Oxfordshire printer Mayfield Press replaces its Nyala with a new swissQprint Kudu flatbed to cut ink usage and expand its wide-format sign production
Oxford-based commercial printer Mayfield Press has completed the installation of a new swissQprint Kudu flatbed press at its production facility. The investment marks a direct technology upgrade for the business, which has operated swissQprint machinery since 2018. The new flagship large-format asset replaces an older swissQprint Nyala 3 model, which the company had previously upgraded in 2021 with a dedicated varnish channel to capture high-value wayfinding and signage contracts.
Mayfield Press specialises in premium, short-run printing applications, including point-of-sale graphics, retail signage, bespoke gifting items, packaging prototypes, and interior office refurbishments. The company operates as one of four specialised production facilities under the Print Evolved corporate umbrella, alongside sister sites in central London, Kent, and Surrey. Under this group structure, each facility is developed as a dedicated centre of excellence, with the Oxford site chosen to anchor the group’s lithographic and wide-format printing services. The installation follows a period of rapid commercial expansion for the firm’s wide-format division, which recorded a 32 per cent growth rate over the previous financial year.
Delivered and commissioned in March 2026, the new 3.2m by 2m flatbed press features a configured array of four colours plus dedicated white and varnish channels. By employing high-resolution Q1280i print heads, the machine successfully replicates the exact output quality that previously required a complex six-colour print workflow. This refined CMYK setup has significantly lowered overall ink consumption, driving down production overheads whilst improving the ecological footprint of the department. Furthermore, the Kudu supports high-volume manufacturing environments with a maximum output speed of 341 square metres per hour. It achieves this while maintaining low energy requirements, drawing an average electrical consumption of just 2.2 kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to a standard domestic kettle.
Spencer Slee, Managing Director at Mayfield Press, explained that the established reliability of the Swiss manufacturer’s technology and the supportive relationship with its technical team gave the brand a clear advantage during the procurement process. Slee said, “The swissQprint technology has proved to be incredibly reliable. That is critical to our market as we can’t afford any downtime. We wanted a machine that can handle high output as well as high quality print and that’s exactly what the Kudu does. The Kudu adds value to our business and the swissQprint team has helped us understand how to feed the machine and get the best out of it. Their support is enabling us to grow.”
Steve Pridham, Sales Manager at swissQprint, added, “Our technology is the right fit for Mayfield Press, and their upgrade makes perfect sense. The four colour specification has helped them to reduce ink usage, while maintaining the high-quality levels of print that swissQprint’s printers are renowned for. It’s been great to be part of the business’s continuing success.”