Cloc spends 'half a million' on digital kit to meet demand

Cloc is targeting a 3m turnover after investing in a quartet of Xerox digital machines to help serve its burgeoning educational client base.

The commercial printer, which has its main facilities in London and Southampton, has outlaid "around half a million pounds" on DocuColor 242, DocuColor 8000AP and mono Nuvera 288 and 4112 machines.

It opted for the new digital presses to complete work for its customer base, 90% of which operate in the educational sectors.

Cloc's DocuColor 242 and Xerox 4112 will run from the company's site at Southampton's University of Solent, where it produces on-demand educational books and collateral for many of the university's bodies.

Longer-run work comes back to the London facility, which houses the Nuvera 288 and DocuColor 8000AP, among other digital and litho kit.

Tommay Thomas, managing director at Cloc, said work such as security print documents and other high-volume print is carried out in London, which "has become even more efficient" thanks to the recent spend.

According to Thomas, the 288 is "doing three machines' worth of work" and is already producing 5-6m impressions a month.

He said: "We have seen exceptional growth recently and felt now was good time to evaluate our digital capabilities.

"Our criteria for investing in new digital print technology were simple – very fast, high-quality machines that were good to the environment."

Cloc, which employs 40 staff across the UK, cited the green aspects of the Xerox machines as having a considerable influence on its press-buying decision.

"Not only does the machine give us an on-demand capability that means we could deliver the exact quantity requested by the customer but it also uses EA toner, therefore minimising waste," said Thomas.

The Nuvera 288 can print up to 288 A4pp a minute, 144 in duplex operation, on a maximum sheet size of 320x470mm.

Peter Taylor, director of production and graphic arts at Xerox UK, said: "We have been able to work closely with Cloc, looking at their key business objectives, and have used our expertise and technology to deliver the best solution for their business."