The Story Behind the Trophy
How We Maximise Print for Crewe Alexandra’s Player of the Month Awards
If you’ve ever wandered through the heart of Crewe, you’ll know there’s a strong sense of community pride and at Hybrid Services, we’re proud to be part of it. Located just a ten-minute walk from the Mornflake Stadium, we’ve called Crewe home for over 20 years, and from our office windows, you can even spot the home of Crewe Alexandra Football Club.
Becoming the official printer partner of Crewe Alexandra has been a fantastic way to bring print into the local community, and, as lifelong fans, it’s been an exciting challenge too. Over the past year, we’ve helped the club print everything from pitchside boards and training ground vinyls to selfie frames for fans to enjoy on matchdays. You’ll also spot our work in the Hybrid Lounge, a welcoming space at the stadium where supporters, players, and the wider community come together.
One of our favourite projects is the Player of the Month (POTM) awards; a monthly celebration where we get to combine our passion for football and creativity through print.
The Story Behind the Trophy
For each award, we produce a bespoke acrylic trophy inspired by Crewe Alexandra’s 25/26 season kits. Every trophy is printed in-house using the Mimaki UJF Series, a range of flatbed UV printers designed for direct-to-object printing. These printers can print directly onto all kinds of materials, from acrylic and metal to wood and glass, making them perfect for producing custom trophies, signage, packaging and promotional products.
This season, the trophies are printed on the back of an acrylic block using the Mimaki UJF Series, a high-precision range of printers known for its exceptional detail and instant curing. Each trophy is printed in three layers: colour, white, and then colour again to make the printed artwork pop and stand out. Thanks to UV-curable inks, the print dries instantly under a UV LED light, so the award is ready to go straight off the printer.
Adding the Finishing Touch with UV DTF
To make each award truly personal, we’ve introduced a new process this season using UV DTF (Direct-to-Film) printing. This technique allows printed designs to be transferred onto almost any surface, even curved or uneven ones, without direct printing.
We use the Mimaki UJV300-75 DTF, a compact yet powerful system that creates vibrant, durable graphics. It’s so precise it can handle everything from large, detailed prints to tiny lettering, ideal for the chosen player’s name, which we now print and apply separately to give the trophy a dynamic, layered look. It’s a great example of how Mimaki’s UV technology helps printers and businesses explore new, creative revenue streams.
Champagne Boxes with a Touch of Crewe Alexandra
Alongside the trophy, each Player of the Month receives a bottle of champagne in a custom-printed champagne box, created using the flatbed Mimaki JFX200-1213EX printer and Mimaki CFX cutter.
The JFX200-1213EX is a large-format flatbed UV printer that can print directly onto rigid materials like wood, plastic, and packaging board, ideal for short-run, bespoke designs. When creating the design, we also include a cut path in the artwork file, which the CFX cutter later reads to know exactly where to cut. Once printed and cut, we fold and glue the box into shape, a process that blends creativity with precision.
Print, Community and Possibility
Working with Crewe Alexandra has shown us how print brings creativity to life, on and off the pitch. From the Hybrid Lounge to the Player of the Month awards, every project is an opportunity to show what’s possible with Mimaki technology.
If you’re a local business (or simply curious about what print can do), why not explore how a Mimaki printer could open new revenue streams for you? One printer can create multiple applications, from packaging and signage to merchandise and decor, giving you endless ways to grow your business.
📅 Book a free 1-2-1 demo with our Mimaki experts and discover the possibilities of print for yourself.
👉 Find out more: Check out the Mimaki Product Range