Roland Inkjet Revives Shop Only Months After Hurricanes Strike

Glenna Sytsma and her son, Tommy, have owned Impact Designs & Signs in Homestead, Florida for three years and have enjoyed almost every minute of it. Homestead is located near Miami on the southern tip of Florida, and its residents were among the first to feel the crushing impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma – all in the space of two months.

“We came in and had 10 inches of water in the shop,” Glenna said. “Anything that was on the floor, including tools and most of our vinyl, was ruined.”

The hurricanes devastated the local community, and the local economy. With their business at a standstill and costs mounting, Glenna and Tommy made a bold move to upgrade their digital printing technology.

“At the time, we were operating with another brand of printer,” Glenna said. “We did our homework and decided to buy a Roland.”

They purchased the SOLJET PRO III XC-540 54” printer/cutter. “Within three months of purchasing our Roland, we were back to making a profit,” Glenna added.

When considering their digital printing options, Glenna and Tommy closely researched technical support and the cost of media and inks. They had seen a Roland SOLJET at work in a friend’s shop and were already impressed with its contour cutting capability.

“Within three months of purchasing our Roland, we were back to making a profit.”

Today, their shop is humming with three full-time and two part-time workers. “Now, we do everything: banners, bumper stickers, 4’x8’ signs, stickers for envelopes, plant stickers, inventory stickers, even partial wraps on cars and trucks,” Tommy said.

To keep pace with the demands of their customers, the Sytsmas depend on the high quality of Roland certified, profiled media including calendered vinyl, banner, view-through and clear media.

As their business moved into new markets, they relied on Roland’s technical staff to help them maximize the SOLJET’s capabilities. “The service and technical support have been outstanding,” Tommy said. “Roland is constantly upgrading and constantly looking for ways to make their products better. They just did a software upgrade, and the first day that it was available, our tech called me so I could download it. They really appreciate your business.”

“I love my job,” Glenna added. “It’s the only place in the world where you don’t have to do the same thing everyday. The Roland SOLJET gives us the ability to make it all happen.”