A niche market screenprinting company is moving into digital print to take advantage of the trend towards short runs and customised labels
In 1998 Ross Read started a label printing business in the back room of his house, and just a decade later Read Label is widely recognised as a specialist industrial graphics label printer for white goods and automotive parts.But rather than sit back on his laurels Read is poised to take on the short run label market with the introduction of a new digital print arm for Read Label, driven by HP Indigo technology.
This new division is designed to take advantage of what Read sees as a nascent market on the verge of serious growth. He says, “It is obvious to me that the market for short run labels is only going to increase. Just-in-time short ordering doesn’t suit conventional printing methods. If you want to be able to produce short runs fast and profitably then you have to move to a digital platform.
“Even though all the talk around the economy is doom and gloom and the notion of tackling unchartered territory is risky, we felt that now was a great time to move into the short run digital label market. I firmly believe the move towards short runs is not just a reaction to the current economic environment, but a trend that will become the norm in the future for businesses across all market sectors.”
Ross says he has never been motivated by growth for growth’s sake, but the digital print market offers potential that is too good to ignore. He operates a tight ship with a small group of loyal and talented staff investing in technology to drive efficiencies. He says, “We don’t have an ambition to be the biggest on the block. We strive to be the best at what we do and to focus on service and quality. Adding digital print to our offer enables me to grow the business without having to increase my overheads.”
Before deciding the HP Indigo digital press technology was the right solution for his business Ross looked at the various digital presses on the market and also at emerging inkjet technologies. In the end it was HP Indigo’s track record, the power of the HP brand and the service and support offered by HP Indigo distributor Currie Group that sealed the deal, says Ross.
“When you are venturing into a new market like digital you want to have the support and experience of an established brand like HP behind you. Plus I believe having HP Indigo as our digital print platform will also instill confidence in our customers.”
Ross is keen to work with sheetfed print companies who don’t have a digital label offer as well as direct customers. “We are already servicing a number of companies in the industrial market as a trade supplier. I believe there is a great opportunity for Read Label to grow its customer base in this area.”
Read Label will still offer screenprinting services for longer runs and continue with its range of specialised products including Lenzglaze resin coating for white goods and computer badges and other specialty finishes that will complement its digital services.
Ross says as a traditional screenprinter the move to digital is a huge shift on a number of fronts, “It is not just a change in terms of printing methods, it is a change in the way we go to market, how we work with our customers, how we communicate the new offer and how we manage our production workflow.”
He continues. “With no plates to create and very little setup we can print a custom label job on the HP Indigo in minutes instead of hours. With screenprinting it can take hours to setup a four-colour process job, whereas the Indigo is ready to go almost immediately. We can have five custom label jobs out the door while the screen printing machine is still being set up.”
The HP Indigo digital press was only installed in February and Ross is already seeing the benefits of the technology. “It’s fast, economical and delivers a quality product. After years of producing labels the old fashioned way, it is like someone has switched on the light”, says Read.
