AB Dick Provides Digital Press For Colour Growth

Following its recent exclusive agreement with KBA, AB Dick has installed the first small format 46 Karat digital imaging press at C and H Prototype in Teddington, Middlesex (UK).

Following its recent exclusive agreement with KBA, AB Dick has installed the first small format 46 Karat digital imaging press at C and H Prototype in Teddington, Middlesex (UK).

Three years ago the company, which began life as a prepress repro bureau, saw its future in short run, fast turn round four colour digital printing and put its faith in an AB Dick Colour press.

"Moving into digital print has been very successful for us.

At least 30% of our clients are print brokers and other printers, who take in short run full colour jobs but are not geared up with the equipment to print it profitably.

Added to this, our direct customers are mainly design agencies and they frequently require small runs urgently," explained Robin Cross, who runs the company with his wife and son.

He said that the most profitable market for the AB Dick Colour is on very short runs up to 500 copies.

However, it often got requests for longer runs or jobs on different stock or where there are large areas of solid colour, which are not suitable for the AB Dick Colour.

"There is a niche market for a high quality digital press that is competitive up to 2,000 copies, printed on a variety of stock, which is exactly where the Karat fits," added Cross.

C and H looked at a number of options, including digital copying, before placing an order with AB Dick.

"The Karat, which uses the latest Presstek Profire thermal imaging technology was, without doubt, the most advanced digital press we evaluated.

What appealed to us, in particular, was its speed and quality, which are essential in our type of business.

The Karat is a compact, waterless digital press, which gives us litho quality without any of the headaches of make-ready," said Cross.

It is designed to be fast because it automates all the printing processes.

Once the company has ripped a file to press, it automatically makes a set of plates in six to eight minutes.

The other feature the company likes is the infrared drier because the sheets are almost dry when they come out, which means that they can quickly turn them over and print on the other side.

"We were pleased that AB Dick are now marketing the Karat 46 in the UK.

We have built up a good relationship with them over the last three years.

The installation of the new press was difficult because there was only 5mm on either side of the door when they brought in the base machine.

AB Dick had it all under control and their attention to detail was superb.

They got it up and running very quickly and we went into production straight away because we had jobs waiting for it," added Cross.

The Karat has already been put to the test in the first two weeks.

There was an SOS call from a customer at an exhibition who had run out of leaflets.

The job arrived at C and H at 11.00am without artwork, so the company had to scan it, retouch it and send it to the press.

It was printed and finished ready for collection by 6.00pm the same day.

"That time scale would have been very difficult to achieve with conventional litho.

We've already had a lot of interest from trade customers and we are confident that this investment will have a quick pay back and help us develop our business in a new and fast growing market," concluded Cross.

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