Transforming a sideline to a business with Roland DG

Ever wanted to turn a sideline into your main, profit-driving day job? The Vinyl Guys did just that, putting their faith in Roland DG print & cut technology to launch their business into high quality, high reliability production that never fails to impress their customers.

The Vinyl Guys started their route to business success with just a PC and a small 60cm plotter cutter to produce graphics for friends as and when required. Anything larger than the size of the plotter, or that required print, had to be outsourced on demand.

Alex Liggett, Owner of The Vinyl Guys, explains: “I started The Vinyl Guys business as a hobby three years ago, to meet the growing needs of friends in the motorsports sector. Initially, I outsourced all my printing whilst doing as much as I could with the plotter and cut vinyl at home.”

The West Midlands-based company opted to purchase the TrueVIS SG-540 print & cut machine in 2016 after falling in love with the latest of Roland DG’s eco-solvent printers at The Print Show earlier in the year. They purchased their first in-house machine from Grafityp, opting for the SG-540 as a fantastic way to save time and increase profits.

Alex says: “The printer has been pivotal in transforming my sideline enterprise into a profitable business. The difference now is unbelievable. I can print samples, test my artwork and turn work around faster, at a higher quality and at a lower cost. As soon as we installed our Roland, our profit margins grew by a significant amount overnight. Customers also noticed the difference in terms of quality, which meant I could be more creative and offer additional print services.”

In addition to increasing the quality of output and consistency of print, the SG Series printer also enabled Alex to expand what he could offer his customers, meeting tight deadlines, offering exciting custom work and even expanding the types of product he can offer beyond the high-quality vinyl and vehicle wraps which the company is known for. After seeing how successful bringing their business in-house can be, The Vinyl Guys also purchased a laminating system, allowing every stage of the vehicle wrap process to be completed in-house to their high standards.

Alex continues: “As my customer-base grew, outsourcing printing proved to be time-consuming, expensive, and I had no control over the quality of the end-product. It became clear that I needed to invest in a printer and bring all the work in-house. I have used [the SG-540] for banners and posters, but as our main areas of business are vehicle graphics and signage, 90% of the time we are printing vinyl of some sort.”

With a new, exciting job always on the horizon, and every successful application posted across The Vinyl Guy’s social media channels for all to see, it’s easy to see how much the addition of an in-house printer has benefited Alex’s business; and will continue to increase profits and impress customers for years to come.

For more information on The Vinyl Guys, please visit:  @TheVinylGuysUK