Precision Printing to add third LED-UV press

Print Solutions

Following its investment in two RMGT Ryobi Series 9 LED-UV presses last year, The Precision Printing Company has announced an order for a third machine: a second eight colour perfector, to be installed in its new Thames Gateway factory.

The company’s move premises – just two miles from its existing site – will expand the business from 3500 square meters to 5000 square meters. The Ryobi machine will be installed at the new site to provide for business continuity whilst existing equipment is moved.

The machine ordered is similar to the existing perfector: an eight colour convertible perfecting press for 8-up A4 format print production. Two LED-UV curing units are incorporated into this configuration – one situated over the perfecting device and the other at the delivery end of the machine, enabling one pass instant curing perfecting. The press will also be equipped with Smart-RPC fully automatic simultaneous plate changing, dramatically reducing make ready times for job changes.

This will also be the first press in the UK to be fitted with the new PQS-D colour control and inspection system. Shown for the first time in Europe at drupa, and utilising in line CCTV camera technology, the PQS-D in line printing quality control enables the operator to monitor printing quality on both sides of the printed sheet in terms of both colour density and comparison to the pass sheet.

If a defect, such as a hickey, is identified, the operator is alerted on the control panel via a visual display and warning tone. A tab is inserted into the delivery stack until the defect is cleared, when a further tab is inserted.

The initial perfector was supported by a Ryobi 925 – a five colour straight press also equipped with LED-UV curing and an in line spectrophotometer. Plates for the two presses were provided by two Cron CTP systems, all purchased from Apex Digital Graphics.

Precision Printing group chief operating officer Andy Skarpellis said: ‘The Ryobi/Apex relationship has gone from strength to strength and the market we are now pursuing allows us to produce uncoated work same day into London which was unachievable with conventional machines. It mirrors our digital platform beautifully and allows us to utilise the cross platform much closer than before.’

Adding further comment about the investment in LED-UV equipment, chief executive officer Gary Peeling said: ‘It has revitalised the litho side of the business. It gives us the immediacy and simplicity of operation that we get from digital.

Andy Skarpellis.

‘If we are going to have a successful offset business we won’t do it by doing the same thing we have done for the last 20 years, so we are going new and modern and looking forward to the opportunities greatly.

‘We are working hard to make using more printing simple for our customers. LED-UV allows us to produce wonderful looking results on uncoated substrates, which are increasingly popular. To compete, printing needs to be fast and simple. It is often the difference between printing or not from the customer perspective. This modern press technology allows that.’

When talking about the work being produced on the RMGT equipment Andy referenced both hybrid digital/litho work and the trade work generated by the company’s WhereTheTradeBuys.co.uk website: ‘The output quality of the Ryobi machines is excellent of course, and with the LED-UV feature we can produce a finish to match our Indigo digital output, allowing us to produce combination litho/digital print products for customers. This means that we can combine personalised sections within long run publications at an economical price.

‘For our trade printing business, the new presses mean that we are able to offer same day delivery for volume offset print orders into London, or overnight delivery, even if they are produced on uncoated stock – something that we could only do with short run digital requirements before.’