A Scodix and Motioncutter will deliver creative options to designers and agencies in the Bristol area says the printer.
BrunelPrint is spending £1.7 million to upgrade its print and finishing facilities at its Bedminster factory in Bristol.
A Speedmester XL 75-5 will replace and existing press in January, but this week the company is taking delivery of a Scodix digital embossing machine and MotionCutter digital laser cutter. These follow the installation of an Indigo 7500 which is already in place.
This will be the first Scodix in the south west says Andrew Mackinson, who has this year become manager of the company’s commercial print operation. The Scodix at Epic in Dorchester, Dorset, is a south coast rather than south west machine he says. Epic is also targeting a largely London based customer portfolio, whereas Brunel serves agencies in and around Bristol.
The machine will be the 12th in the UK most sold since Conversion UK took on the agency. The MotionCutter will the second in the country following a launch at Ipex this year and the installation at Screaming Colour.
The plan is to take the the value added capabilities of both machines and put them at the heart of Brunel’s commercial print arm, Mackinson explains. “It offers new ways to market print for our design clients. We hope to have finished training by the end of November and the new XL75 arrives in January to join the GTOs and replace the older machine.
Marketing the extra services begins before then: “Despite the fact that we’ve only just taken receipt of the new equipment, interest is high. We’ve already joined forces with Bristol Media, the local members’ organisation for creative businesses, to become a preferred industry supplier and print a range of personalised materials for its upcoming Vision conference in November,” says commercial print director John Tugman.
The company saw the Motioncutter last year when shown at the EMEA Dscoop in Rome and then in Florida. The company saw the potential immediately. The decision to invest in the Scodix was just as direct, coming after a visit to 1st Byte in London.
BrunelPrint can trace its history back more than 150 years in Bristol, developing as a calendars and stationery business. It boosted this with acquisition of Lockwood Calendars and started Funky Pigeon as an online greetings card business which was sold to WH Smith.
