Offset Printing
manroland at Druckforum 2009
Friday 06. March 2009 - Faster - Cheaper - Better - Different: Value Added Printing in format 50 x 70 and smaller
At Druckforum 2009 in Stuttgart, manroland and associates showed the variety of printing technology, flexible enhancement possibilities and wide range of services that can help small and medium-sized printers to be more competitive.
The Druckforum 2009 held in Stuttgart on 7 February was dedicated to press formats 50 x 70 and smaller. Event moderator and speaker Michael Nitsche, Vice President Technology Transfer at manroland, underlined the significance of this format segment right from the start: “The printing industry is dominated by companies with fewer than 20 employees. Two-thirds of all printers worldwide produce almost exclusively with sheetfed offset presses in the format class 50 x 70 centimeters and smaller.” Thats why all manroland presses in this market segment come under the banner “Entry into XXL technology”. This was the objective behind the development of the new ROLAND 50 (36/52) sheetfed offset press. First user Daniel Eckenfelder reported how he utilizes the substrate thickness of 0.8 millimeters, which is unique in this format class, to produce calendars.
The ROLAND 200 (52/74) with the versatile coating module ROLAND InlineCoater smart and a high-pile delivery was first presented at drupa 2008 and has proven to be just what the market was waiting for. Now the ROLAND 500 (52/74) is available with the ROLAND InlineFoiler Prindor for inline cold-foil enhancement of production from this high-performance press. All these technologies strengthen the position of offset printing in its competition with digital printing. Michael Nitsche evaluated the strengths and limitations of these different processes. Digital printing has advantages with its cost per copy and flexibility for short runs. Offset provides a print quality that many print buyers insist on as a benchmark. Over the wide variety of substrates, the greater range of screens ensures controllable print quality. The even application of ink that offset offers enables uniform full solids to be printed without mottling, and repeatable color reproduction for repeat jobs is assured. As Nitsche summarized: “For the great majority of jobs, offset is superior to digital printing in terms of quality and cost efficiency.”
Hubertus Wolf, management consultant, spoke about the “SUA – Strategische Unternehmensanalyse” (strategic company analysis). This is an inexpensive instrument which small companies that have limited capacity for commercial controlling can use for self-analysis and future alignment. And for quite some time now, future alignment is no longer only a matter of press technology. The comprehensive PRINTVALUE services portfolio is an equally important component. The portfolio is comprised of printservices for support during the entire life cycle of a printing system, printcom for process-compliant system components, printnet for printing plant networking, and printadvice for extensive advisory services.
printnet networking boosts efficiency
Produce more jobs per shift – even more important when only one press is available. Therefore printnet networking with PressManager smart or PressManager perfect is extremely interesting for smaller companies as well. This makes a big contribution to short makeready times and efficient workflows. Especially during an economic downturn, investments in technical upgrades to optimize production can pay off. Networking software for job creation and ink slide presetting can be retrofitted to presses in the field to boost production efficiency.
EcoLogic – Economy through Ecology
Probably every printer with small- or large-format presses would like the most environment-compatible production possible,” stated Vincent Krafft, manroland. The progressive climate protection activities at manroland in the sheetfed press business sector are bundled under EcoLogic – Economy through Ecology. Companies with efficient energy management and resource-conserving production, whereby they reduce substrate waste and emissions, save real money. Besides lowering costs, environment-friendly production is a strategic factor that smaller printers can also use to score points over their competitors.