The company bought a Konica Minolta bizhub Press C1060 and Konica Minolta bizhub Press C1070, as it continues to expand into the digital and wide-format markets, after its recent merger with plastic card manufacturer Company Cards. The machines have been in use since the start of April.
Finishing Touch moved its offices to the premises of Company Cards in St Helen's last March.
Finishing Touch general manager John Traverse said: “We also have two other digital presses that we use to print plastic cards on but we’ve been getting more and more print work so we saw this as an opportunity to add more strings to the bow of digital print. We are trying to make this a one-stop facility.”
The two presses have a max 7,500 sheet capacity paper feed. The C1060 runs at a maximum of 61ppm and the C1070 runs at a maximum of 71ppm. Print resolution for both is 1200dpi and they both take sheet size up to 330x230mm and weights up to 300gsm. Traverse said he was impressed by the long-sheet capability of the C1060 and that the C1070 “fits the bill” for all the types of work that Finishing Touch does.
He added: “I think because of the costs of the card business we needed to maximise the production capability of the Indigos so that’s the reason for buying the digital presses. Also, with moving into the new building, it puts all paper print in one place rather than meaning we have to ship things across. The site is pretty compact but it’s better for it to be under one roof."
Finishing Touch also recently purchased a Horizon Perfect Binder. It has two Original Heidelberg Cylinder Presses, one HP Indigo HP5600 Digital Press, one HP Indigo 5500 Digital Press, an Autobond laminator and a bookletmaker.
Last December, Company Cards and Finishing Touch entered into a merger, in what was termed a “strategy partnership”. It now offers additional products in the card market. Company Cards manufactures plastic cards, including key fobs, business cards and RFID cards. The two businesses employ 32 staff.
Traverse added: “The merger is beginning to blossom really. There’s more work coming through and different types of work coming through. We’re becoming heavily into promoting the business and also promoting Company Cards through Finishing Touch.”
