Describe your business
We are not your typical Kall Kwik branch. I bought the business three years ago with the aim to start delivering a partnership to clients, not just to be a supplier. Kall Kwik is a powerful brand and, three years on, we have grown. Our intention is to build up the top-end client base.
What does the machine do?
It’s a colour digital press.
Why did you choose this particular machine?
In order to meet our targets, we needed to invest in new equipment. When I first bought the business there was an older machine that had reached the end of its lease. It gave us an opportunity and it was a crucial decision for us. In
the end, we went for the C900 because Ikon [A Ricoh reseller] were very consultative in the sell. This press means that we can nibble away at the bottom end of the litho market.
Did you look at any other similar machines?
We looked at products from Xerox and Canon.
What features do you particularly like?
It is helping us to drive down our costs and increase our profitability. The press can be a workhorse, but it also produces really high-quality print. We no longer have bottlenecks and I can control the quality of the job and the timeframe it’s delivered in. What we can deliver is faster turnaround times and we now have the ability to react.
Is there anything that you wish it had that it doesn’t?
I would not change anything on the machine.
How fast is it?
It runs at 90 full-colour pages per minute. We’ve had the machine for nine months and in that time we have hit
1m impressions.
How reliable is it?
It is very reliable.
What’s the quality like?
The quality is unsurpassed. What comes out of the machine had to be of a high standard. That was a critical buying decision. Our clients have not batted an eyelid on this area and we have not had one complaint.
How much time or money has it saved?
It’s not an area that we can really measure yet. It has driven our cost base down and, in November, we were 48% up on turnover compared to last year. At the moment, our turnover is £750,000. The investment in the C900 will support my target to hit a £1.2m turnover over the next 24 months.
Has it won you any new work?
It’s helped us to support clients, rather than be just a supplier. The press has enabled me to spend a lot more
time with them.
Were there any difficulties experienced during the installation or after?
It was a good installation and took around two days. We were not out of action at any stage.
What about the pre- and after-sale service?
Ikon helped us throughout. If a problem occurs, then an engineer quickly comes out. They have a full set of spares and have been fantastic.
Who do you think the machine is right for?
Anyone who is savvy enough to realise that the digital market is ready to explode.
Under what circumstances would you buy another?
A lot of other things need to happen before we need another. The C900 is at the heart of what we do and I don’t need to invest in another one at the moment. Our next investment will be in web-to-print.
Conclusion
User’s verdict
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Supplier’s response
Chas Moloney, Ricoh UK associate director for marketing, says: The key benefits of the C900 are reliability, speed and productivity. It’s a machine that hits the sweet spot in terms of producing high-quality personalised documents. The hot topic over the next few years will be the one-to-one marketing and agencies are realising that. Mark understands that, as a business, you should always approach things from a buyer’s perspective; you need to start with the ultimate end in mind.
Price Up to £145,000 (for a typical configuration including workflow)
Contact Ricoh UK 020 8261 4000
