As the print industry has developed and evolved, so too has Mimaki’s technology and Hybrid Services’ relationship with the Japanese manufacturer. Curious to learn more and celebrate the relationship and Mimaki’s newly launched UV hybrid printer, assistant editor, Ana Lambert, headed to Crewe to visit the Hybrid HQ and team.
The newly launched Mimaki UJ330H-160 hybrid UV inkjet printer
Founded in 1996, Hybrid Services partnered with a virtually unknown brand in the UK and Ireland – Mimaki – to create a relationship that has
since spanned three decades.
Starting with 610mm cutters to handle coloured vinyl, and a flatbed cutting table – Hybrid was very much starting from zero as it partnered with Mimaki as its exclusive distributor for the UK and Ireland. However, just a couple of years later Mimaki introduced its first inkjet printer, which was followed in quick succession by the JV2 and JV4 series’ pigment machines which became popular in the graphics and display sector.
Then in 1998, Mimaki launched its very first textile printer, the Tx-1600, further launching its recognition in the UK and Ireland further.
In the early 2000s, the JV3, Mimaki’s first solvent printer, was launched, and Hybrid and Mimaki cemented their influence in the UK and Ireland both in the sign and graphics industry and textile industries.
Then 20 years ago, having always been based in Cheshire, Hybrid to a new HQ in Crewe, giving them a polished showroom, large warehouse and
significant office space, where they have been based ever since.
Hybrid and the industry
Over the years, Hybrid has developed many relationships with resellers and customer throughout the sign and graphics industries.
Duncan Jefferies, head of marketing for Hybrid Services, explained that 30 years was a great achievement for the company and an important part of that was down to the relationship they have with their resellers.
The lightbox is double printed to produce an illusion of seeing the inside of the car
He said: “30 years is a fantastic achievement for the company. We have a fantastic relationship with Mimaki, and it’s wonderful to be associated with them for such a long time and to share success with them.
“A lot of that shared success is also with our resellers, a lot of whom we’ve worked with for a very, very long period of time. At Hybrid, business is all about creating and maintaining long term relationships, ultimately to the benefit of everyone, including our customers.”
Having a dedicated reseller network that includes many well-known companies across the UK and Ireland, it’s easy to see why Hybrid and Mimaki are
now ‘household’ names.
Duncan emphasised that Hybrid’s relationship with its resellers is mutually beneficial, underlining the strength and importance of its trusted partner network.
Furthermore, seeing customers be a fervent supporter of the brand, sometimes since their inception is very satisfying, Duncan commented.
“Seeing machines that companies have built their businesses on being upgraded into the latest tech is always enormously satisfying. It really does
make it worthwhile to see a company that’s grown with your technology.”
Creativity at its heart
Decked out in vivid colour and containing many machines, the Hybrid Services showroom is a delight to the eyes.
The graphic is printed with white and clear inks
Highlighting the printers’ creative capabilities to prospective sign making businesses, the display cabinets, lightboxes and artwork showcase the
power of the Mimaki technology on offer.
The showroom is laid out in business sectors – while most of their products can be cross-used through industries – all of the printers and technologies were laid out in order of sign and graphics, flatbed technologies, textile, and DTF as their main offerings, whilst full colour 3D and small-format could also be found.
For instance, for sign and graphics companies, Mimaki’s usual suspects, the CJV330-160, CJV200-130 and JV200-160 solvent printers can be found together along with a collection of Mimaki UV roll-to-roll models.
On the opposite wall is one of the largest printers in the showroom, the Mimaki TS330-3200DS superwide-format dye sublimation printer, suitable for those insoft signage or wanting to diversify printing up to 3.2m wide.
Mimaki’s direct to textile Tx-1600S printer
A piece of history
One of Mimaki’s most revolutionary machines, the Tx-1600S was launched in 1998. Considered to be the first piezoelectric direct to textile wide-format printer, the Tx-1600S delivered a solution that revolutionised the printed textile industry even though it had a production speed of only
1m sq/hr.
It provided a solution for textile companies to sample their long production runs directly onto cloth, removing an expensive and time-consuming process. Furthermore, it allowed designers to print short run fashion and furnishing fabrics to then deliver bespoke made-up goods such as scarves, apparel and cushions – a pioneering product that helped fuel the start of the digital textile printing industry.
Something new, something different
In the 20 years that Hybrid has been based in Crewe, the company has seen products evolve significantly.
Duncan said: “We’ve seen products get faster, bigger, easy to use, more productive, and cheaper to run. Mimaki’s byline is ‘something new,
something different’ and innovation is absolutely in their DNA; it sits at the core of their business.
“We see, year on year, quantum leaps in performance, with new ranges in the last few years like the 200 Series and 330 Series sporting those same core values.”
The UJ330H-160 is Mimaki’s brand new hybrid UV inkjet printer, which has a newly developed conveyor belt transport system, which ensures stable feeding of various roll materials without wrinkling or sagging, including substrates such as thin window films, fabric, and synthetic leather, as well as rigid substrates like foam boards and acrylic sheets.
Powered by Mimaki’s 330 print engine, the UJ330H-160 delivers high-definition output with smooth gradients, uniform solid fills and high-density white for impactful backlit and window graphics. The printer was successfully launched at the Hybrid sponsored lounge at the Crewe Alexander football club, which saw resellers gather for live demonstrations and a tour around the football club’s grounds.
Duncan added: “Over the last couple of years Mimaki has launched products across all its main sectors including new UV, solvent and textile models.
“We recently had the UK and Ireland launch of the new hybrid UV roll-toll flatbed printer, and products like the TS200 dye-sublimation machine which we showed at the recent Printwear & Promotion LIVE! exhibition and the UV DTF printer which is a new route for Mimaki.”
