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SuppliersData Reprographics: double the powerCelebrating its 40th birthday this year, Data Reprographics can do even more for crew after a major expansion |
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Data Reprographics - Filmbase partner and long-time supporter - is marking its 40th year in 2026, and many of you may have heard that company founders Paul Taylor and John Lindsay stepped back last year into consultative roles. It’s fair to wonder what that means for Data without the pair of them at the helm, especially as Data have recently carried out a huge expansion project. So we paid the team a visit to meet the new captains of the ship, Simon and Paul Mendoza, and to see what that big expansion means for us crew. |
| What's New? Many of you will already know Paul and Simon. They’ve spent the past 25 years working closely with Data through their own company, Image Business Ltd, handling on-set installations and producing specialist signage. So they both know the film and TV industry inside-out, they know what crew want and are perfectly placed to take Data Repro forward. They showed us around the newly expanded premises so we could report back on what’s changed. What’s new at Data:
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| Large format machines Data can now print up to 8ft x 4ft on a Canon Arizona flatbed, or up to 2.5m wide, all in-house. “We’re not relying on any third parties, so it’s a quicker turnaround and we have more control over quality.” It also improves efficiency, with less waste, for example printing direct to board rather than applying vinyl. “Overall that translates to quicker turnarounds for crew and higher quality.” They can also create a 3D layered effect on the Canon Arizona, up to 4mm thick in spot colours. Great for faking CNC-cut letters, creating raised lettering on spaceship consoles and instrument panels, or beading on stained glass windows! If you do need something fully fabricated, they’ve also added a VeloBlade CNC router, capable of high-precision cutting on materials up to 25mm thick. |
| Materials and quality The new setup means they can print across a wide range of materials, including “canvas, vinyl, Tyvek, soft banner, wallpaper, newsprint, photo satin, silk, tear-resistant paper, metallic vinyl, craft paper, sheet metal and more.” Paul and Simon are understandably proud of the expansion, saying they can "deliver exceptional quality across an impressive range of oversized graphics". Apprenticeship Last year we launched an apprenticeship with Data, a chance for junior crew to spend time in-house, working hands-on to create graphic props and set dressing. If possible, Paul and Simon are keen to run another scheme in the future, so if you’re interested, keep an eye on our website for updates. |
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| Crew workspace They are also creating an on-site workspace for crew, with desks, plug-in points and a comfortable seating area. Crew will be able to use this space to work - if you need to review proofs, make tweaks, catch up on emails - or just have a cuppa! A Wealth of Knowledge It was great to drop in on the team. As ever, the workshop was full of an eclectic mix of graphic props from all sorts of productions. We spotted print jobs for EastEnders, Ted Lasso, the Harry Potter TV series and a new JJ Abrams film while we were there. Data turns 40 this year, and it’s great to see the team continuing to grow and build on everything that Paul and John set up in 1986! If you’d like to find out more about the new machines and capabilities, Paul and Simon are always happy to talk through what might work for your production. |
Contact Data Reprographics:
Paul, Simon and the team can all be contacted on tel: 01784 243996 or at mail@datarepro.co.uk
When you call, you will be put through to one of the team. There's no salesperson, you go straight to the person who is going to be doing the artwork or printing and manufacturing for you. You can find out more about the company in our previous articles: