Presstek doubles productivity at HDS

Presstek has revealed how Heron Dawson and Sawyer (HDS) has almost doubled its productivity by upgrading from a KBA 46 Karat to a Presstek 52DI digital offset press.

Phil Heron, a director of HDS, a family-owned firm of litho and digital commercial printers, said: 'We always wanted a 52cm B3 DI landscape press but at the time we purchased the 46 Karat, the 52DI was not officially launched.

'The 46 Karat was a good starting point because it introduced us to the benefits of a highly automated press, which images directly on to the plates without the need for a separate computer-to-plate system.

'Having used this technology successfully, we would be reluctant to change it.

'Consequently, when the 52DI came into production, we watched its success and were motivated to buy one.' Originally the company provided intellectual property services for patent and trademark attorneys and this is still an important part of the business, although much of the work is now done electronically.

Heron added: 'Market forces diversified the operation into the multiservice provider it is today.

'The litho side is now the largest part of our operation, representing 60 per cent of our production.' Presstek introduced the 46 Karat to the company because its small footprint was more appropriate than a conventional four-colour litho press.

The 46 Karat's automation was another important factor.

Heron said: 'This year we felt confident that the 52DI press had come of age.

'When we saw it being demonstrated at Presstek's showroom we were surprised at what it could offer over and above the 46 Karat.

'Besides that fact that it is a small footprint, landscape, waterless, B3 press with a stream feeder, it is of much sturdier construction.

'The rolling power, quality and speed have been enhanced in this new generation press.

'It has better environmental features than the Karat because it has a disposable blanket cloth, so we don't have to use solvent.' The Presstek 52DI operates at a claimed maximum speed of 10,000 sheets per hour.

Heron said: 'We were normally running the Karat at about half that speed and, although we don't always run the 52DI at its maximum speed, it has almost doubled our output.

'The registration is spot on, which has enabled us to print spot colour jobs, which we struggled with before.

'We also used to output work that was heavily inked with reversed out print and the 52DI can do this easily.'.

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