Print Solutions
Healeys Print in Ipswich will take delivery of two new Polar guillotines in March, a Polar N115 Plus and a Polar N92 Plus. The N92 Plus replaces an older Polar, the larger N115 Plus succeeds a Schneider Senator model. This follows on from the purchase of a smaller Polar D66 Plus last year.
‘People don’t get very excited about buying guillotines but our guillotines are used twice as much as any other binding kit so we want guillotines that we can rely on and I don’t have to worry about. Our staff are real Polar fans,’ said Philip Dodd, managing director.
Investment in the right equipment is fundamental to growth and last year Healeys saw its sales increase 15% to reach a record £4.1 million and it believes, with the existing infrastructure, it has the ability to rise to £5 million. Today the split between litho and digital is about 65% to 35% respectively.
Last year a smaller Polar guillotine was installed to handle digital work and at the same time the business added two new Ricoh presses to bring its digital presses total to four. The two guillotines arriving in the spring will be used primarily for litho work.
The N Plus guillotines feature an 18.5inch touchscreen monitor and graphic operator guidance, ensuring the best cutting profiles are used and stored. Optiknife ensures the knives are fitted safely and maximise knife life.
Healeys supplies litho, digital and wide format jobs to a wide range of customers UK wide. Today marketing and advertising agencies account for about a third of sales. Its strong sales and customer support team are able to offer input and advice that is valued in that sector. Healeys cites its values as ‘care, create and collaborate’. Other sectors include art galleries, charities and businesses, large and small. It has an online portal for customers who like to be digitally connected.
The company was a pioneer with the purchase of its carbon balanced Speedmaster XL 75 and it continues to pursue a sustainable approach to business. Last year it spent £40,000 on LED lighting to reduce energy usage by 75% and it works with the World Land Trust to offset the carbon it uses in production.
‘We have seen the first flush of enthusiasm for the environment but this is an issue that will not go away. I believe it will grow and grow. We are talking to one company with a high European profile which has approached us because we are one of only ten companies identified as carbon balanced printers. Customers care about this issue,’ said Philip.
