Founded in 2007, Paddock Digital Printing BV is a print production company, based in The Netherlands, that specialises in producing indoor and outdoor signage. Though a relatively small company, with just ten employees, all of its products are produced entirely in-house, from start to finish. The company invested in an eight channel Acuity Ultra 5044 in 2020, to future-proof its business and help it to remain competitive.
Having already installed two Fujifilm Uvistar printers (one of which has now been replaced by the Acuity Ultra), Paddock Digital Printing has developed an excellent relationship with Fujifilm over the years. Reinier Lemaire, Director & Owner of Paddock Digital Printing explains the company’s initial introduction to the Acuity Ultra, and what ultimately led to this investment decision. “As a fully-fledged print production company, we’re always looking for ways to future-proof our business to keep up with the demands our customers place on us, from high quality, to fast turnaround times. As the industry evolves at such a rapid pace, stagnation leads to decline, so we need to be completely up-to-date with our software and production solutions.
“After Fujifilm introduced us to the Acuity Ultra, we decided to carry out some tests to investigate its performance. We opted to do so on the 5044 model due to the dual CMYK eight colour channel option it offered and five-metre width. Our operator spent two days at Fujifilm’s Advanced Print Technology Centre in Brussels with a Fujifilm engineer, and together they performed tests on a range of substrates. We were delighted to discover that the Acuity Ultra exceeded our expectations in terms of quality, functionality, operation and speed. It delivered exactly what we require to meet customer demands.”
The company is using the machine to print a range of indoor and outdoor materials, roll-to-roll, up to five metres wide. “The variation and different options, such as the ability to produce on three jumbo rolls at once, offer superb versatility and flexibility. We welcomed the addition of this reliable and very fast printer and since being installed, it has boosted the confidence we have in our business. It enables us to not only continue to deliver high quality products to our existing customers, but also develop new business opportunities.
“We have already received very positive feedback from a number of customers about the quality of the prints, in particular relating to the colour strength and the resolution. The operators are also very impressed with the productivity of the machine and the ability to switch between different speeds so seamlessly.”
Lemaire was complimentary about working with Fujifilm throughout the sales and installation process. “Fujifilm has a good knowledge of the market and continuously works to maintain its reputation. Their close collaboration and partnership-approach has been appreciated by everyone on the team, and we are pleased to have been able to develop this relationship further still.
“Despite the difficult period due to the pandemic, we continued the investment and we have not regretted it for a moment,” concludes Lemaire. “The signage industry was inevitably affected and many of our clients are in the event and festival industry. Following on from these companies, we had to remain optimistic in anticipation of the return of these sectors to normalcy. Thanks to this investment, we feel now more than ever prepared for the future.”
Kevin Jenner, European Marketing Manager, Wide Format Inkjet Systems at Fujifilm Graphic Systems Europe says: “We are excited to strengthen our relationship with Paddock Digital Printing with the addition of the Acuity Ultra. It’s fantastic to see the difference the investment is making to the company, despite the challenges the industry has faced over the past year and a half. We look forward to working with them to maximise every opportunity.”
