Due to arrive in the last quarter of 2025, the new press will ramp up the firm’s cover printing productivity by 30%, and cut paper waste and energy use.
Acorn’s decision to invest came after a period of sustained growth, when the number of regular titles it prints increased to over 300, pushing the firm close to capacity across its 24/6 shift pattern.
Capable of 15,000sph, the new SRA1+ press will give Acorn the required headroom, while helping the firm make immediate savings on its smaller plate size compared to its outgoing B1 Koenig & Bauer Rapida 105 UV press.
The machine will run alongside Acorn’s 16pp Man Rotoman and 32pp Man Lithoman web offset presses, four Muller Martini saddle stitchers and a Muller Martini perfect binder in producing A4 and A5 magazines, catalogues and brochures in runs of around 5,000 or more.
Research at the firm had identified that 99% of the press’ jobs did not require a B1 format, with the shift down to SRA1+ representing immediate savings in both capital and running costs.
Research into the investment began nearly a year ago, before Drupa 2024, with Acorn considering both digital and conventional presses as the Koenig & Bauer's successor.
“The KBA [now Koenig & Bauer] Rapida has served us really well,” Matthew Carry, Acorn’s sales director, told Printweek, “but as with all brand-new investments, the next generation of technology is really going to improve our output and help cut paper waste and energy further.”
The Lithrone has likewise been specially configured for Acorn in CMYK with special colour and in-line coater, and will be capable of using both conventional and UV inks, with a choice of UV or aqueous coatings.
Acorn has made substantial inroads on reducing its environmental impact over recent years, also using this round of capital expenditure – totalling around £2m including the new press – to install voltage optimisation to reduce energy usage, and new paper waste compactor as well as a robotic bundle stacker to help productivity.
“We’re enjoying strong benefits from them all,” Carry said.
Mark Roberts, Acorn Web’s managing director, added that the team was grateful to Komori for its attention to detail when working on the installation, an “important step” for the firm.
He said: “We place sustainability at the highest level of importance when considering investments. We have already reduced our scopes 1-3 carbons emissions by over 35% in the last three years.
“We believe the reduction in energy and material consumption that the Komori Lithrone G37 offers will help us deliver further sustainability benefits, and the productivity improvement will help meet our increasing customer demand too.”
Steve Turner, Komori UK’s managing director, said his team was excited to support Acorn’s mission for productivity and sustainability.
He said: “As [Acorn’s] first ever Komori press, the Komori Lithrone G37 is a futureproof solution that aligns with its commitment to efficiency, waste reduction, and delivering enduring value to customers. By investing in cutting-edge technology, Acorn Web is adapting to change and overcoming industry challenges with confidence."
Acorn Web Offset employs around 130 at its Normanton, West Yorkshire facility. It turned over £25.5m in sales for its year ending September 2024.
