Wrexham AFC PressOn and off the pitch with new and sustainable stadium wraps

By Dhanya A K

As Wrexham AFC’s Global Technology partner, the football club have worked with long term HP customer, PressOn, one of the UK’s leading Large Format Print firms, for the design and installation of new graphics within the STōK Cae Ras football stadium.

With a portfolio including a HP Latex 3600 and HP Latex R2000, PressOn are experts when it comes to producing high quality digital prints for both outdoor and indoor settings.

The job required custom made wraps to be designed, developed, and installed for a variety of spaces within Wrexham AFC’s stadium, including the corridors leading to the player dressing rooms - which was no match for the Kent-based company who are vastly experienced in printing for diverse surfaces and challenging environments.

The designs created had to highlight the legacy, achievement and history of the Football Club to every player who will walk through the corridors over the next few years – as Wrexham seek to continue their journey climbing the divisions.

Working in conjunction with the HP teams, PressOn were tasked with developing a vibrant design spanning several areas within the lower Wrexham Lager Stand and, more importantly, a design that spans into a new, exciting era for Wrexham AFC, as the Club continues their trajectory in improving both on and off the pitch. Club branding, and some much needed colour were absolute essentials, all strategically chosen to boost player morale and create a powerful pre-game atmosphere that ignites their competitive spirit.

The HP Latex 3600, and Latex R2000 guarantees robust quality large format printing at every speed for dedicated application production. With such versality set ups offering premium indoor and outdoor prints, and roll widths ranging up to 3.2m, it’s no surprise that PressOn have invested in these products for a number of years now.

Moreover, HP Latex inks are amongst the most environmentally friendly in printing. With the investment in HP Latex printing technology, the designs are water-based and provide a sustainable printing method when compared to typical UV and solvent based print technologies. Unlike typical UV and solvents, HP Latex inks emit no odours and eliminate exposure to chemicals from reactive monomers and ozone generation.

This all aligns to HP’s, PressOn’s and Wrexham AFC’s long-term sustainability objectives. In 2021, Wrexham AFC co-owners, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, outlined in a mission statement their commitment, “to a more ecologically-sustainable version of the Club and stadium.”

Wrexham AFC Executive Director Humphrey Ker said, “We’re thrilled with the design that has been printed across the corridors and player tunnel within the STōK Cae Ras. Not only is the finished piece visibly bold and impressive, but with its eco credentials this work underlines Wrexham AFC’s commitment to enhance the stadium in a more sustainable manner.

“The latest designs embody our well-stated ambitions, within the Club’s mission statement, of matching progress on the pitch with the progression we have made on it. As we look to continue climbing the footballing pyramid, projects like this with HP and PressOn help us to elevate the stadium in parallel and transform these spaces through innovative design with HP Latex technology.”

“We have a vast amount of experience in using HP Latex technology having invested in our first latex printer in 2008 - now we are 100% HP Latex printers.” Andy Wilson, Managing Director of PressOn. “The sustainable inks, which are water based, cooperate well with the materials we use. This project was for installation onto walls within corridors. From the submission of artwork to the required installation date, we had a small production window and we had no qualms in meeting the deadline, which other print technologies would not have been suitable for due to the confined spaces and odours the print would have emitted”.

With projects like the Wrexham AFC stadium designs, HP and PressOn continue to push the boundaries and capabilities within print technology. This is amidst the continued investment, research, and development into water-based print technology leveraged by the HP Latex portfolio.

To learn more about HP Latex printing technology, visit https://www.hp.com/gb-en/printers/large-format/latex-printers.html