Flatbed Technology Scores Big for Ministicks.com/Illostrative Gallerie
Ministicks.com and Illostrative Gallerie | Amherst, NY
Robbie Illos-Gerth runs two successful businesses in Buffalo, New York. Ministicks.com sells miniature custom printed hockey sticks, baseball bats and sports memorabilia, and Illostrative Gallerie designs and produces logos and marketing collateral for businesses and ad agencies.
An experienced graphic designer, Robbie launched her digital production with a Roland VersaCAMM 30-inch wide-format printer/cutter. She later added a second VersaCAMM, the VS-540i, with metallic and clear inks.
Until recently, Robbie had been outsourcing direct printing, but the expense, quality control and time sensitivity led her to consider adding a flatbed printer. She knew she needed high volume production at high quality, and the ability to print durable images directly on non-traditional materials.
Both Illostrative Gallerie and Ministicks.com operate out of Robbie’s new 7,000-square-foot facility. Robbie now offers banners, signs, vehicle graphics, display advertising, garment transfers, cut letters for sport jerseys, helmet decals and trade show graphics. They also offer direct printing on baseballs, golf balls, glasses, mugs, doors, tabletops, and benches.
“If it’s under 6 inches thick and has a semi-flat surface, we’ll print it direct on the LEJ-640FT,” she said. Robbie uses LEJ-FT to print on Coroplast and foam core, as well as on cardstock, styrene, painting canvas, sheet metal, wood, rubber and glass.
Ministicks.com routinely prints orders for 1,000 hockey pucks or 500 puck key chains on the LEJ-FT. “It doesn’t matter what we run through our flatbed, the images are clear and the registration is spot-on,” said Robbie.
“The output off the Roland printers is our best advertising.”
An experienced graphic designer, Robbie launched her digital production with a Roland VersaCAMM 30-inch wide-format printer/cutter. She later added a second VersaCAMM, the VS-540i, with metallic and clear inks.
Until recently, Robbie had been outsourcing direct printing, but the expense, quality control and time sensitivity led her to consider adding a flatbed printer. She knew she needed high volume production at high quality, and the ability to print durable images directly on non-traditional materials.
“If it’s under 6 inches thick and has a semi-flat surface, we’ll print it direct on the LEJ-640FT,”
Robbie spent months researching UV flatbed printers. “The wait was over when Roland announced the LEJ-640FT. The bed size of 64” x 98” and ability to print on items up to six inches thick, leave it in a category all its own,” she said. “Honestly, there was no other option that could compare.”
Both Illostrative Gallerie and Ministicks.com operate out of Robbie’s new 7,000-square-foot facility. Robbie now offers banners, signs, vehicle graphics, display advertising, garment transfers, cut letters for sport jerseys, helmet decals and trade show graphics. They also offer direct printing on baseballs, golf balls, glasses, mugs, doors, tabletops, and benches.
“If it’s under 6 inches thick and has a semi-flat surface, we’ll print it direct on the LEJ-640FT,” she said. Robbie uses LEJ-FT to print on Coroplast and foam core, as well as on cardstock, styrene, painting canvas, sheet metal, wood, rubber and glass.
Ministicks.com routinely prints orders for 1,000 hockey pucks or 500 puck key chains on the LEJ-FT. “It doesn’t matter what we run through our flatbed, the images are clear and the registration is spot-on,” said Robbie.
“The output off the Roland printers is our best advertising.”