A WIDE format printing company owned and run by two men from Usk has invested £300,000 in new hi-tech machinery to meet increased production demand and provide an even faster customer service.

Ottimo Digital is the first business in the UK to buy a five-metre wide roll fed Quantum 5LXr printer from US suppliers EFI. The specialised equipment represents the largest investment to date for the company which began as a start-up in 2009. It now has a turnover of £1.3 million and employs 10 people at its 5,000 sq ft Newport production facility.

The new printer is the only one of its kind to produce the ready-finished, high-quality, large-scale prints needed for the exhibition stand graphics which form the core of Ottimo Digital’s business. It saves time and manpower by cutting out a stage of the usual production process and also boasts eco-friendly features such as less waste and lower power consumption than its rivals.

“Most of our work is in producing display materials for exhibitions and retail point-of-sale,” says Usk resident and former Monmouth School pupil, Nick Lindwall.

“The market is increasingly demanding four-metre-high, one-piece printed images of the quality needed for close-up viewing. The new printer enables us to fully meet this challenge as quickly and efficiently as possible,” he added.

“Clearly this is a major investment for us, but we are very confident we can continue to successfully grow our business, even in the current post-Brexit climate of uncertainty. It’s therefore essential that we ensure we are well-placed to meet the changing needs of both existing and potential customers.”

Fellow joint director, Lee Crew, who also lives in Usk, added: “We are over the moon with this latest purchase. Entering the five-metre-wide market, along with our already comprehensive range of equipment, means that we are perfectly placed to handle absolutely any project that customers require.”