Summa F1612 Flatbed digital cutter slots in seamlessly into Rochdale Signs’ workflow to save time and increase productivity
Rochdale Signs has invested in an ex-demo Summa F1612 Flatbed Cutter from SEDO – Large Format Solutions. The machine, which was installed in mid-January 2024, is already delivering on its high expectations.
Chris Molloy, managing director at Rochdale Signs, says, “We identified that a Summa would be the best flatbed cutter to fit into our workflow, and we have been looking to invest for some time. When the opportunity came to speak to SEDO about their ex-demo model, we felt the time and the price was right. This has turned out to be a fantastic decision because the machine is delivering everything we expected, and our productivity has already increased dramatically.”
Summa F1612 Flatbed Cutter in action at Rochdale Signs
Rochdale Signs Ltd is a family-run company founded by Bert Powell around 60 years ago. Chris and his brother, Lewis, who now run the business, are Bert’s grandsons, and their focus is still to provide quality signage locally & regionally to the highest standards. The brothers have developed the business into a thriving modern business with high-quality and innovative e-commerce websites for purchasing a range of safety signage and safety labels. These websites now account for around 90% of the company’s business.
In December 2023, SEDO Ltd installed the Summa F1612 Flatbed Cutter at Rochdale Signs premises. The machine included 2 tangential modules that enable kiss-cutting and through-cutting of stickers without the need to change tools. The system includes Summa GoProduce v2 software and is connected to SignLab, Rochdale’s existing RIP. The router system also enables cutting of rigid materials, such as Foamex, Dibond and acrylic.
Chris adds, “With e-commerce forming the major part of our business, we needed a cutter to slot seamlessly into our workflow to support demand. We operate seven Cadlink SignLab workstations, and these are not run-of-the-mill, standard RIPs. Jobs come in thick and fast, and the Summa has stepped in and immediately saved us an incredible amount of time. This is an investment that will pay for itself very quickly. We couldn’t be happier with it.”
Andy McGuinness, Managing Director of SEDO Ltd, says, “We think the Summa cutters are high quality, great value machines, and our customers agree. The F1612 incorporates the familiar, much-loved kiss-cutting technology of their roll cutters and incorporated them into their flatbed cutter. This means it is designed very specifically for the sign industry, much more so than a CNC router that has had a kiss- or through-cut tool added.”
He continues, “Summa’s in-built software is very easy to use and adds exceptional workflows for speedy production. It also has Automatic Depth Control, which reads the tooling via barcodes and calibrates it to ensure it doesn’t go through the bed. It’s ideal for Latex and Resin Printers as it can work out if the image has skewed under high heat and adjust the cuts accordingly. It can also be used in conjunction with a roll-fed cutter for ultimate productivity and workflow.”
Chris Molloy concludes, “Our business is all about speed, accuracy and delivering quality to our customers. Almost everything happens via our e-commerce systems, so we aim to automate as much of the process as possible. We knew the Summa would be the ideal machine to come into our workflow and simply deliver exactly what we needed straight away. We are very pleased with the machine and also with SEDO, who provided delivery, installation and training to make sure we were up and running as quickly as possible. They are a great company to work with, very responsive and focused on ensuring we get the most productivity and value from the Summa.”
Check out Rochdale Signs’ e-commerce website: https://www.pvcsafetysigns.co.uk and https://www.safety-label.co.uk as well as their main site – http://www.rochdalesigns.co.uk
