By Mark Sollman, Product Manager EMEA, Mimaki Europe.
The way we live, work, and engage with the world around us is being significantly reshaped by the global pandemic. From a print industry perspective, the versatility of UV LED technology gives print service providers an edge when it comes to being ready for the demands of the day.
For Mimaki, UV LED is no new venture – we were among the first manufacturers to adopt the technology and have remained at the forefront of the field, continuing to devote a great deal of research and development to make our UV LED offering even stronger. The benefits of UV LED are arguably more relevant than ever, as evidenced by the increasing number of businesses installing Mimaki machines equipped with UV technology.
UV LED is having a particularly strong impact on the sign graphics market. With adoption on the rise, Mimaki is at the cutting-edge of that adoption growth, holding the number one market position in the sector for two consecutive quarters. Looking back over the last five years, Mimaki’s adoption rate is more than two times that of the total market, so there is no doubt the market is moving in the right direction.
With several new UV products showcased at FESPA 2021 in Amsterdam earlier this year, myself and my team discussed some of the key trends and advantages of the technology, and why it is ideally suited to meet the demands of a post-pandemic print industry. We have outlined three key trends that demonstrate this point.
Diversifying into new markets
The compatibility of UV LED is much wider than other ink technologies. The versatility of UV technology opens the doors to a world of new applications and markets, including high value areas where white and clear ink are advantageous. The Mimaki UJF-7151plus II, one of our latest UV flatbed printers, for example, allows users to print directly onto a wide range of media such as acrylic, metal, glass and even leather, so the opportunities are boundless!
Delivering in an on-demand world
The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated our desire for instant gratification, and that is having a significant impact on the printing industry. Mimaki’s UV LED expertise offers exceptional speed, efficiency and flexibility, perfectly aligned with our fast-moving world. A machine such as the new Mimaki JFX600-2513 LED UV flatbed printer, which delivers print speeds of up to 200m2/h, provides businesses with a dramatic leap in productivity that helps them meet and exceed expectations of immediacy.
Working towards a greener future
Making businesses, products and supply chains more sustainable is a huge focus as we work towards tackling the climate crisis. UV LED emits fewer volatile organic compounds, cuts down on power consumption and reduces waste, and with no warmup time, you’re reducing time and energy usage between jobs. A technology like UV LED, with so many business advantages, that also provides a more environmentally friendly alternative, is a great tool to have at your disposal as meeting sustainability targets becomes an increasing focus upstream and downstream.
There is a world of opportunities with UV LED that not only help print businesses to remain competitive and explore new revenue streams, but also to keep in step with the driving forces in the UV market. To find out how Mimaki’s UV LED technology could benefit your business, visit https://www.mimakieurope.com/products/uv/.
