The device, which was bought from Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS), was installed at the Manchester-based firm’s 1,022sqm premises in June.
The 4,500bph JDF-ready Horizon SPF/FC-200A features a 200-programme job memory for instant recall, an icon-based touchscreen for job set-up and a 10-station VAC-Turbo 1000 PowerCollator.
Managing director Duarte Goncalves said he expects a swift return on the investment.
“It will pay for itself in less than 18 months. The impact has seen a 100% increase in efficiency for this type of work,” he said.
“Our production manager has asked how we ever coped before the Horizon came in, and that says it all for me. Previously when there were smaller jobs our team would be concerned about setting up or interrupting a long run on our larger machines.
“Now they can get it completed and out the door straightaway. In some instances the small jobs are in and out in a couple of hours and I love that. We will now happily quote for shorter-run work.”
The firm will use the Horizon mainly for work produced on its Xerox Color 1000 digital press. It will also produce litho booklets from a Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74 on runs up to 5,000 copies.
“We have got a really good mix of clients, from advertising agencies to marketing companies and direct end users. Not one is more than 7% of turnover.
“For them we are having to meet tighter and tighter deadlines with shorter and shorter runs. Work was being produced and then put on the guillotine, then the large folding machine and then our stitching line.
“This was all very time consuming in particular on smaller jobs. The SPF/FC handles the whole process in one pass. The quality is great.”
The business looked at a range of alternatives but found the Horizon device best suited to its requirements due to its ease of set-up, build quality and operational features.
“The big surprise was the quality of the work this little Horizon achieves when compared to systems that cost much, much more. We also liked the fact it can handle both litho and digital print, without the usual marking problems you sometimes get.”
The business also operates a five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 plus an Epson StylusPro 9890, an Epson StylusPro 10600 and an HP DesignJet 5500 on its wide-format side and finishing kit including a Polar guillotine, a Heidelberg ST-350 Stitchmaster and two MBO B30/444 buckle combination continuous folders.
DXG Media has 30 staff and a turnover of £3.7m. Its main customers include end-user marketing departments for blue-chip companies and clients in the advertising and marketing industries.
