A Versafire CP digital press was installed at the Rochdale-based printer's 4,000sqm premises around four weeks ago while the Prinect workflow and a Duplo DC-646 multi-finisher followed around a week later. The total investment cost came to around £300,000.
The Prinect Production Manager is a means of installing a workflow on virtually a rental basis. The company has had the pre-press modules configured specifically to its business needs and pays for it in line with its monthly plate usage. According to Heidelberg, this makes payment simple and marries up with the peaks and troughs in the business calendar.
Jones & Brooks managing director Ronnie Blair said: “It protects us because we’re not paying out a lot of money if we haven’t got a lot of work for the machine. As we build up the volume of work then obviously we’ll pay more, which we think is a good way of doing it.
“Heidelberg configures the workflow to our specific needs and we can adapt the configuration or add other workflow modules if we need to. This will enhance our file preparation for work across the different technologies we have here.”
The business will also continue to use its existing Tharstern MIS, which it has recently upgraded, while its new Versafire CP will run alongside a range of other digital printers from Ricoh and Konica Minolta as well as a five-colour Speedmaster SX 74 with coater, which was installed earlier this year.
The Versafire CP is a 110ppm press which can produce 6pp portrait or four-page landscape work with its 700mm banner tray.
“We’ve seen a need for low-volume work for jobs where people sometimes just want a small amount to trial something to see if it stimulates any interest,” said Blair.
“We looked at other machines but decided that the Versafire was the best option. Up to now we’re very impressed with the quality.”
The Duplo DC-646 slitter-cutter-creaser has been taken on to enable the firm to more easily and efficiently produce business cards.
52-staff Jones & Brooks, which attributes 80% of its £8m turnover to the NHS, is celebrating its 140th anniversary this year.
