Kennesaw, Ga. – A longstanding habit of investing in Heidelberg technology has helped Accuform Printing and Graphics achieve an impeccable reputation for quality and service in the economically distressed Detroit community where it has done business for the past 40 years. The company expects that recent installations of Heidelberg prepress, press and postpress equipment will enable it to continue to make a positive impact on the local scene, of which it has been an integral part since its founding in 1969.

In addition to serving a variety of Fortune 500 companies, the family operated, female-owned commercial printer supports a variety of nonprofits and municipalities in the Detroit area. It also maintains a busy walk-in business for the convenience of residents of the surrounding neighborhoods, home to the majority of Accuform's employees. To protect and enhance the quality of life for its employees, customers, and the surrounding area, Accuform uses no harmful chemicals, prints, on request, with vegetable-based inks, and recycles its waste, including both paper and all manufacturing by-products.

When Opportunity Knocks, Listen
According to Gail Johnson, marketing director, "Instead of complaining about the economy, we adopted a proactive attitude and invested heavily in Heidelberg speed, quality, and efficiency to help us continue to grow."

That sentiment is echoed by general manager Greg Konczal, who observed, "We saw the recession as an opportunity to make upgrades to our equipment and software that would enable us to produce higher-quality printing and run a more efficient business." To that end, the company recently installed a Suprasetter A75 automatic top-loading CtP system with Prinect Prepress Manager workflow, a Remarketed by Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74 4-color perfector, in addition to Heidelberg's powerful Prinect Prinance MIS with full-featured accounting functionality. Also recently purchased and installed is a POLAR 92X guillotine cutter with P-Net and Compucut.

According to Gail Johnson, more efficient time management was a key consideration in the company's decision to install Prinect Prinance, which Accuform uses for estimating, emailing quotes, job costing, invoicing, administration, and to perform accounting functions linked to the company's existing business software. "The Prinance software is absolutely marvelous and so advanced," Johnson said, adding that the company plans to take further advantage of the Prinance solution when it installs the Prinect Remote Access web-to-print portal later this summer. 

"Nothing but Compliments"
Of the company's new Speedmaster 74, said Konczal, "We've been in production for a little over a month, and already have benefited from significantly faster running speeds, as well as from reductions in makeready and turnaround time. We're doing the same amount of work in less time, accomplishing in one-and-one-half shifts what used to take us two." In terms of print quality, "We've had nothing but compliments from our customers," the result of Accuform's newfound ability to print at line screens up to 300 lpi on the new Speedmaster SM 74, up from a maximum of 175 lpi on its previous MOZ press. The SM 74 also is equipped with Heidelberg's Prinect Pressroom Manager, which uses PPF data from the prepress stage to preset ink keys automatically.

Accuform also buys Saphira Chemfree plates and proofing media, and selects all of its pressroom supplies from Heidelberg's Saphira line, including ink, fountain solution and press wash.

"The new plates are awesome," Konczal reported. "We're holding a good dot on press and getting longer runs per plate. Remakes are a thing of the past." As for Heidelberg Saphira inks, he added, "We love them for their shiny quality and great coverage, even on dense blues and blacks."

Making the Most of What You Have
Space is scarce in the neighborhood where Accuform does business; as a result, it took no small amount of coordination to complete the installations, Konczal said. "In such tight quarters we have to make use of every inch. To accommodate the new press, we had to pour a new slab and reconfigure our electrical work." Through it all, he adds, "Heidelberg trainers and installers were superb. The press fell precisely where it was supposed to and the installation went off without a hitch. Heidelberg was there for us 100 percent. Even in the midst of the disruptions caused by our new equipment and software installations, we still were able to meet every client deadline."

With respect to both its primary supplier and the city of Detroit it calls home, Accuform understands that loyalty is a two-way street. "We try to look at the printing we do as a craft, and we don't buy into the idea that everything boils down to pricing and customer poaching," Konczal said. "We stick by our community."