A3 MD Tony Pooles with the pair of Heidelberg Versafire presses
Surrey-based A3 Design and Print has installed a second Heidelberg Versafire CP digital press to meet customer demand and via social media decided to name the pair Victoria and Albert.
The company, which won the ‘Best use of digital imagery’ category in the 2017 Digital Printer Awards, carries out work for discerning high-end customers and chose the initial Verafire which was installed a year ago on the strength of its relationship with Heidelberg whose litho presses it also uses.
While some of A3’s customers still prefer the print from the company’s 5-colour SM Speedmaster 74 and Heidelberg finishing equipment, there has been a growing demand for digital for products such as look-books and short-run packaging, according to managing director Tony Pooles.
‘We needed an additional press and the same Heidelberg digital press was the obvious choice,’ he says, adding that ‘the RIP speed is phenomenal and the colour is pretty good. Customers don’t have to specify or ask which print method is used, we can get a colour match across litho and digital.’
This is achieved by extensive calibration and profiling of the presses with A3 having built up a library of over 300 profiles for different stocks and printing conditions. Having a second press of the same type means that these can be shared and the installation of the second Versafire in January was quick with ‘next to no training’ being required.
