Fremont, CA (June 20, 2017) — Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (Nasdaq:EFII) announced that Phase 3 Marketing and Communications and its subsidiary, Gigantic Color, have purchased two high-performing, 5-meter EFI VUTEk 5r LED roll-to-roll printers with EFI Fiery proServer Premium 6.4 digital front ends (DFEs). The company will operate the pair of VUTEk superwide-format production systems at its production facilities in Atlanta and Dallas, leveraging the printers’ superb quality and productivity to solidify and strengthen Phase 3/Gigantic Color’s position as a wide-format graphics market leader.
“For us, this is a strategic purchase based on the quality and production speed of the VUTEk. The quality rivals or surpasses any other printer on the market, and it does that at true production speeds, which is amazing,” said Troy McGinnis, Phase 3’s Executive Vice President, Print Production and Marketing Logistics. “The other selling point is the inline finishing option. When you’re dealing with 5-meter material, having the ability to cut on the fly speeds up our finishing three fold. That was huge.
“This purchase solidifies our position as an industry leader and allows us to continue to deliver the best quality and values to our clients,” he added.
Premium-quality imaging, fast throughput, maximum performance
Featuring EFI’s 7-picoliter UltraDrop Technology, the VUTEk 5r printer offers the highest image quality and resolution, as well as the fastest rated throughput speeds (up to 4,896 square feet per hour) for a superwide-format printer in its class, giving Phase 3 and Gigantic Color the ability to maximize performance, efficiency and quality for continued growth.
Phase 3 and Gigantic Color’s printers will have premium-color output capabilities including white ink. And, they will be fully loaded with productivity-enhancing finishing including in-line slitting, trimming and integrated sheet collecting. The printers will be used to drive high-volume productivity for premium signage and graphics work in the retail, restaurant, manufacturing, architectural, interior decor, special events and entertainment industries.
Installing multiple VUTEk 5r printers will allow the companies to leverage the synergies created by numerous production locations. “We are putting two machines in to create redundant capabilities and create a similar customer experience in both locations,” said McGinnis. “We’re able to treat our multiple locations as one, with software that ties them together in the front end, so it’s a much smoother experience for our clients.”
Phase 3/Gigantic Color, a long-standing EFI client with two VUTEk GS5000r roll-to-roll printers and a VUTEk HS100 Pro hybrid roll/flatbed press running in its production facilities, has expanded at an impressive rate for some time. Sales grew to $30 million from $3.5 million over 12 years as the company’s client base extended nationally. McGinnis credits his company’s ability to continue its rapid growth to the support from partners like EFI.
“To achieve that kind of growth we have to constantly rely on our technology and manufacturing partners to support us. It’s exactly why we chose EFI. We consider ourselves to be a very consultative company and we look for that in our partners as well,” said McGinnis. “We’re continuously pushing ahead and developing solutions that raise the bar for our clients’ expectations, and we have to have partners like EFI that can do the same.”
The EFI Fiery proServers installed with the presses provide superior color management as well as efficient processing, RIPing print jobs up to 60% faster than previous proServer versions.
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About Phase 3
Founded in 2001, with offices in Atlanta, Charleston, Charlotte, Dallas and Nashville, Phase 3 Marketing and Communications is a leading provider of marketing services and solutions from IDEATION to EXECUTION to corporations throughout the United States. Phase 3 is a marketing services collective offering six Centers of Excellence: Branding, Marketing, Digital, Public Relations, Print and Marketing Logistics. Headquartered in Atlanta, the firm is recognized annually as a top 20 marketing services firm by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Additional accolades include sixth place on the list of Best Places to Work by the Charlotte Business Journal, as well as the no. 202 printer in North America by the flagship Printing Impressions 400.
About Gigantic Color
Founded in 1988 in Dallas, Texas, Gigantic Color is a regional leader in marketing solutions, providing design, print and installation services. Gigantic Color ranked as no. 163 on the Printing Impressions 400 list, and has become the industry standard for gargantuan ideas delivered and installed through the company’s single source creative solutions. Gigantic Color can provide comprehensive services at every step along the marketing continuum. Its offerings include creative, digital and offset printing, graphic design, marketing strategy, warehousing and distribution, web-to-print procurement and web/interactive services.
About EFI
EFI is a global technology company, based in Silicon Valley, and is leading the worldwide transformation from analog to digital imaging. We are passionate about fueling customer success with products that increase competitiveness and boost productivity. To do that, we develop breakthrough technologies for the manufacturing of signage, packaging, textiles, ceramic tiles, and personalized documents, with a wide range of printers, inks, digital front ends, and a comprehensive business and production workflow suite that transforms and streamlines the entire production process.
