Irish company CoverUp has added an EFI Matan 5m UV LED roll-to-roll printer from CMYUK to its line-up following the firm’s 2022 acquisition of an EFI Vutek Q5r, also from CMYUK.
The company has stated that the acquisition significantly boosted its production efficiency allowing for faster turnaround times and greater volumes. It joins a plant list that includes a 3.2m UV LED digital flatbed printer, dye sublimation technology, CNC router, and a digital cutting table.
The Matan 5 has replaced an older HP printer and is designated for all CoverUp’s mesh printing needs because it better handles the overspray that occurs, which in turn avoids exposing the Q5r to any of these issues, explained Anthony Byrne, the operations director at CoverUp.
CoverUp began its journey in 1976, specialising in manufacturing and finishing PVC and canvas covers for machinery, vehicles, boats, and industrial facilities. Today the business provides a wide array of applications following its 2005 venture into the digital printing sector.
The company was the first in the world to purchase an EFI Vutek FabriVU 340i in-line dye sublimation printer in 2018, when it replaced an M-Tex printer. It had also established a trusted relationship with CMYUK for its materials supply, so when it came to purchasing a new EFI Vutek Q5r it turned to CMYUK.
Sue Hayward, Commercial Director of CMYUK located a refurbished Matan 5 printer from EFI and arranged an online virtual demonstration for Mr Bryne, given the printer was in Israel. Following the presentation, CoverUp purchased the printer and was installed in five weeks by CMYUK.
Once the machine had been installed, Mr Bryne explained that the training process was simple and easy to understand, with the only difference to the Q5r being the more frequent filter changes due to its messier nature. He stated, ‘We were well up with it since the Rip was the same as the one used by the Q5r, so there wasn’t much new to learn. By the end of the first day, we were operational and even started printing specific jobs.’
The EFI Matan 5 offers output up to 353sqm/hr with a resolution of 600dpi. The printer supports a portfolio of Matan optional features and software. These include in-line finishing for cutting and slitting, vacuum plates for printing onto thin sheets and rigid media in a selection of sizes, automatic backlit, automatic block out, and jumbo roll handling. Additionally, a single operator roll loader is claimed to increase efficiency by 300%, ensuring that only 40cm of material is wasted per roll, boosting savings and overall productivity.
With the installation of the Matan 5, Mr Bryne explained that mesh work is produced significantly faster than before. ‘After installing the Matan 5, the speed of our mesh output work has tripled. Previously we were managing two rolls a day, but now can complete five to six,’ he said.