Metallic Inks Make Big Screen Props "Pop"

Jodie Parnell of One Hour Signs of Sudbury in Ontario, Canada, knows what it takes to get a job done well and quickly. “People see our name and they want their projects done in an hour,” said Parnell. “To do that requires commitment, talent and great equipment.”

One Hour Signs of Sudbury, a member of the One Hour Signs network, is a full service shop located about four hours north of Toronto. Their business has grown steadily over the years, but they have maintained a staff of only four full time employees. “We made the decision to bring in state-of-the-art equipment instead of hiring more people,” said Parnell. “That decision has really worked out well for us. Jobs that used to take us two days we can now run in two hours.”

“There’s no question that having the best equipment gives us a competitive advantage,” said Parnell. “Now I can offer my clients the extra oomph of metallic ink. It adds pop to any project.”

Parnell has worked at One Hour Signs of Sudbury for eight years and owned it for five. In those years, he has acquired a range of Roland equipment. “Several years ago, we tried using printing equipment from another manufacturer. We call that our 8-month lapse in judgment,” said Parnell. “Roland equipment is easy to use and the print quality is unbeatable.”

Along with a Roland SOLJET PRO III XC-540 and a VersaArt RS-640, Parnell’s shop recently acquired the Roland VersaCAMM VS-640 64” digital printer/cutter, which prints white and metallic silver inks. “Being able to print metallic ink is what sold us on this machine,” said Parnell. “With the metallic capability, there isn’t a color we can’t hit.”

One Hour Signs of Sudbury produces vehicle graphics, labels, decals, and banners as well as parking, wayfinding, and compliance signage for local and national clients. They generate a significant portion of their revenues through printing work they run for local graphic designers. “When the designers see the finished product, they know it was printed by us,” said Parnell. “There’s no banding, and the colors are bright and vibrant.”

The VS’s metallic ink technology has allowed One Hour Signs of Sudbury to benefit from Ontario’s recent push to bring more television and movie production work to the area. Parnell’s shop now produces props for scenes in various television and film productions, using metallic ink to generate a variety of gold, silver and bronze tones for labels, decals and signage.

Parnell also values the level of detail they can attain with the VS’s advanced print head technology. “The precision printing is really a plus on intricate or smaller-sized graphics, and the increased speed helps us meet our clients’ deadlines,” said Parnell.

“There’s no question that having the best equipment gives us a competitive advantage,” said Parnell. “Now I can offer my clients the extra oomph of metallic ink. It adds pop to any project.”