Since 2021, Party Décor have undergone a period of rapid expansion which culminated in over £400,000 of print and finishing equipment. They have just upgraded their digital cutting capabilities with a new PFi Blade B2+ cutting table supplied by Duplo strategic partner Afterprint.
“We have an established online presence for party decorations but have been expanding into more traditional print markets over the last 12-18 months.” Said Jan Jaskowiec, owner of Party Décor. “Due to the expansion we needed to upgrade to the large B2+ size to speed up production. The larger format table allows us to print on a larger sheet and therefore gang more work into each pass. Also, with the addition of the Oscillating Blade we have been experimenting with new products such as puzzles and other products that are both thicker and harder which is a stand out feature of the machine. It really adds value to the machine and has increased the products we can produce.”
“We chose the PFI Blade B2+ on the advice of Chris O’Brien from AfterPrint. We approached Chris with some specific requirements and additions to what our existing flat bed cutter offered. The B2+ was the obvious choice once Chris explained to us the software advantages, increased speeds and the addition of the oscillating blade to cut thicker materials. Furthermore, Chris and his team at AfterPrint wanted to ensure they offered a piece of kit that they themselves can support, with the backup and training provided by Duplo the B2+ was the only machine that fit this criteria. In terms of are hopes for the machine, we just wanted something that could expand on what our existing cutter could offer. The larger format was a main contributory factor to this upgrade but the added benefit of being able to now create bespoke puzzles is a real game changed for us.”
The PFi Blade B2+ digital cutting table is a compact and affordable cutting solution that doesn’t need dies to produce intricate and accurately cut products. Through the PFi Connect software, job preparation and set up is easy and fast. The Blade B2+ now has an optional roll to sheet module that was launched in September. Both B3 and B3 cutting tables can now take rolls of up to 620mm in width (B2+) and 300mm in diameter. The optional feeder also allows users to feed and cut oversized materials, creating longer finished applications such as banners and signage products.
The roller feeding system adds additional value to the PFI Cutting table to roll materials such as vinyl to make labels, clothing transfer products etc, to increase the versatility of the machines.
“Since the purchase we have seen a significant upturn in production. Furthermore, the PFI Blade B2+ has allowed us to tap into new niche markets for bespoke puzzles. We had looked into creating bespoke puzzles for a few years but using a traditional die type machine for the small on-demand market in which we operate just wasn’t feasible. Other notable differences is the ease of the software to use, previously, we had a dedicated operator as the software caused confusion, now literally any of my team can jump on the machine with minimal training.”
“The team at Afterprint did a stellar job getting the machine to me on time and up and running within hours of the delivery. We use AfterPrint Ltd for all our service support and can say they really are exceptional at what they do. Nothing is too much trouble and they will always go out of their way to help, Just recently they sorted a small issue on another piece of equipment using Facetime, sounds daft but this simple ability allowed us to a fire the machine back up and meet a strict deadline for our client. I really cannot recommend them enough when it comes to machinery expertise, advise and technical support.”
