The smallest of things can often make the biggest differences. In the case of Portland Media, the small thing is a humble desktop card-cutting machine weighing in at a mere 58kg.

The difference the Caslon Zip-21 has made to the Clerkenwell-based business has been profound. In fact, the machine has allowed the commercial printer to take on new clients and expand its web-to-print (W2P) business.

"The Zip-21 is a fairly light production machine, but it’s had a great impact on how efficient we are as a business," explains commercial director Les Bexfield. "It has enabled us to be more proactive in areas like W2P and go after new clients, because we now know we’ve got the back-end production support to be able to fulfil orders."

For a company like Portland Media, which is continually looking at ways of being more creative and adding value to the services it offers, the Caslon Zip-21 has proved to be an ideal low-cost, high-return way of bringing production in-house.
The company was set up in 2004 by Bexfield and joint owner Charles Rogers, who looks after the production side of the business. The six-strong staff manage a broad range of clients from blue-chip companies to publishers and design, advertising and creative agencies.

Digital gains
In recent years, the company has increased its in-house digital services thanks to the addition of a Xerox 700 and, for large-format printing, an Epson 9900S. "The main motivation behind bringing digital in-house is to improve our internal margins, if I’m being completely honest," says Bexfield. "But it has really helped with our bespoke W2P solutions as well. With the web portals that we offer, clients are able to go in, customise, edit and order business stationery online."

And that’s where the Caslon has proved so valuable. Through the W2P software, Portland Media process upwards of 15 batches of business cards every day. Before, the company’s finishing manager was tasked with cutting out the business cards on a guillotine, which would take more than 15 minutes per batch. Now, he simply loads up the Zip-21, presses a button and walks away.

"The Caslon has made our in-house operation much more efficient," explains Bexfield. "It has allowed us to go after more customers. We’re now able to effectively manage orders much better, rather than becoming bogged down in finishing."

Launched in 2008, the Zip-21 is the updated SRA3 version of Caslon’s A4 Zip-10. As well as having a smaller footprint it is faster – running at 158 cards per minute – and more accurate than the original model. The machine works by cross cutting the sheet with a guillotine and then, with an adjustable blade cassette, it will slit and/or score the sheet immediately before it exits to the delivery tray.

The machine can align itself to either the lead edge of the sheet or a printed registration mark at the top of the job, so reducing the likelihood of a misfeed or the possibility of image drift.

The cut points are entered via a keypad, and there is the option of a straight cut or a variable-sized gutter to be removed between the individual cards. A fixed 6mm gutter is removed from between each column of cards and the sheet sides are removed by slitting wheels.

Moving the slitting wheels means card width can be adjusted to any size. There is also the option of buying additional blade cassettes if special set-ups are required.

As Portland Media will testify, the machine can process any of the 49 stored operator programs at the flick of a switch. Either regular sheet stock or laminated reel stock can be processed.

Last May, Caslon introduced the high-speed Zip-21C, which is able to produce 288 finished cards per minute. The Zip-21C is supplied mounted on stand, which, because of its speed, doubles as a container to collect the cut wastepaper.
Despite the unveiling of the Zip-21C at last year’s Northprint, Bexfield felt the original Zip-21 model was adequate for his company’s needs. "The fact that this model is a desktop device is an advantage to us," says Bexfield. "We operate from fairly small premises, so space is at a premium."

Other options
Bexfield looked at a similar cutter-slitter made by Morgana at the show, which was more expensive. For what both models could do, he felt the Caslon was the better-value option.

"We tested the Caslon at the show and decided to buy it there and then," he explains. "We felt it was very affordable. I’d say the return-on-investment came within six months, and that was just on the saving in operator time."

Bexfield says that St Albans-based Caslon was very professional in the way it delivered the machine, going to great lengths to go through the machine’s main functions. "The machine is pretty easy to use, but with the numerous different programs it helps to know how to change the size and quantities of business cards, and gang them up on a single sheet," he adds.

Portland Media was given a 12-month service contract as part of the purchase, but so far, there has been no need for any repairs or maintenance. Given that the machine has had such a positive impact on the company, Bexfield says he would not hesitate in investing in a second one, should the need arise, something that looks increasingly likely if the way the company has embraced W2P over the past year is anything to go by.

"The main growth area for us at the moment, being a PM business, is how we can offer added-value services to our clients and be different from the run-of-the-mill printers. And we feel that offering services such as W2P makes us stand out from our competitors," claims Bexfield.

He concedes that it’s a very competitive marketplace at the moment. "Which is more of a reason why we are looking for new services and new ideas that we can take to our clients and be different from everyone else. Because anybody can compete on price," he says.

"You’ve got to look at new revenue streams and new ideas and ways that you can add value to your clients and help them save some money on their print costs, and be creative," Bexfield adds.

The success or failure of a business won’t hinge on a Caslon Zip-21, but machines like this can go a small way to making a big difference.

SPECIFICATIONS
Speed 158 cards/min
Footprint 1,030x510x320mm
Pre-sets 49
Max stock size 320mm wide
Max card thickness 350gsm
Min cut size 40x45mm
Max cut size 300x230mm
Max feed stack 50mm
Min crosscut pitch 2mm
Crosscut precision 0.1mm
Price Zip21: £7,250; Zip21C: £10,999
Contact Caslon 01727 852211 www.caslon.co.uk

COMPANY PROFILE
Joint owners Les Bexfield and Charles Rogers set up Portland Media in 2004. Based in Clerkenwell in central London, the company’s core business is print management and consultancy, serving a number of clients from blue-chip companies to design and creative agencies. However, in recent years, in order to differentiate itself from its competitors, the company has branched out into web-to-print (W2P) and email marketing. Rogers looks after the production side of the business while Bexfield, handles sales and marketing. Bexfield’s previous role was as sales director at London Digital Printing Group (now Tangent Communications).

Why it was bought...
Portland Media decided to bring digital production in-house to improve margins. The Caslon Zip-21 can quickly process business card orders generated by the company’s W2P’s clients and printed on a Xerox 700. Without the machine, the finishing manager would have to guillotine the cards manually, which would take up to 15 minutes per batch.

How it has performed...
Bexfield says business card orders are now dealt with quickly and effectively, and the Zip-21  has enabled the company to chase more work. He has nothing but praise for it and wouldn’t hesitate to buy a second one, should the need arise.