Sketches Int in UK Konica Minolta first

Richard Stuart-Turner Thursday, August 17, 2023

Sketches Int has become the first UK company to install the Konica Minolta AccurioShine 3600 inkjet spot UV coater with iFoil One in-line hot foil stamping module.

Supplied by Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK), the device went in at the Ruislip-based print and design agency in July.

The business said it would use the kit to produce high-impact and premium-quality products for its customers, while saving 30% on costs by completing embellishments in-house.

Sketches Int director Nizar Alolabi said: “We are proud to be the first UK print business to be using the AccurioShine 3600 which undoubtedly gives us an advantage over our competitors.

“We have been very pleased with the whole process, from the initial consultation to the easy and straightforward installation and continued ongoing support from the Konica Minolta team.”

Originally based in the UAE, Sketches Int established its UK operations in 2019 to enable it to offer its services to a new European audience.

Konica Minolta business development manager Allan Bates commented: “We were convinced that the AccurioShine 3600 would be the perfect solution for Sketches Int, but we are always careful to make sure we match a potential customer with exactly the right solution for their needs and budget.

“Initially the company supplied us with some test artwork files so we could produce demonstration pieces which were then sent to Nizar and the team to assess.

“Following that, Nizar visited our showroom in Sutton-in-Ashfield for the first of several hands-on demonstrations of the AccurioShine 3600, to test various substrates and B3 media, which included labels that are kiss cut out once printed and embellished on Intec B3 plotters, along with artwork setup and operators training.”

The AccurioShine 3600 is a fully digital and compact sized inkjet spot UV coater that enables varnishing to be completed in-house, from prototyping to full production, without the need for screens, plates, or dies.

The machine is the first Konica Minolta-branded MGI product, built on the success of the MGI Jetvarnish 3D One.

The device can be used for adding 2D and 3D multiple coating and dimensional texture effects in a single pass, with a maximum supported paper size of B3+.

Combined with its support for variable data printing with the iFoilOne, high-impact finishing effects including personalised embossed foil for tickets, packages and labels, invitations, and one-to-one marketing can be achieved.

Alolabi added: “Our customers are also happy with our increased options for 3D UV and foil products, along with now being able to offer greater flexibility to their needs.

“On top of this, being able to offer these options from our in-house production line enables us to save 30% on the costs compared to our competitors, which makes us even more competitive than before.”

Sketches Int is now looking to further expand its business, both in terms of its own team and resources, and to target new markets.

“We are now in an even better position to service customers from across the UK and Europe and are also looking to expand into the North American market as well,” said Alolabi.

“This is an important investment for our business, we can now easily do short-run jobs and be more flexible than our competitors, which is essential in a demanding and evolving market.”