The Printed Gift Shop has installed a Mimaki UCJV300-160-160 1.6m wide roll-to-roll ultraviolet LED printer. This is its first move into B2B large format work.
A new brand called Printing X will help the firm serve B2B customers. The company will offer sign boards and canvasses as well its B2C service of embroidery and tshirt printing.
“Whatever our customers want, we can provide it,” said Ravi De Silva Lindamulage, co-owner of TPGS.
B2B will allow the company to overcome seasonal peak periods that are typical for consumer-focused work. Currently, the business has three employees. However, during busy times it can hire up to three additional temporary workers.
Lindamulage said that TPGS owns premises in Newcastle-under-Lyme, with a physical shop, and adjacent production space. This has allowed for a substantial amount of walk-in business.
Lindamulage, along with Achala Wannipuge, founded TPGS together in 2016. In 2016, Lindamulage and Achala Wannipuge founded TPGS. They started by producing cushion covers for phones, as well as phone cases.
The Mimaki UJF-3042FX flatbed printer was their first. It was purchased from CMYUK. This set the stage for installing the UCJV300 in September.
Lindamulage revealed that Lindamulage was the couple’s decision for B2B trade. PrintweekAfter realising the need for large format print in the local area, the team created the brand.
Lindamulage predicts that within a short time, the company will have to grow its production space to support potential large-format machinery.
For now, however, the business, which turns over around £300,000, is happy where it is – the site, he said, “is a really nice place.”