Commercial printer Multiflow in Bicester said it has boosted productivity by a quarter since installing a Presstek 52DI-AC digitally imaged offset press.
‘We are a specialist in B3 short turnaround work, and we wanted to raise the quality of print we produce as well as add coating capabilities,’ said Andrew Murdoch, production director (pictured above). ‘The work we were producing was fine, but we wanted to take it to the next level and make our offering stand out with exceptional results. The Presstek 52DI-AC helped us achieve that and more.
‘Since the press was installed, we have seen productivity increase by a quarter. With runs getting shorter and turnaround times quicker, the B3 segment is where the action is. We firmly believe it is the best option for all of the types of general commercial print we deliver, from leaflets to brochures and booklets.’
The 30 year old business, now run by Mr Murdoch and directors Mike Homer and Andrew Barnes, was established as a small firm for local customers. Today the firm has 11 employees, and it is hoping to significantly grow its £1.3 million turnover over the next 12 months.
The automated waterless offset landscape format B3 Presstek 52DI-AC is intended for short print runs of high quality with fast turnaround times. Its costs work best with runs of 500 to 20,000 sheets, taking less than ten minutes from digital file to the first sellable colour print. Multiflow’s press is an AC version, meaning it has provision for aqueous coating.
Having installed a Heidelberg QuickMaster DI Pro ten years ago (which also used Presstek plate technology), Mr Murdoch said he knew that a DI press could deliver what he was looking for. ‘We understand DI and know how it works. We wanted a next generation DI solution that could give us the print results we required without the need to invest in addition platemaking capabilities or worry about the space required for new equipment.
‘We looked at Heidelberg’s press solution with offline platemaking, but Presstek offered everything we wanted, and at a competitive price. I particularly liked the exceptional print resolution and the consistency of quality both within each job and from job to job. Coating was also important; a glossy finish on the print differentiates us by increasing the market perception of a good quality product – and it is something we are being asked for more and more.
‘We have taken on another salesman because we want to more aggressively promote what we can do. A large part of our customer base is in the industrial and automotive sectors. With the new Presstek 52DI-AC in place and our improved cost and quality position, we are now looking to work with a wider variety of clients including ad agencies, tech and food companies.’
Contact: www.multiflow.co.uk and www.presstek.com
