Milton Keynes digital printer Laser Graphics has turned to Heidelberg to replace its ageing Indigo 3050.
“It had reached the end of its ten-year life cycle,” says managing director Bill Smyth who started the business as a repro company in 1988. It evolved into a digital printer and has been an Indigo user from the early days of the ePrint 1000.
Now it has left Indigo for a Versafire CV, the five-colour press based on the Ricoh Pro C7100. “We were looking for something new and the CV offers a much lower click rate and lower cost,” he says, “and it has the advantage of a longer sheet size.” Service charges are also lower and service will be less frequent than have been needed to look after the out doing Indigo.
The company will be able to print white or clear toner on the fifth unit and is also looking at the neon yellow option that has become available after Laser Graphics had committed to the machine.
The company specialises in work for events companies, from badges to large format banners but focusing on delegate literature, folders, place mats and so on and there is a sprinkling of work for local businesses. The extra sheet length will be useful in this area, says Smyth.
“We looked at various machines from different suppliers including Konica Minolta and Ricoh. We went with Heidelberg because we wanted to use the Heidelberg name. We are moving away from Indigo and we wanted to reassure our clients that we are buying from the best,” he says.
The new machine has been readily accepted by operators who no longer have to deal with the idiosyncrasies of the old Indigo. “We have just had our first service call,” says Smyth.
A new cost structure is also helping with customer retention. “Because service charges are minimal compared to HP, we can produce at lower prices than we could before and handle longer run lengths,” Smyth adds. “This will benefit our customers. And I have no doubt that they will be creative in the way they use the new formats and varnishes.”
Laser Graphics Digital Printing has installed a Versafire CV to replace an ageing Indigo. It will offer a fifth toner station, lower click rate, lower service rate and extra versatility to the Milton Keynes business.
Heidelberg’s Versafire CV, the five-colour press based on the Ricoh Pro C7100. “We were looking for something new and the CV offers a much lower click rate and lower cost,” says Laser Graphics’ MD Bill Smyth.
