Litho trumps digital in CFH's 8,000-run race

The litho Drent VSOP nine-colour press has narrowly triumphed over digital competition after CFH Total Document Management pitched the two in a race to produce an 8,000 piece personalised print run.

The Radstock, Bath-based company pitted its two Xerox iGen4 digital presses against the Drent in a contest to print 8,000 duplex four-colour process mail pieces.

Each item had to be personalised with name and address, from raw PDF artwork and a CSV data file.

In addition, 500 of the 8,000 pieces were required to be stuffed into envelopes ready for posting. 

The litho team pipped the Xerox competition to the post completing the job in 1hr 40mins with the iGen4s finishing the 500 envelopes just minutes later.

However, according to CFH, a software glitch with the Xerox had held it back initially. The team completed the iGen run a second time in which it produced all 8,000 pieces 10 minutes quicker than the Drent machine.

Managing director Dave Broadway said: "Once again this has been a fascinating challenge, with both technologies pushing back their own boundaries.

"Not only have we seen just how fast our teams are able to produce plates and print, write personalisation software and laser personalise a job, we have seen the traditional litho process retain its crown over new digital technology."