Print Solutions
resource, a Leeds based marketing company with its own litho and digital printing capability, has announced details of an exciting upgrade to its litho printing equipment. Following detailed discussions with MPL, the UK distributor of RMGT sheetfed presses, the company was able to trade back its existing Ryobi 925 for the very latest version of that A1 format press – an RMGT 925 equipped with LED-UV for instant drying and fully automatic simultaneous plate changing for lightning fast job changeovers.
During the five years since its previous litho investment, the company has successfully rebranded itself as a full service agency providing creative design, web based marketing, event creation and management and printing solutions. ‘We see ourselves as now offering clients a fully integrated marketing solution encompassing all available channels,’ said David Woodcock, operations director.
‘When talking to clients we are seeking to provide them with a complete promotional campaign and whilst print can often be a key element of the package, it is just one part of the whole campaign that we will design.’
LED-UV was the key element of the new five colour litho press. ‘We had been looking at the developments in litho for some time. LED-UV struck us as a game changer. The ability to deliver dry to the touch sheets at the end of the press brings litho that little bit closer to the immediacy of digital,’ said David.
The company also opted for the top of the range simultaneous plate changing option, giving the new press the capability of changing all five printing plates in just one minute, speeding up the whole make ready process significantly. Coupled with this is a fast blanket wash cycle option, helping to produce a sub four minute make ready from last sheet off to first sheet off on the next job.
Typical of the projects handled by resource is the event management work recently undertaken for two major car manufacturers. ‘We manage everything from creative concept, the design and build through to the printing of all collateral. Retaining our own printing facility means that we keep control of everything from the timing of production to the output quality,’ said Phil Thompson, managing director of resource. ‘Quality standards of the printed work are controlled in-house by working to ISO 12647 standards on both digital and litho work.’
RMGT’s latest software features are aimed towards fewer sheets being used in the make-ready along with the ability to adapt the ink key curves at a touch of a button to keep the press optimised at all times.
‘Our previous RMGT press was incredibly reliable – reliability is important to us as a business; if our press lets us down, we are in danger of letting a client down, and that is something that we just cannot entertain,’ added Phil.
The A1 sheet size of the RMGT 925 press is an ideal format for many printers as it can accommodate 8-up A4 work without moving to a more expensive B1 press option. The B2 sized frame means that it literally has the same footprint as most B2 presses and a significantly smaller one than all the B1 machines, in addition to the savings that can be made with press consumables and power consumption against the larger format. RMGT’s LED-UV drying system led the way in the print sector when it was introduced back in 2008.
The LED-UV instant drying, simultaneous fully automatic plate change, Ryobi Matic D dampening, and a 55 inch screen press monitoring station are just some of the key features of this impressive press.
RMGT’s press information display at the main console helps the operator identify any requirements for change, and includes colour control, job information, and sheet travel all displayed on the large flat screen in real time. The additional Wi-Fi enabled tablet that also comes with the system gives the operator a chance to leave the console and prepare the next job while still being able to see all of the press information to ensure the printing continues in the correct manner.
Colour is controlled by the fully integrated closed loop PDS-E SpectroDrive. resource required ISO reporting with Bodoni PressSign, which was added by the MPL team as the press was installed.
