Scottish commercial printing company McAllister Litho Glasgow (MLG) has installed a new swissQprint Nyala 5 flatbed printer to meet rising demand for wide-format printing and support its expansion into new markets.
Based in Glasgow, MLG has traditionally focused on sheetfed litho printing. However, increasing customer demand for wide-format applications has driven the company to invest more than £1 million in expanding its wide-format production capabilities over the past two years.
The installation of the Nyala 5 follows a significant increase in workload over the past five to six months, with the company seeking to strengthen production capacity and improve operational efficiency. The family-owned business operates from a 40,000 sq ft facility, employs 45 people and reports an annual turnover of £6 million.
The newly installed Nyala 5 is configured with CMYK, white and varnish inks, along with roll-to-roll printing capabilities. The machine will support a wide range of applications, including point-of-sale (POS) materials, signage, display stands, window graphics and floor vinyls. Its customer base ranges from local businesses to major blue-chip organisations.
According to Brian McAllister, Director at MLG, the company significantly increased its investment in wide-format printing two years ago in response to growing customer requirements. However, continued demand eventually exceeded the capacity of its existing equipment.
While evaluating its next investment, MLG considered three to four manufacturers. The Nyala 5 was selected for its combination of print quality, production speed and potential savings in operating costs and consumables.
Wide-format printing now accounts for approximately 20% of MLG’s overall business. The company is also benefiting from opportunities to serve customers across its litho and wide-format operations, as clients increasingly prefer a single supplier for litho, digital printing, wide-format production and finishing services.
The Nyala 5 is enabling MLG to process a broader range of substrates, including 5 mm foam flooring used in retail advertising campaigns. Its white ink capabilities support specialist applications such as window graphics, while the varnish option allows the company to produce enhanced surface finishes, including drop-gloss and haptic effects.
Commenting on the installation, Brian McAllister said that the company had been impressed by the machine’s build quality, output and speed. He also highlighted the improved white ink performance compared with its previous production capabilities, adding that the machine provides confidence in the company’s future growth plans.
The swissQprint Nyala 5 features a 3.2 × 2 m flatbed and offers a maximum production speed of 253 sq m per hour. Its modular architecture supports up to ten individually configurable colour channels, allowing users to adapt the machine to changing production requirements.
Ian Maxfield, Regional Sales Manager at swissQprint, said the company was pleased to support MLG’s strategy to expand its wide-format printing business, noting that the Nyala 5 is well suited to the printer’s growth ambitions.
The installation marks another step in MLG’s investment programme, strengthening its wide-format production capacity and enabling it to offer a broader range of printing solutions to its growing customer base.