"The print has got a lot quicker in that time and it has also got less personal in terms of client interaction," says Yorath, who is managing director as well as owner of Lanes. "Everyone wants things so fast these days and it really is all about quick turnaround."
Where the company conducts its business has also changed – it has moved from the centre of Broadstairs, Kent, to a more accessible premises outside of town, where the distribution vehicles have an easier time of getting in and out.
Perhaps the biggest change though was that in 1977, when Yorath started in the industry, buying a Chinese-made press would have not been an option. At the start of 2011, however, it most certainly was.
The company was in the market for a new press as it had a B2 four-colour on which it was printing runs of between 1,000 and 2,000. Yorath explains that those short runs just weren’t cost-effective any more, to the point where the company was occasionally losing money on the work.
"The market had been driven down by cheap digital print and, although our quality was superior, we had to compete with them," explains Yorath. "So we needed a B3 press with more automation and fast make-readies to keep costs down."
Having assessed what was on offer in this category, Yorath decided to take a closer look at the Hans Gronhi GH524 four-colour offset press being offered by UK distributor Printers Superstore. The initial pull was the price.
"I researched the market and this was the most economical machine to do the job," explains Yorath. "We did look at other options, such as the Heidelberg GTO, but they were just so much more expensive. They probably do have a better residual value, but when a press is £100,000 cheaper than its rivals, the residual value becomes less important."
Totally tested
Not that price was Yorath’s only concern. The company put the machine through strenuous and exhaustive testing and it passed every time. Most importantly, it met the company’s specifications for rapid makereadies.
Graham Moorby, joint managing director of Printers Superstore, explains that the GH524 can deliver the makeready gains via semi-automatic plate changing, automated wash-ups, stream feed, metered dampening and touchscreen ink profile setting. He says these gains are saving the 32 UK printers that have already bought a Hans Gronhi machine a lot of money.
"Hans Gronhi machines are popular because they are putting the margins back into print at a time when the industry is feeling the pinch," he explains. "This is because of the focus on hitting colour profiles and producing the first saleable sheets as quickly as possible."
The Hans Gronhi GH series is available in two to six colours with optional numbering and perforating and the four-, five- and six-colour models have network-based off-press controls.
The installation of the Lanes four-colour machine took place in January this year and it was, according to Yorath, a seamless operation. The machine came in two halves and was installed without production being affected. Some training was needed once installation was complete, but Yorath says this was more signposting than "from-scratch knowledge building".
He adds that the press had a great effect on the 14 staff members at Lanes, as it demonstrated that the company was doing well and pushing on for the future.
"When we bought the press the staff were really encouraged that we were managing to make investments during the recession," he reveals. "We are doing very well at the moment and, by investing, we are keeping that going by staying one step ahead of the game."
In the 10 months since installation, Yorath has been really impressed with the quality coming off the machine and also with the uniformity of that quality across different substrates.
"It is a good-quality full-colour press that can handle a variety of different stocks and it can print a full solid which is a bonus on presses these days," says Yorath. "There has been no dip at all in the quality department either, so our high standards have been maintained, and the fact we have done that while saving money has been a real boost to the business."
Of course, if the machine had proved unreliable – or spare parts were hard to come by – those savings would be eaten up petty quickly. Fortunately, the problems have been minimal and Yorath says that when they have occurred, the issues have been fixed promptly.
"We have had a couple of very minor things go wrong and while we were under guarantee we got Printers Superstore down to sort it – but in the future they would be things we would be able to fix ourselves very quickly," says Yorath. "As for parts, there is no problem at all, for example we had a damaged felt roller and we got a replacement the next day."
Moorby explains that service packages are available, from ad-hoc servicing, to scheduled service contracts, to full preventative maintenance agreements.
"A comprehensive range of spare parts and consumables is also available off the shelf at low prices," he adds.
Overall, Yorath has been impressed with both the service and the press itself. He explains that it is difficult to put a figure on the money saved, but estimates that around £10,000 in costs has been cut from the company’s balance sheet, through a combination of time and technology advantages.
"The time savings have been key – previously makereadies took around 30 minutes, now we makeready in five minutes. We have a lot of spare capacity as a result," says Yorath.
The biggest advantage for Yorath is that he now feels he is better equipped to deal with the very cheap and, in his opinion, poor examples of print that the public is being misled into buying.
"We are now able to really compete with the digital rubbish that is about – they call it digital, it’s actually just photocopying. It is a shame that the public is being duped by this print that is out of register and has the colours all wrong, all because they are taken in by the cheaper price," he says.
Solid performer
As for the longevity of the machine, Yorath says only time will tell if the machine can last as long as its more expensive counterparts, but so far he has been impressed with the build quality, deeming it "very solid".
Moorby predictably says that the press is more than a match in build quality to its fellow presses in this category.
"Hans Gronhi is an engineering-led manufacturer with a focus on build quality," he explains. "The presses have a highly stable platform with the GH524 weighing 9,000kg – the heaviest in its class. They also boast a compact footprint and low power consumption at just 12kWh (GH524) and 14.5kWh (GH525)."
He adds that the presses are not just suited for businesses similar to Lanes.
"The machines are aimed at printers interested in the full range of quality short-run colour work, from NCR to heavier stocks," says Moorby. "They appeal across a broad customer base from large trade printing houses to small owner-operator type businesses – also to litho printers who have gone digital and due to cost or quality issues are looking to get back into litho, B2 printers where effective run lengths have dropped, and digital printers who have grown their businesses and have to fulfil a need for producing longer run lengths more cost effectively and where they also require an edge on quality."
For his own business application, Yorath says he would definitely recommend the press, stating that he has been impressed with the complete package. It may represent the latest in a long line of changes to the Lanes operation, but it has continued a tradition of those changes, on the whole, having a very positive impact.
SPECIFICATIONS
Max sheet size 520x370mm
Min sheet size 148x100mm
Paper thickness 0.04-0.4mm
Max printing area 510x360mm
Net weight 9,000kg
Dimensions 4.33x2.31x1.72m (LxWxH)
Price £158,000
Contact Printers Superstore 0113 208 8500 www.printers-superstore.com
COMPANY PROFILE
Lanes Printers
Lanes Printers is based in Broadstairs, Kent, and employs 14 staff. It produces a range of commercial work for an array of clients, including some blue chip companies, and operates B1 and B3 presses. It was founded in 1897 as a family company and remained so until current managing director Wayne Yorath bought the business in 1990.
Why it was bought…
The firm was seeing margins shrink on runs of 1,000-2,000, which it was printing on a B2 four-colour press, to the point where it was occasionally losing money on those jobs. In order to remain competitive against lower-cost print from digital rivals, Yorath decided that the company needed a B3, fast-makeready press.
How it has performed…
"It’s a good quality full-colour press that can handle a variety of different stocks and it can print a full solid which is a bonus on presses these days," says Yorath. "There has been no dip at all in the quality department either, so our high standards have been maintained, and the fact we have done that while saving money has been a real boost to the business."
