The Valley Group invests in two Kudus

Valley saw two Kudus installed in November 2023 at the firm’s head office in Bingley, West Yorkshire. With floorspace at a premium the two machines use the same area as the previous large inkjet flatbed press they replaced, adding extra flexibility and efficiency to Valley's production.

"I am a nervous buyer, yet I can honestly say this is the first time that an investment has exceeded my expectations," said Jonathan Haggas, Valley's Managing Director. "From their easy install to their intuitive use and exceptional print quality, our Kudus are having a huge impact - we are really, really pleased!"

With over 130 years of working with the biggest global brands, Valley supports customers in achieving outstanding retail success at the point of purchase. Its innovative FSDUs play an essential role in delivering high-impact in-store promotions, and the Valley team is always focused on ensuring the best quality and sustainability from its print.

A thorough market review

The business decided to invest in new equipment to continue its leadership position and carried out a thorough review of the printer market. As part of this process, Valley contacted swissQprint to evaluate the qualities of the Kudu. Initially the team spent a day at the FESPA exhibition, and this was soon followed by a visit to swissQprint's UK HQ in Bracknell, where a wide range of Valley's materials were tested.

The Kudu's clever Tip Switch vacuum expertly dealt with the corrugated substrates that Valley provided and its outstanding print quality across every substrate could be seen at first-hand. Enabling striking, high-quality print as standard, Valley also saw how the Kudu's creative print effects, including sharp 2pt text, 3D effects, haptic (tactile) printing, white and spot varnish, could usher in exciting new possibilities for its retail clients.

Double the impact

"From the outset we have been incredibly excited about the potential impact the Kudu could have for our retail clients and our day at Bracknell just clarified this," said Jonathan. "With its amazing Swiss built quality we saw how it could efficiently and effectively print across all our materials. Our purchase decision became obvious, so much so that we decided to invest in two machines!"

With their roll to roll and dual roll capabilities, 304 m² per hour maximum output, and combination of six colours, white and varnish, Valley has been incredibly pleased with the results the Kudus have already delivered.

Efficiency and sustainability

Since installing the two Kudus, Valley is also benefiting from their efficient running costs and small ecological footprint. Using only 2.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity per machine, equal to an average kettle, energy use is minimised and provides significant savings of over £100 per day when compared to the one printer the Kudus have replaced. The flexibility, sustainability and efficiency that these printers are providing clearly demonstrates their capabilities for the most exacting retail environments.

Ian Maxfield, Regional Sales Manager at swissQprint, is delighted that the machines are delivering across the board for Valley: "From the start it has been clear that the Kudus could help Valley provide the innovative, high-quality print that its retail solutions are known for."