Photo courtesy Polytype America
Polytype America has clarified the status of its Virtu digital wide-format ultraviolet-curing (UV-curing) printer distribution business across North America, which remains active despite recent industry reports to the contrary.
The company’s corporate parent, Wifag-Polytype Group (WPG) in Fribourg, Switzerland, has ceased direct sales of its printers (example pictured) in Europe, due to the continent’s financial crisis, and has refocused its research and development (R&D) efforts on packaging and industrial applications, rather than display graphics. These changes have led some in the industry to assume the Virtu business unit was being closed down, but Polytype says this is not the case.
Instead, WPG’s display graphics business is being restructured, with European sales responsibility passed along to regional partners. Polytype’s business activities in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico remain unchanged, with all three countries showing market growth.
“Polytype will continue to build systems for customers who appreciate Swiss-engineered display graphics printers,” says James Cain, director of digital system sales.
