The installation of New Zealand’s first Océ Arizona 250 GT through Aarque Graphics is making a big difference at Display Equipment.
The installation of an Océ Arizona 250 GT flatbed UV curable printer is helping to give Auckland company Display Equipment an edge when it comes to high quality print output at impressive speeds.Display Equipment’s Ben Carter says that wide format printing has been an important part of the business for a number of years, but the decision to put in the new machine was part of an upgrade path that has seen the need to reduced costs and enhance productivity to enable us to meet deadlines in a timely manner. By being able to print directly to rigid substrate we completely eliminate the need for mounting and laminating.
“Image quality in conjunction with speed was a key for us in making our purchase decision.
“By running the Océ Arizona for only two to three hours a day, the amount of sellable work that we get, compared to other machines, we couldn’t have justified the investment in anything else.”
The Océ Arizona 250 GT was first demonstrated in late 2006 and began shipping in early 2007, but enormous uptake worldwide meant the first unit in New Zealand – for Display Equipment - arrived in December 2007.
And Display Equipment is already reaping the rewards from its decision.
“We’ve had great success with the previous equipment we had installed through Aarque,” Carter says. “The return on investment was amazing, but when it came time for upgrading, we needed something even more competitive. Océ was top of the line. We spent a lot of time looking at equipment, but at the end of the day, the Océ Arizona 250 GT far outweighed anything else.
“In terms of bang for your buck, it was streets ahead. The print quality was unsurpassed – to get the same quality on other machines, you needed to run them at half the speed of the Océ. The quick turnaround you are able to get on the Océ, combined with the quality, really gives it a unique selling point.”
Formed in 1990, specialising in design, build and installation of exhibits and shows, the company has grown to encompass full signage work, point of sale and merchandise displays, and now also does full fit-outs for chain stores across the country. It also has an international footprint, having done business in 26 countries worldwide.
“We’ve got an excellent relationship with Aarque,” Carter says. “One of the main things has been the support they’ve given us. They’re always there on call when they’re needed and they've never let us down.
“You can’t put shows on hold if things go wrong, and although they usually don’t, it’s good to know that the backup is there to put things right.”
Carter says that the performance of the Océ Arizona 250 GT has been “as good as we expected and then some. It was up and running on the day it was first installed, the staff find it really easy to operate and we haven't had a problem with it since.”
He adds that the variable dot size which allows the Oce Arizona to print six different dot sizes from six picoliter to 42 picoliter has brought “amazing quality and accuracy of print” to the output.
Aarque’s Leo Bult says through advances in printer and software technology Océ have been able to break the image quality/speed trade-off traditionally associated with flatbed printing. The Océ Arizona 250 GT is capable of producing fully sellable prints at speeds of 16sq m per hour, and in high-quality mode your printing at 12sq m/hour, both of which are quite unique in the market today.
Océ VariaDot image technology produces a level of image quality that hasn't been seen before with UV technology, and being a true flatbed design allows you to print directly to almost anything. Including; irregularly shaped or non-square items, heavy substrates and materials that have an uneven surface such as wood. You can even print on flat, pre assembled furniture, glass, fixtures, framed canvas or anything else your customer desires.
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ncorporating proven Sericol UV ink, colour matching and ink fixation is impressive, and incorporating a variable drop four-colour ink set your can achieve up to 50 per cent ink savings compared to fixed drop six-colour systems, without compromising tonality and colour.
In addition Océ are about to release a roll-to-roll option which requires no user intervention when switching between rigid and flexible print modes, making this machine a true production workhorse as both systems are independent of one another.
Internationally the Océ Arizona 250 GT has a reputation for solid reliability, and is evident here in New Zealand. With five machines now installed at customer sites around New Zealand, we have yet to experience any significant problems. The build quality is unquestionable:. Bult says.
The end product for Aarque is something they are justifiably proud of: “This is the most exciting machine we've launched in probably five years,” Bult says.“The image quality is fantastic, as is the speed and the reliability. There are very strict demands from the market here. New Zealand really wants something that's got image quality, is fast and durable, and this has all those things and more.
While the Océ Arizona 250 GT is clearly a stellar performer in the UV curable range, Bult is quick to point out that it’s part of a wider Aarque portfolio, and may not necessarily be the right fit for everyone.
“It’s a matter of horses for courses. With Aarque, we enter a consultative process to help the customer identify what’s best for them.
“We have multiple choices available, each offering a different set of capabilities.”
