New Speedmaster At Core Of Growth For Apple Litho

Apple Litho is to take delivery of a Speedmaster CD74-4LX following its success with CD press technology over the past two years.

Apple Litho is to take delivery of a Speedmaster CD74-4LX following its success with CD press technology over the past two years.

It will run alongside a CD74-5LX and replace a SM74-2.

The company has needed more colour capacity.

The five-colour CD press had enabled it to be more aggressive in the marketplace because of the quality it can produce and the new press will allow it to lift turnover from ?2.5m to ?3.5m in the next 12 months.

Apple Litho has recruited two new sales staff and to attain targets by the time the press arrives in March or April 2004.

To make space and to bring its office facilities up to the standard of its production unit the company has acquired an adjacent 2,500 square foot building, meaning it will have a total of 10,000 square feet.

Here an MIS system will be installed after the company visits Drupa in Dusseldorf in May, when it hopes to identify the system it needs.

The company's Topsetter 74 CTP system already takes data direct to the five-colour press and will do the same with the new press.

The out going two colour machine was working a 40-hour week plus overtime but the new press will start on two 36-hour continental shifts with a third shift planned to start in September.

The company reviewed its throughput before specifying the new Speedmaster.

It found that only 30% of work through the five-colour was four or more colours so, while a specials facility is required, the four-colour could mop up a lot of throughput.

Coating is seen as a prerequisite for fast turn round in the finishing area.

The company is also adding a Ti 55 continuous feed folder to prevent any end of line bottlenecks.

Apple Litho handles work primarily from within Bristol (UK) but with contracts from Dorset, London and mid-Wales as well.

Its clients are diverse and include clothing manufacturers, exhibition organisers, garden centres and insurance companies.

The work is typical of the general commercial printer including leaflets, brochures, stationery and promotional work.

Back to top