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Running a print or embroidery shop means spotting the moment when your current kit starts limiting you. Desktop and entry-level models are great for getting started, but they can hold back growth. That is when a wide format printer becomes the natural next step.
An upgrade like the ThunderJet AQ1602S Eco-Solvent Printer does more than add capacity. It opens new product lines, shortens turnaround, and helps you compete with established sign shops while keeping production in-house.
Here are five clear signs it might be time to make the move.
If you are sending banners or signage elsewhere, you are paying for someone else’s machine time and losing control over deadlines.
Bringing a large format printer in-house lets you keep quality consistent, respond faster, and capture the full value of every order.
Here’s an example:
A local company that you normally sell custom embroidered uniforms too needs event banners at short notice.
They can either wait on an outsourcer, hoping that it comes in correct and on time.. OR you can fill the order right away and become a hero to your customer.
Schools, clubs, and local businesses increasingly want posters, wall graphics, and promotional displays.
With a wide format sign printer like the ThunderJet 1602S on site, you can say yes to orders you previously turned away and become the go-to supplier for both apparel and signage.
How that might work:
A sports club requests posters and touchline boards for a tournament. With wide format capability, you fulfil the entire brief under one roof.
Because you were able to supply the banner so quickly you get the football kit business you can fulfill with your DTF Printer too.
Entry-level printers are not designed for sustained production.
The ThunderJet AQ1602S eco-solvent, wide format printer uses dual printheads and a 1600 mm print width to produce consistent results at pace.
Fewer passes and fewer changeovers mean smoother jobs from artwork to finished print.
And if that’s not big enough or fast enough, YES Group and Gongzhen offer industrial scale wide format printers up to 3.2m!
Here’s a scenario:
Instead of running the same artwork in multiple small passes and stitch on installation, you run a single wide-format job and finish it faster.
That also makes installation easier and makes your business look more professional.
Moving beyond T-shirts and embroidery is a proven growth path. An eco-solvent printer lets you produce:
Eco-solvent technology gives strong colour and durable results across a wide range of media, so you are not tied to a single application.
Relying on outside suppliers means relying on their schedule and their standards.
In-house wide format printing gives you direct control over colour consistency, finishing quality, and delivery dates.
That reliability builds customer confidence and repeat business.
Scenario: A retailer needs refreshed window graphics before a weekend promotion. You print and fit on your timeline, not someone else’s.
It is a practical eco-solvent printer that balances speed, quality, and everyday running for shops stepping into signage or scaling existing work.
And of course, you get the Team at YES Group to deliver, train and support you. Take advantage of our 30 years of experience helping businesses like your GROW!
A spec sheet will tell you what a machine can do. A live demo shows you what it will do for your business. We have the ThunderJet AQ1602S running in our Mansfield showroom for hands-on demonstrations. Bring sample artwork or media, and we will show you how it fits your workflow in practice.
