Offset Printing
St Ives plc to Install UKs First ROLAND 700 DirectDrive
Friday 28. March 2008 - DirectDrive presses running in most industrialised country
Owing to St Ives investment in a ROLAND 700 DirectDrive the future-oriented MAN Roland sheetfed presses are now running in almost every leading industrialised country. The 12-color perfector for St Ives, one of UKs leading printing group, is the first DirectDrive press in Great Britain.
Impressed by reduction in makeready times
“We were very impressed by the reduction in makeready times the DirectDrive system offered,” said Hayden Savage, Operations Director, St Ives Crayford. “At St Ives, we are always striving to offer a more efficient service and we feel that MAN Rolands DirectDrive system will help us do this, by increasing productivity whilst maintaining our standards of print quality. When purchasing any equipment at St Ives, we always consider how the product will benefit our customers. With the MAN Roland 700 DirectDrive press, it was our belief that once installed, its DirectDrive technology would speed up the production process and provide a quicker time to market. Importantly, this would enable us to add further value to our customer service, and allow us to maintain our competitive edge.”
DirectDrive as a landmark in printing technology
The all-important innovation of the press is the direct drive of the plate cylinder. In combination with an intelligent coupling system, it enables simultaneous changing of all printing plates and make-ready operations such as blanket and impression cylinders, and inking roller wash-ups. “I believe that the introduction of DirectDrive will come to be viewed as a landmark in printing technology by future generations,” said Gary Doman, Sales Director for Sheetfed Products at MAN Roland Great Britain. “There is nothing else on the market that can have such a dramatic impact in ensuring that the printer can move from job to job in the absolute minimum of time.” The installation of the press, which will be run alcohol free, is due to be completed at St Ives music and multimedia location in Crayford within the first quarter of 2008.