Offset Printing
Ohio Printer Re-Brands and Adds KBA 29-inch Six-Color Press
Monday 10. March 2008 - Woman-owned business needs capacity to continue sharp growth
KBA North America, a global press manufacturer based in Williston, Vermont, is announcing that 3G Graphic Solutions, formerly Miller Printing, a third-generation, family- and woman-owned printing business located in Springfield, Ohio, has installed a KBA Performa 29-inch six-color sheetfed press with anilox aqueous tower coater in December 2007.
“Our 41-inch KBA Rapida 105 six-color plus coater press that we installed in 2000 was booked solid and running three shifts per day,” explains Jeanne Lampe, president and CEO of 3G Graphic Solutions. “After researching the different press configurations on the market, we decided that the KBA Performa 29-inch press was a perfect fit for our smaller run-length jobs. Now we have both KBA presses running in tandem.”
The new KBA Performa 29-inch six-color press installed at 3G Graphic Solutions is completely automated and CIP4/JDF compatible. The press is equipped with double impression transfer cylinders, semi-automatic plate hanging, vacuum-belt feeding, and four adjustable chilled oscillating form rollers with different diameters that apply a smooth and uniform ink film on the plate. The press is also equipped with the popular KBA Densitronic S closed-loop scanning spectrodensitometer system that provides density and color measuring for quality control both during and after printing as well as remote registration—circumferential, lateral and diagonal (plate cocking)that is controlled from the GrafiControl console or delivery touch screen.
KBAs unique systems provide utmost automation, save time, reduce waste
“The Densitronic S system helps us with really difficult colors, such as purples and dark greens, and suggests color adjustments for the press,” says Steve Hoover, pressroom foreman at 3G. “The remote register at the console allows our press operators to make all their critical moves easily at the console and diagnose needed adjustments instantly, on the run. The Performas press operator comes to work every day with a smile on his face. It is a great little press.”
Lampe, the third generation in her family to own the business, has been busy in the past year as she re-brands the companys name and adds new equipment to facilitate further growth. The firm, which has been known as Miller Printing since 1891 with its trademark “Millerman” logo, is one division out of six separate companies that inter-relate. The separate companies were Miller Printing, Armstrong Printing, Springfield Packaging, Rhoades Paper Box, Barrett Brothers Legal Publishers, and Visual Education. Lampe is re-branding the entire firm under one new name, 3G Graphic Solutions, to help customers better relate to the entire firm. Now Miller Printing and Armstrong Printing will fall under 3G Printing Solutions; Springfield Packaging and Rhoades Paper Box will fall under 3G Packaging Solutions; and Barrett Brothers and Visual Education will fall under 3G Specialty Publishing.
Third-generation business
“We chose the name 3G to stand for third-generation,” explains Lampe. “My grandfather bought the business in 1940, my father took over ownership in 1949, and now Im a third-generation woman-owned business. Three years ago it was certified as a Womens Business Enterprise under the National Council, which allows businesses to send work our way helping satisfy their commitment to diversity spending.”
With the new press up and running, Lampe is preparing to start marketing both its new capabilities and the firms new name. An oversized postcard will be used as a direct mail piece to alert customers to the newly-named firm. In it, Lampe emphasizes how good things always come in threes: being guided by its third generation of ownership, and having three dimensions of graphic excellence: commercial printing, packaging and specialty publishing. The direct mail piece notes that the firm is still being led by the same leadership team that has established the highest levels of quality and value and customers will find the very latest in services, technology and capabilities all from a single resource.
Partnering with KBA
“We want to let our customers know that we are still maintaining our commitment to service with a personal touch,” says Lampe. “When customers think of our company, they know that well go the extra mile for their job. We found that same commitment with KBA. We purchased a second press from them because they have always been there for us. They have become partners with us and our business.”
3G Graphic Solutions, formerly Miller Printing, is a 60-employee business located in Springfield, Ohio, near Dayton, in the middle of the state. The general commercial printing firm is housed in a 50,000 sq ft facility off of busy Interstate 70 between Dayton and Columbus, Ohio and it serves customers nationwide. The companys expertise is printing all types of work including brochures, posters, catalogs, and presentation folders on paper or specialty substrates.