Gate 7 boasts screen print capabilities alongside its Mimaki Digital Suite
Gateshead-based automotive component manufacturing specialists, Gate 7, has made significant investments in Mimaki equipment. Now the company boasts five state-of-the-art printers, including the Mimaki UJF-7151plus flatbed LED UV, the high speed, roll fed JV400 SUV and the flagship JV300 and CJV300 solvent printers.
The partnership began around five years ago, when the company purchased its first Mimaki JV33 from Your Print Specialists.
As well as its worldwide headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne, the company’s offices in North Carolina and Pennsylvania also host a line-up of Mimaki printers with three UJF-7151plus printers and eight JV300s. The latest purchases have enabled Gate 7 to widen the scope of printable substrates to include polypropylene and membrane switch panels.
The company lists major clients including JCB, Caterpillar, Kuhn and Volvo for whom it produces high quality decals and liveries for new vehicles that are subjected to harsh and unforgiving working environments.
Kate Wickham, managing director, said, ‘Our customers have much higher expectations for decals. Whilst screen printing still forms an important part of our business, our ongoing transition to digital is helping shape our customers and the way they present their products.’
‘Our understanding of the technical capabilities of the Mimaki printers has ensured our products are superior to anything offered elsewhere.’ George Heads, operations manager, continued, ‘The addition of the orange and light black inks for the JV300 and CJV300 solvent printers is a case in point; it enables us to include finer detail, more sophisticated tonal work and powerful corporate colours in the designs and it’s this sort of supplier-led innovation that’s helping drive our plans for significant digital expansion in 2018.’
