This was a fun little job – a stainless steel shovel engraved for a “groundbreaking ceremony” at St Aidan’s Catholic Academy, organised by Bowmer + Kirkland.

The challenge with this one was the shape and finish of the shovel blade. Being highly polished and curved, traditional laser engraving just wasn’t the best option – getting it lined up properly and engraved evenly would’ve been a nightmare. Instead, we went with UV DTF printing. It allowed us to get a clean, sharp result that adhered well to the metal without the usual issues you’d get trying to engrave something with that kind of surface.

The print included all the important details of the event – date, dedication, and title – and turned a simple shovel into something a bit more special and ceremonial.

It’s always nice to be involved in projects like this – not overly complex, but still meaningful. And it’s a good example of knowing when to use the right method for the right job.