Offset Printing

Spate of XL doubles in 2010

Thursday 23. December 2010 - There were a spate of second and third Speedmaster XL installations in 2010 in both B1 and B2 formats.

In B1 topping the list were Stephens & George adding a third XL 105 long perfector (a fourth XL as they have a B2 press as well). Doing it in style, The Anton Group also signed a £12.6m order at Ipex which includes three further XL 105s, one 12- and two ten-colours, and these will be called off in stages. It already has two XL 105s in operation.
Many more companies are now double XL 105 users including Benson Box, J Thomson Colour Printers, Hampton Printing, Pureprint and Tipografic. It’s a mixed double for the UK’s Inpress Control pioneer Micropress which now has both an XL 105 and XL 75 in operation and the XL 75 doubles clocked up this year include Bishops Printers and ESP Colour.
“The B2 market has gone crazy,” says Matt Rockley, B2 and B3 production specialist. “Everyone wants an XL 75 and we have 15 due for installation in the next three months at as many different sites, including printers converting from rival machines. Talking to Anthony Thirlby, managing director of ESP Colour, recently I discovered he had achieved 142 make-readies and 196,000 impressions on an XL 75 in one 24 hour period. I think that must be a record, unless anyone knows differently? “
Gernot Keller, B1 product manager says: “Productivity without compromise to quality and colour control is the main thrust in today’s market where prices are keenly negotiated and low running costs are an essential part of remaining profitable. In addition to the spate of XL sales we have also seen a wide take up of Inpress Control, a spectral measurement device which also cuts to the bone on-press waste and start up times, and Autoplate XL the simultaneous plate changing device.”
Lance O’Connell, business manager – Prinect and CtP, adds: “Objective colour, closed loop networking, clear control over all aspects of manufacturing remain important issues heading into 2011. More printers are adopting Heidelberg’s ISO 12647 consultancy service and audit and at our open house in February printers will have a chance to view the results of working closely with preferred partners web to print specialist Red Tie and MIS supplier Tharstern. Now sales as well as production and management information is being networked in to the modern printer. “
Marrying up the right CtP, finishing, workflow and consumables is critical but Heidelberg is continuing to benefit from the comprehensiveness of its portfolio and on-going improvements in service and support which include the launch of the Customer Support Centre at Brentford in the first quarter of 2011 and the new eCall automated alert system linking the press to the Help Desk remotely to further improve uptime and maximise press efficiency.