Lollipop Print has strengthened its wide format production capabilities with the installation of a Canon Colorado M5W from CMYUK. This move significantly increases the business’ capacity, reliability, and scope for future growth in displays and graphic applications.
With a main production site in Crawley, West Sussex, Lollipop Print has a long history in print, stretching back to the late ‘80s. Originally a lithoprint business that offered microfilm services, document management, and plan printing for architects and engineers, it has steadily evolved into a four-site digital print operation.
Today, the business offers a comprehensive mix of small and wide format services, producing everything from brochures and booklets to display boards, roller banners, vinyl and window graphics, packaging, and POS for customers across retail, engineering, defence, medical, and other sectors.
“We’ve always seen wide format as a real growth area,” explains Dan Patience, Head of print Services, who has been with the business for over 26 years. “For years we were doing a lot of plan prints on wide-format laser machines, but that work just fell off a cliff. Wide format and display went the other way, it’s where the opportunities are.”
From Manual Finishing to Automated Productivity
Lollipop’s wide-format production portfolio has included HP Latex systems and, more recently, a Canon Arizona flatbed printer with roll-to-roll capabilities. The Arizona, paired with a digital cutting table purchased from CMYUK, enabled the company to transform productivity on rigid work by moving from manual mounting and cutting to direct-to-substrate printing and automated finishing. However, as volumes grew, the limitations of its roll-to-roll facility became increasingly apparent.
“Our work is roughly 50/50 between rigid substrates and roll-fed media,” says Dan. “Whilst our flatbed printing work is strong, the roll-to-roll side just wasn’t good for what we needed. Jobs were taking too long. You look at a job and think, ‘that’s going to be 16 hours of machine time,’ and you knew you were going to be fighting the clock.”
It was at this point that CMYUK and the Canon Colorado M5W came into the frame. Lollipop Print already had a positive experience with CMYK from its previous cutting table investment. “We had a very good experience with CMYUK – great people,” says Dan.
When the Lollipop Print team started to explore dedicated roll options, the Colorado M5W quickly stood out. “When we saw the Colorado, it was obvious it was a different animal. The speed and the quality, especially the white ink, are exactly what we needed,” notes Dan.
A key advantage of the Colorado M5W is its unattended print capability. “We leave it running when we go home at night and it will happily work away. With the Arizona, we would come in to find it had only printed 3 metres and then stopped, which is a horrible way to start the day. With the Colorado, you really gain a lot of production hours by running unattended,” notes Dan.
This has had a direct operational and commercial impact on the business. “For us, the big win is time,” Dan explains. “Jobs that would have taken 16 hours now take less than half that. It’s giving us confidence to say yes to more work because we know we can get through production without asking people to stay late or paying overtime just to keep up.”
White Ink Unlocks Faster Layered Applications
The Colorado’s white ink capability too, has also opened up efficient production for layered and dual sided applications. “On things like layered white jobs or double-sided window graphics, the speed difference compared to the roll capabilities on the Arizona is night and day,” says Dan. “What you used to allow two days for, you could now rattle through in an afternoon.”
Lollipop Print is also exploring the Colorado’s matt and gloss effects, which it sees as a powerful differentiator when demonstrating capabilities to customers. By showcasing samples that combine different finishes, the business is able to position itself as a one-stop-shop for events and campaigns that require both high-end literature and eye-catching displays.
With the Colorado M5W added to the company’s workflow, Lollipop Print now has a powerful suite of equipment that supports continued diversification. The company has already started to expand into packaging applications alongside bespoke mailers.
Lollipop Print regards CMYUK as a trusted technology partner. “Working with CMYUK has been very positive,” concludes Dan. “They helped us find the right solutions at each stage and the Colorado M5W has been a game changer for our roll-to-roll work. It’s a proper workhorse and it’s allowing us to grow.”
