Precision takes UK-first Scodix digital enhancer

Precision's production capabilities span digital, offset and wide-format printing and a variety of finishing
Precision's production capabilities span digital, offset and wide-format printing and a variety of finishing

Precision Printing has taken on the UK’s first Scodix Ultra 101 digital enhancement press in order to replace two older models in its finishing portfolio.

Arriving in late January, the machine takes over from two first-generation Scodix S74 enhancement presses at the company’s London headquarters, targeting a variety of clients in corporate and trade print as well as web-to-print through its WhereTheTradeBuys service.

It runs alongside two offset and eight digital sheetfed presses, as well as a suite of laminating, flood-UV, cutting, creasing and bindery kit.

Chief executive Gary Peeling said: “We have operated two older Scodix machines for more than five years, and as enhanced products are popular across all three of our operating sectors, the new machine will offer higher productivity to deal with the demand.

“The new platform is five times faster than the previous generation, allowing us to deal with the 80% growth we are seeing in WhereTheTradeBuys. It also offers the ability to provide digital foil enhancement with outstanding results that will support high value products and opportunities for our clients.

“We have been pleased with the support of Scodix over the past few years and felt confident that that new machine would continue to deliver as expected.”

The Scodix Ultra 101, supplied by Hemel Hempstead-based vendor Friedheim International, conveys sheets under a fixed array of inkjet heads in a single pass at a rate of 1,250sph B2 with two trays operating simultaneously.

Compatible with substrates including offset, HP Indigo ElectroInk, plastics, laminates and coated/uncoated substrates, the device takes a foil roll width of 50-500m and maximum length of 2m, polymer layer thickness from 20-90 microns and can take substrates from 135-675gsm in weight and up to 700 microns thick.

Precision Printing employs 180 people across three sites and turns over £26m. Its production capabilities span digital, offset and wide-format printing.