Offset Printing
Academy Press Makes the Most of Its Niche with Mid-Size Technology by Heidelberg
Wednesday 04. March 2009 - Academy Press, Seattle, has its feet planted firmly in the present and its eyes on the future, thanks to a substantial investment in Heidelberg equipment and workflow.
The company, which enjoys a reputation for highly efficient, multicolor sheetfed offset printing in the Seattle area, recently installed a 5-color Speedmaster CD 74 with Instant Gate, Axis Control, Color Assistant and InkLine automated ink delivery system to help keep it that way. The new press joins Academys existing CD 74, acquired five years ago. “We bought it to increase our capacity, as well as for the quality of the printing, ease of setup and changeover and the ability to run a wide range of stocks at speeds to 15,000 sph,” said Nick Karis, who co-owns the company, along with his brother Tony and father Terry. “For customers wanting things fast with no degradation in quality, the CD 74 is a made-to-order solution.”
Academy views the 29″ CD 74 as an economical alternative to 40″ printing. Typical applications include postcards and small direct mail brochures in the 100,000-500,000 range. “The half-size works very well for us,” said Karis, adding, “We can run six 8 ½ x 11 pieces cost effectively on a 23×29″ sheet and have no plans to enter the 40” market at present. Academy Press is in the final stages of moving its operation into a brand-new, 20,000-square-foot facility nearby, where the new CD 74 is already in full production…. Other Heidelberg equipment slated to make the transition are a pair of POLAR paper cutters, Stahlfolder, Heidelberg Windmill letterpress and Heidelberg prepress workflow anchored by a Prosetter 74 violet platesetter. Karis looks forward to adding even more Heidelberg equipment in the future. His reasoning is straightforward and compelling: “You get what you pay for. Choosing Heidelberg not only nets us a terrific piece of equipment, but also the incomparable quality, service, and guaranteed return on our investment that come with it,” he said. “Settling for less is penny-wise and pound-foolish, and winds up costing you more in the long run.”