Offset Printing
Tipografic adds second XL 105 to tackle short runs at high speed
Tuesday 13. October 2009 - Tipografic will take delivery of its second Speedmaster XL 105 in December, this latest one a seven colour with coater.
“We needed to replace an older CD 102 and the choice of an XL 105 was inevitable since the first we installed last December had proved to be a superb investment,” says Jeff Cornell, managing director.
“It does what it says on the tin, running at 18,000sph even with lightweight label papers. The first press has been given all the long runs. This second XL 105 will handle more short runs, putting the makeready improvements to the test.”
Tipografic, a round the clock producer, puts “quality and reliability” as its priorities and the equipment it runs has to enable it to meet that pledge. The company has a seven-colour press in use at its Blackpool special products plant so having a seven-colour in Liverpool, where it produces wet labels for the cans and drinks markets, gives it a good production match. Seven colours gives it maximum flexibility and edge to edge coverage for labels production.
The XL 105 will run with conventional rather than UV inks, a reflection of changing market attitudes and a greater concern about environmental factors. The coating unit helps speed output and gives rub resist which is important in some packaging sectors.
Mr Cornell believes the biggest challenge from an operators perspective is adapting to a new level of speed. “With the XL 105 operators can makeready at 15,000sph and then push up the speed to 18,000sph where before they have madeready at 5,000 to 6,000sph and then notched up to 13,000sph. Once they see the principle works it will make a big difference.”
For customers this investment means they will continue to get a service which is “on time, in full”. The company produces labels on paper and plastics, with embossing or gold foil options in square cut or shaped (by ram punch) formats. . In addition to wet labels the company produces reel fed labels, self-adhesive labels, cartons, paint cards and security print.