Grapo Technologies’ Shark awarded best wide format printer
May 24, 2009
Brno / Olomouc, Czech Republic, May 24, 2009 – Grapo Technologies a.s. (“Grapo”), a leading producer of UV-cured, wide format printers has announced that its Shark printer was awarded the “Golden EmbaxPrint” for the best wide format printer at the EmbaxPrint trade fair. Competing against entries from such well known international players as Durst and Oce, the Shark was awarded the top prize in recognition of its speed, resolution and high quality construction.
“It is certainly a proud moment for us as a company,” said Grapo founder Radim Kralik after receiving the award. “We have spent significant time and effort creating a printer we believe is at the forefront of UV printer technology. With speeds over 175 square meters per hour and 960 dpi, technically, we match up very well with the best our competitors have to offer. And when you consider that our printer is over EUR 100 000 less than comparable production printers, I think the Shark demonstrates the best price-to-performance ratio on the market.”
After giving the printing public its first look at the 2008 Viscom Italy show, the Shark was formally introduced to the market at FESPA Amsterdam in early May. Since FESPA ended on May 14th, Grapo has announced one unit sale already, to be installed in early June. “The excitement surrounding the Shark at FESPA was tangible”, explained Kralik, “as it was really one of the few new production printers at the show under EUR 500 000.
“That excitement certainly carried over to Embax as well; guests were really taken aback by everything the Shark can do. This award is particularly satisfying for me it confirms that we have achieved what we originally set out to do: create a fast, high quality, universal printer capable of adapting to a wide variety of jobs. We are really excited about the future of this machine and about Grapo itself.”
About Grapo Technologies
Grapo Technologies was founded in 1994 as part of ‘Radim Kralik – Grapo’, a printing company focused on billboards, posters, lighted signs and point of purchase displays. Grapo’s founder Radim Kralik manufactured his first UV-cured wide format printer for his own use in 2003 and began selling them commercially a year later. Since introducing its first printer in 2004, Grapo has sold over 150 units throughout Europe and the UK. For his achievements in both the printing and manufacturing industries, Mr. Kralik was awarded Ernst & Young’s 2005 Czech Republic Technology Entrepreneur Of The Year, part of the firm’s annual global Entrepreneur Of The Year programme. www.grapo.com