We have lift-off!
They started out boldly with an Oryx in 2009 – today, Fuchs Werbetechnik is a major market player with four Nyalas.
Fuchs Werbetechnik, Freudenstadt, Germany. Meet a fourth-generation family-run enterprise with first-hand experience of every generation of swissQprint machines, from the début model to the present day. They have been operating four Nyala models in parallel since 2016. Their decision to go into digital direct printing kick-started a fundamental transformation from a firm of painters to a solid, mid-sized advertising technology company.
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Great-grandpa Fuchs was a painter – an artist, actually. Grandpa Fuchs continued the business, but as a commercial painting company. And so did papa Fuchs. “Paint jobs on façades brought follow-on orders for lettering, and purchasing the first plotter in 1995 ushered in the company’s transformation,” says David Fuchs. He has worked in the company since 2004 and is now the fourth generation of the family to fill the CEO’s seat. Meanwhile, Fuchs Werbetechnik has grown into a mid-sized business and employs 90 people at two locations.
Oryx boosts success
David’s sister, Debora, joined in 2007. She is responsible for purchasing, sales and project management. “In 2009, we acquired the first Oryx. It was a clear help in achieving our breakthrough,” she emphasises. David adds: “Actually, we couldn’t afford the machine. It was the first one to be financed from outside.”
In retro-spect, the siblings are happy to have taken this step. “We soon hit capacity limits,” says David, “swissQprint launched the Impala in 2010. It was twice as fast and we bought one.”
The 3.2 metre wide Nyala was launched in 2012, and in 2013 Fuchs also acquired one of those. “swissQprint always came up with exactly what we needed at the time,” he laughs. White printing in particular started a major development back then.
In 2014, Fuchs acquired their first Nyala 2, attracted by its larger flatbed and even higher productivity. Fuchs Werbetechnik currently operates three Nyala 2 printers and one Nyala LED featuring UV-LED curing. The advantage of the LED system is its low energy consumption and rapid availability – the lamps do not require any warm-up time.
The four large format printers are identically configured with six colours: CMYK plus light magenta and light cyan, supplemented by white and effect varnish. “We can handle any job on any machine and achieve the same result in every case,” explains Debora. To guarantee process reliability and reproduction accuracy, Fuchs has profiled every material and uses those profiles throughout their operation.
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Debora Fuchs: “Oryx was a clear help in achieving our breakthrough back then.”
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David Fuchs: “The multifunctionality and variety of materials are unparalleled.”
Wide scope for manoeuvre
All four printers are equipped with a roll to roll option, although there are several latex roll printers in the printing room. “They don’t do white,” Debora explains. So the swissQprint roll option comes into play for white printing, but also in cases of special or heavy-gauge roll material. “The multifunctionality and variety of materials are unparalleled,” says David with enthusiasm. “With the 3.2×2 metre print beds, we can process any standard size of board,” he says. “In today’s crowded market, swissQprint puts us in an excellent position.” By this he means that the printers can accommodate diverse demands, so Fuchs is able to efficiently and economically handle everything from simple posters to the finest and most sophisticated work.
Screen/digital printing combo
Fuchs diversified further in 2012 by integrating a screen printing company. It was joined three years later by another screen printing specialist, o&h Druckvisionen of Schutterwald, which operates under its own name. One of the four Nyala 2 printers is at work there in specific combination with screen printing. Glass printing is the o&h speciality: personalised elements for kitchen installations and residential building work. “We use screen printing to apply primer, varnish, fluorescent and metallic layers, while the Nyala 2 prints the actual design,” David explains.
Shop fitting and POS material
Fuchs Werbetechnik in Freudenstadt focuses on POS and shop fitting services. “Via agencies, we are active across Germany, Austria and Switzerland,” says David. The range of materials processed is huge: plastics, banners, wood, glass, adhesive and reflective films, acrylic, aluminium composite and other sandwich panels, paperboard, cardboard – on occasion even felting and other speciality substrates.
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Fuchs Werbetechnik is heeding market trends towards complexity and sustainability.
New trends
Debora observes two trends in the market. On the one hand, customers are focusing more on environmental protection and sustainability, which translates into demand for PVC-free materials and reusable items such as replaceable, magnetically affixed elements. On the other hand, there are up-and-coming new formats as well as more build-intensive, complex items such as illuminated or backlit displays and others with motorised moving parts – so shapes and materials are becoming more exotic. Besides, effect varnish practically always comes into play.
360° service
Post-print processing in the production hall uses Zünd and Eurolaser cutters. Two of each see to cutting, milling and grooving. An outside partner thermoforms printed plastic sheets into 3D signs. David mentions: “Certain applications must also be able to withstand mechanical stress.” As an example, he cites printed powder-coated parts that are given a protective layer on a Bürkle machine after printing. Fuchs Werbetechnik offers customers a ‘360° service’: planning, logistics and assembly.
David concludes: “In 2016, we considerably increased capacity and are now in a great position.” The company usually processes orders in a single shift, so it matters that every component is reliable. “We are happy to have a dependable partner in swissQprint, and we have maintained friendly relations with them throughout the years.”
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