The Agfa machines will be the first print engines sold by Ultraflex under its own name, as the digital print media supplier looks to build further long-term relationships with its customers.

Previously selling engines on “an ad-hoc basis” under the Mayday Graphic Products brand, which it acquired in 2020, the firm has now decided to resell print equipment on a fixed basis, according to Clint Green, Ultraflex’s managing director.

The £3.5m-turnover supplier began stocking Agfa machines in late February 2023, after approaching Agfa at the start of 2023.

He told Printweek: “We wanted to get more serious about it.

“Because we’re looking for ongoing relationships, as our interest really lies in the consumables, we’re genuinely very focused on making sure the customer has long-term support.”

Agfa’s reputation for client support helped Green make the decision to stock its equipment.

“It’s the backup from Agfa that we’re most interested in. It’s a bit cheesy, but we wanted a brand we could trust to look after our customers. We already have quite a few customers with Agfa, so were well aware of their in-field reputation — it’s all about the trust in the customer relationships.”

The company hopes to be “a little more creative” in how it finances the wide-format engines, according to Green, by taking into account its ability to then sell customers the consumables and media they run through the machine.

Ultraflex, which employs 10 across both brands at its 1,700sqm St Neots site, will soon fold the 40-year-old Mayday brand into Ultraflex itself, according to Green.

“We didn’t want to disrupt the Mayday customer base originally, when we were moving the company into our site [in 2020],” he explained, adding that now seemed the right time to bring the pair together under a single name.

Paul Fitch, head of inkjet at Agfa UKI, said Ultraflex’s existing network would help the manufacturer reach a wider audience in the UK.

He said: “Having a reseller with such a broad reach of contacts, especially across the south of England, will allow us to tap into a wider base of customers to talk about the Agfa brand.

“Ultraflex Europe is a very knowledgeable media supplier with a great reputation for quality products and technical expertise. I am looking forward to working with them and developing our business together.”