It's no surprise that printers are looking to cut costs at the moment, such is the less-than-rosy economic climate. And while roller washes and plate cleaners are one expense that can't be avoided, you might think that an obvious way to keep costs down is to opt for less expensive products - but this approach comes with words of warning.
"Often it is just not cost-effective to run with a cheaper product, as it actually ends up costing you more in the long run," explains Paul Owens, sales manager and UK pressroom chemicals technical co-ordinator at Flint Group. "Trying to get buyers to understand this concept can be quite difficult at times."
Another factor is matching the right products. While the consumables market has shrunk and continues to do so, it is vital that there is compatibility, according to Steve Hannon, managing director of Böttcher UK.
"It is important to understand the compatibility between wash and rubber compound. Significant levels of swell or shrink can be imparted to the roller if the product selection is wrong. This will shorten roller life, increase waste and reduce quality," he explains.
Switching solutions
More printers are switching to low-IPA or IPA-free printing, which require the press and rollers to be in good condition. "The use of incorrect cleaning materials on the dampening rollers can cause the rollers to start exhibiting hydrophobic and oleophilic tendencies, making IPA-free printing more difficult," adds Hannon.
In general, blanket washes are used to clean away ink and other contaminants. Most blanket washes are based on a combination of hydrocarbon derivates and vegetable-derived solvents. Plate cleaners remove ink and other contaminants from the plate preparatory to storage or recycling. A good plate cleaner should also help repair surface scratches.
When sourcing plate, blanket or roller washes, remember that many products are specific to certain applications. Check whether the product is OEM approved and also find out if the product will run well in your own pressroom. "Will the product help increase production? This is very important and often overlooked by buyers just looking at the bottom line," says Flint's Owens.
WHAT'S NEW IN PRESSROOM CONSUMABLES
• Fujifilm is introducing a solvent-free wash at the start of next year. The VOC-free wash contains no hydrocarbons or vegetable oil derivates common in offset washes. Targeted at newspaper production, Fuji claims the wash evaporates quickly, leaving a dry blanket, without any additional step of cleaning the wash-off with water
• Böttcher has introduced two roller and blanket washes with a new generation of emulsifiers. Böttcherin Twister and Böttcherin Mistral combine lower emissions with an enhanced cleaning power, the manufacturer claims. Böttcher UK recently introduced its eco-logic systems for the delivery and management of cleaning products
• PricewaterhouseCoopers claims that small print and packaging companies don’t realise that the EU’s Reach legislation is applicable to them. In response, the Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental department produced a ‘Reach Primer’, which breaks down the 20,000 pages of legislation, at www.thehsqedepartment.com/drupal.
