Océ’s display graphics division, boosted by sales of its new Océ Arizona 250 GT digital flatbed printer and its Océ CS9000 series wide format devices, is reporting a more than three fold increase in business.
Océ's manager for Display Graphics, Adrian Morris, says healthy demand for the new products, plus a revamped sales structure, is responsible for the surge in sales.
Morris says, "In the six months since we launched the Océ Arizona 250 GT, we have had interest from various regions of Australia, with the majority of installs in NSW. This is a very successful UV flatbed printer that is obviously capturing the imagination of the Australian market.
"Both the Arizona 250 GT and the Océ CS9000 series utilise their respective new Océ patented VariaDot technology. It enables the print heads to produce dots of variable size versus print heads using fixed-droplet technology. Océ VariaDot technology creates superior image quality whilst utilizing up to 35 per cent less than fixed drop systems.
According to Morris the process creates smoother tones, providing a near photographic quality to the finished product.
Océ is ready to announce the appointment of a new business development manager for Victoria, responsible for sales in Australia's southern regions. The Southern BDM will join the successful Jason Hay, who was appointed earlier in the year and responsible for Australia's northern region.
Adrian Morris says that the wide format market is maturing with a number of commercial printers and screen printers now looking for second generation ink-jet equipment. He says, "The customers who bought their first machines four or five years ago saw market expectations for output and service which were lower than they are today.
"Customers now require a far higher degree of resolution than at that time. Jobs that were acceptable even three or four years ago are unacceptable in many cases today. Many of our sales reflect this desire for better quality and reliable equipment to meet these expectations," he says.
He says a case in point is the recent installation of an Arizona 250 GT to trade screen printer SwishPrint in Frankston, Victoria, whose principals were prepared to fly to a trade expo in Las Vegas in search of a flatbed printer able to match the solids of screen printing.
Co-owner of SwishPrint, Wayne Barr, said that only the Océ Arizona 250 GT, among the equipment they saw on display, was able to meet the standards they were seeking.
Adrian Morris say that Océ has given careful consideration to service requirements for the Arizona 250 GT and the CS9000 series, ensuring the equipment did not enter the market until sufficient Océ employed and trained service engineers were able to support the installations.
Morris says, "We have a deep commitment to ongoing and up-to-date Océ training to ensure our technicians and sales staff ensure we deliver upon our promises."
