Guardian Display has invested in Epson Surecolor and Vanguard UV large-format printers from SEDO to bring all its printing requirements in-house.
Guardian Exhibition and Display are specialists in delivering engaging exhibition stands, displays and event branding. Over many years, the company has built a solid reputation for high-quality work and reliable service in the exhibition industry. Following recent investments in large-format printing equipment, Guardian is now looking to expand into the broader sign and graphics market.
Managing director Anthony Booty explains, “We are a stand design and build company, and wide-format print is an important part of the service we provide to our clients. Before these investments, the printing work we needed was being outsourced, which impacted our financial competitiveness. In 2023, we felt the time was right to bring printing in-house, and it has worked really well for us.”
Anthony met with Andy McGuinness of SEDO Large Format Solutions, who demonstrated what could be achieved with an Epson SureColor S80600 printer and a Kala APP3000 mounting machine. “Guardian was outsourcing a lot of print, which was being mounted onto Foamex and Dibond,” says Andy. “We were able to show him that this could be easily replicated with the Epson and Kala machines, he just needed the expertise to be able to use them.”
Anthony picks up the story. “We were very fortunate that I was interviewing someone with some CNC routing experience to be a stand builder. I asked if he had used large format printers before and while he said he hadn’t, he was very confident he could learn. I loved that attitude, and he got the job. Since then, Adrian has set up and been running our printroom, and he’s done an excellent job. Bringing all that work in-house has given us huge savings and also made us more responsive and flexible when dealing with clients.”
UV Investment
Guardian has evolved over the years from a portable stand company selling pop-ups and roller banners to a full-service exhibition stand builder. “It’s been an incredible journey,” says Anthony. “We are a key partner of Aluvision, who manufacture really high quality modular display solutions, which are ideal for a huge range of exhibition and event systems. It’s a fantastic product that allows us to create high-impact stands that can integrate all kinds of additional solutions, such as digital screens and large-scale printed graphics. Customers love it, but they also demand seamless graphics, which requires a seriously wide printer.”
He continues, “Our strategy is to deliver a complete one-stop-shop service for customers where we can deliver every aspect of their exhibition stand requirements. We aim to keep every element of the job within our workshop, which means no more outsourcing. To do that we needed to invest in another new printer.”
It was time to talk to Andy again, and this time, it was about an even bigger investment. “We have decided to install a Vanguard UV VKR3200 3.2m roll-to-roll printer. This machine can print directly to polyester fabric and then go directly to the finishing area to be stitched and prepared for installation.”
The company is currently in its busy exhibition season, so the Vanguard is scheduled for installation in July. This is a quieter period for the exhibition market, allowing Anthony to explore how his investments can help the company enter new markets.
“Clearly there is a lot more printing work we can be doing for clients. Between them, the Epson and the Vanguard can produce almost all kinds of displays, which means we can look at lots of other markets, such as commercial offices, retail and more. We will need to build our presence in these markets, but we will do that in the same way we have grown our exhibition business – by delivering creativity, quality, versatility and reliability,” says Anthony.
He adds, “I am incredibly happy with the relationship we have built with the team at SEDO. Their advice and guidance have been excellent, and they are always there to help with any issues or questions we have. Andy gives us advice based on what he thinks is best for our business and the way we work. There is a lot of trust between us, and this is very important with investments of this scale.”
Guardian’s Vanguard UV printer will be the first to be installed in the UK, and Anthony can’t wait. “We have huge plans for this machine and our print services overall. It is incredibly exciting times for our company as we are set to take complete control of what we can deliver to customers, as well move into new markets.”
See SEDO and Guardian Display Eye on Display industry directory listings here.
