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The B3 sector is a crowded one, despite the signs that as a market it is diminishing. As with any other sector, print firms are having to look at ways to boost profits and differentiate themselves from the opposition.

“Overall, the trend is that B3 is shrinking,” says Richard Bradley, Heidelberg UK marketing manager for B2 and B3 presses. “But it’s fighting back with faster makereadies so, for example, with a long perfector you can achieve a 10,000-sheet run in one pass – exactly what you would on a four- or five-colour B2.”

To compete effectively with digital on shorter run lengths and faster job turnaround times, many companies are installing presses with optional extras. “The sector has had to look hard at what it can offer in terms of adding value, such as coating, inline die-cutting and UV,” says Bradley.

Many manufacturers are offering inline capabilities such as creasing, perforating, die-cutting, cold-foiling, embossing and UV spot coating. For Heidelberg there has also been an increase in popularity of long perfectors, “but then we don’t have many competitors who offer that”, claims Bradley. Eight- to 10-colour presses are the current trend, usually installed with an inline option. “What’s been popular for us is the Anicolor with coater,” he adds.

Technological improvements
While many manufacturers are making a foray into B1 and the larger press formats, B3 has not been abandoned. It’s still seen as a stepping stone for fledgling printers into B2 or B1, and this has not gone unnoticed by the manufacturers. Equally, there have been improvements in technology, with Manroland launching a new entry-level B3 press, the R50, at Drupa, while Heidelberg’s 10-colour Anicolor SM52 was introduced at IGAS in Japan last year.

Shinohara also demonstrated value-added print on B3 by showing a five-colour 52cm machine with high-pile feed and delivery plus UV coater at the show, where it showcased a Cito RSP inline cutter-creaser running on the last unit of the machine.

When buying a press, it’s worth asking the manufacturer or distributor to prove the productivity and quality of the machine as part of the demonstration. A good tip is to ask for your own jobs, especially the more difficult ones, to be performed on the press.

WHAT'S NEW IN... SHEETFED PRESSES UP TO B3

• Manroland launched its entry-level B3 machine, the R50 at Drupa. The R50 has double-size impression cylinders and can print on a range of substrates of thicknesses from 0.04-0.8mm. German print company Eckenfelder ordered a new R50 at the show, the first to be installed in the world. Manroland aims to compete with the likes of Ryobi and Heidelberg in the B3 arena with the launch of the press.

• Short-run printer Bell & Bain turned its back on digital processes for its book covers after investing in Heidelberg’s short-run litho technology. The Glasgow-based printer, which specialises in business, educational, technical and scientific publications, has bought a Heidelberg SM 52 Anicolor with four-colour units plus coater. The new B3 press replaces an ageing B2 unit.

• Litho Supplies launched the Shinohara 52VP convertible-to-perfecting B3 press at the GAE open house in February. The Shinohara 52VP offers makereadies of less than 10 minutes with production speeds of up to 15,000iph.