Spring Fair NEC - Anyone going as well?

[ArferMo]

The papers are still quite a lot over a quid for an A4 I think.

[UK Printed Mugs]

The list price of 100 sheets of A4 Multitrans (printing onto hard substrates such as mugs) is 57.98 Euros.

[pisquee]

Been back to their stand this morning....

They said that to print colours, you just use the standard carts that come with it - obviously it's their transfer paper that is doing the work.
For fabrics there is also a finishing paper sheet (feels like greeseproof) that you bung the fabric back in the press with the finishing sheet on top to cure/set the print.

For mugs/ceramics/glass, you can use a microwave to set/cure, but equally can put them in an oven, or back in the mug press, so there's two heat stages needed, with a cooling off period in between.

We don't mind the noths commission, as they gain us way more sales than we can achieve without them, and it still works out a better margin for us than wholesale, where most of our business is.

Yes, 5000 units is a lot of work, but you have a lower material cost than sublimating mugs, as you don't have to buy in polymer coated blanks - you can print on anything you can get to fit into a press. We've already been looking at our spares of various broken presses we have lying around (I don't like chucking things out) and working out what non standard shapes we could press with a big of hacking away at the various bits, so this ties in well with finding this company/system

[UK Printed Mugs]

That's interesting to know. I didn't ask about full colour printing as wasn't something initially we wanted to do. Would you therefore know why they sell Ghost laser toner in colours? Or do I presume this is just regular laser toner? Are you going to take the plunge and grab yourself a kit?

[pisquee]

Yeah, I've done what research I can (while back in the VIP lounge!) and can't see a cheaper cost to entry - they're using an older model printer, which is why they can sell them or a profit I guess, and can't find a cheaper model which uses the same black cart - I'd be happier if i could buy a cheaper mono-laser printer just to use their white toner in, but can't find an HP which uses the same cart in a mono printer.
Their package includes the printer and white toner cart for about £200- both of which can be bought separately for about £100.

One thing they did say was that you can use other transfer papers like from TMT, so at least there are alternative supply routes if there is only one source and they run out of stock, and you can't wait for more to come over from Germany.

Getting info out of them is tricky, and I don't know if it's a language/culture thing, but their staff on stand (the helpful guy I spoke to yesterday wasn't there this morning) so there's the younger guy I spoke with yesterday who wasn't much help, and then a new girl who doesn't seem to know much either. Having to really push their staff with questions to get the answers from them - as far as tech knowledge/support and sales skills I am not rating them, but the product looks good at least!

E2A - I did work in Germany for a year, and found it an amazing place to work, where things just worked, the Germans very easy to work with and helpful, with very good English, it's just my experience on this stand that seems odd after previous experience working with Germans!

[UK Printed Mugs]

Thanks for the update. I did ask about mono lasers but David (the helpful guy I presume you are talking about) said that the melting point of the toner in mono printers is different to the colours and they haven't been able to create white toner for this lower temperature apparently. It was something they would like to do but said their R&D just hasn't allowed for it yet. Good to know that you can use the paper from TMT as well.

[pisquee]

Oh, they also have neon/flourescent colours you can use in place of the standard CMY carts - this was in a wooden box with printed papers, and UV lights - so you could look into the box and see them glowing - says you can use them on the transfer papers too - so will ask more about these when I go back, as it seems odd they weren't pushing it as much as the white printing, or trying to upsell, but this is in line with none of them on the stand seeming to be particularly good at sales.

[GoonerGary]

I spent last night looking for a good laser printer to match up with their toner. I'm tempted to get the basic A4 laser, but worried that the quality wouldn't print big images. My cheap Canon laser is rubbish at printing big blocks of colour, so will maybe go for a refurbished A3 pro printer. Expensive business this experimenting!

[pisquee]

Their A3 model toner carts are pricier though

[GoonerGary]

Does anyone know if you can swap the white and black toner as you need it? Or is there contamination? Like sub ink printers, you want it clean with your chosen ink/ toner from new?