The Rotherham-based printer, which was recently listed in the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 for the second consecutive year, installed the new presses in the last week of December and took delivery of two Palamides Alpha 500plus mobile stackers a month prior. The stackers were supplied by UK agent Friedheim International.
The iGens, supplied by Xerox reseller Zerographic Systems, were installed in Route One’s 9,290sqm South Yorkshire site, which houses its parent Bluetree Design & Print and sister company Instantprint.
One replaces an iGen 4 while the other has been bought in as an addition, leaving Route One with four iGens in its digital press facility.
Route One e-commerce director James Kinsella said they will be used mainly for short-run booklet work, while its recently-installed HP Indigo 10000 with Horizon SmartStacker, the latter of which was the first of its kind in the UK, will continue to handle short-run flyer work.
Kinsella said: "We have a reputation for delivering high quality, quickly and at a competitive price, which can only be done my maintaining up-to-date kit. Currently no press within the factory is older than three years.
"The print quality on the iGens is a significant improvement over the iGen 4 technology, particularly on fine detail, and all our iGens run matt dry toner, which gives a similar finish to litho print."
Launched in 2015, the the 150ppm iGen 5 has an optional fifth colour (orange, green or blue), a maximum resolution of 2,400dpi and can handle coated, uncoated, textured and speciality stocks of 50-350gsm.
The stackers are Route One’s first Palamides purchase and have each been attached to the end of one of its Heidelberg Stahlfolder BH 56s. They stack leaflets coming off the folding machines into equal-sized piles, which quickens the process of putting them into boxes.
“One of the things we are trying to do is shorten lead times on products,” said Kinsella.
“That is an area we will be hopefully making announcements in shortly but essentially turnaround is going to be a big focus for us in 2017.”
He added that Route One would soon be launching same-day turnarounds across its small-format range.
Last year, 240-staff Route One was involved in a number of UK installation firsts, including being the first to take a Duplo iSaddle Pro Duetto. It also bought in a 10-colour B2 Speedmaster XL 75.
