This article originally appeared in Sign Africa.

Amrod has invested in two HP S1000 printers as well as a Zünd G3 XL-3200 from Midcomp. The new Technology will greatly enhance both general output, as well as Amrod’s new display division, which launched on 20 August.

Orlando de Abreu, owner of Tali Digital Print Display Solutions, is a long-term HP Latex user and had invested in his first Zünd G3 cutter about seven years ago, so he was familiar with the technology. Tali Digital’s manufacturing plant was acquired by Amrod on 1 May 2020. This has allowed Amrod to move into the display market.

‘We are highly polished and we have tried to be as efficient as possible in bringing this exciting offering to the market,’ said de Abreu, who has now taken up a new role within the Amrod team – an incredible team that forms the core of the world class corporate gifting and branding supplier to the industry. View their new display division here.

De Abreu explained why he chose the HP S1000. ‘We looked at a multitude of solutions and felt that the S1000 was one of the few machines that worked exceptionally well at handling both the direct and paper transfer method with zero compromise. They are good, stable machines. I have a long history of using HP Latex technology, so I know the technology quite well. The machines offer colour consistency, which is always very important, especially in sublimation.’

The portfolio of HP Stitch S Series printers couple HP Thermal Inkjet technology with industry-standard dyes for superior colour durability. The first-ever built-in spectrophotometer enables Stitch’s fast and exact colour-matching. Users can impress clients with the most vivid colours and deep blacks, thanks to HP’s native 1200dpi printhead resolution. The printers also automatically detect and compensate nozzles out, so users are always ready to print and deliver the highest and most reliable image quality.

Regarding the Zünd cutter, de Abreu explained why he was happy to pay a premium price for this machine. ‘The Zünd is one of the best balanced machines for what we needed, is extremely good at jobbing, and because of the market we are in, versatility is key. The Zünd was exceptionally good at pulling this off. Because we have a long-standing relationship with Zünd and Midcomp, I was very comfortable purchasing another Zünd. When you look at the yield and the benefits of the machine over time, you understand why you pay what you do. It’s an extremely well thought out machine.’

The G3 cutter is a precision machine. From innovative drive system to blade, all components are perfectly coordinated. Users can produce jobs at the highest quality level, economically and efficiently. The Over Cutter Camera is an intelligent optical system for fully automated digital capture of register marks. The camera is mounted above the centre of the cutter, either on a support frame or the ceiling. It captures all register marks within the working area of the cutting system in a single image, automatically and in a matter of seconds.

De Abreu commented on his relationship with Midcomp: ‘A supplier is your partner in business, and it is incredibly important to choose the right partner. You need to ensure there is a beneficial relationship. Amrod has big plans on the horizon, and it was important for us to choose a partner that we know is stable, is able to give us the right service and have the right backing, and we felt that Midcomp and HP definitely ticked those boxes.’

Rob Makinson, Group CEO of Midcomp, said, ‘Tali has been a faithful customer, having invested in Latex technology during its early days. De Abreu always makes decisions that are right for the business. The homework he did for this acquisition was amazing, such as trips to the Zünd factory in Switzerland, and HP factory in Barcelona. He spoke to all the necessary players and people. He is a very technical person and we always have an engaging discussion with him about the technology and details of machines. We enjoy that kind of relationship with a customer.’

Amrod opted to sign up for Midcomp’s Pay Per Use system. Midcomp was the first HP reseller in the world to implement the programme, a comprehensive and customised programme that ensures that users pay a fixed ‘per square metre’ charge for the square metres they print.

‘A PPU model gives you peace of mind because you have a fixed cost and you know what you are in for,’ said de Abreu. ‘You know the machines’ Delta E and Lab values are always going to be within specification, and it’s a fixed variable moving forward. It made sense.’

Makinson said that introducing the PPU programme was never about maximising profitability. ‘It was about allowing customers to focus on what they should be: sales and print, and not getting pulled down on fighting with suppliers on the cost of spare parts, labour and other charges. All of the emotion that was involved in those discussions has been eliminated with customers who have adopted the programme. And if it doesn’t work out, a customer can opt out of the contract.’

‘With Amrod investing in a new technology, it is a safe option. There are no surprises – they know exactly what the costs are per square metre, and they can cost their jobs to their customers with the knowledge that they not going to accidentally underquote on a job. Out of the 70 customers we have on our programme, only two have come off for whatever reason. By and large, it is a good working system.’

Amrod is a trade only supplier and the new display offering will only be on offer to Amrod resellers. To see the full Amrod and Midcomp interview, view the video below: