Offset Printing

Multiflow Increases Productivity by a Quarter Following Installation of Presstek 52DI-AC

Wednesday 19. September 2012 - Presstek 52DI-AC Digital Offset Press investment reinvigorates UK firm with leaps in quality

Presstek, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRST), a leading supplier of digital offset printing solutions to the printing and communications industries, today reported that the installation of a Presstek 52DI-AC digital offset press has helped commercial printer Multiflow in Bicester boost productivity by a quarter.
B3 Productivity with Presstek 52DI-AC
“We are a specialist in B3 short turnaround work, and we wanted to raise the quality of print we produce as well as add coating capabilities,” comments Andrew Murdoch, Production Director of the company. “The work we were producing was fine, but we wanted to take it to the next level and make our offering stand out with exceptional results. The Presstek 52DI-AC helped us achieve that and more. Since the press was installed, we have seen productivity increase by a quarter. With runs getting shorter and turnaround times quicker, the B3 segment is where the action is. We firmly believe it is the best option for all of the types of general commercial print we deliver, from leaflets to brochures and booklets. B3 has a very crucial role to play, which is why the choice of the Presstek 52DI-AC press was easy for us. “says Mr. Murdoch
The 30-year-old business, now run by Mr. Murdoch and directors Mike Homer and Andrew Barnes, was established was established as a small firm serving the print needs of local operations. Today the firm has 11 employees, and it is hoping to significantly grow its £1.3m turnover over the next 12 months.
The highly automated waterless offset Presstek 52DI-AC is ideal for short print runs of high-quality with fast turnaround times. There is no need for a separate platemaking system– chemistry-free plates are imaged directly on-press in precise register. The Presstek 52DI-AC offers the lowest cost per sheet in runs of 500 to 20,000 sheets, and it takes less than ten minutes to go from digital file to the first sellable colour print with resolutions of up to 300 lpi or with FM (stochastic) screening.
Having installed a Heidelberg QuickMaster DI Pro ten years ago, Mr. Murdoch knew that a DI press could deliver what he was looking for, and within a small footprint that allows him to take full advantage of limited space. “We understand DI and know how it works,” Murdoch adds. “We wanted a next generation DI solution that could give us the print results we required without the need to invest in addition platemaking capabilities or worry about the space required for new equipment. We looked at Heidelberg’s press solution with offline platemaking, but Presstek offered everything we wanted, and at a competitive price. I particularly liked the exceptional print resolution and the consistency of quality both within each job and from job to job. Coating was also important; a glossy finish on the print differentiates us by increasing the market perception of a good quality product – and it is something we are being asked for more and more.”
Expanded client portfolio
The ability to expand the level of services and range of applications Multiflow offers existing customers, coupled with the opportunity to generate new business, was crucial to the investment decision. “We want to be able to grow, and we needed a press that could help us do that,” states Murdoch. “We have taken on another salesman because we want to more aggressively promote what we can do. A large part of our customer base is in the industrial and automotive sectors” says Murdoch, production director for the company. “But with the new Presstek 52DI-AC in place and our improved cost and quality position, we are now looking to work with a wider variety of clients including ad agencies, tech & food companies. This is the primary reason we chose to invest in the Presstek 52DI-AC.”
Perhaps the biggest endorsement for the investment has been from Multiflow’s customers: “They have been ringing us up and commenting on the quality of the print and the value added by the coating. We are delighted they have noticed the difference. The work we are producing on our new 52DI has created a buzz of enthusiasm that has resonated throughout our business and reinvigorated it. Now we have the confidence to go out and market our capabilities, safe in the knowledge we can meet any customer’s expectation competitively and profitably.” concludes Mr. Murdoch.