Finding jobs with new UV Printer

[CC-CMYK]

We just bought a large flatbed uv printer. It’s marketed as a uv for printing on objects like phone cases, lunch boxes, pens, etc.

Up until this point we’ve been primarily doing sign and wall graphics.

My question is what’s the best/ quickest/ easiest way to drum up business with our new UV printer?

 

[victor bogdanov]

Do you have anything right now to print/use the new printer for or did you buy the machine without any plan for you'll use it for?

There are a ton of possibilities with a machine like this but you should have sources for blanks etc lined up as well as inquired with current customers to see if there are any new products they might be interested in

 

[Zendavor Signs]

I know you have a new machine and you are anxious to sell wares from it, but it generally is much more difficult to grow your business from that angle. Most customers do not care about what machines you have, they just want to know if you can be a reliable source for print / sign work. Focus on your existing customers, who already use and trust you, to market this new machine to. Try something unique - printing on different types of substrates, etc. Phone cases, etc are kind of a commodity item that will be hard to make much profit from. You should get some return on this machine by simply replacing methods of fabricating signs (vinyl lettering, digital vinyl prints, etc) with direct UV printing. You will save on materials and labor. Work on higher margin work like printing onto brushed metal, back print acrylic pieces, etc. That will fit into your wall graphics work very nicely. The best way to grow your business is to become an expert in design, consultation, and materials / fabrication method recommendations. Learn as much as you can from industry magazines and resources. Get good at graphic design. Provide fair quotes quickly. Provide excellent customer service. Nail these things down and the work will come to you.

 

[CC-CMYK]

I know you have a new machine and you are anxious to sell wares from it, but it generally is much more difficult to grow your business from that angle. Most customers do not care about what machines you have, they just want to know if you can be a reliable source for print / sign work. Focus on your existing customers, who already use and trust you, to market this new machine to. Try something unique - printing on different types of substrates, etc. Phone cases, etc are kind of a commodity item that will be hard to make much profit from. You should get some return on this machine by simply replacing methods of fabricating signs (vinyl lettering, digital vinyl prints, etc) with direct UV printing. You will save on materials and labor. Work on higher margin work like printing onto brushed metal, back print acrylic pieces, etc. That will fit into your wall graphics work very nicely. The best way to grow your business is to become an expert in design, consultation, and materials / fabrication method recommendations. Learn as much as you can from industry magazines and resources. Get good at graphic design. Provide fair quotes quickly. Provide excellent customer service. Nail these things down and the work will come to you.

Good point! It makes a lot of sense!

 

[CC-CMYK]

Do you have anything right now to print/use the new printer for or did you buy the machine without any plan for you'll use it for?

There are a ton of possibilities with a machine like this but you should have sources for blanks etc lined up as well as inquired with current customers to see if there are any new products they might be interested in

We bought this machine to make production faster with some of our jobs we print, laminate, and mount. I’m hoping it simplifies and speeds up some jobs. I just want to expand our offerings to help pay for this thing faster.

 

[DL Signs]

Don't waste your time on stuff like phone cases, or anything they sell everywhere on line for next to nothing. There's thousands and thousands of sellers on Esty, Amazon, and others for custom phone cases, starting at just a few bucks. No profit in it.

Like Zendavor suggested, start with your current customers.

 

[Splash0321]

Something I learned along the way was that if you make smaller items that other smaller printers can do, you’ll be competing with the little guys that can afford the small printers. Just like making small decals with a huge cutter, you are trying to compete with all the stay at home moms with a craft cutter who are ok with making 1$ on something they sell.

Take advantage of the size of the printer and do some research on items that weed out the competition that sells smaller/cheaper items. I think every company should have someone who has entrepreneurial vision and I’d use their brain (if that person isn’t you) to help research and brainstorm ideas.

When you say “large flatbed”, what size are we talking about?

 

[NathanScott]

Replying for the updates.

 

[CC-CMYK]

Something I learned along the way was that if you make smaller items that other smaller printers can do, you’ll be competing with the little guys that can afford the small printers. Just like making small decals with a huge cutter, you are trying to compete with all the stay at home moms with a craft cutter who are ok with making 1$ on something they sell.

Take advantage of the size of the printer and do some research on items that weed out the competition that sells smaller/cheaper items. I think every company should have someone who has entrepreneurial vision and I’d use their brain (if that person isn’t you) to help research and brainstorm ideas.

When you say “large flatbed”, what size are we talking about?

it’s a 5’x8’

 

[Broome Signs]

Probably not the answer you are looking for
Every print shop has now got into large format printing, all struggling to beet the competition & driving he price down, all running 24-7
only one outcome for them, Doom and Bust.

look at the second hand market, its flooded with old UV flatbeds
Only winners are the manufactures, and once they sold to you they will sell a machine to your best customers

We sold both of our Oce GT printers last year, got fed up with paying out for constant maintenance,
remember you will need to clean and run the printer every day to keep it in good working order, if you can't it is cheeper to sub the work out, to the new massive trade printers that pop up everywhere

my advise for what its worth
Sell the printer and invest in a CNC or Laser instead. (printers can't use them, yet...)

good luck

Philip

 

[CC-CMYK]

Probably not the answer you are looking for
Every print shop has now got into large format printing, all struggling to beet the competition & driving he price down, all running 24-7
only one outcome for them, Doom and Bust.

look at the second hand market, its flooded with old UV flatbeds
Only winners are the manufactures, and once they sold to you they will sell a machine to your best customers

We sold both of our Oce GT printers last year, got fed up with paying out for constant maintenance,
remember you will need to clean and run the printer every day to keep it in good working order, if you can't it is cheeper to sub the work out, to the new massive trade printers that pop up everywhere

my advise for what its worth
Sell the printer and invest in a CNC or Laser instead. (printers can't use them, yet...)

good luck

Philip

Aren’t lasers and cncs more common the uv flatbeds? I know a dozen people and shops less then 5 miles from us that cnc or laser/ engrave. I can probably outsource those things easier then uv prints…

That being said I have a cnc and laser.

The one massive trade partner in the area has some of the best machines in the industry and they can produce things cheaper but college kids run them and the owner is sketchy, unreliable, and unresponsive. I’m tired of not getting things on time, scratched, has banding, etc

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Quick and easy is crowded but there will always be plenty of room for quality and hard workers. Best thing to do is get out and start pounding the pavement, you will find the work if you want it.

 

[Broome Signs]

Aren’t lasers and cncs more common the uv flatbeds? I know a dozen people and shops less then 5 miles from us that cnc or laser/ engrave. I can probably outsource those things easier then uv prints…

That being said I have a cnc and laser.

The one massive trade partner in the area has some of the best machines in the industry and they can produce things cheaper but college kids run them and the owner is sketchy, unreliable, and unresponsive. I’m tired of not getting things on time, scratched, has banding, etc

hi

in that case don't get boged down with trying to do cheep boards
stand your ground and educate people as to why you only run in hi quality mode with the best pass count

the work will come

 

[victor bogdanov]

I see so many ads for a different direct to wall printer.

I can't even imagine how many things can go wrong trying to print on site directly to a wall.

Printing on vinyl and applying to wall is much faster and cheaper

 

[ikarasu]

Can you imaging printing direct to wall and someone bumps it, or power goes off, or 1 of any other problems....

How do you pick up where you left off? How do you cover the wall and start again? It just doesn't seem worth it.... And all the ones I've see are slow. Plus I'm sure it smells bad... So youd be trapping all the smell in their business unless you open the windows.

Does it work on easy to wash walls?

It's a neat technology and I wouldn't mind playing with it... But I can't see it replacing vinyl film at all.

 

[victor bogdanov]

It is already hard enough to print in a shop with a stationary printer in a controlled environment. Mobile printer in variable environments has too many possible things that can go wrong.

Plus these direct to wall companies advertise this as if there is no competition and you'll be the only one in your area that can print a wall mural onto a wall when in reality you are competing against every sign shop in the area

 

[Hunter74]

Does your UV print white? If so, back lit graphics or second surface window graphics.
Does your CNC have an oscillating blade, drag knife, and a way to register prints? If so, event graphics using honey comb/foam core.
The last flat bed I was involved with their biggest FB products were 24" x 18" coro yard signs for Elections & Real Estate. Print 10 up and cut them on the Colex.
Biggest challenge will be keeping up with finishing.