Ten years with Roland DG technology

Ultimate Identity

Paul Booth started trading in the print industry in 1996, where he launched Ultimate Identity as a part-time business venture in a small office in Blackburn. After investing in a Roland DG CAMM-1 GX-24 cut machine to manufacture high quality business cards, Paul hasn't looked back and his business has gone from strength to strength over the last decade.

The GX-24 cutter machine is the predecessor to the Roland DG CAMM-1 GS-24 Desktop Cutter and was the ideal entry level machine, equipped to cut a wide range of materials that Ultimate Identity needed to produce bespoke products for their clients. The desktop cutter worked with ultimate precision and efficiency making the production of high quality products easier than Paul had ever imagined. Soon the Blackburn-based company began to specialize in supplying premium products to the niche education sector, and as profit margins grew, in 1998 Ultimate Identity became a full-time profit maker.

As well as an impressive consistent quality output, Paul began to realize the vast product capabilities that could be achieved with ease using the versatile Roland DG machine and thus, began to increase his product range. Ultimate Identity, which now prints name badges, wristbands, first aid books and awards, first expanded its product line to offer its clients a vast range of products fit for the education sector, including: personalized school crested water bottles, hi-vis vests and school book carry bags.

Talking about how he was first introduced to Roland DG, Paul said: "Although I shopped around a lot to find the perfect machine for my business requirements, it was actually a recommendation that led me to Roland DG. I wanted to ensure the equipment I used matched my values of quality and success of my business and as soon as I was introduced to the GX-24 I knew this was the right manufacturer and machine for me – the quality, precision and reliability is next to none."

Having discovered the infinite possibilities of his first Roland DG machine, it wasn't long before Paul invested in his second in the form of the VersaSTUDIO BN-20. A compact tool, the versatile desktop inkjet printer/cutter was an ideal addition to the Ultimate Identity business due to its ability to produce full color cut graphics on a broad spectrum of media. Furthermore, having the print and cut feature streamlined into one machine increased the efficiency of each print run and therefore Paul found it was an extremely cost-effective investment for the business.

"Our Roland DG machine is on the go 85% of the time when the office is open and we have never had a problem; the machine's efficiency and reliability is absolutely second to none and saves us a lot of time and money. Roland DG has been the perfect solution for the bespoke and premium high quality products that we supply and the versatility of the machines has meant we have been able to diversify our product lines to give us that competitive streak." Paul said.

The addition of the BN-20 enabled Ultimate Identity to print vivid bespoke school logos and graphics and in turn, the company was able to enter into the clothing market; supplying schools with personalized school crested uniforms, PE bags, and waterproof school jackets.

Keen to ensure his products maintained the premium finish that his end-users were used to, Paul complimented his BN-20 printer and cutter with Roland DG's award winning ECO-SOL MAX ink. The ink running costs are low for continuous printing, allowing Paul to keep his profit margins high, without compromising on high-quality vibrant prints.

Speaking about the importance of using Roland DG inks, Paul said: "At Ultimate Identity, we use all of Roland DG's genuine ink, and we wouldn't ever risk switching to a third party ink. The quality of the printed images is incomparable, the cartridges are easy to use and they also elongate the lives of our Roland DG Machines".

To ensure the entire team at Ultimate Identity are fully up to speed with the new Roland DG machines and their capabilities, Paul is hoping to enroll his staff onto one of the many training courses available at the Roland DG Academy. The Roland DG Academy is a training structure for individuals and businesses which delivers practical advice, knowledge and training to develop delegate skills and techniques, in order to get the most out of a Roland DG machine.

With 3,000 customers across the UK and further hopes for expansion, Paul is under no ambiguity that this will not be the last of his Roland DG purchases: "We are truly loyal to Roland DG and the repeat custom we get from the quality of products is why. We are expanding locally and nationally and want to ensure that we have the ability to add a new range of products to offer our number of loyal customers."

After discovering the endless product possibilities that Roland DG's versatile machines can provide, Ultimate Identity has flourished during a ten year relationship with the UK market's leading provider of print machines. As Roland DG continue to design its machines with the end user in mind; offering value, reliability and excellence, it looks as though this partnership will continue for many more years to come.