Despite corrections towards solvent and flex, Unique Sign is more comfortable trading in UV technology mainly because it has no restrictions on substrates to be used.
Unique Sign Innovations is one of the leading distributors for inkjet digital printing machines, UV printers, solvent & eco solvent, sublimation printers, hot & cold laminator, laser & CNC router, solvent & eco solvent inks, UV inks and high quality spares. “We are currently sourcing these quality products exclusively from internationally renowned brands like Yaselan, Xuli, Unilami and Unique Inks,” said Mohammed Ali, Managing Director, Unique Sign Innovations, while he was speaking to Sign & POP World.
According to him, the company started its journey around a decade back under the title Razi Digital Colors, supplying digital printing inks to a handful but loyal customers across the country. “After serving them for nearly half a decade, from 2012 onward, we started expanding our wings to include solvent and eco-solvent printers in our product portfolio. Since then we are catering to the needs of the Indian signage market under the title Unique Sign Innovations,” elaborated Ali.
Delving on to the setup, Ali stated that Unique Sign Innovations was founded by two young enthusiastic entrepreneurs armed with loads of experience in the field of printing, backed by ample support from their esteemed stakeholders. Driven by its values, the company has achieved various milestones within a short span of time. “Our offerings include advanced and standard digital printing machines, high quality spares and best formulated Solvent & Eco-solvent inks and services.”
The company does boast on its dedicated service department for digital printing machines. “Equipped with professional service engineers, we offer best routine maintenance servicing, spares replacement and general services to our customers. Our round the clock AMC is just a call away. Our service people reach customers spread across the states of Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Kerala,” informed Ali.
The company that got associated with Xuli only last year has sold more than 20 printers with Xaar 1201. “We introduced Xuli machine with Xaar 1201 print head in India, and are getting commendable response. Till date, we have installed more than 20 machines, while quite a few orders have been registered which we hope to materialise in time to come.”
Speaking about the Xaar technology, he said, “Owing to the cost-efficient industrial Xaar print head, the machine needs less maintenance as compared to others. Also, the applications can be further expanded with Xaar technology because of its compatibility with UV to cater to the fabric & textile printing which is catching up fast across the country.” According to him, Xaar itself is very aggressive to promote its technology to unrepresented geographies, which is helping in extending the reach.
“At Unique Sign, we have embarked upon a marvelous journey which is providing some exciting opportunities,” said Ali adding that his trading association started with Yaselan way back in 2012. “We first introduced solvent printers with KM512 print head of which we have sold more than 100 printers. It was followed by KM 512i, which made a mark with resounding success among our esteemed clients. Now the company has come up with a range of UV printers, which are also well received in the Indian signage industry.”
The KM512 series consists of type L, M and S, corresponding to unit drop volume capabilities of 42pl, 14pl and 4pl respectively. The type M and S can be driven in 4 level grey-scale mode for reproducing high quality images with smoother tones. Compatible with solvent inks, this print head comes with 512 nozzles and a native resolution of 360 dpi and I suitable for banner printing.
Elaborating on the newly launched printers, Ali shared that in the Pioneer Series of Yaselan, the company has added True UV Flat Bed G2513 printer and RTR 180R/3200R printer, both escorted with RicohGen5 print head to offer high speed and best quality output. The machines sport individual negative pressure ink supply system for stable printing, UMC Technology-based board, servo motor and driver from Fuji, THK mute double guided rail for silent and smooth operation from Japan, Photo Print RIP Software from Sai, and UV LED lamp fitted with water-cooled 16W/cm².
Features include imported high resolution metal raster to reduce mechanical error to get the moving resolution of the carriage to 0.01mm so as to meet high print quality demand of the customers. Its double screw rods along with double servo motors keep high accuracy of stepping, while pulse driven Ricoh Gen5 industrial print heads equipped with the gray scale printing technology can control the ink dot at 7-35pl. The RTR 180R doesn’t sport pinch roller that makes it suitable for soft kind of materials ensuring flawless printing without banding.
Sharing his thought on the ban on flex, Ali said that it won’t harm the solvent printers’ market to an extent it was anticipated as the PSPs are now using the same printers proficiently for printing over soft media, especially fabric. “Initially, there was compatibility issue because of which very few PSPs experimented other substrate than flex on these printers. However, for those who tried, are successfully executing the operations and delivering the orders. It’s costly though but with increased quantity following the surge in demand for fabric, would eventually bring down the price.”
In the meantime, he informed that the recycling of flex has been started. “Soon the manufacturers and suppliers of flex would put their demand to the concerned government agency for lifting the ban. We have our traders association back in Chennai, which is very pro active on this front. It is the association’s incessant effort that forced the government to lift the ban on flex in Tamil Nadu. It took some time as the legal process in most of the instances is time-taking. We want other associated stakeholders to take the cause forward and make aware the respective state governments on the same.”
Nonetheless, despite all these corrections towards solvent and flex, Ali seemed more inclined towards UV technology which is far more eco-friendly and has no restrictions of substrates to be used. “Over the last couple of years with continuous promotion and better proliferation, UV technology has been able to draw considerable attention of the stakeholders from the country’s digital printing industry. The price has come down to almost half than what it was being sold at till last couple of years. Even for us, it is the first experience with UV and is quite successful. We look forward to clinch more business opportunities in UV technology,” he signed off.