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SpeedPro Chicago Loop leverages Canon printer to streamline workflow and expand capabilities

Small businesses are vital to the economy, but some have historically lacked the infrastructure to meet shifting customer demand. Nevertheless, advanced technology and smarter software increasingly enable small and mid-sized print shops to compete with the big leagues.

One shop breaking boundaries in the print world is SpeedPro Chicago Loop, a Chicago franchisee that’s part of a 134-strong coast-to-coast network offering large-format printing services. While it’s only been producing for approximately two and a half years, SpeedPro Chicago Loop has already experienced vast improvements and efficiencies since upgrading to the Colorado 1650 printer from Canon Solutions America.

The Colorado 1650 helped SpeedPro Chicago Loop achieve strategic growth and save headcount, while taking a step toward a more future-proof model as well as driving enhancements to get more value for its buck. From the start, the SpeedPro team was enamored by one simple, yet key feature: the printer’s speed.

Once the Colorado 1650 was installed, it revitalized the shop and allowed staff to tackle some of the critical concerns every print business has: ink cost, outsourcing, and labour. SpeedPro Chicago Loop was also limited in its electrical capacity to accommodate another printer in its leased studio space. But with the Colorado’s output and production speed, the company was able to forego a capital electric upgrade that would have cost upward of US$30,000.

“The biggest indicator of its value was recognized within just two or three days of bringing the 1650 into service. We received a large job that, had we not had the 1650 onboard, we would never have been able to produce with the one-team-member holiday skeleton crew during the one-day turn-around allotted,” said Eric Lazar, partner at SpeedPro Chicago Loop. “Two or three competitors in our marketplace turned down the job because of the size. The client came to us and we were able to just burn it out really quickly and with fantastic quality.”

Additionally, the Colorado 1650 features a new version of Canon’s UVgel ink that eliminates the need for lamination on projects – this, in turn, has improved operations by helping the print shop to reduce work hours and streamline use of materials.

The device also gives team members the option to choose between matte and gloss modes to curate each job and add a personal spin to their work.

From accommodating larger jobs and landing new clients to cutting ink costs by one third, it’s clear Canon’s Colorado 1650 Printer has opened many new doors for SpeedPro Chicago Loop to expand operations and take on more business.