Garnett Dickinson, based in Rotherham, UK, has invested in QuadTech equipment for a new MAN Lithoman IV press. The auxiliary press controls will enable the company to respond to market trends for shorter runs and faster turnaround times. In total the order included QuadTech Register Guidance System with MultiCam, QuadTech Ribbon Control System with MultiCam, QuadTech Color Control System and QuadTech Data Central. All of these systems have been integrated through the QuadTech ICON platform. Garnett Dickinson’s commercial print division, which employs 180 of the company’s 290 staff, already had QuadTech RGS IV installed on its Goss G16 and M-600 presses. Geoff Gramlick, Divisional Director, at Garnett Dickinson, comments, “The QuadTech equipment we originally purchased has performed extremely well. When the time came to invest in controls for our new press, QuadTech was the natural choice for us.” With the print industry continuing to change rapidly, Garnett Dickinson keeps a close eye on trends and continuously adapts to meet customers requirements: “Recently, there has been a shift towards shorter run lengths, coupled with a demand for reduced turnaround times,” confirms Mr. Gramlick. “The QuadTech equipment helps greatly in this respect. For example, the Color Control System enables us to achieve saleable copies far more quickly than previously, and ensures that color remains consistent throughout the run. This means valuable time and waste is saved, particularly on short run jobs, keeping turnaround time to a minimum.” Like every other printer, regardless of size, saving waste is a top priority for Garnett Dickinson. The company’s investment in the Register Guidance System and the Ribbon Control System ensures that the percentage of waste is kept as low as possible. “The power of the Register Guidance System and Ribbon Control System are enhanced by the MultiCam technology. Arguably the most advanced register camera on the market for offset applications, it gives these systems unsurpassed performance for registration and accuracy.” MultiCam’s 640 x 480 pixel sensor harnesses specially designed FPGA-based hardware to enable multitasking of mark-recognition and other essential calculations. This approach allows the camera to view the entire repeat length of the web and cope with the volume of data generated. By doing so, MultiCam can find marks up to 30-times faster than many competitive sensors, especially during periods of maximum register upset such as during a web splice. Convenience was another significant factor in Garnett Dickinson’s decision to invest in QuadTech controls. Mr. Gramlick comments, “The fact that the ICON platform allows us to integrate register, colour and ribbon control onto one screen particularly attracted us to QuadTech. The level of integration provided enables us to deliver saleable copy in the minimum number of turns, and gives our press operators the freedom and time to work on other tasks. “The integration of the equipment will also allow us to analyse and improve our production processes. The reporting module of Data Central provides essential information to ascertain how efficiently we are running,” Mr. Gramlick enthuses. “I have no doubt that these systems will soon pay for themselves with the savings and efficiencies they deliver.” The MAN Lithoman IV press and QuadTech equipment are part of Garnett Dickinson’s current £20 million investment programme, which includes the development of a 125,000 sq ft purpose built factory. The single-level facility will incorporate all of the Garnett Dickinson Group. Established in 1858, Garnett Dickinson today stands proud as one of the UK’s leading print companies. The firm offers commercial web offset and sheet-fed printing services, specializing in magazines, catalogues and brochures. A true industry innovator, it was the first UK web printer to be 100% CTP and the first UK sheet/web printer to be awarded the ISO 14001 environmental standard.