KGK Genix, a multidisciplinary retail design agency with a focus on large-format print, has highlighted the impact of its new HP Stitch S1000 printer, revealing how the device has helped speed up production, reduce costs and allowed the company to access new work in the fabric printing sector.
Running under the KGK Genix brand since 2014, the company operates out of two specialist bases in South-East England: an artwork and production facility in Harlow and a design and client services site in Central London. KGK Genix works with clients across eye-catching projects such as high-impact graphics, point of sale displays and retail installations, with a focus on high-quality output and customer service.
The company recently identified room for further growth within the fabric printing sector and took the decision to strengthen its production line-up with an additional device. With guidance from Papergraphics, an approved HP partner, the HP Stitch S1000 was determined as the ideal solution.
A fabric and textile dye sublimation printer, the HP Stitch S1000 runs at speeds of up to 220sq m/hr in two-pass mode. The device offers a maximum printing width of 3.2m and runs 10L ink cartridges, while other features designed to make operation easier for users include a drop-and-dry printzone dryer, media loading table, spreader roller and built-in spectrophotometer for high colour accuracy.
“When we compared it to what we were running before, the cost-saving benefits were very clear,” said Ryan Player, Fabric Manager at KGK Genix. “Energy consumption is significantly lower, which immediately reduces running costs. Material efficiency also played a major role in the decision-making process. With the Stitch, we only need around two metres of loading waste, so we’re saving roughly eight linear metres of fabric every time we load a roll, and that really adds up over time.”
HP Stitch S1000 unlocks faster output and new applications
Aside from reduced costs across energy usage and materials, Ryan also spoke of the other benefits the company has seen in terms of production speed, saying this has increased significantly since taking on the new HP machine.
“We’re effectively running at twice the speed of our previous print mode, but without compromising on quality,” Ryan said. “Because it runs so consistently, we can print rolls out of hours if we need to. That gives us far more flexibility in how we schedule work.”
The flexibility of the HP Stitch S1000 also meant that KGK Genix has been able to try out a range of materials on the new machine, including products from the Tissaro Fabrics collection. Developed by Papergraphics, Tissaro is a range of printable textiles designed to deliver reliable, high-quality results across modern large-format workflows. Materials in the range are designed for dye-sublimation, but also suitable for latex and UV printing.
Ryan said the combination of the HP Stitch S1000 technology and Tissaro Fabrics from Papergraphics means the company has been able to take on several high-profile projects.
“We’ve got some really exciting projects coming through,” Ryan said. “This includes work connected to a major Nike relaunch, which really demonstrates the level of trust that we and our clients place in our new fabric print capabilities.
“The support from Papergraphics has been outstanding throughout. From installation to training and beyond, the Papergraphics team have been brilliant, and that’s made this transition a real success for us.”
