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News Release from: Presstek | Subject: KBA 46 Karat Press
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 11 June 2004
A B Dick Instals Its First KBA Digital
Press
Following its exclusive distribution agreement with KBA, Today's Printers in London is the first high street quick printer to have a KBA small format waterless digital press installed by A B Dick.
Following its exclusive distribution agreement with KBA, Today's Printers in London is the first high street quick printer to have a KBA small format waterless digital press installed by A B Dick There are only five 46 Karat machines in UK
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 7 Oct 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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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).
It was a very significant investment for Syed Moazzam Hossain, owner and managing director of the company.
"I am confident that it will enable us to triple our business.
There is a huge market out there for medium run colour work, which we hadn't been getting with our Indigo press," he said.
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Mr Hossain set up the company in 2001 with a business partner, who he bought out in August last year.
"It's always been my goal to have my own business since I came to this country 12 years ago from Bangladesh and now, with one of the first 46 Karat digital presses, I am a trail blazer," he added.
He had qualifications in print, repro and commercial photography in Bangladesh but took a full time course in the mid-1990s at the London College of Printing to gain an HND Diploma in Printing and Packaging.
He set up the high street printers with an Indigo Platinum 4 and a Single Colour Heidelberg GTO offset press.
"I thought they would give me sufficient flexibility to take on short and longer run work but the demand for short to medium run four colour work is enormous, particularly between 5,000 to 10,000 runs.
I would say that virtually all of my business is four colour.
The Indigo was fine for very small runs under 1,000 copies but customers wouldn't pay the price for longer runs.
The GTO wasn't suitable for this type of fast turn round, quality work because it was single colour," commented Hossain.
He saw the 46 Karat digital press being demonstrated on the A B Dick stand at the digital print show.
He said that one machine can give the company the flexibility to compete in the four colour, fast turn around market from a few copies up to a 25,000 run.
The company sold the Indigo and the GTO and A.B.Dick installed the digital KBA press two months ago.
The installation was relatively smooth and Today's Printer's was soon in full production.
"A B Dick's training was very thorough and I found the press very easy to use.
The quality is excellent, particularly on large solid areas.
It's very fast too.
The other big advantage is that it can print on a wide range of stock up to 350gsm.
Although it is isnût recommended, I do print on 60gsm carbonless weight as well," said Hossain.
Once the file is ripped to the press, it automatically makes a set of plates in six to eight minutes.
The press has an integral infrared drier so that the sheets are almost dry when they come out, which means that they can quickly be turned over and printed on the other side, claims KBA.
That is very useful for Today's Printers because 70% of its workload is leaflets and flyers, many of which are double sided.
The rest of the work is split between stationery and brochures.
"About 20% of our workload comes from the trade, 50% from designers and companies and the remainder is passing trade or from local people who read our advertisements in the newspaper or hear them on local radio.
We should get a lot more business once people know that weûre competitive for longer runs.
We also want trade printers in London and the Home Counties to know that we can help them with all their short to medium run digital printing," said Hossain.
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