Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1425980
82 graphics-pro.com S T A R T H E R E 2 0 2 1 T he roll-to-roll printer is a gateway to offering a wide variety of graphics to your clients. Adding such a printer means your shop can engage in offering indoor and outdoor signage of all kinds — including banners, wayfinding signage, billboards, vehicle wraps, floor graphics, canvas/fine art, stickers, POP signage, backlit graphics, and more. "As personalization demands increase and more companies move to just-in-time production, wide-format printers have become a great way to add a new revenue stream," says Michael Maxwell, Mimaki. "The continuing trend of e-commerce solutions and entrepreneurship make printing an attractive addition or startup investment." Today's roll-to-roll printers have years of proven success on the market, and they offer print shops a vast number of options. Picking Your Printer To get the process started of adding a roll- to-roll printer to your shop, you must first commit to a printer. There are numerous manufacturers and distributors who will help you on your way, and the perfect place to see these printers in action is at a trade show. An interac- tive environment to see, touch, hear, and even smell the printer in action is worth its weight in gold. You can get your questions answered, do comparison shopping, and even build relationships that will help you long after the show is over. With in-person trade shows just getting going again this year, some manufacturers are offering demos and small group classes to interact with their machines. And to truly maximize your invest- ment, match up your printer's best features with the applications and end uses you plan to target most. Matt Dixon is the executive editor of GRAPHICS PRO magazine. He can be reached at mdixon@nbm.com. Roll-to-Roll Printing Taking your first steps into the field with endless opportunities By Matt Dixon Roll-to-Roll HOW TO GET STARTED IN Keeping up with current trends and perfecting your ability to create industry staples such as banners and wraps should keep your roll-to-roll printer working steadily. (Image courtesy Mutoh)