The RMGT 524GX LED B3 press, installed in late March, replaced an old Heidelberg Speedmaster 52 that had come to the end of its useful life.
While capable of 11,000sph, the UV drying capability on the new press has particularly impressed, according to Sue Preugschat, company secretary.
She said: “The new press is a Godsend compared to the previous Speedmaster machine that we had here. Whilst the speeds are similar, there are many major benefits with the RMGT.
“The instant drying, of course, is the biggest plus. We know exactly what colour will appear, as there is no ink dry-back, and there is no set-off of the ink. We can control the colour better, including the initial ink key information that we send through to the machine.”
The fast drying time has benefits on rush-orders, too.
“We’ve had trouble before when the customer opens his rush delivery and finds that the ink has set-off onto the back of the previous sheet. That’s not the standard we expect. This new press will stop anything like that happening again,” Preugschat said.
The 524GX’s more compact frame has likewise helped Birtwells make the most of its 1,100sqm factory, into which it has managed to fit five Edelmann presses and another Speedmaster 52, alongside the new press and Ricoh.
Preugschat added: “Space is at a premium in our factory, so the actual floor space needed for the press, and the fact that we don’t have piles of print dotted about the machine while the ink is drying, are major plus points for us.”
The new Ricoh, a Pro C7200, was installed in mid-April as a direct upgrade to the firm’s C7100, and will handle the small percentage of the firm’s work that is run digitally.
Being a forms specialist, most of the work is produced on litho, Preugschat said: “Yes, there is still a huge demand for forms, including NCR sets. This type of product is very difficult on digital, so many digital-only print companies need trade suppliers such as ourselves.”
Together, the new machines represent an investment of £180,000 for the 50-staff company, which is based in Clayton-le-Moors.
