TEXINTEL LIVE INTERVIEW - The Evolution of Agile Garment Decoration using Screen and Digital Printing

Debbie McKeegan, CEO of Texintel, interviews Alan Gentry from T- Formation about his garment decoration company's evolving transition from analog screen printing to digital printing.

Alan's company, established in 1987, initially handled large volume orders but shifted to smaller orders post-COVID. They discovered the Kornit Apollo at Kornit Konnections in 2024, which prints 350 units an hour, significantly improving efficiency.

Alan's company now uses digital machines alongside screen technology. They also leverage Fullfil Engine for seamless fulfilment, enabling them to handle one-piece orders to thousands efficiently.

Watch to learn more >>


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Strategic shift from analog to digital printing

T-Formation started as a high-volume screen-printing shop (10 automatic presses, two shifts) but post-COVID customer demand shifted from large runs to many small orders, making traditional screen setup/downtime inefficient.

Adoption of Kornit digital technology for on-demand

  • Discovering the Kornit Apollo (350 units/hour, up to 350 different designs/hour) at Kornit Konnections led to investing in multiple Kornit systems (Apollo, Atlas Max Plus, etc.), enabling efficient, high-mix, low-volume production and entry into the 1–144 piece space they previously couldn’t serve.

Business growth through on-demand and workflow optimisation

  • By combining digital capacity with Fullfil Engine’s automation (web-store integration, automatic blank ordering, handling mixed carts and upsells), T-Formation can now profitably offer everything from single-piece orders to hundreds of thousands, driving growth in a previously untapped market.

Hybrid production model: Right process for the Right product

  • They now run a hybrid workflow:

    • High colour count / on-demand / complex work → digital machines (including large runs when customers prefer the digital quality, even at higher cost).

    • Lower colour count, larger runs → screen printing on their seven automatics.

  • The focus is on agility, lean operations, and matching process to product, since the end customer mainly cares about quality, durability, and meeting specs, not the print method.


CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and Company Background

02:47 Transition to Digital Printing

05:27 Growth and Fulfillment Strategies

08:38 Machine Capabilities and Workflow Optimization



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