Right after the Sign and Graphic Imaging (SGI) show in Dubai, the then 21 year old company, Reprotronics, installed the first EFI VUTEk GS5000r in the region at its facilities, encompassing more than 10,000 sqm, at the Dubai Investment Park (DIP). Now, a year later, Sebastian V. Lonth, General Manager at Reprotronics, founded in 1993, is really happy with the abilities of his very large format digital press.
“It is the right machine for us and our requirements”, says Sebastian V. Lonth. “We always buy the best technology to meet our requirements and the EFI VUTEk GS5000r fits best.”
The EFI VUTEk GS5000r enables printing of rolls up to 5m width and speeds of up to 288 sqm/h. It accommodates media substrates of up to 3mm thickness and offers dual resolution of true 600 dpi or 1,000 dpi. This is achieved by ejecting 12 and 24 pl drop sizes. The eight colour plus white UV printer also enables multi-roll printing on two or three rolls simultaneously.
“We use multi-roll printing a lot and quite often run up to three jobs at the same time with the multi-queue on-demand functionality, as a lot of our jobs are for indoor use”, says Sebastian V. Lonth. “From showrooms to indoor malls, POP and exhibition stands, we are producing mainly visual signage for big brands that require high quality graphics on different substrates, including fabrics.
The 5m width is just enough for us. Before purchasing the EFI VUTEK GS5000r, we had only 3m wide printers that could not accommodate more than one roll at a time.”
And indeed, the EFI VUTEk GS5000r enables Reprotronics to print outstanding signage projects that can be viewed from near and far thanks its variable drop technology employed in the greylevel print heads. “The impressive head and ink technology including the life warranty and the very good economical ink consumption were additional reasons for us to purchase the machine”, explains Sebastian V. Lonth.
As the company mainly produces indoor applications fast turnarounds and quick media changes are, in addition to the above, an essential requirement. The automatic print head maintenance incorporated in the EFI VUTEk GS5000r is an added benefit that Sebastian V. Lonth values.
“The technology and the quality of service of VUTEk large format presses captured us from the start”, he expands, “we still have one of the first VUTEk large format printers in our production room and a second VUTEk 2360 that came a couple of years later. At the time in the 1990s, it was the first VUTEk large format press in the whole of the Middle East.
We have always been happy with the UV technology employed therein and over time this technology has evolved to be the best on the market and it is the best to meet our demands for a new very large format press. The reliability, consistency and speed of the machine; not forgetting the impeccable service, that we receive from Saga Digital, EFI’s distributor for Middle East and Africa, can always be counted on.”
The 300 employee strong company is proud of its EFI VUTEk GS5000r as it caters not only to Reprotronics’ signage requirements but also supports the display division. Here, design displays and their fabrication and installation are carried out. “We are a one stop shop for retail marketing”, summarises Sebastian V. Lonth. “The EFI VUTEk GS5000r fits in all aspects to our company and supports our credo to always be a reliable partner for our customers.”
As full service printer, Reprotronics not only engages in large format printing, but also offers the full range of print services, including, offset, flexography and digital printing, various finishing solutions including embossing and de-bossing, magnesium dies, hot-foiling, die-cutting, prepress, photography and design as well as advertising and media services and DAM (Digital Asset Management) services.
Located in DIP (Dubai Investment Park), the company employs 300 staff in two locations, whereby offset and flexographic printing is carried out at its site in Ras Al Khor (Dubai). Reprotronics is part of the Thomsun Group (Dubai, UAE).
