It’s the era of digital printing and in the competitive sector of the wide format printing market, it’s not easy to stay on top of the game. That’s why Stamford, Connecticut-based LandmarkPrint recently took a big step when it purchased a Zund G3 Digital Cutter System to complement its full-service, in-house capabilities offerings.
Carmine Iannacchino, one of the principal owners at LandmarkPrint, oversees the Wide Format Department and said he recognized the growing industry trends and decided it was time to invest in this valuable piece of equipment. “We wanted to offer more creative production options to our clients and be the clear vendor of choice on specialty projects. The Zund name always comes up as a leader in digital cutting. Many of my colleagues have gone with a Zund Cutting System and loved it, so I called Global Imaging to see if I could learn more about it.”
Iannacchino said they chose Global because of its highly regarded industry reputation and excellent software and support services. He added that getting the Zund G3 was a logical next step in the completion of an already well-equipped department. LandmarkPrint has an HP Scitex FB700 Flatbed UV Printer with Caldera RIP and 8′ roll capability, Epson 64″ GS 6000 roll printer, Seal 62″ hot and cold laminator. “It shows our customers our commitment to this type of work and depth of capabilities. Our clients have always known us to produce quality work and the Zund takes us to the next level especially in the area of customization. If they can design it, we can produce it,” he said.
Most of LandmarkPrint’s wide format customers are marketing/ad agencies, design firms, and corporate marketing departments who need everything from free standing displays, retractable banner stands and custom- cut branded promotional pieces, to POP displays, wobblers and box comps. With the addition of the Zund G3 Digital Cutter, Iannacchino said his customers now understand the unending design possibilities and are coming up with challenging creative ideas that LandmarkPrint can execute. A simple tour of their 35,000-square-foot facility and a client can see “there’s no one in our market area that’s doing anything like this and we have Global and the Zund to thank for that.”
Prior to buying the Zund, LandmarkPrint was limited to square and round cuts, but the Zund enables them to cut any shape as long as it fits on the 72 inches-by-98 inches table bed. The ability to produce custom cut pieces has allowed LandmarkPrint to give their customers more time to complete large last minute projects and has opened up new markets for them. As an example he cites a major beverage client that needed custom cut pieces of their beverage bottles for a marketing meeting. Additionally, with the Zund cut and score tool they can produce box comp samples prior to production runs and they have even done work for other printers in the area who don’t have the same capabilities.
LandmarkPrint worked with Global Imaging throughout the entire process, from initial ordering and application configuring, to financing and installation. Global even helped with the upgrade of LandmarkPrint’s Caldera Version 10 RIP Software. “We worked with Global and Zund jointly and they answered all of our questions, discussed capabilities and helped with space planning and table configuration that fit our needs.”
Finding the right space for the Zund G3 took some creative thinking. It is installed in the Wide Format Dept. which is located on the second floor of their facility and the delivery path was a challenge. “We literally designed a room around the Zund System,” Iannacchino said. “We cleared out a section of our warehouse by moving some of our storage racks, added the appropriate electrical and built a fully air conditioned room to accommodate our needs. The Zund G3 is now installed in its own room on the other side of the wall, just a few feet from the HP FB700 UV Flatbed Printer, creating an efficient and fast workflow. The printed 4’x8′ boards come out the back of the flatbed printer and are on the Zund table about 10 seconds later.” Since LandmarkPrint brought the custom cutting, scoring, and routing capabilities in-house, turnaround times are immediate, and applications are endless. “This has given our clients a wonderful opportunity to get even more creative with their projects. We have the ability to print direct to board and do custom cut displays which has really set us apart,” Iannacchino said. “It also helped us internally with short run die cutting for our digital and offset presses.”
Backed by staff of 55 employees LandmarkPrint offers a variety of custom print and display projects, custom cutting, assembling and large pack out distributions. “We are a full-service provider of end-to-end solutions,” Iannacchino said. “Our Wide Format Dept. can now do everything from custom cut decals, box comps, POP displays, posters, retractable banner stands to large banner signage, free-standing walls and trade show event displays. With our new Zund G3, we are excited about what avenues we can continue to explore to stay out in front of the competition and build our business.”
