A Fleet of Roland DG Printers Drive Success for Smartposts

Roland DG User Stephen Banwell of Smartposts, relies on 4 Roland DG wide format printers, including 3 new Roland DG PRO4 XF-640’s which have drastically boosted production to power his busy signage business.

With over 23 years’ experience in the signage industry, Smartposts of Edwardstown in SA, is known for providing smart and effective signage solutions to a wide variety of clients. Over the past two decades Founder and Managing Director Stephen Banwell has built a strong and committed team of experienced sign manufacturers, installers and management staff to accompany his cutting edge technology which has enabled him to assist all his clients in achieving the best possible results for their signage needs.

“With an extensive understanding of urban development in Adelaide and Interstate and our knowledge of interior design aesthetics, Smartposts provides both practical onsite expertise coupled with creative concepts from our team of in-house designers,” said Stephen.

Smartposts first foray into Roland DG equipment was with a Roland DG plotter, and since have had 3 other Roland DG plotters, 7 Roland DG printers and currently operates 4 Roland DG wide format printers plus a CAMM-1 cutter. Based on this history of reliability and solid performance with Roland DG, Smartposts purchased 3 of the new PRO4 XF-640’s in late 2013 in order to bolster productivity and efficiency for the growing signage business.

“I did extensive research prior to purchasing the XF-640’s,” said Stephen commenting on the purchase decision. “The main reason I chose the XF-640 was the speed in which it operates and the way in which the ink dries, allowing for the laminating and trimming process to occur almost immediately. This is of great benefit for the fast pace production I require to operate my business.”

"I found these printers to have exceptional drying time, clarity of print and the range of vivid colours that can be achieved is fantastic."

The new PRO4 XF-640 is the fastest Roland DG wide format printer ever, printing up to 102m²/hr. With State-of-the-art print head technology, ink delivered through 16 channels, high-speed media handling and drying, plus new faster drying, high-density GREENGUARD Gold certified ECO-SOL MAX^® 2 inks, the XF-640 is the ultimate production printer for a busy sign business such as Smartposts.

The 5 year warranty that comes standard with the XF-640 was a major factor in the purchase decision for Stephen. Covering all parts, including heads, this warranty offers peace of mind and the reliable service and support from Roland DG in the past gave Stephen confidence in his decision. “Reliability, warranty and service is why Roland DG really stands out above the others,” said Stephen.

“The XF printers have performed very well and I have been extremely pleased with the performance,” Stephen continued. “I found these printers to have exceptional drying time, clarity of print and the range of vivid colours that can be achieved is fantastic.”

“We utilise these machines to their full capacity, running around 8 to 12 hours a day, and using a wide array of media types. We run a lot of real estate signage, banners and SAV for billboards all over Adelaide, wallpaper graphics, car graphics, window signage or whatever our clients need. The Roland DG printers allow us to carry out hassle free printing each and every day.”

With such high productivity and large volumes at Smartposts, ink cost and quality is a crucial factor to success. With a long history with Roland DG inks, Stephen is extremely happy with their ongoing performance over the years and is also impressed with developments of the new ECO-SOL MAX^® 2 ink. “The quality of the inks is excellent,” said Stephen. “Their durability and compatibility with different media types is exceptional, and I can’t falter the cost or drying time. There is no comparison when it comes to these inks, they are exceptional.”

Based on past experience with Roland DG, Smartposts will continue to deliver quality products and fast turnarounds for their clients for years to come. “My overall experience with Roland DG has been very professional, and I would definitely recommend Roland as a company and highly recommend the Roland DG products to any sign or print business,” says Stephen.