Gardners (Leatherhead, Surrey), one of the UK’s largest wide-format commercial printers that produces hundreds of thousands of square metres of print every month, recently invested in a Durst Rho 1330 hybrid. The company now predicts that its nearly £1 million investment could pay for itself in 2-3 years! How? Richard Courtney, Managing Director of Gardners – which has a 20-strong fleet of wide-format printers at its Cardiff headquarters, of which three are Durst printers, explained…..“The Durst technology in terms of outstanding productivity, reliability and quality is universally known in the printing industry. However, not everybody is aware of the service support and caring attitude of the staff. We have a huge respect for Durst – it’s a company that really displays humility. On the rare occasion that a system ever goes down, they seem just as keen to get it back up and running as we are. It’s clear Durst is in it for the long term, not just short-term gain.”
One reason for the new Durst investment (they already have two Durst Rho 512R systems) was Gardner’s acquisition of an Agripa license, which has brought a sudden surge in new work that will ensure the company’s 120 staffers turn over £13 million in business this year. Agripa is a patented advertising system that enables large print to be changed in a matter of minutes. It’s widely used for marketing – one example being the printed advertising on the side of delivery vans. Although the mesh used with Agripa is not printed on the Durst Rho 1330, which is used for roll-to-roll and flatbed work, it’s definitely taking work off of other systems. Gardners’ three main markets are fleet, major retail and outdoor (such as billboards on roadsides), mostly at airports and at railways stations. “Already, we know that the Durst Rho 1330 will save us 6,000 man hours a year, which is immense, although it’s difficult to put an exact figure,” Courtney said. “One thing we’re convinced about is that the ROI will be in two to three years – and may even be quicker!” Peter Bray, Managing Director of Durst UK, added: “We’re pleased to see that this investment in the Durst Rho 1330 provides Gardners with the level of productivity they require in their demanding production markets, and at an affordable price.”
