Zephyr TVC uses Roland SolJet™ SJ-745 direct to textile printers. The first was installed at the end of 2004 and now the company has three systems.

Zephyr has been involved in the business of making flags since 1955, originally starting out making racing pennants and small flags for yachts and boats.  Due to expansion, the company moved from its London premises in 1969 to its current site in Thrapston, Northamptonshire and until the end of the ‘70s was basically making flags by hand.  It was at the end of the ‘70s and the beginning of the ‘80s that screen printing started to appear. While many flag companies felt screen printing was not an acceptable method for flag creation, Zephyr became an innovator and pioneer in this area and grew from a small company into the largest screen printer of flags in the UK.  During this time, it also managed to carve out a niche for itself in the specialised housing market.  

According to Sales Manager Simeon Skey, from the time that digital started to rear its head in the mid ‘90s, the company kept a close eye on it, only investing when it felt that the technology had arrived.  The arrival of the Roland has helped the company evolve – moving it into all areas of PoS and promotions work, for example.  In terms of market sectors, vibrant growth areas for the company are retail – particularly fashion, hair and beauty – housing, the automotive industry, and boating industry.

 “After these,“ says Skey, “the markets we serve are far and wide. The MOD is one of our largest client and we cater right down to the private individual. Really we deal with everybody.”
“Four years ago, the company’s output was roughly 80% screen printed work against 20% digital. Now, it’s 50/50.  Fabric has become very fashionable and we have taken real advantage of this. We’re now a long way from the cheap and cheerful old days of mass produced volumes,” says Skey. “ Now people really like personalisation. For example, we do lots of work for the motor trade and with the dealer networks.  It’s no longer OK for everyone to have the same promotional signage, each dealer wants to have their own personal stamp on things. We couldn’t provide that service with screen printing but you can with digital.”

 “What we do is specialised, continues Skey. “ We have been working with dye stuffs for a very long time and have amassed a huge amount of knowledge. Dye’s don’t work in the same way as inks and you need expertise to produce consistent quality.”