Spot On purchases Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75

Commercial printer Spot On has purchased a new Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75-5+L with Inpress Control automated colour and register contol as part of plans to improve productivity at the company.

The High Wycombe-based company first saw the press, which will be delivered by the autumn, demonstrated at Ipex last year but wanted to make changes to the business before investing in the new technology.

Spot On managing director and co-founder Darren Lewis, said: "We instinctively knew that the XL 75 was what we wanted but there were some simple pitfalls that we wanted to eliminate such as plates not being ready, or not having the paper to hand.

"We trained staff on the Tharstern MIS and we have tried to change the culture of the business so that the time and efficiencies the new machine will give us will not be wasted."

The XL 75 will replace a CD 74 and will be integrated into the printer's Tharstern MIS system, enabling it to collate real time data from the production floor.

Lewis said that Spot On, which started out as a repro house before becoming a printer, is particularly impressed by Inpress Control which he said would give the company the opportunity to compete effectively in a "cut-throat" marketplace.

He added: "We have a mixed portfolio, primarily in the short- to medium-run market, but we could even snap up work in the cost-conscious, volume market with technology that provides the fastest makereadies and running speeds.

"With the automated spectrophotometer reading sheets throughout the run, the installation will also help us attain ISO 12647 colour certification and reduce our waste from 500 to 150 start-up sheets."  

The company, which has 31 employees, has also developed a web-to-print service which is to go live within the next few months.