As part of acquiring the operations of DES last year, Starleaton added the OKI ColorPainter range of eco-solvent printers to its range. DES had great success with these (then known as Seiko ColorPainter), with sign and banner printers due to their speed, reliability and colour fidelity – particularly with the SX inks used on the ColorPainter M-64s.
The ColorPainter M-64s is the fastest 64” (1626mm) eco-solvent printer in the world. It uses OKI SX inks to deliver stunning colour density, particularly for backlit panels, while keeping solvent odour to a minimum. Outdoor durability without lamination is a given. Visitors to PacPrint will have the opportunity to witness this for themselves.
Prints coming off the ColorPainter M-64s are bone dry, thanks to the unique airflow system. Generous 1.5 litre ink cartridges and built-in sub-tanks allow replenishment while the machine is printing continuously. At up to 66.5m² per hour production and a seven-colour inkset (including a Gray for outstanding monotones), it out-performs all others in its class. Three year outdoor durability without laminating is achievable.
New economy version
An economy version of the M-64s has recently been added; the E-64s at 22.9m² per hour and 1080dpi resolution, bringing the ColorPainter range up to six models in 64-inch, 74-inch and 104-inch variations.
“We are finding that many of our customers are being asked to be one-stop shops for everything,” says Group CEO Ben Eaton, “but they are required to match output to the same high standards. OKI’s ColorPainters fit perfectly in that world and are packed with automated features to keep uptime to a maximum. The cliché word, I suppose, is ‘workhorse’ but really, the M-64s in particular is a thoroughbred too.”
Since adding OKI ColorPainters to its range, Starleaton has discovered that durability is a key differentiator for wide-format technology. It’s not enough that the printers themselves are robust and dependable workhorses, but that the printed results themselves need to be long-lasting and tough enough for Australian outdoor conditions.
Starleaton product manager Tom Leggatt notes: “One of the biggest benefits with OKI eco-solvent printers, based on what our customers have come to us for, is the ink type that they use. With SX inks, in comparison with all other solvent or latex-type printers, the SX ink has the greatest outdoor durability.”
Leggatt adds: “We’ve sold a lot of machines in Queensland because the businesses up there consider the durability of the ink under harsh UV conditions to be so critical.”
Increasing local support
OKI itself decided to expand its Australian operations to cover its industrial product range and this has been significant in helping Starleaton achieve its own business objectives.
“OKI has been able to take away the pain of having to order in containers of stock, and we now have fixed pricing in Australian dollars, so we don’t worry about the fluctuation with the yen,” Leggatt says. “We also now have a second tier of support in Australia, with OKI holding its own inventory.”
The ability to deal directly with OKI Australia to solve any customer problems has also meant that Starleaton is able to resolve issues faster and more efficiently.
“With warranty being such a critical battleground in the printer space, the additional support has been a significant boost to both Starleaton and its customers,” Leggatt adds. “The strength of the warranty has been improved.”
Starleaton will be exhibiting the ColorPainter M-64s on stand E30 at PacPrint, May 23-26, Melbourne Exhibition Centre.