What does your business do?
Walker & Connell is a general commercial printer based in Ayrshire, Scotland. I bought the company last year and it is a company with a reputation that dated back to 1896, but was perceived to be old-fashioned. It was a business that was going backwards rather than forwards and my initial strategy was to increase our print volume by becoming more competitive.

What does the machine do?
The Presstek Dimension 425 Excel is a daylight-safe, chemistry-free, 4pp CTP system that streamlines workflow imaging digital files directly to high-resolution Presstek Anthem Pro plates.

Why did you make the purchase?
In order to be more competitive, we needed to replace conventional platemaking with a CTP system that would give us improved quality and productivity.

Why did you choose this particular machine?
At the time, we were producing 400 plates a month, but we wanted a platesetter that would give us sufficient capacity in five years time. The Dimension 425 Excel was the most cost-effective for our level of usage, while giving us the capacity to expand our business.

Did you look at any other machines?
Yes, but most of them were too expensive, too large and more suitable for higher levels of plate production.

What features do you particularly like?
The chemistry-free process is a very useful feature to promote to customers. We plan on producing some promotional literature to highlight our environmental credentials.

How fast is it?
It takes us about half the time to make a plate on the Dimension as it did conventionally.

What's the quality like?
The quality is far superior to conventional plates. It's first-generation quality, which means far fewer remakes.

How easy is it to use?
There was a learning curve in the early days, but that was because the staff had to rethink a completely new way of working while, at the same time, becoming more computer literate. It's settled in well now with no problems.

How much time and money has it saved?
The saving is not running out of film.

What about the pre- and after-sales service?
Presstek has been there for us, particularly in the early days. Its response time is excellent as it has a branch in Glasgow. This was a key factor in our purchasing decision as we can't afford to have the machine down for any length of time. That said, I can't remember when I last called them.

Has it won you any new work?
Not directly, but it has enabled us to produce 1,500 plates in the past six weeks. We would not have coped without it.

Who do you think the machine is right for?
It's for small to medium-sized printers producing a minimum of 100 plates a week. It has allowed us to produce higher-quality plates and improved throughput at no extra cost.

Under what circumstances would you buy another?
If the business continues to grow, then I would consider upgrading our Dimension to enable full unattended operation with the addition of an automatic plate loader, an automated water wash and plate stacker.

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

Supplier’s response     
Ray Hillhouse, director of sales and operations, Presstek Europe, says: The Dimension 425 Excel is very cost-effective for printers such as Walker & Connell, whose run lengths range from 400 to 2,000 plates a month. As well as improving quality and productivity, being chemistry-free, they only require a water wash.
Price from £40,000
Contact Presstek Europe 020 8745 8000