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WILKES-BARRE — As a forklift operator balanced the nearly three-ton load a few feet above the concrete lot alongside Wet Paint Printing + Design, manager Scott Paul went about his business Monday morning.

The cargo that originated in Singapore and arrived by tractor trailer to the Horton Street shop from the West Coast was in the capable hands of riggers from Branchburg, N.J.

“I’m excited for the possibilities,” Paul said of the new HP RS2000 printer waiting to be unpacked.

“Nervous? No,” Paul added, “because they hired these guys.”

Eric Lattimer and Butch Williams of Pedowitz Machinery Movers had the shipment of the big crate and a smaller one out of the trailer and onto the ground in less than a half hour. The process of removing the screws from the wooden containers would take longer.

Paul had a place ready for it, right next to an older FB 700 UV model printing life-size copies of President Donald Trump sporting a red baseball cap with the slogan “Make America Great Again” on it. The new 98-inch printer, estimated at $300,000 including, shipping, unloading and installation, can do more than reproduce photos for cardboard cut outs, making it a huge addition to Wet Paint’s equipment and services.

It can be used for signage, point-of-purchase displays, storefront designs, window graphics and “is an environmentally friendly latex printer,” Paul said.

The older printer, approximately six years old, has already been sold and was waiting to be shipped out to the buyer. “We bought it as a one-year-old demo model,” Paul said.

A technician was on scene Monday to get the new printer up and running.

Butch Williams and Eric Lattimer work to unload a large printer for Wilkes-Barre-based Wet Paint on Monday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032619wetpaint1.jpg.optimal.jpgButch Williams and Eric Lattimer work to unload a large printer for Wilkes-Barre-based Wet Paint on Monday. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Wet Paint machine operator Bill Keim, removes a large printed cut-out. The new printer will replace one like this.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032619wetpaint2.jpg.optimal.jpgWet Paint machine operator Bill Keim, removes a large printed cut-out. The new printer will replace one like this. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Butch Williams and Eric Lattimer work to unload a large printer for Wilkes-Barre-based Wet Paint on Monday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/web1_TTL032619wetpaint3.jpg.optimal.jpgButch Williams and Eric Lattimer work to unload a large printer for Wilkes-Barre-based Wet Paint on Monday. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Jerry Lynott

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Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.