opening up new opportunities, particularly in point-of-sale (POS) displays and short-run specialist packaging, where responsiveness and flexibility are key.
“The JWEI is a lot better at cutting and creasing,” says Duncan. “If we want to create point-of-sale displays or anything with creases in it, it’s much better at that than the old table. We couldn’t really sell the creasing from our old cutter – it just wasn’t good enough. Now, for short runs, we can do it on the JWEI with no additional tooling costs and far more efficiency.”
Choosing JWEI – and CMYUK
When it came to selecting a new cutting table, Riverside’s senior team did its homework, and considered alternative systems to the JWEI. However, what really made the difference was the support package and calibre of supplier.
“The build quality of the JWEI is really good, and the OptiScout software and machine operation are excellent,” says Duncan. “But the big factor was CMYUK. The training we’ve had has been amazing, and we’re confident we can get the machine serviced and parts supplied when we need them. That really tipped the balance.”
Staff have quickly adapted to using the new table. OptiScout’s workflow and automation features have integrated seamlessly into the existing production set-up.
“We haven’t had any issues reported,” Duncan adds. “The consensus is that’s it’s easy to use and fits in well with how we work.”
Expanding capacity for continued wide format growth
Over the past four years, Riverside’s business mix has shifted dramatically. Digital wide format work now represents around 40% of turnover, up from approximately 20–25% previously, and that figure is expected to rise further.
The JWEI 2131 is central to supporting that growth. Its speed, versatility, and in-house acrylic provision gives Riverside the capacity and confidence to take on more complex projects, faster turnarounds, and new product lines.
The new cutter also strengthens the company’s trade offering, with the clear potential to expand into acrylic production, which up until now has been outsourced.
“There are a couple of customers I need to speak to about acrylic products,” says Duncan. “Bringing acrylic work in-house will give us more control and improved efficiency.”
Looking Ahead
With the JWEI 2131 in place, Riverside Printers has repositioned itself as a modern, agile provider of wide format print and finishing, able to respond quickly to customer needs and pursue new applications without being constrained by legacy equipment.
For Duncan and his team, the JWEI investment is a great deal more than simply replacing an ageing Zund cutter.
“We’re definitely seeing that area of the business grow,” Duncan concludes. “The JWEI gives us the capacity and confidence to push further into wide format production, explore new products and applications. It’s a big step forward for us.”
