Small Press, Big Opportunity
Small-format sheetfed presses now offer many of the features found on larger presses, such as increased speeds, automation and digital controls.
by Caroline Miller
There was a time when small-format sheetfed presses sat in the shadows. Workhorses, but nothing compared to their fast and flashy 40˝ brothers.
Today, small presses are becoming the envy of the larger presses. The small press market has been the subject of intense technological development. As a result, small presses—ranging in size up to 20x29˝—now offer the features found on larger presses, such as increased speeds, makeready automation, networked systems and digital controls.
This is great news for in-plants since, according to a new IPG survey, 92.1 percent of them have at least one sheetfed press in the 20˝ and smaller range. And since small presses are ideally suited to meet the demand for shorter runs and faster turnarounds, in-plants are in an enviable position.
"This market segment is growing at an even faster rate than the market for larger presses," explains Bob McKinney, director of sales and marketing for KBA North America. "Smaller printers are looking for more color, while larger printers are looking for shorter run lengths."
Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses' Marketing Director John Santie agrees that interest in small-format presses has grown. On the one hand, he says, there are the small shops that want to grow their business.
"With the speed and automation available on 28˝or 29˝ presses, they can move up to the four-page format," he says. "This size enables them to offer their customers better quality on a wider range of products."
Then there are the larger printers with 40˝ presses, Santie says.
"A half-size machine allows them greater flexibility and productivity," he says. "Rather than try to fit a small job onto a 40˝ press—which wastes press capacity—they are adding half-size presses."
Small-format presses are holding their own as the demand for color goes up and the run lengths go down, reports Doug Schardt, product manager at Komori America.
"In many cases, with shorter run lengths the decreased labor demanded by the smaller presses prove out the theory that short-run work can be run cheaper on smaller presses," he says.
Productivity is becoming increasingly important in today's market, remarks Christian Cerfontaine, marketing manager for MAN Roland.
"Printers are looking for any automation feature that saves them time and money," he says. "They have to be more productive to stay competitive. This level of automation is simply not available on the older generation presses. A printer has to live with his investment in a press for at least five years, so not having automation is equivalent to being noncompetitive for the next five years. That just doesn't make sense, particularly if your market is short runs."
New Features For Small Presses
As printers contend with pricing pressures, manufacturers have added features to small-format presses. For example, Sakurai USA's approach is to design a machine that fits the U.S. paper size to increase productivity.
"Our 58 series press is priced similar to our competitors' 14x20˝ press, but we print four-up, 8-1⁄2x11˝ vs. two-up, 8-1⁄2x11˝," contends Mike Grego, Sakurai's marketing manager. "That capability doubles a printer's productivity and makes a huge difference in his profit margin. The fastest 14x20˝ press can only print 30,000, 8-1⁄2x11˝ sheets in one hour. Sakurai's 458EPII press can print 52,000 8-1⁄2x11s in one hour." That's over 70 percent more efficient, he adds.
"The 58 size not only doubles productivity, but also allows printers to run work-and-turn 11x17˝ jobs," he says. "This saves the cost of four plates and one complete makeready on a four-over-four 11x17˝ job."
Komori has also answered the call for improved performance in its small-format press line. Its 20˝ Lithrone press is available in two to six colors with a coater. Full press automation packages, as well as a full press console at the end of the press, are optional. Komori also offers its two-color Sprint series press, available in 26˝ or 28˝ widths. These presses can be equipped with automation and convertible perfecting.
Automation can also be found on the KBA North America Rapida 74, a 20x29˝ press available in two- to eight-color models, with or without tower coaters. The press is equipped with automatic plate changers, CIP3 digital interface, automatic washers and ink roller wash.
The 20x28˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 1000 sheetfed press can be configured with solid cylinders for quality printing, according to Santie. With a stock range of 0.0016˝ to 0.024˝, it handles brochures, manuals, advertisements, point-of-sale materials and software packaging. Mitsubishi also offers the Diamond 2000, a 23-1⁄2x29˝ press that delivers four- or six-page signatures at 16,000 sph.
The new 20x29˝ MAN Roland 200 is an affordable, five-color press that lets printers add spot colors or varnish to their process color work. It is designed for printers looking to move up to four-up, four- or five-color printing, and for any facility seeking to add extra productivity to its pressroom. The 13,000-sph press handles a range of stock from onion skin paper to 0.032˝ board and foil. Its advanced operator console is integrated into the delivery to simplify setup.
For The Small-format Market
Heidelberg USA markets the Speedmaster SM 52 for the small-format press market, in addition to the Printmaster GTO 52, Printmaster QM 46 and Quickmaster DI 46. The Speedmaster SM 52 is the benchmark for the 20˝ format; it offers the latest technology utilizing CP2000. The SM 52 is a 15,000-iph press available with up to six printing units and in-line aqueous or UV coating. The press comes standard with the Heidelberg Alcolor dampening system and with automation such as Autoplate, remote register control, preset feeder, and seven programmable washup programs for rollers, blankets and impression cylinders. It is available with an automatic sheet-reversing device.
One manufacturer with many small-format press options available to printers is Ryobi, which is distributed by the xpedx Import Group. Among Ryobi's presses are the Model 510 and 512, economical, A3-plus-size presses available in either one- or two-color versions. Options include: continuous dampeners, stream feeder, underswing grippers and vertical/lateral registration adjustment. The 510 and 512 can also be equipped with in-line numbering and perforating equipment. Ryobi 520 presses can feature up to six color units, and can come with in-line coating systems.
Adast America also offers a variety of models for the small-format press market. Among its offerings is the Adast 507, which is available in one or two colors. The 507 also offers remote ink and register control.
The QP25 offset press is the newest addition to the A.B.Dick family of presses. It prints multi-color work using the Constant Contact Control Register System. According to A.B.Dick, the Kompac II segregated, non-motorized continuous dampener with patented Auto Recovery Moisture System delivers sharp, dense images and can be used with a wide variety of inks.
Another vendor, Polly USA offers both the Polly 66 press series and the Polly Prestige 74 press series. The Polly 66 is a 19x26˝ press while the Polly Prestige 74 is a 20-1⁄2x291⁄8˝ model, Both are available in two, four and five colors.
Hamada of America markets its new two-color B252, four-color B452 and five-color B552. Features are said to include Easy Plate Setter, blanket washers, running register, swing gripper in-feed, landscape feeding and heavy-duty construction. The B552 also features in-line aqueous tower coating and ink console.
Technological advancements have also worked their way into specialty presses.
"In addition to the automation features, many of our clients are demanding better print quality with a faster turnaround," reveals Paul Hynes, general manager for Diamond Press.
The Diamond P7 envelope and specialty press is a two-color perfector. Applications include high-speed production of all sizes of envelopes, as well as overprinting of products not able to be produced on standard sheetfed presses.
Another perfector is the Halm EM5315. It prints four-over-one at speeds to 30,000 envelopes per hour. Chillers are standard and the machine has a retractable table that allows for easy access to the perfecting unit. The machine also comes standard with an integrated cold UV system.
