Vegas Win: Manroland, Goss Presses Top Creel Printing's $20M Capex Initiative

LAS VEGAS—April 28, 2015—Print and publications specialist Creel Printing has committed $20 million to bring additional print, prepress, automation, and data technologies to its Las Vegas facilities. The investment will augment the company’s offerings, while delivering new print format opportunities, quality, environmental considerations, and other advantages. All installations are scheduled for completion by the end of June.

At the center of the investment are two presses—the 10-unit sheetfed Manroland HiPrint 700 perfector and the eight-unit, double-web Goss Sunday 2000—both considered manufacturing powerhouses in their respective categories. Facilitated by MKM Importers, the HiPrint 700 perfector purchase will improve Creel’s sheetfed capacity by 75 percent, while allowing more competitive pricing on up-to-10-color projects produced as conventional, UV, waterless, or custom rainbow security printing. The HiPrint 700 is equipped with an inline roll sheeter, which improves efficiencies and reduces paper waste.

The Goss Sunday 2000 purchase is even more significant. The eight-unit, 48-page press will provide for a broader range of print formats and inline finishing for high-volume magazine, catalog, and newspaper projects, alongside notable environmental improvements. At 57", it is the widest of any Sunday 2000 model, and a standout in automation and efficiency, providing 50 percent more paging capacity. The specification includes Goss Autoplate automatic plate changing for all eight units and Goss Omnicon press controls with color control. The choice of two Goss pinless folders, a PCF-1 SQF and a PFF-3.2, allows a variety of folding options—such as quarterfold, delta, and double parallel—with minimum paper waste. This provides pagination flexibility and enables Creel to produce a broad range of formats on the Sunday 2000 system, including magazine, tabloid, square tab and digest.

Also included in the order is a Goss Ecocool/T dryer which features integrated chill rolls. In addition, the model for Creel Printing has an integrated afterburner for reducing gas consumption, as well as a Goss Contiweb web guide and web break detection system. A Goss Contiweb FD flying paster completes the equipment line-up. Featuring a 50" (1270 mm) diameter roll and operating at speeds up to 3,150 feet per minute (16 m/s), the paster has an integrated infeed and a web guide function, controlled via Omnicon console. Remote diagnostics will provide additional back-up for failsafe paster control.

According to Dave Gilmore, Goss district sales manager–West, the company approached its latest investment decisions with the same drive for excellence and fastidious attention to detail: "The Creel family took a pragmatic approach evaluating this capital investment and determined their customers, employees and bottom line would be best served going wide with Sunday print technology," commented Gilmore. "This investment not only demonstrates a commitment to print but also the importance of quick makeready, low waste and versatile print solutions in servicing discerning customers. We are pleased to partner with Creel again installing their third Sunday press."

In prepress, Creel is adding two high-speed Screen Ultima VLF CTP units that will double plate production while reducing chemistry expense and emissions. The company is also installing two Burgess SuperBenders that will provide for automated inline bending and punching, thus saving customers costs while improving job speed and accuracy. Additional new finishing equipment, including a perfect binder and three high-speed poly and mailing lines—with 100 percent guaranteed mail match—will support Creel’s expanded capacity.

Creel’s growth initiative also spans electronic means. Already at the leading edge in customer data management, digital asset storage/retrieval, and order processing, Creel will be installing a dedicated 1 Gbps point-to-point connection to a Switch SUPERNAP, the world’s largest co-location data center. This will allow Creel to host data management systems and storage in the most secure, mission-critical environments. In addition, Creel will expand project data collection by installing EFI’s Technique MIS Direct Machine Interface (DMI) to all manufacturing equipment lines.

"Creel is committed to making the investments that keep our business at the industry forefront," said Allan G. Creel, president of Creel Printing. "These enhancements were specifically selected because they deliver our customers the most value to their projects and programs. The new levels of automation will mean faster turnaround times while still maintaining impeccable quality. Along with our existing offerings, these additions make Creel tough to beat."

About Creel Printing
Founded in 1953, Creel Printing is one of the most tenured and awarded family-owned enterprises in the world of print. Ranked among the top 50 commercial printers, 10 largest publication printers, and 10 largest commercial digital printers, Creel’s capabilities span full-color web and sheetfed printing, variable digital production, digital editioning, integrated publishing and digital solutions, Web-based storefronts, digital rights management, mobile marketing, and more. Creel runs a 250,000-square-foot headquarters in Las Vegas and two expansive digital facilities. Creel holds G7 master certifications and environmental tri-certification, along with numerous mailing, production, and lean manufacturing distinctions. The company runs three shifts, operating 24/7.

Source: Creel Printing and Goss.