Dominion Adds Third Ryobi

Dominion, one of the nation’s largest producers and distributors of energy, has installed an eight-color, 23x29” Ryobi 758 press in its Richmond, Va.-based in-plant.

The press, equipped with an interdeck UV dryer/curing unit, is the first eight-color Ryobi press installed in the United States. It was purchased from xpedx Printing Technologies, the U.S. distributor and marketer of Ryobi presses.

“This Ryobi mid-size press delivers extremely strong print quality with unusual ease of operation,” lauds Joe Gilliland, coordinator for the Dominion in-plant, which produces 15 million impressions each year. The shop also has a four-up, 20x27” Ryobi 684 and a two-up Ryobi 3302 press.

Gilliland says makereadies with the Ryobi equipment are a snap, something that’s essential for an in-plant that runs 60 hours a week. The shop, which has a $2 million budget, handles all color billing inserts, plus brochures, posters, annual reports and calendars—as well as pro bono work for Dominion’s philanthropic partners.

Gilliland says he expects more than $500,000 in annual savings from the eight-color Ryobi because its six-up format allows for fewer overall impressions and the UV dryer eliminates drying time.

“Work literally leaves the press and heads for the cutter, the binder and is out the door,” he notes. “Our job turnaround time is just amazing because of this press.”

The Ryobi 758 prints up to 15,000 sheets per hour, according to xpedx, and handles up to 24-point stock.

Four years ago, the in-plant bought the Ryobi 684, primarily for the company’s insert work, resulting in a $1.5 million annual savings in printing that was previously outsourced, Gilliland says. That press now has more than 80 million impressions on it.