Lancashire-based print and signage specialist Zell-Em Branding has significantly increased its output speeds and capacity following the installation of a ColorJet Vulcan Hybrid 3202 from Quality Print Services (QPS).
Lancashire print, signage, and workwear business Zell-Em Branding has reported a considerable increase in output speeds since installing a ColorJet Vulcan Hybrid 3202 from Quality Print Services (QPS), enabling the company to take on larger projects and strengthen its large-format offering.
Zell-Em’s heritage spans well over a century, bringing together the expertise of several long-established businesses under a single brand. While the company itself was founded in Blackpool in 1946, its roots stretch back to 1890 through Granthams Signs & Graphics. In 2025, the business unified its four divisions—including Beaver International and MacPrint UK—under the cohesive Zell-Em brand.
Today, Zell-Em continues to invest in the latest print technology to meet changing customer demands. This philosophy led the business to invest in the ColorJet Vulcan Hybrid 3202, taking delivery of the printer in April 2026.
Steve Cartmell, Operations Manager at Zell-Em, explains that the company was looking to replace a machine that was reaching the end of its operational life. However, rather than replacing it with a similar model, Zell-Em saw an opportunity to increase its capabilities and future-proof the business.
“We didn’t want a like-for-like replacement,” says Cartmell. “We wanted a machine that would allow us to handle greater volumes, improve productivity, create new opportunities and remove the need to outsource jobs that were too large for our old printer. The Vulcan ticked all those boxes. Compared to our previous equipment, the Vulcan offers significantly higher production speeds, a much larger print width and improved print quality across a wide variety of substrates.”
The ColorJet Vulcan Hybrid is a 3.2m UV-LED hybrid printer designed to handle both rigid and roll-to-roll media on a single platform. Configured with Ricoh Gen6 printheads and CMYK plus white ink, the device prints at speeds of up to 91sq m/hr, supports rigid media up to 35mm thick, and produces output at resolutions of up to 2,400dpi.
Despite only being in place for a few months, the printer has already become a key part of the large-format department. Cartmell notes that a recent project consisting of ten mesh banners measuring 10m x 1.85m would have taken about 14 hours to produce on their previous machine. The Vulcan completed the exact same job in around four and a half hours. The additional capacity has even seen one trade customer increase their monthly spend with the business by approximately 80%.
Looking ahead, Zell-Em sees the ColorJet Vulcan as a platform for growth, opening doors to new opportunities in retail graphics, exhibition displays, construction signage, and billboard printing. The platform can also be upgraded with additional printheads in the future, providing the option to increase output speeds by up to 100% if demand requires it.
Cartmell also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the service and support of QPS, from the initial site survey and installation of a new roller shutter door, through to training and ongoing aftercare.
Cartmell concludes: “The support we’ve received from QPS has been second to none. The machine has delivered everything we hoped for in terms of quality, speed and versatility, and it’s reassuring to know that whenever we need advice or assistance, the QPS team is always there to help. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.”
