Offset Printing
KMS Litho makes its new year B2 debut with Heidelberg
Monday 14. January 2008 - KMS Litho will grow to a £1m business with the installation of its first B2 press this month. The company has opted for a Speedmaster SM 74-5 from Heidelberg to replace its seven year old SM 52-4 .
“We were offered a Japanese made SRA2 press and we were very tempted but Heidelbergs B2 technology is convincing and they provided a deal covering not only the press but also a CtP device using a consumables deal that enabled us to make the move very comfortably,” says managing director Mark Willis.
Based on the edge of the Cotswolds in Hook Norton, ten miles from Banbury, the company has over its 14 year span built up business across a broad spectrum both locally and nationally, with an offset, digital and wide format portfolio. On its one year old Printmaster PM 52-2 it produces business cards and general jobbing work but its biggest job of 2007 was brochure work for Price Waterhouse which was agency supplied. It also has a niche in fine art work, greetings cards and postcards.
The SM 74 will enable the company to bring some outsourced work back in-house. The company was limited when it came to 6pp A4 products, A4 landscape jobs and particularly oversize A4 folders with pockets.
“We will bring work that currently goes out to the trade back in-house and many customers are also offering us additional work for this new press. We have enough work to comfortably fill it,” says Mr Willis. “We are a company which has grown slowly and steadily. Always we are trying to be as lean and mean as we can, we are constantly evaluating new technology and striving to work smarter and cleaner.”
With five units, KMS Litho can seal most four colour work for quick turnrounds. The Prosetter 74 visible light CtP system will run with Signastation imposition software and MetaDimension RIP. It will connect via Prinect Prepress Interface to the press, giving the company very fast set up times and accurate colour control. The company has undergone a Heidelberg Print Colour Management programme so is confident of its colour quality and consistency across its plant.
The company has Polar cutting, Stahlfolding and stitching and binding in-house. It operates a 12 hour flexible day shift and employs eight full time and three part time staff.