You will know the name Riso. The Japanese company has built up a worldwide reputation as an ink manufacturer and duplicator specialist and the brand name itself has now become synonymous with the very act of reproducing printed materials. 

Across the globe, the company has in particular become wellknown in the education market, where its products are ideal for schools, colleges and university departments.

But what perhaps you might not know is that following in-depth research and development, and from clients’ evolving requirements, Riso is now a production print partner of choice for many, working with clients who are demanding a cost-effective, high-speed cut sheet inkjet printer to work alongside larger continuous sheet-fed systems.

Its award-winning ComColor X1 series of inkjet printers has revolutionised the high-volume market, providing a cost effective solution to the diverse needs of in-house printing, giving customers the flexibility to maximize their productivity and efficiency. Stralfors, for example, is one of the company’s customers.

A leading provider of critical business and marketing communications solutions, Stralfors uses Riso ComColor printers to produce variable data print communications for clients.

The company’s head of operations (UK), Steve Rowson, commented: ‘The Riso ComColor production printers produce full colour print communication at high speed. Our high-end continuous feed production systems represent a significant capital investment. The Riso printers, which cost a fraction of the outlay, released capacity on the production equipment.’

Identifying a need in the market, Riso and Böwe Systec have partnered to bring to the market The Bridge. Due to be showcased for the first time in the UK at Ipex in March, The Bridge is an innovative integrated print-and-mail solution that for the first time fully facilitates ultra-fast colour or mono printing with highperformance inserting in one seamless operation.

Tatsuo Murakami, who heads up the Tokyo-based company in the UK, commented: ‘The Bridge offers a white paper mailing solution. 

With its unique inkjet technology, high speed and reliability the Riso ComColor enables The Bridge solution to be a cost effective option for full colour or mono end-to-end mailings.’

The integration of the two systems enables users to print documents on demand, on the latest ComColor inkjet printers from Riso, with the use of a white paper solution eliminating waste from out of date stock, saving time and money. The Bridge automates all production steps. After the mailings have been printed on demand, they are automatically transported to the proven Böwe Systec Vario inserting system where they are then inserted.

The Bridge is an ideal solution to the processing of hybrid mail and the processing of sensitive documents, all with confidentiality of date assured because no manual intervention is required between printing and inserting. An optional opaque cover guarantees 100% integrity.

Waleed Khan, managing director of Böwe Systec UK, explained: ‘The Bridge gives customers much more flexibility in how they manage their print and mailing. It provides them with the power, speed and reliability to produce up to 8200 finished items in an hour. That’s in addition to the print runs they normally do but without the need to add large, expensive print solutions to their systems.’

And also on display at Ipex will be Riso’s Perfect Binder. This innovative accessory allows on-demand book printing, from white paper to finished book, on one machine. The Riso Wrapping Envelope Finisher, the industry’s first complete In-line Print-to-Mail solution all in one small footprint, will also be showcased.

Tatsuo Murakami said: ‘As technology and customer requirements have changed, so too has Riso evolved. The introduction of the latest accessories, and our partnership with Böwe Systec, demonstrates our level of commitment in bringing products to the high volume market that are not only unique but most importantly add value.’ Visit Riso at Ipex 2014 on stand N2-D191 to find out more about The Bridge, the innovative solution for the implementation of a White Paper Factory in the mailroom and production environments.