July 3, 2007 -- The first 10-unit ROTOMAN press in North America has arrived at Nahan Printing, Inc. in St. Cloud, Minnesota. “After doing our research, we concluded it was the best piece of equipment for the market we serve,” states Joel Meyer, VP Sales and Marketing at Nahan Printing.
The new ROTOMAN press from MAN Roland will help expand Nahan’s capabilities and its brand, according to Meyer. “This investment illustrates our commitment to high quality products and innovation, as well as our mission to exceed the expectations of our customers,” he says. “Tactically, it enables us to increase our product offerings, flexibility, options, and redundancy for existing equipment.”
Heavy Coverage
Before selecting the ten-unit configuration, Nahan took a close look at its market and determined that a portion of it needs the capabilities that ten units bring.
“We will be able to produce heavy ink coverage on higher quality paper — high-end four-color-plus products,” Meyer adds. “With the ROTOMAN, we have the opportunity to deliver high quality, unique products.”
The system will incorporate two MAN Roland high-speed folders as well. “The two folders will give us versatility and allow us to produce a wider range of high-end products for our customers,” Meyer says.
MAN Roland’s PECOM control, automation and operating system will help Nahan press operators cope with the diversity of flavors, while saving time and money for the printer’s clients. “The automation will assist us in minimizing changeover times and makeready wastes. We expect this to be especially true when switching from one format to another,” added Meyer.
Mail Call
The products Nahan produces span the range of high-end commercial printing with strong emphasis on, and expertise in, direct mail. Database management, variable data and personalization capabilities, and complete lettershop services are all offered under the Nahan brand.
As such, personalized direct mail pieces, in the form of individualized catalogs and publications, will be on ROTOMAN’s can-do list at Nahan Printing. The company is home to an up-to-the-minute array of inkjet and laser systems, which automate the application of variable data during the finishing process. “We will be personalizing materials that come off the ROTOMAN for our clients,” Meyer notes. “Having this capability further expands our product offering.”
Over the Rainbow
A spectrum of customized colors will also be on the menu at Nahan. The ROTOMAN’s ten printing units enable Nahan to range beyond process color whenever a client requires a special hue or tone. And an in-house ink lab is set to supply the press with the highest quality inks and any unique colors a customer may require.
“We specialize in four-color-plus products and this press gives us the capability of adding more colors,” Meyer observes. “Consequently, we expect to run special ink formulations produced in our lab.”
Nahan’s front-line marketers have already been briefed on how the ROTOMAN will help expand the Nahan brand. “We have engaged our sales team to understand both the new capabilities and added capacity this press brings to support both current work and new business acquisition,” Meyer points out.
Meanwhile, Nahan production crews also got a head start on their training. They traveled to MAN Roland’s Technology Center in Augsburg, Germany for electrical, mechanical, operator, and supervisor courses. That education serves as a foundation for their onsite training on Nahan’s ROTOMAN.
Nahan’s 300,000 sq ft facility was also prepped to accommodate the new MAN Roland technology. “We’re in the middle of an expansion that will create enough space for the new machine and the postpress equipment required,” Meyer says.
"Nahan Printing continually invests in its technology, employees, and processes so that we can help our customers achieve their objectives, now and in the future,” states Michael Nahan, President and CEO, Nahan Printing. “We’re excited about the new capabilities we’ll enjoy with the ROTOMAN press and the opportunities it will mean for our customers and staff.”
The next phase is the expansion of the Nahan brand with more products and greater efficiencies, when the printer’s new ROTOMAN goes into production this summer.