Prepress
Southport Printing Finds Success with CRON-ECRM
Thursday 25. May 2017 - CRON-ECRMs platesetter brings efficiency and productivity gains to NH printer
For Southport Printing, based in Portsmouth, NH, polyester plates were a constant source of irritation. The company had struggled with stretching and other issues, and, noted company President Josh Parison, they were wistfully remembering the days of metal plates and film negatives.
That all changed when Parison was at CRON-ECRM North American dealer Offtechs October open house event in 2015. “They had this small compact CRON-ECRM CTP set up and were producing plates like hell,” he said. “It really jumped out at me.”
He immediately went to work switching out his old polyester system for the CRON-ECRM TP2616 machine, and after just over a year of running with it, he couldnt be happier. “This system has made my press operators extremely happy,” he said. “With the Dotworks Instaprint thermal plate we got rid of all the chemical systems we were using including the disposal problems setup is quicker, waste is reduced, and they are just very happy with the way everything works. Now, when we have a problem, its usually a press issue instead of a plate issue.”
Southport Printing focuses mostly on producing corporate stationary on their Ryobi and AB Dick offset presses, which is a niche Parison intends to remain focused on. He doesnt see major growth in the segment, but he does believe it will continue to be a steady source of work, which is why the CRON-ECRM system is a good fit. It allows him to continue operating the presses and taking on work, while spending less time and money on plates, wasted press time, and chemicals, so he can see more profit on each job.
So far he has been very pleased with the decision. “I was told that not a whole lot can go wrong with the TP2616, and even when things wear, it is comparatively easy and inexpensive to replace those parts,” he noted. “This is a major investment that will really last, and Offtech and CRON-ECRM have been incredibly responsive to all of our questions along the way. We are very happy with this relationship.”
“The quality is better than on the polyester plates, and the press operators spend their time producing better work, instead of dealing with plate issues and managing chemicals,” he continued. “If someone is considering a metal plate system, I would certainly recommend this one.”
“This has been a rewarding relationship on all sides,” said Richard Page, Vice President, Offtech. “We are honored to be part of Southport Printings ongoing success, and we are looking forward to continuing this relationship well into the future, as their needs continue to evolve. Josh is dedicated to providing his customers with the best possible quality, and Offtech will be there to help him achieve that.”