Delta Group has invested £1.2 million in the purchase of two Agfa wide-format print engines, installing a Tauro H3300 HS (high speed) LED in its Biggin Hill facility and the Tauro H3300 UHS (ultra high speed) LED at its 180,000sqft site in Waltham Cross.
Founded in 1991, The Delta Group, which includes Delta Creative and Delta Display, create visual communications for UK brands in retail, out of home, events, entertainment, drinks and health and beauty.
Described as ‘heavy-duty printers,’ the Agfa Jeti Tauro H3300 can handle large workloads, multiple-shift operations and 24/7 printing. The UV LED curing and low ink usage of its Greenguard inks are said to offer ecological benefits that help print businesses lower their carbon footprints. Both the HS and UHS models within Delta support six colours plus white and primer.
According to the COO of Delta Display, Martin Shipp, who has been with the business for 25 years, the Agfa investment offers the business increased flexibility and agility.
Mr Shipp commented, ‘We did look at other print suppliers, but when we analysed everything – the cost per square metre, reliability, quality, source of inks and supply chain – the Agfa presses were the right decision for our business.
‘We’ve been running the machines now for a few months and we’re happy with their ability to improve speed without impacting on the quality. We are also very impressed with the ability of the machine to print white at speed. The Tauros can print white at 250-400sqm/hr, they can print larger format than our silk screen printers, offering 3.3m widths, and they are more cost-effective than our silk screen machines. The new Tauros are certainly delivering on our expectations.’
The Agfa Tauro HS LED machine was delivered in September 2023 and the Tauro UHS LED machine was installed in January 2024. At this time, the company’s original Tauro HS was decommissioned and moved to the company’s Biggin Hill facility where it has replaced an Inca S40i printer.
Mr Shipp concluded, ‘Our market and customer demand are forever changing and the Agfa Tauro engines are keeping us agile and helping us to flex and deliver. In retail, for example, we can now personalise the POS we send out to stores, it’s no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. Today a POS campaign may require 20 items delivered to each store quickly and all delivered with bespoke sizes and messaging. The Agfa machines are coping beautifully with this type of work.’
