James Dickson, operations manager for printing logistic solutions at Standard Life, said: “We like that it is a bit unique in the marketplace. We’ve been a Canon partner since 2008 and it links very well with our existing print infrastructure.”
The VarioPrint was installed on 18 March, the same day that Standard Life moved its print facilities from its previous site just outside of Edinburgh, to Glenogle Road in the city centre, opposite Standard Life head office. It began operating for the first time on 20 March.
The printer replaces six Canon machines with the newest two, Canon imagePress C7010s, kept as back-ups.
Dickson added: “One of the things we really see the i300 doing for us is allowing us to print just-in-time. We have a large logistics hall and want to use the i300 to print much more just-in-time to drive down obsolescence, so just printing what we need, when we need it. By taking six devices down to one big one we are taking that strategy to the next level.”
The VarioPrint i300 is a sheetfed B3-format inkjet press. It prints up to 300 A4 impressions per minute or 8,700 duplex A4s per hour. It costs around £750,000.
The VarioPrint will be displayed on the Canon stand at Drupa.
It was announced for the first time in February 2015 but now has a number of added features, which allow it to print on uncoated offset paper. In addition to ColourGrip technology, it now has an enhanced CMYK ink set with a wider gamut on a greater range of media.
The VarioPrint also has two new finishing options, a BLM600 bookletmaking system producing square-back booklets up to 224 pages thick and a Tecnau TC1530 dynamic cut-sheet perforator. Both will be on display at Drupa.
The Standard Life print facility prints a wide range of media, including annual statements, business quotations, change-of-address forms and marketing mailings. It employs 32 staff in its new 13,000sqm offices in Edinburgh, which are double the size of the old premises. Dickson added it has no plans to increase production but wants to further support the Standard Life digital-first strategy.
