Eltham Digital’s sign business has grown from a standstill in 2020 to a point where it accounts for half of the company’s turnover. The transformation started with the installation of a hybrid flatbed/roll-to-roll machine from RSR called the Xenons R180. This has been replaced with an upgraded Xenons X180.
Proprietor Terry Glasscock says; “During the Covid pandemic we were being asked to produce all kinds of signage, so we could see there was demand there. RSR convinced RSR we needed the Xenons to compete in a new marketplace, because it was versatile and offered high performance at a reasonable price. They were right.”
The new Xenons X180 is the same size as its predecessor with a maximum of 1.88m. It has been upgraded mechanically and now uses Ricoh 6 printheads. This digital LED/UV hybrid printer can print on ACP (acrylic composite panel), foam, board and flute board as well as on ceramic tiles, wood and a range of vinyls and flexible media. Although capable of higher throughput, Eltham’s machine maximises saleable quality by running at 25sqm per hour and uses a CMYK ink configuration, with the option of an additional white ink available as a future upgrade.
“It will print on just about anything as long as it’s less than 35mm thick,” says Terry. “We produce something different every day, whether it’s point-of-sale boards, vinyl banners, outdoor signage or exhibition panels, and the Xenons machine does it all.”
“The new one is faster to run and set up, and we expect it to match the performance and reliability of the machine it is replacing. For me the best thing about the X180 is ease of use; there’s very little maintenance, and to run it, we just press ‘print’ and that’s about it!”
Eltham Digital, a family run commercial printer that operates from a London high street location and serves a wide range of clients in the area, is a small business with a strong local presence. It has strong connections with local businesses, especially those in the construction sector.