Keno Graphics

How the ACUITY PRIME UV Flatbed printer is growing Keno Graphics’ playbook

In 1990, brothers Dan and Bill Kennedy founded the boutique commercial printing and packaging company Keno Graphics. The Kennedys acquired their love of the industry from their father, a lifetime printer who introduced his sons to the world of printing.

Driven by its commitment to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-competitive printing industry, Keno continues to invest in leading-edge automation, workflow processing and other new technologies. In 2020, Keno Graphics joined forces with Bob Artino, the owner of Pixels2Press, to expand its presence in the large format space.

Today, the Shelton, Connecticut, company and its team of long-term employees have become a leading printer in the higher education, not-for-profit, packaging and medical industries.

The Challenge

Right before the pandemic hit in 2020, Keno Graphics was researching vendors to find a flatbed printer to help build its newly created large format department. But, when the ability to attend live shows and demos disappeared because of COVID restrictions, the Kennedys took a deep dive into various industry sources, participated in peer group discussions and attended virtual demonstrations.

With business booming pre-lockdown, Dan and Bill knew they had to make the right decision. Packaging had been a significant advancement for Keno Graphics, especially considering its recent partnership with Pixels2Press’ Bob Artino. And then the world shut down.

So, while many industries came to a halt, Keno’s packaging clients still needed their work done and demand for its packaging services boomed. “We often joke that we inadvertently created COVID with our wide format department,” says Dan, co- founder and President. “Despite the challenges, we were committed to expanding the department, even amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. This was a new department, so we wanted to make sure we chose the right piece of equipment to support our company’s reputation of superior client service, quality and efficiency.”

The Solution

With its research in tow, the Keno Graphics team was able to start attending live demos that some vendors were offering. After Fujifilm offered to host the Keno team in its Hanover Park, Illinois, demonstration facility, one piece of equipment jumped out—the ACUITY PRIME 20 UV Flatbed printer. Everyone on the Keno side became enamored and started flooding the Fujifilm customer service team with questions.

“We already had a good look at several other machines out there, so we knew what we wanted,” Dan says. “The Acuity Prime had pluses the other systems didn’t have. The vacuum zones on it are outstanding. The PIN system for registration for two-sided was a huge feature for us. You can have the pins raise up, put the board exactly on the pins, and when you flip the board over, it is going to line up perfectly. It makes front and back printing really accurate.”

The Results

One of the strongest features of the ACUITY PRIME is its ability to allow the Keno Graphics team to switch seamlessly between production speed and intricate art without compromising on fine details. “Work comes off, moves over to a flatbed cutter, and the work goes out the door,” Dan says. “It’s a beautiful, fast process. The clients only care about the end product, but when they come here for a tour, the light bulbs go off and they already love us for making their delivery, making their timeline, keeping them on budget, and giving them that confidence factor that they can go to sleep at night. The Acuity can create ideas for them—open up their minds to what can be done and how it can be done better. The Acuity Prime lets us turn the light on for our customers. We needed a piece of equipment that could do everything, and the Acuity does everything for us.”

Today, the Keno Graphics team is able to print on various substrates like glass, acrylic, and different metals, which would not be possible with a roll- fed system since mounting would compromise the material’s effect. “Shortly after installing the device, we had a client roll out a product called Clear, which wouldn’t have been feasible with a roll-fed device,” Dan says.

Another strong advantage the ACUITY PRIME offers is maintenance. “It is straightforward in that it requires weekly and monthly checks that take only 15 minutes and half an hour, respectively,” Artino says. “Daily nozzle checks and clearing are standard, but manageable tasks. Fujifilm has been incredibly supportive, standing behind the machine with prompt tech support whenever needed. Overall, while every printer may encounter issues, Fujifilm’s reliability and assistance have been outstanding.”

Watch how the ACUITY PRIME UV Flatbed printer is growing Keno Graphics’ playbook.