Consumables

The Lettershop Group is cock-a-hoop with Loop 40 filtration

Thursday 27. November 2014 - Up to a day a week in cleaning filters and water troughs has been saved at The Lettershop Group (TLG) with the installation of a technotrans' Loop 40 web filtration system. Payback is expected within the first 18 or 24 months.

“We moved to alcohol free production but found we had a lot of ink deposits and calcium build up due to the matt coated papers,” explains Chris Rawnsley, print room manager of the Leeds printer. “We needed a press chemistry fine filtration system and we had heard that technotrans were working on developing the Loop 40 in Germany. We approached the company and were offered the chance to trial it.
“Now instead of changing filters every three or four days, we change them every one or two weeks and the filter on the loop 40 system can be changed when the press is running and takes five minutes to change. It will more than halve our annual filter costs, previously £5,000 per annum. Everything is cleaner which means the quality is consistent. “
Because the Loop 40 uses centrifugal force there were initial foaming issues but these were easily addressed by adding anti-foaming solution to the fount. At the end of three months. TLG had no hesitation in going ahead with the purchase of the unit and Mr Rawnsley says that when the company buys its next web a second Loop 40 will also be added.
“With web production you have high speed and printing both sides so the damping solution circuit becomes very contaminated. Loop 40 gives us more uptime, less downtime and saves on filter and chemistry costs,” says Mr Rawnsley. “We have been very impressed with technotrans. Managing director Peter Benton visited in person and liaised closely with Sun Chemical to ensure we secured the results we needed.”
Lettershop is a leading marketing and mailing solutions provider which constantly looks at ways to reduce its carbon footprint. Running without alcohol is an example of that.
Peter Benton, managing director of technotrans, says: “Running without alcohol means having to have much more stringent control of processes, particularly the ink-water balance, and good press peripherals provide that consistency and predictability for quality results at high printing speeds.”