Antarfer Doubles Production Capacity and Seeks New Clients

Antarfer was founded in 1990 to meet the needs of local companies at affordable prices. Today, it stands out as a quality reference in the field of printing, offering competitive pricing thanks to its investment in automation and digitalization. T Jornal visited the company, which recently invested in the latest ROQ Hybrid model.

The acquisition of this new machine, capable of producing over 500 prints per hour, allowed the company to double its production capacity in September. “This company has been around for many years. I acquired it about four years ago; we redesigned the layout, started focusing on digital printing and small series,” explains Manuel Mendes, CEO.

The ROQ Hybrid enables a fusion between screen printing and digital printing, combining DTG technology with traditional screen printing. The efficiency of screen printing allows the management of labor-intensive processes, while digital control facilitates color management, offering a broader color spectrum and resolution options unavailable with traditional printing.

Manuel Mendes emphasizes that the main advantage of digital printing is the absence of costs associated with preparing screens for each color. Additionally, the machine improves quality and durability: “The machine creates the base, then applies the digital print and finishing. It offers high wash resistance, a pleasant hand feel, precise image definition, allows for raised prints, and provides a wider range of color tones,” he describes.

Regarding color, the CEO also showcases the company’s “color kitchen,” which automatically produces the requested color formula based on a Pantone or other color code, eliminating errors associated with manual mixing.

Located in the Ponte Industrial Park in Guimarães, Antarfer provides services to other companies and has the capacity to produce over 24,000 pieces per week. The company specializes in small series – “100, 200, 500 prints” – and is also ready to enter the advertising segment.

“We want to grow; we already have several clients, but we aim to attract new ones looking for high-quality printing for smaller orders, including in advertising. We are prepared for all types of prints, not only digital but also traditional — we have a 12-color machine, an 8-color, a 6-color, and a 2-color. We also doubled our drying oven and are hiring more staff to support our growth,” he adds.

Antarfer also has in-house capacity to develop designs and produce samples using only certified chemicals. “We are always attentive to technological developments and market demands,” Manuel Mendes emphasizes, highlighting the company’s ability to produce prints on all types of materials — synthetic, natural, and mixed — and to apply various techniques, such as flock, foil, glitter, crackle, and high-density printing.

“This is an investment in automation and digitalization to make us more efficient,” concludes the manager, revealing ambitions to acquire new models and continue renewing the machinery fleet.