Prepress
Serendipity brings together Screen and Plastic Card Services
Monday 01. December 2008 - When Plastic Card Services was let down on the installation of a new platesetter to feed its new KBA press, Screen stepped in and saved the day.
A week before the Macclesfield plastic card specialist was expecting the platesetter to be delivered, it transpired that the machine was not available and would not be delivered for many weeks. As managing director Rob Nicholls explains: “It came as a bit of a shock. KBA were great and immediately set off to find an alternative for us. Screen took it in their stride and supplied us with a PlateRite 4300E. As it turns out, we ended up with a far better unit. We were very fortunate and now have a top notch platesetter that hadnt originally even been on our radar.”
“I am pleased that Plastic Card Services is happy with its installation and experiencing the benefits of Screen equipment,” said Brian Filler, Screen MD. “We have a good working relationship with KBA and were only too pleased to help. We pride ourselves in being able to respond to our customers needs however difficult they might seem.”
The company produces cards from plastic sheets and prints them 24 up backs and fronts separately. The key to success is to manufacture them to very fine tolerances of matching and cutting out. “We are very impressed with the registration of the PlateRite 4300E,” says Rob. “Accuracy is absolutely vital and even the engineer who installed the press could not believe how good the registration is. We are running the press four-back-four constantly and the quality and registration is bang on every time.”
With its previous platesetter, Plastic Card Services used to have a problem with having to take jobs off the press now and again. “That is an absolute killer for any business,” says Rob. “That is now gone and we have a slick operation with quick turnaround of jobs.”
The PlateRite 4300E can comfortably accommodate the 64 plates per day that Plastic Card Services requires. Some of its runs are long and on press for some time, and some are very short, but they all take the same number of plates and the ability to make quick changeovers is essential.
“We have made a large investment in the company, not just in Screen” says Rob. “We have the confidence to put £1.5m into developing the business and it is paying off. Our order book is full and there has been no drop off in volume. We look after our customers and give them exceptionally good service. Thats the secret.”