News

Stralfors UK operations director Tony Plummer can mix stocks in a single press run and has better production line control with his digital press

What does the machine do?
Described as a revolutionary third generation digital printer, it makes short- to medium-run lengths economically viable, mainly because it negates the need for pre-printed paper.

Why did you choose this particular machine?
The quality is second to none. It runs a wide range of stock, textured or smooth, coated text or uncoated. For consistency between sheets, the iGen3 measures the colour between every single impression. But the biggest factor in our decision-making process was the ability to link the printer with existing work and templates we are already using.

What features do you particularly like?
I enjoy the fact it uses the same front-end processing as our black and white machines, making it an easier machine to learn to use.

What has it allowed you to do that you could not do before?
It allows us to submit and proof work on demand. We can also mix stocks in a single press run, even if each page has different copy or graphics.

Is there anything you dislike?
I’ve always been a believer that you get what you pay for.
This is a tremendous machine and that is why we have bought four of them across the group now – but they are
not cheap.

How fast is it?
The machine can produce up to 6,600 A4 full-colour sheets per hour.

Does the machine need special conditions to work?
We have had to house the printers in rooms where we can control the temperature and humidity, creating an environment specific for the iGen3.

What is the quality like?
It’s exceptional, with automatic image enhancement and ICC profile matching. Moreover, it has a 600dpi, 8-bit depth resolution and Xerox-patented dry inks for excellent fine-line rendering and benchmark colour gamut.

How easy is it to use?
Quite easy. We have ensured that all our operators have received full training from Xerox and we have employed the same processing system as we use for mono printing. It also helps that we have skilled people in our pre-press department who understand colour printing.

Has it made life easier for you?
The machine is adding value and reducing the amount of pre-printed stock lines that we hold for our clients. It does this by reducing the effort in managing the number of product lines in our warehouse, which has a positive impact on stock control and material handling.

Has it won you any work?
We bought the printers for the Stonebridge International Insurance account, which we have just won. The iGen3 can make complex decisions and will help us provide quick customer solutions for over 60 different Stonebridge products. In the first year, we expect over 540,000 tailored information packs will be distributed.

What advice would you give to printers looking to buy the machine?
The business needs to understand the machine’s true capabilities in order to sell the available capacity.

Does it represent good value for money?
Absolutely, as before clients would have to order and bulk store relatively small volumes of pre-printed paper stocks and then print variable data on top of that. However, the iGen3 will print the whole job on plain stocks, adding form layouts together with the client’s variable data and images.

What about the pre- and after-sale service?
We have a very good relationship with Xerox and this is a major factor when choosing their printers.

Under what circumstances would you buy another?
If it was 50% cheaper.

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CONCLUSION
User’s verdict    
Speed 5/5
Quality 5/5
Reliability 4/5
Value for money 5/5

Supplier’s Response     
IGen3 business development executive Jamie Walsh says: “It is a pleasure to be working with a prestigious company like Stralfors on the iGen3 project. They have a vision, which embraces the capabilities of the press and it gives an additional dimension to their value proposition. The ‘white paper in’ solution is not a new concept but few customers realise the vast efficiencies that it drives.”
Price From £500,000
Contact Xerox UK 0870 9005500