Stockport printer SF Taylor has ordered its second Koenig & Bauer Rapida 75 Pro, six years after installing the first machine.
The five-colour press has the same specification as the first so that work can easily be moved between the presses, including a 3/2 perfecting capability. It is scheduled for delivery in September.
It will be set up to handle lightweight papers, runs at 15,000sph, has ColorDrive, with Lab options, for colour accuracy on spot colours. It is also set up to run without IPA with semi-automatic plate change and simultaneous washing of blanket and impression cylinders.
The press will increase capacity for the company, enabling it to retain more work in-house. It operates as a hybrid print management, in-house production model with online communication and creative design for a number of clients. It is a key supplier to the NHS.
Managing director Simon Young says: “The last investment in a Rapida 75 Pro has contributed significantly to our business growth since 2015. Koenig & Bauer is our preferred partner for printing presses and we have a strong relationship built on the success of the first press we purchased.
“We consider ourselves a ‘hybrid business’ providing solutions for our clients across a range of disciplines including manufacturing, communications and creative design – essentially an extension of your marketing team. However, print is still a significant part of our offering and with this latest investment we are ensuring that we have the capacity to respond to growing customer demands.”
The company has developed HubTec as a tool for online ordering, tracking and storage of print, based on bespoke web templates for customers to manage print requirements and generating reports for those customers to better understand spend on print. It links directly into the company’s MIS and from there to either litho to Xerox digital presses.
The new press forms the first phase of a larger investment. Decisions about what additional technology may be needed will be taken at the end of the year, says Young.
