Karl Smith with the company’s first digital printer the Konica Minolta C6000
Technique Print Group, has installed its first digital printer, the Konica Minolta C6000 digital printing solution from Apex Digital Graphics.
Karl Smith, managing director, said, ‘Whilst the company maintained its litho focus, a growing percentage of work handled has suited digital production – either due to run length or a personalisation requirement – that we were having to outsource. This purchase will bring all of that digital work in-house, giving us total control over the production process.
‘The Konica Minolta equipment was, in our opinion, the most capable, but Apex made the real difference, because they understand print and have people who are able to look at a digital machine from a printer’s perspective. They also illustrate how serious they are about digital by having a machine in their own showroom, rather than using the manufacturers facilities, and by developing a full technical support structure of their own.’
Konica Minolta’s C6000 creates colour and monochrome printed images at up to 60 pages per minute. The product incorporates real-time image density and colour density control sensors for long-run stability, as well as high-speed scanning, digital colour printing, modular inline finishing capabilities and versatile Image Controller options to fit the demands of any production workflow. The device images at up to 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution with 8 bit processing for smoother, more realistic images.
By bringing the work currently being outsourced back under its own roof the company will be close to covering the cost of the new equipment. ‘We have plenty of work to get the new kit off to a flying start, but we can now actively sell digital print as a service as well,’ said Mr Smith. ‘We know that existing customers have work more suited to digital that we believe we can win. I have no doubts that this investment will pay for itself extremely quickly.’
