Quad printer from MPM

I have looked at the AVX-500 printer that is now sold by MPM and Quad. It looks like an excellent product. Especially the auto-tooking feature. I understand that it was made by Quad. The foot print is much smaller than the older MPM and DEK products. I would appreciate feedback from any users!

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Jim, To my understanding this printer is formerly known as an SMTech printer. The story behind this printer, from what I was told by former colleges, is, open it up, take a look at the inside. Does it look like a DEK 265? I hear that this printer was developed by a group of disgrunteled DEK employees that left DEK to start their own company. I looked at them at Nepcon while they where still their own entity. Quad bought them out to supplement their product lines. I heard that MPM also has interests in them. But this makes sense seeing that both companies are subsidiaries of Cookson. The company that I recently left had purchased several of these printers from SMTech and shortly later, before delivery of the printers, the company was bought out by Quad. I have been told that they still haven't recieved the printers, over 3 months past delivery schedule and dealing with the new reps is a task in it's own. I couln't tell you if that mess is cleared up yet or not but I know at least one company that liked the machine well enough to buy one, but is very unhappy with the new customer service.

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Jim, We purchased the SMTech 500 printer that was shown at Nepcon this past spring. We are very happy with the machine's performance and their service was excellent when it was SMTech. There are still minor software bugs that we are encountering but the product manager in England has been right on top of them. We recently had a need for a part and Quad was able to get the part to us the next day. I'm not sure how the Speedline acquisition is going to play out but I've been told that Quad still intends on OEM'ing the machines. I'm not sure how MPM will be filling this into their product line. In my opinion, if you don't need the speed of a U3000, the 500 is a very capable machine at roughly half the cost and floor space.

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