With a targeted first-year turnover of £2 million, Colourfast is using the UK’s first AccurioJet KM-1 inkjet press to launch getitprinted.com, an online service offering print products including bespoke packaging, perfect-bound books, large scale format printing, flyers, business cards and photobooks.
The new press from Konica Minolta can print on materials ranging from 60 to 600 microns, including heavily textured uncoated and plastics, and is enabling the company to offer 24-hour print and despatch turnaround. It will be operational within a month.
The Essex-based business has also invested in a new digital cutting table and an LED wide-format press that can print on high-value, speciality rigid and flexible materials, as well as refurbishing its print facility to create an additional 2000sqft of production space.
‘Demand for personalised print has grown exponentially in the UK in the last two years, which is why we’ve invested so heavily in creating the right infrastructure and capacity for getitprinted.com to thrive,’ said Darren Bacon, managing director of getitprinted.com. ‘We invested in Konica Minolta’s KM-1 in particular because of its flexibility, versatility and ability to deliver high quality print jobs at speed and on demand – which are all core requirements of the highly competitive consumer market we’re pursuing. It’s also the first machine of its kind in the UK, which gives us a distinct advantage and the opportunity to pursue the bespoke packaging market – whether that’s for weddings, gifts or corporate merchandise.’
‘This move was fully supported by understanding the customer’s business in a partnership approach and by building a business plan that allows getitprinted.com to fully realise the return on investment,’ added Mark Hinder, head of market development, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe.
