At LabelExpo Europe 2019 I finally got the chance to meet the people from Hamillroad software. They have been around for some time, and according to CEO and Owner Andy Cave, business is doing very good. The company has over some years, developed a pretty amazing technology called DMS. DMS is short for Digitally Modulated Screening, and before you start guessing (which I did), this is not just another FM type of screening. DMS is a totally new approach to screening, and as Andy Cave said to me while interviewing him, the printing industry has pretty much printed with the same technology for decades, if not centuries. As you can see (even from the photos above), the screening simply looks different, and the advantages are amazing. The value is stunning – because, not only do you make a better-looking print, but you also save on your operational cost – so how expensive is it?

DMS does not only give you a WAY better look than normal, but it also extends the colour gamut, it makes operating a printing machine easier, and the really amazing KPI is the ink savings. The company claims an average saving in the range of 12-18%. I believe them.

Hamillroad is totally aware of the value they bring to market, and have also decided on a totally new business model. The cost of the software is zero (plus some setup cost), but the operational cost is an equation based on your ink-savings. That will make Hamillroad more expensive than buying a €5.000 piece of software, but if you look at the savings, the model does make sense. You, so to speak, share the savings on ink, and that along will give you a variable cost, similar to your plates and your other variable expenses.

Everybody considering to partner with Hamillroad, of course, want to have references. I do understand since at; first, this almost sounds too good to be true. However, as Andy Cave explains, especially his American customers have requested him to sign an NDA, and therefore he can’t share the references. Of course, it would be great to hear the story about DMS from a company that actually uses it, but the output you can see for yourself simply out-performs any stochastic screening you have seen, and if Hamillroad can deliver software that works with your existing equipment it’s almost like getting a new printing press.

I can only recommend to reach out to the nice British people of Hamillroad Software to get a better, and deeper understanding of what DMS can do for you, your clients, and your company.