Increasing Flexibility And Variable Data Printing

Eastman Kodak Company has reported that Bozzi Multimedia has optimised its production by installing a Kodak Nexpress 2100 digital colour press.

Eastman Kodak Company has reported that Bozzi Multimedia has optimised its production by installing a Kodak Nexpress 2100 digital colour press.

The Milan (Italy) firm was an early adopter of digital printing in 1997, but since the Nexpress 2100 press was installed in December 2004, Bozzi Multimedia has increased production versatility and cost-efficiency.

The digital capabilities complement Bozzi Multimedia's offset production, enabling the firm to effectively handle a wide range of print production requirements and offer new services, such as variable data printing.

Specialising in small to medium format jobs, basic to high-end work and short to long runs, Bozzi Multimedia serves direct customers in fashion, decoration, food, mechanics, toys, hotels, restaurants and small enterprises.

The company supplies a full range of print products, from business cards and letterheads, to direct mail, invitations and brochures.

Its full-service offer includes creative design, CD-ROM based communication materials and website design.

To manage its demanding production needs, the firm has established a solid technical foundation, with two four-colour presses, plus a UV-coating line, two silk-screen printing lines, the Nexpress 2100 press for colour jobs and the Digimaster 9110 system for mono printing.

The result is the ability to respond to any customer requirements and to use the appropriate technology to achieve high quality results, added Nexpress.

According to Enrico Bozzi, the managing director of Bozzi Multimedia, the Nexpress 2100 press, with its capability to match offset output quality, is the best solution when a few preview copies of a job are required for approval purposes.

He explained: "We often have requests for immediate delivery of a printed proof before starting a long run job.

After a client approves the digitally produced proof, we print the full run using the offset press and the customer does not see any difference in quality." The Digimatser 9110 optimises the production of mono short runs, such as books.

A colour cover can be digitally printed with the 2100 press, or produced on the company's silk-screen lines.

Taking advantage of the modularity of the system, the Digimatser 9110 can be configured with up to three paper supply modules for a maximum of 12,000 sheets and an inserter for pre-printed sheets.

The company added that the Digimaster is able to work three hours non-stop in automatic mode, thanks to a stacker with capacity of up to 5,000 sheets for delivery of straight or twisted sheets.

"And the Digimaster 9110 reliably maintains top quality during the whole run length.

We don't need to do a check at half run, as we did in the past with other systems," commented Bozzi.

The Nexpress 2100 press and Digimaster 9110 are so reliable that Bozzi Multimedia maintains only one operator to manage all digital printing operations, reaping additional cost-savings.

Bozzi Multimedia is using its digital expertise to use variable data printing in ways that differentiate the firm from the competition, it said.

One profitable example is the production of mailers, where mono mailers are printed with the Digimatser 9110 and if the run exceeds 3,000 - 4,000 copies, the fixed text is run in offset print and the Digimaster press is used for the variable text.

That production process delivers fast service at an attractive price, added the company.

Another example was a catalogue produced for a chain of decoration shops.

It was a carton box, designed to include fabric or leather samples.

The external part, digitally colour printed on the Nexpress 2100 press, was coupled to the die-cut carton, where the inside samples had a barcode label on the back printed by the Digimatser 9110.

The complexity of the job, for the high number of copies, would have discouraged any other printer but not Bozzi Multimedia.

It managed to produce the entire job in-house with automated processes and in a profitable way.

Bozzi Multimedia's specialty is direct mailing and it has developed a full range of services, from project creation to postage handling and according to Nexpress, Digital printing provides an added advantage when creating personalised mailings.

For a client that operates a chain of toyshops, Bozzi Multimedia developed a personalised printout that displays the name and age of young customers.

The full colour flyer can be offered as a gift at point of purchase, or mailed to the child's home on his or her birthday.

Enrico Bozzi appreciates the convenience of being able to print on a variety of substrates with paperweights ranging from 80gsm up to 300gsm on the Nexpress 2100 and from 60gsm to 200gsm on the Digimaster.

The Nexpress 2100 press can produce business cards on 280gsm paper, 'scratch-and-win' tags on special substrates, or even self-adhesive 100gsm labels or 200gsm coated paper to glue on POP displays.

"The ability of the Nexpress 2100 press to print on regular offset paper, including textured or structured papers, is a tremendous practical as well as economic benefit.

We are very satisfied with our Nexpress 2100 press and the Digimaster system.

we have finally attained the quality and reliability that we've wanted for years," said Bozzi.

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