METROPOLE ADOPTS LARGE FORMAT VUTEK Q5R PRESS FROM EFI

Metropole offers a huge range of products to as many markets. Included in this is urban scenography, retail and volume, large formats, art and culture, cinema, stands and trade shows, the workplace, luxury and events. With its 3,000m2 workshop in Gennevilliers, Greater Paris, France, Metropole offers not only proximity, but also responsiveness for manufacturing up to the last minute. All of this, while achieving a reduced environmental footprint.

It is quite a differentiator in the market to be able to offer five metres in this technology

The company invested heavily in 2023 in order to offer speedy responsiveness and very high quality of production to its customers. At the same time, Metropole amplified its corporate social responsibility (CSR) approach. This resulted in the arrival of an EFI VUTEk Q5r large-format printer with a width of five metres (700m2/h, nine UV inks, white + varnish). 

“A significant investment for a small to medium sized enterprise (SME) like ours,” notes Nicolas Faure, Deputy Managing Director. “Firstly, it allows us to renew our machinery, but also to increase the technology that we can offer our customers.” He continues, “Their needs actually change every year and today one has to be able to offer relevant technical proposals that are well suited to their ambition.”

Blumenfeld explains that customers no longer have deadlines and they expect impeccable quality and geographical proximity. This means that they can easily come and check aspects such as rendering and colours. This makes Metropole’s positioning in the heart of Greater Paris – five kms from the main places where the devices are installed – very important to the business. 

“This is a key point for Metropole, reinforced by the performance of our production tools and especially the new EFI VUTEk Q5r,” Blumenfeld says. “It is indeed a very versatile printer, which allowed us to discover and test new printing modes including selective backlights made directly with a print profile.” He goes on to say, “We really pushed it to its limits, especially for selective backlighting – the timing is perfect, the result exceptional and the added value obvious. We can thus be a source of proposals to our customers on traditional media, such as tarpaulins.”

Blumenfeld also notes that with the different printing modes, such as selective varnish, backlighting and white, the VUTEk Q5r large-format printer will potentially open up new markets for the business. “This is why we have chosen to integrate all the options directly on the machine so as not to close any doors to our customers’ requests,” he says. “It meets our expectations extremely well.” Blumenfeld concludes, “We are very satisfied with it and it has found its place perfectly in the workshop.”

In addition to its speed and the very high quality delivered, Nicolas Faure, Deputy Managing Director, insists on the undeniable CSR advantages offered by the EFI VUTEk Q5r press. He states, ”For me, it is the most environmentally friendly printer on the market, with a very low overall consumption. In particular, the primer, which is much shorter compared to other machines, the LED curing, ink consumption, electricity consumption and more.” He continues, “It also allows us to respond calmly and in a more relevant way to the CSR constraints of our customers. Criteria that are becoming more and more important, well beyond calls for tenders and on which it is necessary to be able to respond seriously.”  Metropole is already labelled Imprim’Vert and Ecovadis Bronze but has the ambition to do even better.

Metropole is equipped with several types of machines that also allow it to offer sublimation in addition to digital printing. Blumenfeld explains, ”Currently, we have three machines from EFI. In addition to the EFI VUTEk Q5r press, the workshop also has an EFI FabriVU 520 (five metres wide for sublimation).” He goes on to say, ”It is quite a differentiator in the market to be able to offer five metres in this technology, which is also not lacking in ecological arguments.” 

A resolution of 2,400dpi, four-level greyscale printing and drop sizes from 4-8pL ensure exceptional quality. The productivity of this industrial printer is also up to date with a range from 157m2/h in point of sale (POS) quality, to a maximum speed of 446m2/h. 

Finally, the EFI VUTEk LX3 Pro LED 3.20m-wide flatbed printer (eight colours plus white) is very versatile, optimised for POS productivity and compatible with media up to 5.08cm thick. Cool LED curing technology expands the range of supported media, reducing energy consumption, making it environmentally friendly. 

Blumenfeld adds, ”This printer was chosen for its versatility, flexibility and the possibilities offered by white. Again, it opens the door to many of the highly creative and value-added applications that our customers expect.”

Metropole thus claims a complete fleet, which has very good technical capabilities. The company also responds well to its production volumes, as well as to the needs of its customers today and in the future. 

THE CHALLENGE 

“Our customers no longer have deadlines and they need impeccable quality, total responsiveness and CSR guarantees”

(Gary Blumenfeld, President, Metropole)

THE SOLUTION

“We have invested in exceptional ecological equipment to meet the environmental concerns of our customers”

(Gary Blumenfeld, President, Metropole)

THE RESULT 

“We are prepared for the next 5–7 years for a market that is constantly renewing” 

(Nicolas Faure, Managing Director, Metropole) 

The VUTEk Q5r wide-format printer will potentially open up new markets for the business

Metropole offers one of the most efficient machines in the heart of Greater Paris. It comprises a reinforced clothing centre, in-house installation services provided by 15 versatile technicians. It has also recently integrated a high-spec design office. All of this guarantees SME customer base unique positioning. Metropole has been a reference company in large-format printing for many years.

Founded – 2000 

Two partners – the Zanet and Blumenfeld families

Employees – 60 

Revenue – around €30 million (planned for 2024)

Production – 300,000 m² of tarpaulins, adhesives and rigid media printed annually