Potsdam-based signage and décor specialist, Print1, became one of the first Canon customers in Europe to install Océ Touchstone following its launch in May 2018 and is already realising the benefits of being able to deliver high value textured applications. The company, a long-standing Océ Arizona flatbed user, was looking to differentiate its services from larger competitors in the greater Berlin area, and to expand its product portfolio with more unique and customised applications.
Seeing the Touchstone solution producing textured flatbed applications live on the Canon stand at FESPA 2018, the Print1 team identified three key business growth opportunities, specifically in the signage, décor and fine art sectors. Owner, Dirk Paasch, decided to invest in the technology and Touchstone was integrated with Print1’s recently installed Océ Arizona 1280 GT printer in September 2018.
“Our philosophy as a business is to capitalise on our production capabilities and craftsmanship to offer creative solutions to the client’s challenges that go further than what a normal print service provider can do”, comments Paasch. “When we first saw the Océ Touchstone solution we were intrigued by the technology and how we could use it to offer something that our competitors can’t.”
Paasch’s instinctive confidence in the potential of textured printing has been confirmed by the very high levels of customer interest. He adds: “Océ Touchstone gives us a completely new and specialised offering that delivers the ‘wow factor’. Customers are amazed by the innovative possibilities enabled by this solution, and that is opening up exciting new growth opportunities for us as we open their eyes to what we can create for them.”
In the first few months, Print1 has already actively used Touchstone to fulfil a number of specialist commissions, ranging from braille signage for a botanical garden and zoo in the city to improve the experience for visually impaired visitors, to the creation of a textured effect film set for Badelsberg Film Studio and the production of tactile comic art prints on aluminium. The technology has also attracted attention from customers in the décor sector and from local museums looking for solutions for cost-effective art reproduction.
He continues: “As Touchstone is a completely new solution, Canon provided the training and support we needed to be comfortable using the solution day to day. Our early experiences have been extremely positive, and with Canon’s expertise, we have built up our own knowledge so we can now produce all sorts of textured prints with ease. As we learn more about what the technology is capable of, I’m confident we’ll see further success for our business in the future.”
Print1 has also invested in the Océ Colorado 1640 roll-to-roll printer, enabling the business to offer high quality prints at exceptional speeds. Capitalising on the automation features of the Arizona and Colorado printers, combined with the Océ ProCut 3200 XL for automated print-and-cut operations, Print1 has been able to minimise the need for operator intervention. This has helped skilled members of the team to focus more time on engaging with existing and prospective customers to inspire them with the new high-value applications enabled by these latest technology solutions.
Wouter Derichs, Sales and Marketing Director Wide Format, Canon Europe comments: “It’s clear from conversations with our customers that competitive differentiation is an important driver for them when considering how to diversify their offering. When we introduced the Océ Touchstone technology to the market, we were confident that it would help customers to add aesthetic and performance value, and attract higher margins. Six months on, positive customer feedback has reinforced our conviction that textured printing can deliver significant growth opportunities for customers, provided it can be done efficiently and with consistency. In contrast to the trial and error that has tended to characterise textured printing in the past, the Touchstone solution takes the guess-work out of the process and reliably delivers high quality textured prints time after time.”
