Fujfilm ramps up in wide-format, celebrates success of digital portfolio

The manufacturer has appointed Colm Garvey as European Dealer Manager for wide-format products as part of plans to push into new markets with the Acuity Prime.

Garvey has been business manager at Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems for the past four-and-a-half years.

Prior to that he held sales and business development roles at Senfa Decoprint, Colorific Solutions, B&P Lightbrigade and Neolt.

Garvey said that Fujifilm’s new Acuity Prime was a machine “with sales potential far beyond the markets we’re traditionally associated with, and we need local market knowledge, connections and expertise to fully capitalise on its volume sales potential”.

Garvey: many more deals to be done

The Acuity Prime 20 flatbed is available with four, five or six channels, while its sister model the Prime 30 can have seven.

The printable area is 2.54m x 1.27m and the Prime can print onto flexible and rigid media up to 51mm thick. Fujifilm has also formulated its new Uvijet HM ink system for the devices.

Fujifilm has already signed 13 dealer agreements in seven European countries so far, and plans to grow the numbers.

Garvey added: “I’m confident there are many more deals to be done!”

The manufacturer will show the new Acuity Prime and Acuity Ultra R2 printers at Fespa, on stand C30 in hall 2.2, along with two other new machines with details currently under wraps.

Its theme for the show is ‘Blueprint Live’.

The new printers have also picked up three design awards: the Red Dot, Good Design and now iF Design Awards.

Kevin Jenner, European marketing manager at Fujifilm Ink Solutions Group, said the business was delighted about the endorsement.

“Good design is not just how something looks, it’s about how well it works and how easy it is to use. We’ve worked extremely hard on the design for these products and on all measures this range is proving that we’ve got it right,” he said.

Separately, Fujifilm has revealed that its sheetfed digital press portfolio for commercial printing achieved “unprecedented” success in the 2021-2022 financial years.

The manufacturer installed more than 50 Jet Press B2 inkjet models worldwide, with 14 going to European customers.

Jet Press ink sales rocketed by 140% compared with pre-pandemic volumes.

It has also installed 20 units of its new Revoria range of toner-based presses, launched last autumn in a limited number of European markets.

Mark Lawn, Fujifilm Europe’s freshly-appointed head of POD Solutions, said that developing partnerships with local dealerships had been crucial to the firm’s sales strategy.

“We’ve been working with some of the most well-connected and knowledgeable organisations in the industry to help us to reach the right customers. In turn, we’re offering them a hugely attractive product for their portfolios. The application versatility of the Revoria Press PC1120, in the form of additional colours and media handling, opens up a world of new opportunities.[source]