308,000 m2 sign graphics printed with Mimaki

Hungarian Soft Press Kft prints 24 hours a day, 6 days a week on the Mimaki JV5-160

Budapest based company Soft Press Kft understands the meaning of production. Since the start in 2004 the company has produced a stunning 308,000 square metres of solvent prints with the Mimaki JV3 and JV5. Owner Tibor Horváth: “With 5 people we print 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. Volume is for me the key success factor since usually profit does not start before printing hundreds of square metres.”

Staying flexible

After having gained experience in another print company, Tibor Horváth founded the company Soft Press Kft in 2004. He started with two people operating a Mimaki JV3-160. Sometime after he expanded his personnel and equipment. Early 2007, through Mimaki dealer Nyomdaker, he purchased a Mimaki JV5, which enabled him to print 4 times faster (up to 40 m2/h). This positively influenced his position in the Hungarian print market greatly. Now he employs 5 people, having no intention to grow further in his market, because he wants to stay flexible, a unique selling point of his company. His equipment is constantly printing. Tibor Horváth: “Our dealer Nyomdaker has a challenge scheduling a time to do maintenance, because the machines are always running…” Peter Barna of Nyomdaker says: “Actually this is better than machines that are printing occasionally. Mimaki printers are at their best producing regularly.”

Tough competition

Tibor Horváth about the Hungarian large format market: “My market is banners and vehicle graphics. It does not include the blueback paper billboards that dominate the streets in Hungary. These billboards are printed in large volumes (e.g. 2,000 pieces) and in a short period of time. Therefore these jobs usually go to offset printers and large format digital presses.” In the Hungarian large format solvent market Tibor Horváth estimates he has a market share of approximately 5%. “In my opinion there are too many machines in the market. The only way to compete successfully is with speed and flexibility.”

Future of Soft Press Kft

For the future Tibor Horváth is waiting for the market to smile again. With high interest he is following the developments in UV printing solutions. “UV printers have important benefits, such as the elimination of drying times. This could be a reason for me to invest again. I am also looking into buying equipment for the indoor poster market. However, for now it is better to wait until the market will grow again.”