ImagesMagUK_October_2021

www.images-magazine.com OCTOBER 2021 images 57 IS HEAT TRANSFERS & VINYLS | BRAND PROFILE We are not box shifters: we want to talk to people and solve their problems Partnering with B-Flex marks a new approach for Papergraphics, which had hitherto worked with only its own brands, such as Digimura premium digital wallcoverings, rather than selling other companies’ consumable products. The idea and approach for the partnership originally came from B-Flex in Italy: sales director Andrea Santana previously worked for Flexa, which distributes its large- format cutters and laminators in the UK through Papergraphics, so he was well aware of the level of service the company provides. A dynamic business Under the new distribution agreement, Papergraphics will supply B-Flex’s HTV range in widths of 500mm, 750mm and 1,000mm, and by linear metre or full- length rolls – typically 25 metres. With thicknesses ranging from 55 micron upwards, the vinyls can be applied to most fabrics in as little as four seconds at 140°C. The core product range is Gimme5, currently available in 65 colours, which is complemented by special effects vinyls, including glitter, glossy, metallic, holographic, mirror and Fatty – a high-thickness, thermo-transferable polyurethane film made to give graphics a three- dimensional, high-build effect. Alistair mentions that one of B-Flex’s key strengths in other markets has been its ability to respond to demand from garment decorators. For example, for softshell jackets it developed its Windstop HTV, which can be applied at 110°C and has a sublistop barrier to prevent dye migration. “B-Flex as a business is very dynamic. It is always coming out with new things.” He adds that another selling point of B-Flex HTV is that it complies with Reach standards on the use of chemicals and has Oeko-Tex sustainability certification... but without an expensive price tag. “The products sell at an everyday price. We’re not aiming to compete by being the cheapest, and there are other rapid products out there, but not where you have this range of colours with Reach and Oeko-Tex certification and without paying a premium. Maybe now is the time for a shake-up.” Demos and training Papergraphics may be new to the garment decoration sector, but it is a long and well-established player in the wider print industry. The B-Flex product range is showcased alongside Secabo heat presses in the company’s sleek and expansive demonstration and training room in Crawley, West Sussex – built two years ago – which is part of a facility covering 75,000 square feet that includes 50,000 square feet of warehouse space. Behind the scenes, the vinyls are displayed in a specially designed, dust-free area on racking that was custom designed by none other than the company’s CEO John Selby, who remains at the helm of the business he founded in 1983. The vinyls are displayed alongside a Nepata UA1650 converter, which Papergraphics installed to guarantee precision cutting. This installation established the relationship that ultimately led to German equipment manufacturer Nepata Group appointing Papergraphics as a distributor of its Secabo presses. Since John started Papergraphics – originally supplying paper and ink for electrostatic printers – the company has regularly adapted to keep pace with evolving print technology: it made its trail-blazing move into the large-format digital print interiors market in 1999, as well as expanding into dye sublimation, latex and, now, heat transfer vinyls for textiles. It has successfully expanded through multiple acquisitions, including overseas – opening offices in the Netherlands in 2008, moving into the Benelux region, and then into Spain in 2012. Employing nearly 100 people, Papergraphics is planning to use its expertise and infrastructure to rapidly grow the garment decoration side of its business. Alistair says that the company has always been, and remains, the kind of supplier that wants to work with customers and develop their businesses rather than just taking orders. “We have always taken a consultative approach in helping businesses to expand and move into new areas. We are not box shifters: we want to talk to people and solve their problems.” www.paper-graphics.com A T-shirt printed with B-Flex Gimme5 gold HTV Alistair Travis in the 50,000 sq ft warehouse Custom racking designed by CEO John Selby Papergraphics’ Nepata UA1650 converter