Advice on moving business forward

[Justin]

So I'm on the edge of ordering a new 44" printer, primarily for canvasses. I've held off until now as I'm negotiating larger office space. I'm really in two minds, whilst I'm keen to buy this printer I'm wondering if it's the best use of my money. There are a couple of local companies currently printing canvasses, I'm pretty sure I can find my own space in the (somewhat limited) market here but wonder if my efforts would be better served on something else.

I'm starting to print larger wall art using Chromaluxe panels etc. and canvasses seemed to be a natural add on. I want to stand apart from competitors as no-on in my area does the larger sublimation arrangements.

One idea was to buy a larger heat press so that I can press much larger panels, all good and well but I'd also have to move into large format sublimation printing to achieve this.

I guess my question is, what would you invest in to move your business on? I have a great supplier of transfers, stickers etc. and it isn't worthwhile looking at the Versacamm type machines for this reason, otherwise that may have been on the shopping list!

Appreciate any input, if nothing else it should make for an interesting discussion

[pisquee]

I don't know your local market obviously, but if there's already others doing large format banners, canvasses and art prints, then is anyone doing LF sublimation?
If not, is this because there is no demand or market for it?
Is there a market you can create?
Are there others businesses that could utilise the service for LF sublimation - think of printed textiles as well as hard substrates.

[Justin]

A friend runs a print shop and they specialise in banners, car wraps and so on so we work together when we can. They don't do canvasses as they feel the time spent isn't worth it. two other companies doing them but I think I could take a share of the work No-one doing large format and the more I think about it the more I wonder about supplying the service, just looking into what i'd be able to do that i can't do now! Other than save money on inks lol.

Many folk up here build new houses, new houses with big blank walls. They (like most I guess) like the family portraits which is where I hope to work supplying panels layouts etc.

[GoonerGary]

I think doing large scale is a very limited market. How many people want life sized pictures of themselves on the wall? I was planning to move into graphic art prints and thought that I don't even have much space for an A3 sized print on my walls, so it would have to be the centrepiece art in the house at that size; that limits your market also. A4 prints etc can go anywhere so there are more selling opportunities.

[pisquee]

Are there any artists or designers on the island who already sell their work online who you could work with on expanding their range?
Any crafty types who would like custom printed fabrics to work with?

[Justin]

Are there any artists or designers on the island who already sell their work online who you could work with on expanding their range?
Any crafty types who would like custom printed fabrics to work with?

Yes, this is where I hope to score, many local photographers/crafters etc. They offer photos, a couple offer canvasses but that's pretty much it.

[ArtyGamer]

I used to get a lot of my designs printed to canvas by a company called PhotoArtistry which was run by a woman called Anne Herbert. The quality was incredible... I'd tried dozens before and none had the quality that her company had. They were more expensive than the others, and most of the work I had framed was around 1m across and up to 2m long but the stretcher bars were redwood and beautifully smooth. I still have six or so around the house, all of which are as tight and vibrant as the day they were delivered. Sadly, PhotoArtistry went under a few years ago and I haven't yet found anyone with decent enough quality for me to get more of my work produced.

So yeah... if you go into large-format canvases and do it WELL, then I imagine you'll end up with a strong client base. At the very least, you'll get those who are no longer able to get the high quality stretching/printing/framing that Anne Herbert once provided.

[GoonerGary]

A company producing incredible quality canvasses went under doesn't bode well! Will this be a £5000 investment? I think I would outsource and charge a mark up if you are aiming at the local market, no risk and once large format makes a profit you can justify the investment.

[Ray@Sublime Prints]

Hi Justin. Be cautious as the price of importing large format photo panels for sublimation printing is very high. No-one in the UK is producing them as far as I can find. The panel sizes are all special order and with crating and delivery triple the panel cost.

[pisquee]

Hi Justin. Be cautious as the price of importing large format photo panels for sublimation printing is very high. No-one in the UK is producing them as far as I can find. The panel sizes are all special order and with crating and delivery triple the panel cost.

Not sure on how you're defining large format and the need to import ... We regularly buy batches of the 60x40cm Chromaluxe panels from Xpres here in UK, they have Chromaluxe panels upto 100x70cm - this size is £55 plus £5 delivery (for UK mainland, don't know about Shetland though)