Eight-Up RMGT LED-UV Offset Press Saves California Printer Up to $180,000 a Year

MARIETTA, Ga. — June 23, 2016 — Since it was installed this past April, a new five-color RMGT 9 Series sheetfed, LED-UV press at Northern California-based online printer Copyworld Inc. has been saving the firm anywhere between $12,000 and $15,000 per month. Running 24x36˝ sheets, “it’s bigger than a half-size press,” says Plant Manager Khaqan Ashraf, whose father started the company in 1987. “We can run eight up [on a sheet], and the press is powderless. Prints come off dry immediately. There’s no tackiness at all,” he notes.

“It’s such a large machine,” Ashraf adds, “but it is able to produce work just as quickly as our DI [direct-imaging] presses.” The elder Ashraf had purchased three 19x12.5˝ Quickmaster DI presses from Heidelberg years ago, as his printing company migrated to more commercial work. The meters literally had turned over on two of those older presses, Khaqan recalls. “We ran the heck out of them. One DI ran around the clock and had 150 million impressions on it, a record, according to Heidelberg,” he reports. The other ran approximately 12 hours per day and had 120 million impressions, and a third press had 80 million impressions. “These presses served their purpose but the plates are expensive,” he acknowledges. Clearly, it was time for the three-shift operation to transition to updated technology manufactured in Japan by RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology (RMGT).

However, the Ashrafs admit that they were reluctant to purchase such a large press. “We have minimal space in our 10,000-square-foot plant,” says Khaqan, “and working with the city of Berkley [CA] to upgrade power is challenging. With the 40-inch press we looked at, there was a power issue with the aqueous unit that pretty much ruled out that model.” A friend introduced Ashraf to Kian Hemmen, of Print & Finishing Solutions (Western U.S. distributor for RMGT), who ran some numbers. “First of all, we needed no power upgrade. Then Kian showed us how the 925 would fit. [It measures six feet or so narrower than a 40˝ machine, and about 15 or 20 ft. shorter.] The bottom line is we got a brand new machine for what a four- or five-year-old Heidelberg would cost.”

Thanks to the new press, the 22 employees at the $4 million operation are adding new types of customers beyond the typical short runs of between 1,000 and 15,000 data sheets, door hangers, flyers, postcards and business cards. “We are getting into the wholesale [trade printing] business as a reseller,” Ashraf explains. With a full-service bindery that includes booklet makers, two 45-inch cutters, folders and a die cutter, he can now compete for book printing that simply was not cost-effective to produce on the DI presses. Already, he reports executing projects such as 6,000 copies of a 40-page book that was turned around within three days; 3,000 copies of a 60-page, 5.5x8.5˝ book; and a 20,000 run of a sixteen-page book. “The new press from RMGT allows us to be competitive, sell at wholesale, and still make money,” he explains.

The RMGT 925’s LED-UV capabilities are opening new doors in another way, too. There is a prospect that requires a 36-hour turnaround for an automotive client. “We had sticking issues before,” Ashraf remembers, “but now they may become my biggest customer.”

Copyworld Inc., which has copy-shop roots dating back 29 years, will celebrate its 30th business anniversary next year. “Buying this press is the best decision I’ve ever made,” the younger Ashraf says. “It’s paying for itself,” adding that “RMGT has a customer for life.” For the first half of 2016, sales are up approximately 12%. He concludes: “We are going to modify our building in three or four years and will probably buy another [RMGT] press.”

About RMGT (RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology)
RMGT is among the world’s largest manufacturers of sheet-fed offset printing presses and the world leader in LED-UV technology with over 165 placements worldwide. Our high-speed, fully automated presses are respected worldwide for unsurpassed print quality, low total cost of ownership, extreme ease of operation, and unmatched reliability.  In partnership with Panasonic, RMGT released LED-UV Curing for Print at drupa 2008 and we now offer the only G3 LED-UV technology on the market.  Headquartered outside of Hiroshima Japan, RMGT is a joint venture company bringing together the best technology and manufacturing expertise of Ryobi Limited and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.  The enhanced product lineup and strengthened manufacturing prowess makes RMGT an indispensable brand for the printing industry.

About Graphic Systems North America (GSNA)
GSNA delivers exclusive access to the RMGT 9 Series, 7 Series, 5 Series, and 3 Series line of offset presses for commercial, packaging and in-plant printers in the U.S. and Canada. They also provide immediate technical support and parts fulfillment. Formed in July 2013 with co-headquarters in four U.S. states and two Canadian provinces, the GSNA group has more than $60 million in revenue and constitutes the single largest offset press sales and service team in North America.

Source: RMGT.