Data Mail Solutions has made a return to litho printing, installing a Speedmaster XL75-5+L after recent investments in Canon inkjet seemed to point to a shift away from the analogue process.
However, growth in demand for longer run and litho work led to the decision to reinvest in litho. The press, now in full production, means that the Crawley business can respond to requirements for five-colour sealed products while retaining control over production, delivery, quality and margin.
The press has been supplied through Exel Machinery with Close Brothers Asset Finance putting together the finance package. Its sales director Nick Aust says that the deal continues a long standing relationship between the three businesses saying this is because of “our ability to respond quickly and offer flexible funding packages, as we did on this occasion with a tailored hire purchase deal to suit the seasonal requirements of the business”.
Exel was able to provide the XL75 to the precise specification that DMS required. The 2015 model comes with Wallscreen, Impress Control, a full set of new rollers and a 12-month warranty.
DMS CEO Simon Smode adds: “We’re delighted to continue growing in the litho market despite the challenging market conditions. With Close as our funder and Exel as our supplier, we know we’re working with the right partners.”
In 2020 the company invested in two Canon cutsheet inkjet presses to be able to switch litho to digital thanks to inkjet’s ability to “cover a combination of transactional, direct mail and high quality coated commercial applications”.
It became the first of many in the UK with the iX3200 SRA3 inkjet press. The order included an i300, breaking its previous commitment to Xerox technology.
It subsequently added a Colorstream 6000 continuous feed inkjet press and ImagePress V1000 when it moved to a new factory last year. This too was funded through Close Brothers Asset Finance.
