ENTERING THE GAME

In 2020, right before the pandemic put a halt to everything and anything anyone had planned, Keno Graphics was looking to add a flatbed printer to its equipment portfolio. In the time between when the world stopped and things started shifting slowly back to some sense of normalcy, Dan and Bill Kennedy began researching which products and vendors could deliver. With no trade shows at that time, they could not conduct any side-by-side comparisons, so they delved into studying various industry sources, participating in peer group discussions and attending virtual demonstrations.

Once vendors were able to start hosting demonstrations again, Dan, President of the Shelton, Connecticut, full-service commercial printer and packaging company, headed out to begin live research on products that caught his eye. When Fujifilm offered to host Keno Graphics’ national peer group meeting in its Hanover Park,

Illinois, demonstration facility, Dan and his team became enamored with the equipment and customer service team fielding the questions.

“This is a new department for us, so we wanted to make sure we chose the right piece of equipment that could support the reputation our company has earned for superior client service, quality and efficiency,” Dan says. “This can only be delivered using the best equipment along with the right craftsman.”

– Bill Kennedy, Co-founder & VP

With live events back on the books across the country, the Keno Graphics’ team knew it had to find the right piece of equipment to stay in stride, especially since the majority of its wide-format business is event driven. The printer was doing limited wide-format printing, producing off-roll prints and then mounting. Dan and his team decided to take the next step and invest in a wide-format printer that could take them to the next level. The Acuity Prime UV Flatbed printer hit the mark.

Part of the Acuity Prime Series, the flatbed printer sets the stage for cost-effective, versatile UV-LED flatbed print production, delivering the quality, speed and efficiency, and range of rigid and flexible media Keno Graphics needed.

The Acuity Prime UV also is supported by five dedicated vacuum zones tailored to common media sizes, which help reduce the amount of bed masking required and enables quick media changeover. The dedicated flatbed design ensures accurate registration for edge-to-edge printing and tiling of large layouts over multiple boards, even with multiple print passes.

In addition, Dan says the Acuity Prime UV is designed with the operator in mind. Thanks to a new and user-friendly GUI and easy clean printhead maintenance, the Keno Graphics’ team is able to spend less time on maintenance and more on printing. “The in-house capability the Acuity Prime affords allows us to say yes to most any client request.”

For example, Keno Graphics had a client with a product launch for AviClear, an FDA-approved energy device for the treatment of mild to severe acne. The client wanted its promotions to spotlight “clear.” The Keno Graphics team developed a concept that required printing double-sided on a thick acrylic material. The job called for a perfect two-sided registration, including white ink. It was a job that Kennedy says could only be done on the Acuity Prime. “The final product was perfect.”

And if the quality and preciseness of the Acuity Prime is not enough, Dan says that Fujifilm’s commitment to Keno Graphics’ success after the sale has been even more impressive than before the sale. “Service was an important part of our decision. Today’s graphics equipment demands great service to keep equipment running at peak performance and the Fujifilm team has been an outstanding vendor with regards to that.”

Keno Graphics was founded in 1990 by Dan and his brother, Bill, who serves as VP. With the addition of equipment like the Acuity Prime, the independently-owned, boutique, commercial printing and packaging company continues to invest in the leading edge automation, workflow processing and technologies driving the industry.

Its dedication to excellence is validated by the long-term employees and clients it has in the higher education, not-forprofit, packaging and medical industries. “What sets us apart is our meticulous attention to detail and personalized customer service,” Bill says. “That continues to deliver best-in-class results.”