Forfar-based Astute Scotland Limited has announced the installation of its first five-colour printing press, a Ryobi 525GX B3-format machine. The press was bought in a package deal which included a DPX2 polyester-based platesetter from UK Ryobi distributor Apex Digital Graphics.
The 525GX four-colour landscape B3-format press replaces a Ryobi 524HX machine within an all Ryobi press hall, which also includes a 522HX and a 522 with numbering and perforating. Commenting on the new addition, Alastair Donald, Managing Director of Astute Scotland Ltd, said: “The five-colour press has quite simply revolutionised our printing facility since its arrival. The fifth printing unit gives us the option of a special colour when it’s needed, but most of the time we use it to seal the work, which means that we can move those jobs on to the next stage in the process almost immediately.”
Astute Scotland Ltd provides an excellent model for many small to medium sized printers in the way it has diversified. Established in 1976, Astute started manufacturing rubber stamps for the office supplies industry. In the early years it became apparent that the only way to succeed in this sector was to offer the best service possible at affordable prices. These fundamental aspects provide the cornerstone of the business that has been built. The company is the only manufacturer of rubber stamps in Scotland, but the company has also diversified into new sectors. Astute now offers print, including a calendar printing capability; publishing, including a Scottish agricultural magazine distributed to 5,000 farms on a monthly basis; graphic design; web site creation; office stationery solutions; office interiors; promotional gifts; packaging; and technology services, including PC maintenance.
It was originally planned that the new press would be installed when the company moved to new premises. By the end of the year, Astute Scotland Limited will have moved from its current “bursting-at-the-seams” Brechin Road site to new state-of-the-art premises on Forfar’s Orchardbank Business Park. The £1 million relocation is the latest upward-curve move for a design and print company with a workforce of 26, a firm foothold in Forfar, a presence in Aberdeen, and looking to expand into Perthshire in the near future. “We just couldn’t wait any longer for the new press,” confirmed Alastair Donald. “We had the work and we needed the extra capacity of the Ryobi 525GX to get it printed. Since the arrival of the press we have enjoyed our busiest month ever.”
Whilst Ryobi machines have always been a firm favourite at Astute, Alastair Donald took a look at the products of other manufacturers as well before deciding on his latest investment. “We actually put three five-year business plans together based on different machine purchases. Our financial advisor took one look at them and said, “I think you already know which machine to purchase!” The savings on make-ready time, reduced wastage, and the increased amount of work that we could process each day certainly gave the Ryobi a clear advantage.
“The business plan indicated an extra two jobs per day, but in reality its more than that, and we are printing saleable sheets after just 50 or 60 run-up copies have gone through the press.”
The company’s Aberdeen presence comes from the purchase of a digital print business in the city. “Whilst digital certainly has a place in the market, most of the work that we inherited with this purchase has now been converted to litho printing. “Click charges” in digital can make a lot of work unprofitable. We have been able to convert work to litho and actually make money on it,” said Mr Donald.
Ease of operation on the Ryobi 525GX is enhanced by the use of the Ryobi Printing Control System, PCS-H – which is provided as standard. Colour adjustments, dampening supply, and registration adjustments can all be made by the operator at the control desk using the touch sensitive LCD display. The operator can also input paper size and thickness via the screen to set the impression pressure and pull side guide to the optimal position.
An advanced version of Program Inking is also built into the PCS-H, automatically setting the conversion curve for each colour according to image area ratio. The Print Density Control system PDS-E uses a densitometer to measure the colour bar on a printed sheet, and feed corrective data back to the press via PCS-H for totally consistent print production. CIP3 and CIP4 data is loading into the machine from pre-press via the Ink Volume Setter software.
The maximum paper size that can be handled by the Ryobi GX Series is 520 x 375mm, whilst the machines will take sheets as small as 100 x 105mm. The press will handle sheet thicknesses from 0.04mm through to 0.6mm, and will print at up to 15,000 sheets per hour.
Apex Digital Graphics – The Solutions Provider
Apex Digital Graphics Limited is a specialist in the supply and service of pre-press and press equipment. Apex is the official UK distributor of Ryobi presses, the Screen Plate-Rite Micra metal plate system, the ECRM range of polyester platemaking units, and a range of B2-format computer-to-plate products. The company offer national service coverage, and a one-stop shop for print consumables featuring next day delivery. Apex Digital Graphics can be contacted on 01442 235 236 or via the www.apexdigital.co.uk web site.
For more information on Astute Scotland Limited call 01307 464 467, or, for a detailed overview of the business, visit the http://astute.uk.com web site.
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