Violet CTP System Helps Print Services Expansion

Budd Printers takes the lead with the first installation of the Mako 8 violet CTP from ECRM Imaging Systems in South Africa.

Budd Printers takes the lead with the first installation of the Mako 8 violet CTP from ECRM Imaging Systems in South Africa.

Claimed to have the lowest operating cost in the printing industry, the Mako 8 CTP from ECRM provides Budd Printers with high quality imaging and press format flexibility.

Owner and founder of Budd Printers, Quintus Budd, commented: "My average print run is 1,000 upwards and I produce between one and 50 plates per day.

I was looking for a versatile and economic long term solution that would enable me to process a range of plate sizes in-house, as well as expand my remit of print services." He added: "Learning about the benefits of violet CTP on the ECRM stand, at Ipex 2006, was a real eye opener for me." The Mako 8 makes eight-page CTP affordable for all commercial printers, claimed ECRM.

Offeringpress format flexibility, the Mako 8 covers all formats for two, four, six and eight-page signatures, at the lowest possible cost of operation, it is claimed.

Supporting press formats from 254mm x 254mm (10" x 10") to 824mm x 1,143mm (32.4" x 45"), the Mako 8 is said to be suitable for multi-press operations, offering resolutions from 1,800 dots per inch (dpi) to 3,556dpi and imaging up to 18 eight-page plates per hour at 2,400dpi.

Hailing from a family of other high achievers, Quintus Budd is the brother of Zola Budd, the former Olympic track and field competitor and a former world-record holder in women's long-distance running.

Based in Bloemfontein, Budd Printers provides a variety of commercial print jobs for customers from the local area, as well as from Capetown and Johannesburg, including letterheads and business card printing to leaflets and A1 posters.

Regularly printing direct mail leaflets and in-store promotional literature for South African retail groups, its print runs can routinely reach the one million mark.

According to Quintus Budd, the company was initially looking to purchase another imagesetter.

However, to meet the company's exact requirements, violet CTP seemed to be the best option in terms of speed, ease of use and reliability.

Moreover, with current violet CTP technological advancements, Budd also felt that current thermal CTP systems would prove to be more expensive in the long run.

Budd continued: "I am very impressed with how flexible and simple the ECRM Mako 8 CTP system is to operate.

Using just one platesetter, I will now be able to produce plates for our eight-up Heidelberg SORDZ, four-up Heidelberg MOZ, four-up Heidelberg KORD 64 and two-up Oliver 6 presses.

The installation process was relatively quick and easy too, with very good customer support.

I am looking forward to reaping the benefits of the Mako 8 CTP system." Mel Ellis, from Antalis, a dealer of ECRM products in South Africa, said that the Mako 8 CTP system was the right match for the Budd printing workflow.

He commented: "With the hallmark features of good value, reliability, flexibility and the added benefit of violet CTP technology, the Mako 8 CTP system proved to be ideal for Budd Printers.", Derek Sizer, ECRM's vice president for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific concluded: "ECRM products are built with the future in mind and offer good value CTP systems for customers looking for high quality, reliability and simplicity." Dating back to 1933, Budd Printers is a family run business.

Re-established in 1999, Quintus Budd runs the business, along with his wife Ria Budd and a team of 13 employees.

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