Masons Print Group Turns to Heidelberg for Productivity Boost |
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| 25.02.2004 |
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Masons Print Group is reorganising its factory layout to maximise workflow efficiency, adding an extra shift in the bindery and taking delivery of a new press and guillotine system. Combined, these moves will ensure it can compete in the price-sensitive world of on-line Internet bidding and facilities management supply as well as providing commercial printing products to its loyal north west customer base.
Already running double day shifts in the studio and press room, Masons will extend this to the bindery from 1 March and take on two new operators. The bindery is being moved to give a more logical front to back production workflow through the 19,800 square feet plant.
The company is taking delivery of the new Speedmaster CD 74-5L, a B2 five-colour press with coater, in April. It replaces a B3 five-colour and will run alongside its existing four year old Speedmaster SM 74-5.
"We are finding we are very competitive in the B2 format," says managing director Tim Leaman. "The new press will give us a 30 percent improvement in productivity. We will get better quality and better turnround. It is easier to handle and quicker to makeready. If you shave off five or ten minutes on every job it makes a big difference."
The company handles leaflets, booklets, brochures and a range of other general commercial work. Its average run is about 15-20,000 so it typically handles about ten jobs a day on each press. Based on the Chester/Wales border it is well placed to serve a UK-wide customer base although, as a family company that has been running since 1908, it has loyal local support as well.
"We bought the SM 74 five-colour at a time when a lot of work was four-colour and we could use the fifth unit for seals. Now five colours are quite standard and a dedicated coater will allow us to meet customer demand for aqueous coating and to move work through to finishing more quickly," says Mr Leaman. "The CD will handle heavier stocks and as we have chosen the commercial format, plates can easily be switched between the two presses."
To beef up the bindery to handle the increased throughput another POLAR 115 System 2 is being installed alongside two existing guillotines. This will have lifting, jogging and stacking materials handling around the cutting bed to maximise output and reduce operator strain. This will be delivered shortly before the press.
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Company Profile
Over the course of its more than 150-year history, Heidelberg has grown from a traditional printing press manufacturer to become the world's largest solutions provider for the print media industry. With its seamlessly integrated hardware and software solutions, it has established a commanding lead over other market players. Heidelberg is a one-stop supplier of everything from prepress solutions to a wide range of products for printing and finishing pro- cesses, relevant training and accompanying services.
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