Bluetree Group has added a second JWEI JCUT-3230 digital cutting table to its wide format production portfolio. This latest acquisition follows the company’s major tranche of investment last year when it purchased its first JWEI JCUT-3230 cutting table, High Roller Carousel roll storage system, and a Neolt XY Matic Plus 165 Trimmer Plus from CMYUK, which joined 4 x EFI super-wide industrial printers.
Bluetree’s journey into digital large format production began in earnest during early 2024. However, the decision to move into this new sector was made back in 2018 to capitalise on a sustained period of growth with its existing small format print business. In late 2019, the company acquired the unit next door for this new wide format endeavour, and almost immediately, the pandemic hit, delaying proceedings until last year.
“We decided we needed to throw everything at it to make it work and went to drupa with that in mind,” says Mark Young, MD, Bluetree Group.
JWEI super-wide digital cutting table
The JWEI JCUT 3230 digital cutting table is the largest in the JCUT family with a 3.2m x 3m bed. It was the 3.2m width capacity that appealed to Bluetree as it matches the width of its EFI printers. This minimises waste, optimises efficiency, and enables the seamless processing of large format textiles central to the business’ expansion of outdoor banner and soft signage production.
Senior management have been impressed with the reliability and build quality of the JWEI JCUT, which Mark says, “has all the gadgets and routing tools” needed for a wide variety of applications.
The speed and versatility of these cutting tables can more than handle output from the EFI printers, ensuring that finishing is no longer the bottleneck in the production workflow. The decision to invest in this second model further emphasises the success of the EFI–JWEI pairing.
Now with two cutting lines in action, Bluetree is able to run PVC materials on one and soft textiles on the other concurrently. This set-up complements the multiple EFI printers, allowing for a more streamlined and efficient workflow across a variety of materials and applications.
Training on the JWEI and the accompanying OptiScout software was a breeze. “It was fairly effortless,” says Mark. “CMYUK trained a few guys when they first came in, and then a couple more, and we’ve had no reported problems.”
Smart roll storage
Another critical component in the company’s production set-up is the High Roller Carousel – an automatic roll storage system from CMYUK. Able to hold up to sixteen rolls up to 3m wide, the Carousel is sited behind the EFI printers for convenient access, ensuring that material handling doesn’t slow down the high-speed production capabilities of the printers.
“We probably work with nine or ten live materials. Our run lengths are fairly short, and we do quite a lot of changeovers throughout the day, so it’s important for us to have the ability to switch between them quite quickly,” notes Mark.
Storing rolls off the floor, too, improves health and safety as well as reduces the risk of needless damage to the materials.
The business has also invested in a Neolt XY Matic Plus 165 specifically for the slitting of posters. A plug-and-play trimmer, it offers a standard roll load capacity of up to 70kg, adjustable X and Y axis speed, and an adjustable waste collection system.
EFI engine room
In addition to the above, Bluetree installed 4 x EFI printers last year: EFI VUTEk Q3r, 3m wide, roll-fed, UV LED printer; EFI VUTEk h5, 3.2m wide, UV LED hybrid; EFI VUTEk h5+, 3.2m wide, UV LED hybrid; and an EFI VUTEk FABRIVU 340i+, 3.4m wide dedicated roll-to-roll dye sublimation printer with in-line fixation.
The decision to invest with EFI technology was influenced by several factors including the company’s pre-existing sales relationships, competitive pricing on both new and used printing equipment, and exceptional print performance. “We were really impressed with the quality – they really work so well for us,” says Mark.
Whether producing banners, soft signage, or exploring greater applications in wide format, Bluetree now has the technological backbone in place to support its ambitions and growth in the market.
