66 email: editor@signlink.co.uk Issue 266 - August | September 2026 of industrial applications. Included in CMYUK’s portfolio is EFI’s latest 3.2m hybrid platforms including the EFI VUTEk M3h, the higher throughput EFI VUTEk M3h X, and the EFI Pro 30h+. The M3h X, which was unveiled at FESPA 2026 in Barcelona, builds on the success of the M3h since its launch in April 2025. The press adds extra heads for greater speed and an extended colour set, including orange and clear, for demanding brand and retail applications, and throughput. The Pro 30h+ offers a realistic route into 3.2m superwide production and is a faster version of the proven Pro 30h, rather than a step into the unknown.” These EFI hybrids have been developed to directly address the traditional conflict between roll-to-roll and flatbed production. Martin says that they offer print service providers (PSPs) “a single platform that can handle both, with very little compromise, at production speeds.” He continues: “They respond to demand for faster turnarounds on complex, high coverage files without banding or colour instability.” By consolidating multiple devices into a single 3.2m hybrid footprint, the EFI solutions can also help relieve space and staffing constraints. EFI’s hybrids also offer precise vacuum control to attain challenging media, with a rear redirect roller helping to relax flexible materials during printing, reducing curl, and tracking issues on rolls. This allows them to handle tricky, irregular, or difficult materials reliably, thereby preventing mistakes and saving money on wasted stock. The technology is underpinned by six independently controlled vacuum zones which can secure rigid boards, limiting micro movement that causes misregistration and print defects. Media edge guards also enable corrugated and other uneven substrates to become more predictable on the table. With M3h/ M3h X printers, split roll shafts also allow two different 1.6m wide rolls to run sideby-side, with one changeable while the other continues printing. Martin adds: “Collectively, these details underpin consistent quality across a broad media mix.” Martin highlights that the flexibility of the EFI solutions is in direct response to market needs, commenting: “Printers unquestionably need to have more agility than ever, with shorter runs, tighter deadlines, and a widening applications range that are increasingly becoming the norm. “EFI’s hybrids deliver that agility by allowing rapid switching between roll and rigid work on the same device, without the need to move jobs between multiple printers. In addition, high print speeds and stable handling of difficult media help protect schedules from reprints and wastage. With the Pro 30h+ and the addition of the M3h X to the M3h line-up, PSPs can scale capacity as demand grows, while remaining with a familiar, proven technology platform.” HYBRID PRINTERS | JONATHAN PERT The market for UV flatbed roll-to-roll hybrid printer is set to grow according to figures by QYR Research, with market size set to grow from $368m (£275m) to $479m (£358m) by 2032 Factoid ▲[Pictured] CMYUK sales director Chris Martin with the EFI VUTEkM3h with the aim of offering customers more options for their workflow. The Pro 30h+, launched last year, is the faster evolution of the EFI Pro 30h printer, an accessibly priced entry-level printer for 3.2m-wide production. Chris Martin, sales director at CMYUK, explains that the response to the new EFI solutions has been “characterised by real anticipation,” saying: “The runaway success of the M3h as a natural midvolume workhorse has led to strong interest in the M3h X for additional speed ►TheBY2 20 offers connectivity with the wider RolandDG ecosystem
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