Short-Run Potential Prompts Digital Printing Move

New market potential and the ability to offer cost-effective short-run work was what convinced Caprin of St Albans to invest in an MGI Meteor DP40 Pro SRA3 digital printing system.

New market potential and the ability to offer cost-effective short-run work was what convinced Caprin of St Albans to invest in an MGI Meteor DP40 Pro SRA3 digital printing system.

Joint managing directors at Caprin, Ajay and Nitin Gudka, opted for the French-built machine from UK distributor Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE) because it not only offered the usual digital advantages - variable data capability and fast make-readies - but it is also opening new market potential with its ability to print on virtually all substrates, - including plastics, said GAE.

But for Ajay Gudka, whilst the Meteor's flexibility is a big bonus, it was not his primary consideration.

He explained: "There is such intense competition and margins are so tight, we knew we needed a digital machine to offer cost-effective short run work." He added: "There is no point doing this if the cost of running the equipment is going to cancel out the gains, and we felt both the purchase price and consumables cost associated with most digital machines is too high.

When you do the sums, the Meteor is more cost-effective.

Also, we thought it was easier to use than rival machines, not just in terms of operation but also maintenance." He commented that Caprin saw the ability to produce on plastic as a useful extra in the future, but for now the machine is printing a variety of paper, as it will always be the company's core business.

Gudka continued: "During demonstrations we ran several test jobs to assess the quality of print, and we were satisfied that the Meteor can produce to offset standards.

Only an expert could tell the difference between a job produced on the Meteor and a job produced on our four-colour offset press." The MGI Meteor DP40 Pro utilises a what is described as a new generation of Pantone certified toner-based inks, which are claimed to eliminate the need for fuser oil and so allow trouble-free overprinting, laminating and perfect binding.

It has a claimed 1,800 dots per inch (dpi) output and comes with a RIP, dual densitometer on-the-run colour monitoring system and software for variable data processing, database importing, variable text and image data, automatic numbering, bar code management and multi-layout management.

Caprin's finishing department has a Horizon VAC-Turbo collator-bookletmaker, also from GAE.

Gudka observed: "GAE has a good product portfolio and we have an exceptional working partnership.

When you're doing something unfamiliar you need the reassurance of good back-up and there are none better than GAE for that.".

Back to top