Farm Bureau Finds Flatbed Fit at Expo

Speeds, feeds, and substrates — oh my! Making the decision to buy a wide-format flatbed printer for an in-plant operation is one thing. Figuring out which model will work best in the environment, which substrates fit the applications, and how fast it needs to be, can turn into a second job.

That’s the situation Michigan Farm Bureau faced last year when it decided to replace an aging wide-format printer in its Lansing, Michigan, operation. Business Manager Karen Meyers notes that the goals were to increase production speed, ensure top quality in every print, and keep up with the continued demand for wide-format printing.

Ultimately, she and her team decided to go with a Konica Minolta AccurioWide160 — but getting there wasn’t a straight shot.

Karen Meyers, business manager, and Caroline McManus, print production coordinator and wide-format specialist, stand with Michigan Farm Bureau’s new Konica Minolta AccurioWide160 flatbed printer.

Meyers did some homework but needed to get hands-on with her top picks before she could make the final call. And she didn’t want her opinion alone to be the deciding factor. Attending PRINTING United Expo in Orlando, Florida, last year was the perfect solution.

“We were able to see competitive models being considered all in one location,” she explains. “I was also able to bring my operator, which was very beneficial — to make one trip and to be able to get that amount of research and demos completed in just a couple of days. In addition, we spoke with a variety of substrate/stock vendors, and we were able to see a wide range of displays and items produced on machines we were researching.”

The new Konica Minolta AccurioWide160 flatbed printer at Michigan Farm Bureau.

In the end, she says, several key factors drew the in-plant to select the AccurioWide160: “The ability to print on a 5x10-ft. board; we liked the open top so we can view what is printing in real time; the [Konica Minolta] sales team and the service team; competitive pricing; and the software used to run the machine,” she lists.

Fortunately, space wasn’t an issue since the new flatbed could slide right into the spot where the old one had been.

And other than a few of what she calls “internal challenges” centered around configuring the flatbed to be in full compliance with Michigan Farm Bureau security protocols, the installation process went smoothly. Getting up to speed hasn’t been a problem.

“We had on-site training as well as virtual training for three staff members,” Meyers says. “We have also had continued training and support from our vendor.”

The team has wasted no time putting the AccurioWide160 to work. “We print on foamcore, corrugated plastic, PVC, metal, acrylic, etc.,” Meyers says. “We haven’t printed on anything odd yet, but we had someone request a quote to print on a door.”

The in-plant also installed a Mimaki UCJV330-130 Print and Cut roll-fed printer, which they likewise spotted at PRINTING United Expo last year.

It wasn’t difficult for Meyers to justify the expense of upgrading to the new flatbed, especially since the in-plant had already proven the equipment’s usefulness with the older model. And overall, she has seen wide-format printing demand increase over the years — in fact, her shop also recently installed a Mimaki UCJV330-130 Print and Cut roll-fed printer, which they likewise spotted at PRINTING United Expo last year.

“Our wide-format production has continued to rise over the years. I was able to show that growth through data I track,” Meyers explains. “Another factor that contributed to the timing of the purchase was the anticipation of 2026 campaign printing; we typically see a spike in requests from internal and external clients, and we wanted to be prepared to handle that influx.”