Route 1 installs UK’s first Screen Truepress JET 560HDX

Route 1 Print has become the first company in the UK to install a Screen Truepress JET 560HDX, as the trade printer invests in expanding its digital production capabilities to meet growing demand for shorter-run, faster-turnaround work.

Part of the Bluetree Group, Route 1 Print operates from a 300,000sqft production facility in Rotherham, producing commercial print products such as flyers, leaflets, business cards and booklets for print resellers across the UK.

The investment follows changing customer requirements, with trade print buyers increasingly seeking smaller order quantities, faster delivery and greater flexibility. Route 1 Print already operates two Screen Truepress JET 520HD inkjet presses and selected the new Truepress JET 560HDX following an evaluation of digital press options from several manufacturers.

Adam Carnell, CEO at Route 1 Print, said: “The trade print market has changed considerably. Our reseller clients and their customers expect greater flexibility with the same consistent high quality from our printing services. When we considered our next press investment, we needed a solution that could meet that pace of change while continuing to offer them products that not only match, but continue to exceed our own high standards.”

The Truepress JET 560HDX features 1200dpi printheads and can print at speeds of up to 150m/min. Using Screen’s Truepress Ink SC2 inks, the press is designed to print directly onto standard offset-coated stocks without primer while delivering an expanded colour gamut.

Route 1 Print has also integrated the press into its existing production workflow. The system supports the printing of barcodes and 2D matrix codes that can be read by compatible finishing equipment, allowing downstream devices to automatically configure job settings and reducing manual intervention during production. The press is also installed inline with a Digital Fluid Applicator (DFA) and a Contour Web Coater to support downstream finishing.

Commenting on the new installation, Mr Carnell added: “The balance of improved printing quality and consistency with a printing platform that streamlines every step of production from job management to finishing is making a real impact on how efficiently we move work through production. Our operators can focus entirely on throughput and the result is marked improvements to our products without impacting cost-per-print.”

The installation is the first commercial deployment of the Truepress JET 560HDX in the UK and forms part of Route 1 Print’s wider multi-million-pound investment programme across its commercial and large-format print operations.

Bui Burke, senior vice president of sales at Screen Europe, said: “Route 1 Print represents exactly the kind of high-performance, forward-thinking printing operation that the Truepress JET 560HDX was engineered for. As the first installation in the UK, this is a strong and early validation of the press in the European commercial print market. We are proud to have them as our launch partner for this platform and look forward to supporting their business for many years to come.”