Ronald van den Broek, general manager sales Mimaki EMEA and Bert Benckhuysen, senior product manager Mimaki EMEA, were present at the Sign Africa and FESPA Africa Expo to discuss the new SWJ-320 EA and JFX 200-2513 EX machines, both of which could be seen at the Graphix Supply World stand.

The Mimaki SWJ-320 EA, an African first, is a large format solvent machine, particularly renowned for its affordability and user-friendliness. As the economy continues to struggle, the machine is priced competitively and has been designed as an entry-level model.

Designed to enable users to diversify their businesses in a profitable way, the Mimaki SWJ-320EA is ideal for producing a wide variety of large format indoor and outdoor applications, including POS materials, banners and billboards, displays, transport and floor images.

Also discussed was the new JFX model, which features a new print mode for increased speed, 2.5D printing for embossed and layered effects, as well as a print resolution of up to 1200dpi. The machine also features a maximum print area of: 2500 x 1300 mm (98.4 x 51.2”).

‘The 2.5D printing was previously difficult and time-consuming for operators to achieve, so we have made it as easy as possible for users to create beautiful embossed images with value through a fully automated process,’ said Benckhuysen. It was developed based on the need for Mimaki to not only innovate, but also to differentiate itself from its competition.

Van den Broek also discussed some trends emerging in Africa:” ‘The African market is picking up with European demands, and has a clear idea of what it needs. The signage, graphics and textiles markets are growing increasingly on a global scale, and Africa is included. The UV market is growing too, and more and more countries in Africa are becoming approachable for Mimaki.’

Benckhuysen added that Mimaki are continuously developing solutions for every market and application, and that it is not just a company based around printing, but engineering knowledge.

Speaking about Mimaki’s relationship with Graphix Supply World, van den Broek said, ‘GSW is our gateway into Africa. We know each other well and it is crucial to have partners who know the market – a market that is not as easy to explore as Europe. There are challenges in terms of language, education and infrastructure, and GSW has helped us overcome all of these barriers,’ said van den Broek.