Sandy Alexander Enters Grand-Format Segment with Two Durst Printers

CLIFTON, NJ/ROCHESTER, NY—September 20, 2010—Sandy Alexander Inc., one of the nation’s leading high-end commercial graphic communications companies, has acquired a pair of new-generation Rho UV inkjet production digital printers—the 98-inch-wide Rho 900 for rigid substrates, and the 5-meter-wide Rho 500R for “soft” media. In conjunction with this equipment acquisition, Sandy Alexander has built an addition onto its Clifton, NJ, facility and hired wide-format imaging veteran Brian Madigan as general manager of its new wide/grand-format division: SandyWide. Madigan has a total of 22 years experience in the printing industry, the last 13 working in and managing wide-format imaging operations.

“This expansion into the wide- and grand-format market, which is estimated at $10 billion annually and continues to grow, is a natural progression for our long-term strategic growth,” said Mike Graff, President and CEO of Sandy Alexander. “With our acquisition of the Durst printers and the wide- and grand-format capabilities they bring, as well as the addition of Brian Madigan, we’re positioned to deliver world-class solutions and service to the growing list of enterprises in the market for the show-stopping impact of grand-format images.”

Sandy Alexander, Graff noted, engaged in “a very thorough search process” to find the right person to lead its new division, and to identify the best available printing equipment to meet the high standards of clients for grand-format output in terms of image quality, creativity, turnaround time and price.

He added that “Brian’s experience and expertise in this segment and with Durst equipment, combined with the operating characteristics of our new Rho 900 and Rho 500R printers, ensure our new division will run in the most productive, efficient, cost-effective manner possible, to the benefit of our clients and our business. We were especially pleased with the performance of the Rho printers during our research and testing phases—from file prep, to media handling, to the eye-catching results of their printing process, to the support Durst puts behind its printers.”

Sandy Alexander has developed a reputation for its scientific color expertise and its ability to deliver consistent, accurate color, which is commonly a major concern for customers. “With the advanced color management workflow available with all our printers, including the new Durst printers, we can maintain the highest color consistency and brand equity for our clients across a multitude of deliverables—from the smallest postcard to stadium wraps.”

Graff also pointed out that the environmental credentials of the Durst printers make an excellent complement to his company’s dedication to environmental leadership.

“We consider it a great ‘win,’ as well as a significant endorsement, to have Sandy Alexander as a major Durst customer,” said Christopher Howard, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, for Durst U.S. “More and more, leading professional imaging firms are coming to the conclusion that Durst’s Rho digital printers are the world’s leading production digital imaging platforms. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with Sandy Alexander.”

Durst’s Rho 900 Large-Format UV Inkjet Printer—a versatile 98-inch-wide, 8-color platform—combines automated media handling and additional process colors with high-speed printing to deliver greater productivity and a wider color gamut. Reproduction of difficult colors is possible with the addition of orange and green or orange and violet process colors with no special file preparation required. Top speed is up to 72 4x8 boards per hour (more than 2,300 sq.ft./hr), while POP-quality printing is a productive 34 4x8 boards per hour (nearly 1,100 sq.ft./hr.).

The Rho 500R prints six-color, 600-dpi images on a wide variety of roll media at speeds up to 4,300 s.f./hr. It also is able to print three independent images from three separate job queues at the same time to achieve high efficiency and handle a broader range of applications. The printer operates unattended, uses less ink than comparable superwide platforms, and minimizes operational costs due to its high productivity, advanced workflow and remarkable versatility. An extremely precise rail with linear motor drive system, a proven front-to-back registration system, along with a mesh and textile printing option, combine to make the Rho 500R one of the most effective, economical large-format imagers ever developed, Durst said.

Both printers are equipped with the latest iteration of Durst’s Quadro 30D Array print head technology, which doubles the number of nozzles per color to 2,048—the highest in its class—regulates ink temperature at the nozzle, and incorporates Durst proprietary Point Drop Setting ink regulation to deliver quality images at high speed, the company said.

About Sandy Alexander
Sandy Alexander Inc. is the largest independently owned, high-end commercial graphics communications company in the nation, serving the needs of Fortune 500 companies and many other enterprises from coast to coast. With headquarters and main production facilities in Clifton, N.J., Sandy Alexander also operates facilities in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Staten Island, N.Y. The company, a Partner in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders, Green Power Partnership and Green Power Leadership Club, relies on certified, clean, wind-generated electricity to meet 100% of its electrical needs. www.sandyinc.com.

About Durst
Durst Phototechnik AG is a leading manufacturer of professional digital imaging systems. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Brixen and Lienz, Austria and has major offices in the U.S., France, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Mexico and Singapore. Durst’s reputation for quality, precision, innovation and reliability spans more than 70 years. www.durstus.com.

Source: Company press release.