Harlow makes B2 debut

Harlow Printing is set to expand its product portfolio after investing in a Heidelberg Speedmaster SX 74.

The South Tyneside printing firm is due to take delivery of the five-colour perfector and coater in September.

The £1m press will join an existing SM 52 B3 Anicolor, installed two years ago, in a recently converted 1,161sqm facility near the company’s main 3,720sqm factory.

Managing director Richard Walker said that the business, which carries out a lot of work for the NHS, is currently outsourcing a range of jobs that would be ideally suited to SX, so he was confident that the company had the volumes to fill the new press.

He added: "The NHS has traditionally needed business forms and spot colours, but over the past five years there has been a significant increase in the requirement for full-colour printing."

The new kit is specified with Heidelberg’s Easy Control spectral device and Prinect Pressroom Manager, which will be linked up to Prinect Analyse Point job and KPI reporting system.

"Although we think there will continue to be ups and downs in the economy, we are fortunate in that we have longer-term contracts that allow us to plan ahead and to invest with confidence," Walker explained.

The company has already upgraded its pre-press and finishing departments in anticipation of the increased output following the installation in September.