The machines were bought from Xerox reseller Xeretec and installed at the Bexleyheath-based firm’s premises last month. They have replaced two Xerox DocuColor 8080 printers and a Xerox DocuColor 7000, which have been part-exchanged.
The 150 A4 ppm iGen 150 XXL is twice as fast as the company’s previous presses. It can handle a maximum sheet size of 364x660mm, which makes it suitable for the economic production of short run A4-plus folders, A4 landscape booklets and A4 six-page folded leaflets.
The iGen, which uses Xerox’s Matte Dry Ink to produce a "litho-like" finish, can handle a wide range of stocks including window graphics, magnets and transparencies. The device will also reduce the company’s monthly costs due to a lower click charge than the machines it has replaced.
Digital print manager Chris Page said: “The machine has only been installed for two weeks, but we are all amazed by how much work it can get through and the quality is very impressive.”
Sales and marketing director Martin Lett Jnr added: “The new machines are going to enable us to increase the throughput in the digital print department. The new features such as the large sheet size and the Matte Dry ink have already seen us receive enquiries from prospective new clients.
“Using our existing XMPie personalisation software we hope to be able to increase the number of personalised mailings we handle too.”
The 100ppm Xerox Versant 2100 is a sheetfed SRA3-format digital toner press that can print on stocks from 52-350gsm.
Lett Jnr said: “The quality on the Versant is excellent and we’re extremely busy at the moment so it’s getting used quite a bit. The idea is that the iGen will take the vast majority of the work but the Versant is a very good back-up, along with a Konica Minolta machine that we also run.”
Marstan Press also recently boosted its CTP firepower by investing in a second Heidelberg Suprasetter, which was installed in its recently completed mezzanine CTP suite above its pressroom. Last year it installed a 10-colour perfecting Heidelberg XL 75.
The company started in letterpress before moving to litho and then adding digital printing. It now has 50 employees and serves clients across the country with most based in London, Kent and the South East.
Last month the business continued its 60th anniversary celebrations by welcoming the mayor of Bexley and the local MP for the area for separate site visits.
