In this short-run era, where a third of all jobs have run lengths of just 250 sheets, how are sheetfed offset presses faring? Industry observer Frank Romano offers his view.

By Frank Romano

On newer presses, Komori has a user who was quoted with six-minute makereadies. Heidelberg introduced a press with a seven-minute makeready—and heading to five minutes. MAN Roland customer VistaPrint boasts three-minute setups. KBA claims to be in the same league.

A run of 250 copies is the new break point between short run and not short run; the offset litho press manufacturers have moved the bar. It is now said that 35 percent of jobs are in the range of 250 sheets—and in this area digital printing has had the advantage, but new offset lithographic presses are changing the rules.