Specified with a stacker, the machine was supplied by Friedheim International and installed at the Newport operation earlier this month.
It is running alongside a five-colour B2 Ryobi 755 litho press, a Ricoh Pro C751 digital press and finishing kit including a Horizon perfect binder and a Muller Martini saddle-stitcher. It has joined an existing Horizon folder but builds on that machine’s capabilities.
MBO’s entry-level model, the K70 is suitable for high-precision, high-performance production of folded products such as signatures and flyers in medium and high print run lengths. It operates at a maximum production speed of 210m/min.
“The MBO gives us more capacity, it’s faster and it’s more reliable. Our other folder was getting a bit long in the tooth so we thought we would upgrade,” said Crossprint operations manager Stuart Murray.
“It can also take a bigger sheet so we’re futureproofing the business because we intend to change our press at a later date.
“At the moment we’ve got B2 but we’re probably going to go to SRA1, and this folder can take that sheet. We will also be able to run jobs twice as many up as we can at the moment and the MBO will be able to fold it.”
Prior to making the purchase, Friedheim facilitated a visit for Crossprint to see a K70 running in situ at a print business near Manchester.
“They looked after us well and by that time we were sold. It’s exactly what we needed and it’s going to be good for us. We thought the MBO was a far better build quality and would last a lot longer than alternative machines that we looked at,” said Murray.
“Installation and training was very good. Friedheim were very thorough and did about three and a half days of training. They didn’t leave until they were happy that we were comfortable with it.”
Crossprint also installed a Cron CTP system, supplied by Service Offset Supplies, in early February, to replace an aging Fujifilm system. The business is using Kodak Sonora plates with the new machine.
“This helps us a great deal because it is a thermal platesetter that uses processless plates and it can take up to an SRA1 plate, so it’s again futureproofing us for when the new press gets here,” said Murray.
15 staff work at £1.5m-turnover Crossprint, which was established in 1972. The business is owned by Newsquest, which provided funding for the new MBO and Cron kit, with total investment coming to nearly £150,000.
Crossprint produces work including magazines and brochures for clients both on the Isle of Wight and further afield, with around 50% of its work coming from the UK mainland.
