For trade printer Route 1 Print, automation plays a significant role in maintaining its production capacity across the entire workflow, from intelligently grouping jobs to improve efficiency, through to ensuring printers apply the correct layouts, ink settings, and production modes for each job type. This approach supports greater consistency, accuracy, and throughput across the operation.
One area of large format production that is frequently overlooked is finishing. Tasks such as eyeletting, cutting to size, handling large rolls of media, and welding or sewing seams and hems are inherently time-consuming and physically demanding. No matter how fast printing equipment becomes, overall productivity is limited by the slowest point in the workflow, and more often than not, that point is finishing.
At Route 1 Print, however, finishing is not an overlooked bottleneck. Instead, automating this stage of production is treated as a clear priority. ‘Finishing is one of the biggest challenges in large format production, so introducing more automation allows us to deliver higher quality products faster while expanding the range of solutions we can offer our customers,’ explained Mark Young, Managing Director of Route 1 Print’s parent company Bluetree Group.
Growing demand for large format products, combined with a focus on finishing automation, prompted Route 1 Print to review its existing processes. Some elements of large format finishing had previously been outsourced, and a lack of end-to-end control was a key frustration. As the business explored options to bring more of this work in-house, the team encountered PLASTGrommet’s large format finishing automation solutions at FESPA Global Print Expo.
With brand quality and performance central to this decision, PLASTGrommet’s range was a strong fit for Route 1 Print’s requirements. ‘We require finishing equipment that can keep pace with fast turnaround production while consistently delivering a premium product, with no compromise on quality or reliability,’ said Young.
Route 1 Print’s initial investment included the Evolve Air Welder and two eyelet presses for clear eyelets, followed by the Finishing Station. Reflecting on the impact of the Evolve Air Welder, Young notes that it marked a clear increase in output. ‘The quality of the product it produced was much better than what we’d had in the past. It has enabled us to produce these products at scale and expand our product range. The investment has significantly increased our production capacity, freeing up resources across the business.’
The addition of the eyelet presses delivered both operational and sustainability benefits. Using PLASTGrommet’s proprietary clear eyelets enables banners printed on PP and PE materials to remain within the same waste stream, an increasingly important consideration for Route 1 Print’s customers. From a finishing perspective, the clear, rust-free eyelets also provide a clean, premium appearance, ensuring the final product meets both performance and aesthetic expectations.
Route 1 Print further strengthened its finishing capability with the addition of the Hybrid TexWiz integrated banner finishing platform, bringing automated cutting, eyeletting, banner welding, and fabric sewing together within a single system. ‘Bringing these processes in-house has allowed us to streamline production, maintain higher quality control, and deliver a more consistent, premium product to our customers,’ explained Young.
‘Bringing all production in-house was essential to ensure we could consistently guarantee the quality and turnaround times that our customers expect. The TexWix impressed us with its unmatched finishing performance and speed. It has significantly increased our capacity, allowing us to meet higher demand with ease. The investment has massively freed up capacity, giving us greater flexibility in our production workflow.’
Installation of the eyelet presses, Evolve Air Welder, and the Finishing Station was overseen by PLASTGrommet’s UK distributor, Atech, while the Hybrid TexWiz installation was managed by both PLASTGrommet and Atech, and Route 1 Print was fully operational on the TexWiz within a matter of days. On-site training ensured operators were confident using the equipment from the outset.
‘The large format team has responded extremely positively’, explained Young. ‘The equipment’s simplicity and efficiency have made a tangible difference to their workflow, improving both productivity and day-to-day operations. Our experience with PLASTGrommet has been excellent.’
Support from Atech, PLASTGrommet’s UK distributor for smaller finishing equipment, also played an important role throughout the process. ‘Their support has been invaluable, helping us to overcome challenges, and ensuring we can consistently meet customer demand, even during our busiest periods,’ Young said.
With outdoor banner production previously a bottleneck in Route 1 Print’s large-format finishing workflow, the introduction of the TexWiz has eliminated this constraint and enabled the company to produce banners more efficiently, with the added flexibility of being able to finish both PVC banners and polyester heras fence banners with the same machine. Three operators originally managed the PLASTGrommet finishing equipment, but with the installation of the TexWiz, Young anticipates this will reduce to just one operator, significantly improving efficiency and resource allocation.
Together, these investments have reshaped Route 1 Print’s large-format finishing operation, removing previous constraints and creating a more scalable, resilient workflow. By bringing key finishing processes in-house and increasing automation, the business has improved efficiency, reduced manual intervention, and strengthened its ability to meet growing demand without compromising quality or turnaround times.
Rafa Menéndez, Head of Sales and Marketing at PLASTGrommet, added, ‘From significantly increasing capacity and expanding its product offering to consistently meeting customer demand throughout the year, Route 1 Print demonstrates what can be achieved when investment in large format finishing is prioritised alongside the latest print technology. Finishing can often be an oversight but can be the difference between staying competitive and falling behind. It has been a pleasure working with Route 1 Print alongside our UK distributors ATECH on streamlining its finishing automation for large-format print production, and we very much look forward to continuing the partnership.’
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