L-R: Duncan Jefferies, head of marketing and business development, and Brett Newman, managing director
Earlier this year, Hybrid Services showcased two new printers for the first time in Europe. Sign Update assistant editor, Cameron Beech, visited the company’s showroom in Cheshire to learn more about these technologies as well as the distributor behind them.
Hybrid Services, the exclusive distributor for Mimaki Engineering in the UK and Ireland, has been maintaining its market-leading position in the sign and graphics industry with its unveiling of four new printers, and recent public showcase of two of them. I went to speak with Duncan Jefferies, Hybrid’s head of marketing, on the matter, as well as to learn more about Hybrid’s ethos and history.
My tour around Hybrid’s polished showroom began with Duncan explaining the segmenting of Mimaki’s product range into four key sectors: sign and graphics, industrial products, 3D printers, and textile and apparel solutions.
Entering Hybrid’s reception, one sector instantly jumped out. Due to its historical relevance and impact on the industry; Duncan expressed his pride in Mimaki’s contribution to the textile and apparel sector, admitting: “Textile and apparel is a real strength at Mimaki. On display in our reception area, we have a 26-year-old, first-generation textile printer, which printed at only 1m sq/hr – yet totally transformed the textile industry when it was launched in the late 1990s.”
What this did, though not directly relevant to the sign industry, was underpin the extent of Mimaki’s influence and offerings, highlighting the company’s presence at the forefront of innovative and cutting-edge technologies. Mimaki’s relationship with innovation was a theme which became foundational to my conversation with Duncan.
With this all explained to me, I asked to see Mimaki’s latest sign and graphics offering: the CJV200-160 printer/cutter.
The CJV200 Series
Launched and demonstrated for the first time in Europe in September, the Mimaki CJV200-160 is an entry level vinyl printer and cutter with a print speed of 17m sq/hr, which is being marketed as being accessible for businesses of varying levels. Regarding the printer’s entrance into the market, Duncan confirmed: “A new entry-level sign and graphics machine is an important launch for Mimaki, and the company has deliberately designed the machine to be extremely accessible, and really easy to use. Whilst it’s still a big bit of kit, it shouldn’t be off-putting to completely new users – yet still feel familiar to more seasoned sign and graphics professionals.”
I asked what it was, which made the printer so accessible, to which Duncan outlined the printer’s use of automated processes and easy operation. He said: “Technology on the CJV200 supports everything from the simple to use interface, and the ease of loading material and inks. Mimaki incorporates something they call Core Technologies, and a lot of these automate onboard processes. These include numerous maintenance activities and cleaning, as well as monitoring the quality of the printed output. With a printer that’s happy producing high-quality output at 17m sq/hr, you don’t want to waste ink, material and time if a fault has occurred while it’s left running. Mimaki’s innovative PICT cloud technology software allows the user to monitor printer operation and ink usage by providing real-time operational and performance data.”
CJV200-160
As we delved into the discussion of automation, Duncan explained Mimaki’s drive to provide integrated solutions that not only improve the overall performance of the machines, but reduce costs, lead times and operator strain. With automated processes and low maintenance being key USPs for the printer, I was keen to hear of the printer’s reception when demonstrated. Duncan admitted: “People like to see new things, new things from somebody like Mimaki.
“Mimaki has a heritage of continual innovation; as well as constantly driving to deliver ‘something new, something different’ they also adapt quickly to market needs.”
This was very well demonstrated with the development of Mimaki’s new solvent ink ranges: the new SS22 Sustainable Solvent product and the BS4 Budget Solvent inks. SS22 is Mimaki’s most recent ink and it’s taking mighty strides towards sustainability not only with its use of cardboard cartridges but also the intentional absence of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL). Duncan outlined how in early 2024, the initially proposed amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, for GBL to be reclassified as a Class B drug, had been scrapped. However, Duncan also made it clear Mimaki’s proactive development of a GBL-free ink was designed to fully future proof the product, which included the environmentally friendly cardboard carton.
In conversation with Duncan, it became clear how customers reside at the heart of what Hybrid and Mimaki alike do; seeking to deliver solutions that offer quantifiable benefits for businesses with solutions like the new inks. Alongside the SS22 Sustainable Solvent option, the new BS4 ink is a budget solvent ink which has garnered popularity because of its price point, offering high quality results and full manufacturer’s warranty, at a previously unheard-of price point.
The Mimaki TS330-3200DS
The second printer to be introduced was the Mimaki TS330-3200DS, a 3.2m wide hybrid printer capable of both direct dye sublimation printing as well as transfer printing. The machine is so new that Hybrid’s demo machine was still in transit from Japan, but during my time with Duncan and the Hybrid team, I got a glimpse of a similar solution that operates with UV curable ink: the UJV55-320. While the UJV55 can print to similar polyester lightbox and exhibition graphics materials as the TS330-3200DS, it can also produce prints onto banner, wallpaper, vinyl and a number of other different materials. However, an interesting feature to the UJV55, is the ability to preview what the print will look like for a lightbox, thereby reducing time and waste of material.
With regards to the TS330, Duncan elaborated more on the printer’s hybrid capability of printing onto transfer paper and polyester. When asked what the benefits would be for the customer to own a printer which can print directly onto both paper and fabric, Duncan explained how it can help customers expand and diversify their product range, by offering a wider array of products that can be produced on the one machine.
He said: “A graphics producer can therefore consider expanding into corporate décor, or even target the home market, taking their business into new areas while still using the hardware that’s servicing their core market. Historically, sign makers tended to make signs, or vehicle graphics companies simply focused on that market.
“However, a key message we’ve been communicating for a very long time is that if you’re not saying ‘yes’ to a customer, then there’s a risk that somebody else will, which makes for a quick route to losing that customer’s business. If you’re producing pull-up banners, window graphics and menu boards and your customer asks if you can produce workwear, a ‘no’ could lead to them finding someone with a DTF printer that can, who may also have a solvent printer, and the next thing you know, you’ve lost a customer.”
It takes a team to fulfil a dream
While in conversation about the TS330 and the need for diversification, Hybrid Services’ managing director, Brett Newman, kindly introduced himself at the perfect time. Diversification is a topic that Brett holds dear and he expanded on the conversation I’d had with Duncan to emphasise the importance of Hybrid’s showroom in helping customers understand the wider business opportunities that Mimaki’s technology can offer. However, diversification was not the only thing Brett wanted to mention.
A welcoming reception area to the Hybrid Showroom
When I asked Brett what his favourite part of being Hybrid’s MD was, one word kept making its way to the forefront of the conversation: people. Brett made it instantly clear that his colleagues and customers are what gave him the most satisfaction, saying about his role: “100% it’s all about the people.”
He continued: “I’ve been fortunate enough to take people who were 16-year-old apprentices, that have gone on to run their own businesses and be very successful. It fills me with pride to say that I’ve helped them on their way. There’s nothing greater than seeing somebody join you straight out of school or university, coming into the industry and going on the flourish.” While it was already apparent how Hybrid highly valued its customers, hearing the MD’s enthusiasm for educating and inspiring the next generation peeled back another layer to Hybrid’s generosity and warmth.
Crewe Alexandra FC’s official printer partner
Just as Hybrid likes to see the newer generation along their way to success, investing time into their development, so too does it invest time into the local community, having recently signed a three-year deal with League Two club, Crewe Alexandra, becoming their official printer partner.
As part of the deal, Duncan explained: “We’re helping them to decorate their main function room – which is a huge space. It is currently devoid of any branding and print, so we’re going to be producing a lot of examples to create a much better feel to the space.”
When asked how the collaboration came about, Brett said: “Hybrid has always been in the Crewe area since the company was founded in 1996. We’ve been at our current location since 2006, and you can see the Crewe Alexandra stadium from the front of our building.” With the club in such close proximity to the showroom, a collaboration was inevitable.
During the course of my visit to Hybrid’s head office, Duncan, Brett and the rest of the team showcased the ways Mimaki consistently remains at the top with its innovative and forward-thinking technologies. What really stood out was Hybrid’s fostering of a warm, nurturing environment which invites enthusiasm from people of varying levels of industry knowledge and experience to make it a truly standout company.
