Printdesigns stays ‘ahead of the curve’

IndPrint

Staffordshire based print, display and exhibitions specialist Printdesigns says that ‘the future is fabric’, after developing its own answer to the old magnetic based exhibition stands, with its TexStyle tubular system using Berger Stretchpower media from CMYUK.

Printdesigns director Mark Thompson explained: ‘We have been working in the exhibition industry for just over a decade, and in the early years the most common products included retractable banner stands, magnetic pop up stands and other modular exhibition systems with magnetically attached, rollable, graphic panels.

‘As anyone who has ever used them will know, these were far from ideal, being often difficult to assemble with graphics that were prone to damage in transit. Our customers were crying out for a newer alternative, and we decided to invest in producing our own graphics for the new, tubular structures that were starting to enter the market from overseas.

‘Our new TexStyle systems including the curved display units use a lightweight tubular aluminium framework supporting a one piece Stretchpower fabric 'sock', and offer a number of significant advantages.

‘Our backwall displays now have less than a third of the weight and volume of an equivalent sized traditional magnetic pop up display, whilst the graphic is printed in one piece with no unsightly joins or seams.

‘The durability is also excellent, as the Berger Stretchpower material can be folded away safely for transport and can even be cool-washed if it becomes dirty or marked – impossible with the old rolled graphics.

‘We have worked with many big brands such as Pioneer, Samsung, Mattel and Panasonic who have all used Printdesign’s new fabric based portable displays in 2015, and the specialist equipment and skills needed to produce these kinds of graphics means our company is one of only a handful of UK-based suppliers who produce them in-house.’

Printdesigns purchased a 3.2 metre Mimaki JV-5 DS Dye Sublimation printer, Monti Antonio Rotary Heat Press and industrial sewing machine in September 2013, then spent around six months trialling stretch polyester fabric from a number of suppliers before choosing the Berger materials and officially launching the fabric TexStyle stands in 2014.

Mark added, ‘CMYUK and the Berger Stretchpower polyester fabric were the top choice for us thanks to the high quality of the product and the full fire rating certification needed for use at major event venues.

‘The Berger media is also competitively priced and backed up by excellent support from the team at CMYUK and reliable access to stock.’

Since realising the potential of its new system, the company has also purchased an additional cutter and another industrial sewing machine to offer higher productivity.