Pressroom

Geoff Neal adds Stitchmaster ST 350 ahead of June delivery of a Speedmaster XL 106

Thursday 04. April 2013 - Geoff Neal Litho is making a substantial investment with Heidelberg, ordering a Speedmaster XL 106-6+L for delivery in June and, ahead of that, installing a Stitchmaster ST350 saddle-stitcher. This follows on from the installation of a Speedmaster SM 52 Anicolor, comprehensive Prinect workflow modules to integrate with the existing Pressroom Manager and a Speedmaster XL 105-5+L.

“Two years ago we installed a Speedmaster XL 105 and we have seen just how impressive XL technology is; this press is producing 75-100% more than the seven year old CD 102 that we are now replacing with the XL 106,” says Geoff Neal, chief executive of the company he founded 37 years ago.
The new press is specified with Inpress Control, the automatic colour and register control device, and semi-automatic plate changing. This extends the company’s closed loop colour control, connected up by Prinect Pressroom Manager and Prepress Manager.
“XL technology is most powerful in the short run, makeready-intensive environment. Although the 18,000sph XL 106 will give 3,000 more sheets an hour on longer runs than the CD, the real payback is in the speed of set up,” he says. “We handle work for a number of prestige brands and can produce very high class jobs. Today to be on the “elite printer” lists of the professional buyers you have to have technology like the XL and be able to have the type of report that you can have with Inpress Control and Prinect, proving to clients just how little deviation from perfect colour you are able to produce.”
Geoff Neal Litho did review Komori and KBA options but Geoff Neal’s verdict was that “the XL is the best technology out there”.
The Feltham company has just installed a six-station Stitchmaster ST350 with cover feeder, a direct replacement for a 1999 ST300 which has been sold on through a dealer.
“We looked at the ST450 and we love its automation but our calculations showed that for our business the ST350 gave us the better potential Return on Investment,” says Mr Neal. “Having JDF networked our prepress and press departments with Prinect workflow modules the bindery is the obvious next step and with the ST 350 we are set to do that in future.”
Regarding the purchase of the Anicolor Geoff Neal added: “Our clients were asking us to look after their small format work as well. We looked at all the digital printing options but felt that the Speedmaster SM 52 was head and shoulders above the competition on short run, high quality non-personalised work. It offers significantly higher quality print than digital technology and is far more flexible and reliable and, with a dedicated coating unit, sheets come off dry and the ink is protected.”