Wide format continues to redefine the commercial print landscape — and forward-looking businesses are moving fast to secure the technology that underpins that growth.
In a decisive step to strengthen its production muscle, Lollipop Print has installed a Canon Colorado M5W supplied by CMYUK, significantly enhancing its roll-to-roll output, reliability, and long-term scalability in display and graphic applications.
Headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, Lollipop Print’s journey mirrors the wider transformation of the UK print industry. Established in the late 1980s as a litho operation providing microfilm, document management, and plan printing services to architects and engineers, the business has continually adapted to market shifts. Today, it operates across four sites as a fully-fledged digital print provider serving retail, engineering, defence, medical, and commercial sectors.
Its portfolio spans small and wide format — from brochures and booklets to display boards, roller banners, vinyl graphics, window manifestations, packaging, and point-of-sale solutions. But it is a wide format that has increasingly defined its growth trajectory.
“We’ve always seen wide format as a real growth area,” explains Dan Patience, Head of Print Services, who has been with the company for over 26 years. “Plan printing once formed a large part of our wide-format output, but that demand dropped sharply. Display and graphics moved in the opposite direction — that’s where the opportunities now lie.”
Over time, Lollipop invested in HP Latex systems and later a Canon Arizona flatbed with roll capability. Paired with a digital cutting table from CMYUK, the Arizona transformed rigid production, moving the business from manual mounting and cutting into streamlined direct-to-substrate printing with automated finishing.
However, as volumes increased, the limitations of its roll-fed capacity became evident.
“Our workload is roughly 50/50 between rigid and roll media,” says Dan. “Rigid production was strong, but the roll side simply wasn’t delivering the throughput we needed. Jobs that should have been straightforward were tying up machines for 16 hours. You knew you were fighting the clock.”
That inflection point led the company back to CMYUK — a supplier it already trusted following its cutting table investment. When evaluating dedicated roll-to-roll solutions, the Canon Colorado M5W quickly distinguished itself.
“When we saw the Colorado, it was clear it was in a different league,” says Dan. “The speed, the quality, and particularly the white ink capability — it ticked every box.”
The installation has redefined Lollipop’s production dynamics. One of the most immediate advantages has been Colorado’s ability to run unattended.
“We now leave it printing overnight with confidence,” Dan notes. “Previously, you might arrive in the morning to find only a few metres had printed before a stop. That’s frustrating and costly. With the Colorado, you genuinely reclaim production hours.”
The commercial impact has been equally significant.
“For us, the biggest win is time,” Dan continues. “Jobs that would have occupied the machine for 16 hours are now completed in less than half that. It gives us confidence to accept more work without relying on overtime or stretching the team.”
White ink performance has also opened new creative and operational efficiencies, particularly for layered white and dual-sided window applications.
“The difference is dramatic,” Dan says. “Projects that once required two days can now be completed comfortably within an afternoon.”
Beyond speed and efficiency, Lollipop is leveraging Colorado’s matt and gloss capabilities to elevate its offering. By presenting clients with textured and high-impact samples, the business is positioning itself as a single-source partner for campaigns requiring both premium literature and striking display graphics.
With the Colorado M5W now embedded in its workflow, Lollipop Print has strengthened its platform for diversification — including an expansion into packaging and bespoke mailer production.
The partnership with CMYUK has been central to that evolution.
“Working with CMYUK has been consistently positive,” Dan concludes. “They’ve helped us make the right investment decisions at every stage. The Colorado M5W is a genuine workhorse — and it’s giving us the headroom to grow.”
In an era where productivity defines profitability, Lollipop Print’s investment underscores a clear message: strategic technology adoption is not optional — it is the engine of sustainable progress.
