Warwick Printing Improves Turnaround, Quality with HEIDELBERG Versafires

The Warwick Printing Co. Ltd., a full-service commercial print provider based in Lethbridge, Alberta, recently installed two Versafire LVs, powered by the Prinect Digital Frontend, from HEIDELBERG. The new presses have significantly increased the company’s production capacity through enhanced uptime, reliability, and operational efficiency.

A Unified Workflow

Producing everything from business cards and marketing collateral to large-scale catalogs and magazines for a wide range of clients, Warwick Printing has built a strong reputation in Western Canada for reliability and quality across all run lengths.

“Our ability to adapt to changing customer demands – especially the growing need for shorter runs and faster turnarounds – has been a key part of our success,” said President Lee Weighill. “Our experienced team – from sales and design through to press and bindery – love print and understand how to deliver high-quality print efficiently and consistently.”

To remain at the forefront of industry trends and expand its service offerings, Warwick Printing has made several strategic technology investments over the last five years, including its two new HEIDELBERG Versafire LV digital presses. For Weighill, the machines, which replaced two comparable presses from another manufacturer, “allow us to respond quickly to customer needs, especially for short-run work and quick reprints. They’ve helped us improve turnaround times and maintain consistent quality across a wide range of applications.”

Warwick Printing selected the Versafire platform not only for its strong reputation in the market, but also for its seamless integration with the company’s existing Prinect Production workflow, which supports its offset printing operations. The Prinect Digital Frontend improves efficiency in digital printing by reducing manual steps and simplifying job handling, enabling Warwick Printing to flexibly shift work between offset and digital production.

A Prinect customer for nearly 20 years, Warwick Printing has built much of its production operation around HEIDELBERG technology, operating several HEIDELBERG presses and relying exclusively on HEIDELBERG plates – imaged on a Suprasetter CtP – for all its offset presses.

“It made sense to extend that ecosystem into digital,” said Weighill. “A unified workflow helps streamline production and reduces the need for multiple disconnected systems.”

Consistent Uptime and Reliability

Printing on a wide range of substrates – from text-weight papers and light cover stocks to 24 pt/470 gsm board and synthetics – and handling jobs from fewer than 1,000 sheets to more than 30,000, Warwick Printing has been impressed by the Versafire’s stable uptime and reliability across diverse applications and production volumes.

“That consistency has been a major benefit in keeping jobs moving and meeting deadlines,” said Weighill. “Even though the Versafires replaced two comparable presses, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in production capacity because we spend less time dealing with downtime and more time printing.”

Beyond boosting capacity, the Versafire installation has enabled Warwick Printing to broaden its service offerings and provide customers with new print applications. One of its new machines is equipped with five-color capabilities, allowing the company to print with white, silver, gold, and clear toners. “While we’re still exploring its full capabilities, we’ve already used it for applications like spot gloss enhancements on business cards and covers,” said Weighill.

As Warwick Printing evaluates future technology investments, Weighill said the company will continue to seek out partners that offer proven solutions and strong support. “HEIDELBERG knows commercial print. They understand what our operation needs to operate seamlessly – consumables need to be easily accessible, and service needs to be fast and efficient.”

Source: Heidelberg