D-Signs gets off to a 'very positive start' with the support of Litho Supplies

Dan East established D-Signs in October 2012, after 17 years in the sign industry, and has enjoyed a steady and very positive start.  The first major decision he made for his start-up sign-making and graphics production company was to decide which printer would best meet his requirements.

He says, “After comparing the Seiko and Mutoh products, it became clear that the Seiko had the edge on speed but the Mutoh had the edge on quality, making the Mutoh the obvious choice for D-Signs. I already knew the ValueJet inside out having worked with one for six years and am really impressed with its performance, quality and versatility.”

With some family investment, which provided some security in the early stages of the business, D-Signs set up a workshop in the small town of Stowmarket in Suffolk. He adapted the building to provide a working area with a Kala Starter laminator and table and a separate office housing his desk, the Mutoh ValueJet 1614 and a Kona Cutter. The system was provided by Colourgen reseller, Litho Supplies, who Dan had an existing and strong relationship with.

Dan explains, “Both Litho and Colourgen have been very helpful through the selection and installation of the equipment set-up. I have worked with Litho for some time and completely trust their advice and guidance in this area. Once again they haven’t let me down. Colourgen has also been very responsive and professional in terms of getting me up and running and providing answers to any questions.”

He continues, “I have secured some good business in the first months, mainly through family and existing relationships and through word of mouth. The decision to take on the Mutoh is looking better each day as it can cope with anything I throw at it and it has the capacity to handle a lot more as the business grows. I have done some shop fronts, vehicle wraps, general signage and high quality, fast turnaround digital printing for trade customers.  I can offer a fast professional service at a great price because my overheads are relatively low.”

The Mutoh ValueJet 1614 64" (1625mm) is a 4-colour eco-solvent wide format printer that represents great value and all-round capabilities for the sign and display market. It has a top speed of 18m²/hour and the versatility to print on to coated or uncoated media, including soft sign textiles. D-Signs is using the printer with eco-solvent inks that mean it can be used in the normal office environment with no special ventilation. 

Dan concludes, “The Mutoh has been brilliant so far with no problems at all. It also goes hand in hand with the Kona cutter, which is a fast and accurate cutter that adds to the  broad range of applications that I can offer. It is early days, but I have already produced some good work and I am looking to building this over the coming months. I am very happy that I have made a great choice of both printing equipment and solutions providers.”