Print Solutions
Route 1 Print has partnered with Konica Minolta to enhance its product offering with the investment in an MGI embellishment press. The top of the range Jetvarnish 3D Evo 75 + iFoil L, which is the first of its kind in the UK, will be adding high value effects to print jobs at the company’s South Yorkshire facility.
The trade print division of Bluetree Group, Route 1 Print, already boasts an impressive line up of equipment, including four litho and ten digital printing presses, at its production site in Rotherham. Dispatching over 5500 jobs every week, the company serves the majority of its trade customers via a dedicated online portal. It had been relying on an older digital varnishing press for creating spot UV effects, but the machine was no longer fit for purpose as customer demand was outstripping capacity.
To find a solution, the company turned to Konica Minolta and its MGI portfolio of embellishment presses, quickly homing in on the Jetvarnish 3D Evo 75 + iFoil L. Route 1 Print operates a sophisticated production workflow, and the investment in the advanced and highly automated model, complete with in line foiling, will enable it to offer premium finishes to increase value and appeal.
‘We were incredibly impressed with the capabilities of this machine and the opportunities it offers,’ said Route 1 Print’s managing director Adam Carnell. He explained, ‘With the Jetvarnish, we can introduce spot UV on a wider range of products, the option for low and high build spot UV and, in due course, foiling. It is also highly automated, meaning we can set up multiple jobs one after the other, moving from long run booklets to short run business cards with ease. This was especially important to us because the demand for spot UV has increased in the past year. We needed equipment that would speed up production times without sacrificing quality. In fact, the MGI will improve our spot UV quality due to the AIS registration and in line corona treatment.’
