Creative FX has built a thriving business on its production and installation of vehicle graphics, but was looking for a faster print solution. An HP Latex system from Repropoint proved to be the answer.
Some very fast cars go through Creative FX’s vehicle wrapping workshop, and now it can say that a very fast printing system is on the premises too.
The Bromley, Kent firm purchased the HP Latex 360 from Repropoint in December 2014 and the machine has quickly become the workhorse for all manner of print requirements. Previously, the vehicle wrapping and signage company was printing on two old Grenadier systems. They are still there but are mostly only used for vinyl cutting now, because the Latex 360’s print speed of 20 square metres per hour is double that of the two Grenadiers put together.
Sean Davis, who formed the company with a business partner nearly 25 years ago, said that this increased speed was very much what Creative FX was looking for. ‘We were looking to upgrade our printers and we had heard that Latex was the way to go. We did a bit of homework and we had two demoes from Repropoint. We put them through their paces and then we bought the kit. It has pretty much made the two Grenadiers redundant.
‘We wanted speed and with the Latex prints we don’t have to let it de-gas. Anything printed on the solvent Grenadiers we have to leave for hours to de-gas. With vehicle graphics, you’re churning out work, and you don’t want to be held back by having to let it de-gas. Latex means you can laminate it pretty much straight away.’
While the need for speed comes from the volumes of work that Creative FX is winning, the need for quality comes from its very demanding client base, which includes some of the biggest and raciest names in the motor industry. The company has just won a contract to be the official vehicle wrappers for Porsche GB, and if ever you see a Mini with a Union Jack on the roof you will be looking at the handiwork of this small company of just 11 staff that is turning over some £1.6 million a year.
Alongside the designing, producing and often installing of vehicle wraps (sometimes the printed wraps are sent to dealerships for installation), Creative FX also produces a great deal of sign and display print for the same clients and their agencies – advertising and promotional material in support of campaigns. The Latex is handling this print, mainly onto boards, display banners, vinyls and occasionally magnetic materials. The company also, through a shareholding in a concern in Sheffield, produces chrome-plated ABS plastic badges for vehicles.
If you really want to see Creative FX going through its paces though, the best way is to visit its YouTube channel, which includes a video (which has received around 1.1 million hits) of a Ferrari being wrapped. This is just part of the social media activity that the company engages in, and which Mr Davis states is definitely generating work.
Of the service from Repropoint, he said that this had been very good. ‘They have reacted to problems really well and certainly we know that there are always issues in buying new pieces of kit. But they have handled it very honourably, in a way that I would like to have handled it myself. The machine has been absolutely great and gives us a much better print finish; the quality is higher, the speed is higher, it’s great. We love it.’
Alongside the HP Latex 360, Creative FX also bought a Seal 62 Base laminator, and it is now looking into adding a dedicated vinyl cutter. The Latex 360 has enabled Creative FX to produce its heavy workload very quickly, thereby allowing it to focus more time on getting new clients on board. It no longer needs to turn work away if it has a big order come in, Mr Davis added.
Creative FX is one of Repropoint’s Premium Advantage customers. Adam Booth from the reseller said: ‘Creative FX had very high standards when it came to selecting the HP Latex 360 to replace a fleet of their solvent printers. They brought in their preferred media to test on and even a stop watch to compare speeds. It is the little extras we can offer that make all the difference: free media profiling, ensuring the RIP fitted in with their current set up, out of hours engineer support and, more recently, hand delivering ink overnight when they ran short on big job!’
