The Linoprint CV from Heidelberg has been bought by two different Bromley-based businesses, Trade repro house Willows Magic and T&C Printers.
The investment marks the first foray into digital printing equipment got T&C Printers, which is outputting 15 jobs a day, ranging from 100 to 1000 runs, on its new press.
‘We had always been against digital and thought it was not for us but it was becoming more common and when our Heidelberg rep came in and showed us samples of its output we were persuaded to give it a try,’ said David Spragg, joint owner with his brother Mark. ‘In just the first month we can see it’s the right move with digital opening up new channels, about five new jobs a week.’
As a B3 printer it found that plenty of work could be converted to digital and some jobs even look better on the digital press, for instance on wove stocks. Some new digital work is from existing customers but it is also bringing in more work, primarily B2B including companies of all sizes. The company is working on software for a web to print service which could also boost B2C business.
‘The 6pp A4 format has been used from the start and the ability to coat is relevant for some jobs. We are even handling three or four brochures a week on it, some of 40 pages,’ said Mr Spragg.
Willows Magic, one of the few remaining repro houses in the UK, made the investment to enhance its digital printing capability to enable its trade customers to provide even more to their end users.
‘By offering this facility, some of our customers will no longer have to turn small jobs away. They can also sell the potential of the Linoprint CV with its ability to provide clear or white varnish and to produce 6pp A4 and landscape A4 products,’ said Lee Williams, managing director.
