Fountain Print gains an Edge with Kongsberg buy

Peters: "Fast throughput means so much more capability"
Peters: "Fast throughput means so much more capability"

Fountain Print has taken on a new Kongsberg X24 Edge cutter to increase its versatility.

Installed at the Bristol-based company’s site in June, the new machine was supplied by CMYUK and was purchased to eradicate the finishing bottlenecks that were building up behind its existing roll-to-roll Summa cutter.

The machine has also given the business, which is part of the Fountain Group, the ability to offer a wider range of products in numerous different sizes and shapes.

“The finishing of Correx, foamboard and Dibond, which has always been a problem, has been transformed. The Kongsberg is a revelation in terms of what is now possible,” said Fountain Print director David Peters.

The company has recently restructured under the Fountain Group umbrella and, as such, is better placed to serve the print requirements of all customers large and small according to Peters.

“We’ve recognised our clients’ desire to achieve more energy efficient and environmentally sensitive print solutions, whilst at the same time driving down unit costs by investing heavily in new high quality, technologically advanced print and finishing machinery that includes the Kongsberg,” he said.

The Fountain Group offers offset, screen, large-format printing, and exhibition stand building services. Its products range from business cards through to window decals, POS, estate agency boards, and bespoke expo stands.

“Many of our existing customers will be aware of our sign-writing services company Signboard, a major supplier to the estate agency market for over 20 successful years that is now futureproofed by our investment in new equipment,” said Peters.

“Less well known is our recent absorption of the exhibition company Display Matrix, now rebranded Fountain Display and retaining the key personnel that have served blue chip companies so well for decades.”

Peters said the business has greatly increased its capacity with the Kongsberg installation.

“Fast throughput means so much more capability, which lends itself to finding new work streams such as producing props and sets for TV and film.”

The X24 Edge features a variety of milling options to match production requirements, plus accurate print-to-cut registration.

Fountain Print opted for the kiss cut, RM knife, and milling router tools and is also looking to purchase a creasing wheel as soon as is warranted.

The company also installed i-Cut software, which Peters said is “very smart and versatile, smoothing out production, making the processing and presentation of jobs much easier”.