The company’s Edinburgh branch was the latest to install the new kit, consisting of an AccurioPress C4080 with IQ-501 Intelligent Quality Care unit and a Konica Minolta SD-513 bookletmaker, following installations at Service Graphics Manchester and Aberdeen.
Arriving at the Edinburgh site in early July, the Konica Minolta machines replaced pre-pandemic Xerox kit. The AccurioPresses will take the place of the company’s V80 presses across the network.
Back in 2016, Service Graphics made what was then the UK’s largest order for Xerox Versant printers, at £3m, to kit out its branches across the UK with 41 Versant printers, made up of V80s and V2100s. Then called Service Point, the network was then brought together with parent company Paragon’s other service print companies to form Service Graphics.
The Konica Minolta kit is next due to go in at the firm’s larger Birmingham and Farringdon facilities, which make up the company’s two largest print-on-demand hubs. The two sites will see the Konica Minolta kit go in during early Autumn.
Robert Goodier, Service Graphics’ general manager for print and design, said the team had researched the market thoroughly before making the decision to go with Konica Minolta, with the machines’ consistency and capability for automation making them an attractive prospect.
He told Printweek that while the pandemic had delayed the decision to upgrade the company’s UK-wide fleet, the extra time had helped the firm find something suited to its needs.
“[Covid] probably gave us more time to evaluate the market, get out there, and see what technology there is,” Goodier said.
“We did a lot of due diligence work before making the commitment, but now we’re rolling it out, it’s all happening relatively quickly.
“For us, it’s all about consistency. Our customers require the same levels of quality across the UK, so when we roll out something like this, it has to be fast, and we need to push on.”
As part of Service Graphics’ consolidation process, whereby larger central sites serve local hubs, the company has also decided to target a broader audience.
“We are increasingly working with high-end global brands, in spaces such as premium retail and global sports organisations for example, to produce marketing and promotional materials which unlike flat-sheet work requires a greater degree of finishing and embellishment,” explained Mike Holyoake, group managing director.
“There is huge demand for quality production, premium service and products, and this direct partnership with Konica Minolta enables us to enhance our print technology and refine our offering to consistently meet these demands nationwide, as part of our business evolution.”
Glyn Williams, Konica Minolta’s professional print channel manager, said: “This is the perfect time for Konica Minolta to be partnering with Service Graphics, to ensure its print and finishing investments are perfectly placed to power its regional hubs and branches. By combining exceptional output quality with greater automation, efficiency, and attractive operating costs, we are working closely together to ensure customers receive the service, value for money, and results they expect.”
