Ottimo Digital invests in an Vutek Qx5r super wide UV-LED printer from CMYUK

Ottimo Digital has invested in a new EFI Vutek Qx5r super wide UV-LED printer from CMYUK. It replaces an ageing five metre printer, which while a long serving workhorse, senior management recognised could fail just as demand for the business’ super wide services was accelerating.  

Having already purchased an M3h 3.2 metre wide hybrid printer from CMYUK just months ago, the Ottimo senior team wanted a five metre solution that would drop straight into its existing workflow. It also needed to satisfy the business’ evolving requirements for greater speed, automation, and capacity in a growing operation.

The EFI Vutek Qx5r was developed to deliver the highest image quality at the fastest rated speeds in the industrial roll to roll printer market. It offers an array of capabilities including white and clear inks, double sided printing, continuous printing with minimal supervision, and multiple media handling options for large and heavy rolls. A set of optional power tools automate processes, minimise waste, offer better usability, and expand applications offering.

For Ottimo, the inl ine cutting facility was one of the biggest factors in choosing the Qx5r.  

‘We send a lot of wraps out on separate cores so crews on site can grab exactly what they need. On the old machine the team had to manually set the slitters, which slows everything down. With the Qx5r, the splitters are built in, they read the information from the file and move automatically. The phrase ‘game changer’ gets overused, but in this case, it really is going to speed things up massively for us,’ said Craig Boxley, commercial director, Ottimo Digital.

Together, the M3h and the Qx5r give Ottimo a fully rounded, future ready platform that balances capacity across rigid and roll-= fed production. The M3h is currently used to deliver fast, high quality output on rigid substrates such as Foamex, while the Qx5r delivers speed, width, and production features needed for high volume textile work, as many exhibition projects require a combination of rigid panels and large format display textile graphics.  Now with both printers working in tandem, it means roll to roll output can keep pace with the rigid side, eliminating bottlenecks and decreasing turnaround times.

The Qx5r is also opening doors to fresh opportunities in textile printing. Ottimo is keen to experiment with a wider range of materials supplied through CMYUK, including materials that perform better when folded, with a particular focus on developing more durable, foldable graphic solutions. Over the coming months, the team plans a programme of testing and ink profiling on different fabrics, with the aim of broadening its textile offerings, and providing customers with more flexible, lightweight alternatives.

This latest investment isn't purely about capacity; it balances production with the company's wider drive towards automation and scalability. Over the last decade Ottimo has transformed its internal systems, moving from simple job sheets to heavily automated software workflows. The missing piece was production equipment that could keep pace.

‘When I started here over 11 years ago, we were running jobs off basic paperwork,’ Craig recalled. ‘It worked then, but it just wouldn’t cope with the volume and complexity we handle now. We have invested heavily in automation on the front end so we can process jobs really fast. The M3h and the new Qx5r are the production side of that same strategy – now we can produce as fast as we can process.’

The Qx5r has been installed in a dedicated unit next to the company's existing facility, which is also undergoing a refresh with new signage and an upgraded boardroom space.  

Craig said, ‘With the M3h and now the new Qx5r, we are investing in the future of the business. We are making sure that we keep abreast of technology to better support our customers and build a production platform that we can scale for years to come.’

 Pictured: Andrew Thomas, production director (left) with Craig Boxley, commercial director, Ottimo Digital.