From Life-Size Panels to Seals and Stickers: Flexible Size Applications Expand In-House Production and Drive Repeat Orders – REC Corp.

REC Corp. (Nagoya City, Aichi), which manufactures and sells recycled toner for laser printers, launched a creative business as a new project in 2015. The company aims to produce a variety of products such as signs, T-shirt prints, and original acrylic items.

In November 2024, it introduced the Mimaki flatbed cutting plotter “CFX” to strengthen its production capacity. This expanded its scope of operations and led to the acquisition of new customers while strengthening relationships with existing clients.

We spoke with the company about the background behind the introduction of the CFX and the specific methods of operation.

A Shift Toward Creative Business Amid the Decline of Paper Printing Due to COVID-19

Since its founding, the company has been engaged in the production and sale of recycled toner for laser printers. In recent years, the concept of “paperless” has spread due to remote work caused by COVID-19. The decline in paper printing also affects the sales of printers and recycled toner. As a new project, the company introduced a laser processing machine in 2015 and began producing various objects.

To increase in-house production, it also introduced UV flatbed printers, DTF printers, 3D printers, and sheet metal bending machines. Currently, the company produces various original items such as panels, posters, event T-shirts, and keychains.

Cutting Laser-Resistant Aluminum Composite Panels with a Cutting Plotter

Among the products sold by the company is a life-size panel made from a hard aluminum composite board. If this panel is cut with a laser machine, the cross-section melts due to the laser heat and does not achieve the desired appearance. In addition, when cutting thin film, the cross-section was burned, affecting product quality.

In November 2024, the company introduced the Mimaki “CFX-2513” cutting plotter to solve the problems associated with laser cutting.

Because the company had long used an inkjet printer manufactured by Mimaki, it trusted the product. Another advantage of using Mimaki machines across all factory facilities is that software compatibility and maintenance can be carried out smoothly, and the affordable price range also supported the system’s introduction.

No Burn Marks on Cut Edges and High Positioning Accuracy for Maximum Satisfaction

When first using the CFX, the team was surprised by how easy it was to operate. Originally, the company is a recycled toner manufacturer and beginners in the production field, yet they were able to operate it without difficulty. The software included as standard was easy to use, and even staff with little experience in graphic software were able to learn it quickly.

Cutting precision is high, and the cut mark detection function does not cause positioning deviations during cutting. The company is also satisfied with the quality of the life-size panels. The burning of cut edges that occurred with laser machines has been eliminated, and the company can now offer these products to customers with greater confidence.

Currently, the CFX is used for a wide range of applications, including life-size panels, various panels with complex shapes, thin films, thick cardboard, and vinyl resin boards and PET materials.

In addition, the CFX cuts fine work such as cut letters on panels, small batches of seals and stickers, and product supports used in the packaging of original products. Although the product supports are small, they achieve a beautiful finish without deviations from the cutting position.

In the past, delivery of these supports took a long time because production had to be outsourced to a printing company.

Expanding the Scope of Work Drives Growth in Repeat Orders and Requests from Industry Peers

Previously, the company had no choice but to refuse projects that could not be processed in-house. However, with the introduction of the CFX, the process from printing to cutting can now be completed consistently. The range of products that can be manufactured internally has increased, and the scope of business has expanded.

Sometimes the company receives cutting requests from other businesses in the same sector, asking it to create cut letters from aluminum composite panels.

Repeat orders from loyal customers have also increased. Recently, the company received an order for an original mudguard to be installed on trucks. After printing with the Mimaki UV inkjet printer “JFX200-2513 EX”, it is cut and finished using the CFX.