Minuteman Press Bath has chosen a Trotec laser cutter to save on outsourcing costs and catalyse growth in the signage and labels parts of its business.
The company offers a wide range of commercial print and signage products, using Xerox toner presses and Canon and HP wide-format printers, complemented by Summa and Valiani cutting equipment. In 2022, it brought laser cutting in-house, purchasing a Trotec Q500 dual-source laser, which, as well as saving on outsourcing costs, added a new dimension to Minuteman’s portfolio.
Minuteman was looking for a laser supplier that could support them while learning how to integrate laser production into the business as quickly as possible. Concerned that many laser systems have a steep learning curve, the team was impressed by the ease-of-use offered by Trotec lasers and the support and advice received during visits to the local Trotec showroom.
The Q500 laser cutter is said to offer complete control over project timings and quality control, and the system complements Minuteman’s other finishing technologies. Minuteman prints on non-PVC adhesive-backed materials to achieve the same effect as PVC with the ability to laser cut to finished shape and size. The laser also processes substrates including acrylic as well as kiss-cut labels and stickers, which cannot be handled by a plotter.
To optimise efficiency and accuracy when cutting printed materials, Minuteman also uses the Q500’s Vision camera system, reading printed registration marks and automatically adjusting the cutting path to the artwork.
