ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. — RNJ Printing Corp. has carved out a solid niche in the booming hobby marketplace. Speed, flexibility and service have become its cornerstones of growth, allowing the Rancho Dominguez, Calif.-based commercial printer to develop loyal accounts. RNJ Printing continues to attract new business through fast turnarounds and consistent quality that rival much larger print houses. "We are able to offer our customers updated technology with a minimum amount of overhead and a high degree of technical expertise," said John S. Osten, president. Osten also credits the firm's reputation for customer satisfaction to increased equipment capacity. With many years of graphic arts experience, Osten has made sound decisions to propel RNJ Printing to where it is today. The firm has aggressively upgraded its prepress production capabilities to enhance throughput and ensure speedy delivery. Today, the prepress department houses a PlateRite 8000 eight-up thermal CTP plate recorder from Screen (USA). The device, which allows RNJ Printing to go directly from computer to metal plates, is paired with Screen's Trueflow Pro PDF workflow solution. These high-powered devices are used to drive RNJ Printing's three sheetfed presses. Proofing is accomplished with an Epson Stylus Pro 10600. "We needed the additional capacity to keep up with our customers' demands," Osten explained. "The PlateRite 8000 platesetter provides a number of advantages — better quality, faster makeready and faster turnarounds. It cuts down on the materials and man-hours needed for all jobs, Compared to manual stripping, the difference is night from day. We produce a full set of plates in 30 minutes, as opposed to three to four hours." Osten founded the company in 1978. His wife, Rose, serves as chief financial officer. From its 8,500-square-foot facility, RNJ Printing operates two shifts a day, five days a week. The average tenure of the 14 current employees is 15 years. In addition to producing general commercial fare, RNJ Printing services the scrapbook and action sports industries with high-quality promotional materials such as catalogs, brochures, sales sheets and point-of-purchase displays. Its printing equipment lineup includes a four-color, 40-inch press; a five-color, 26-inch machine; and a two-color, 10 x 15-inch model. Before updating its prepress technology, RNJ Printing conducted extensive research in various workflow systems. "We are very particular about adding new equipment," Osten related. "Our company had evolved from using cameras to processors to imagesetters, but this was our first foray into CTP. We wanted the assurance of sharp, clean print quality. The fact that Screen offers an open system really impressed us. It gave us more flexibility in assembling different components to create the digital workflow we wanted." The transition from traditional prepress to a CTP workflow proved surprisingly easy. "We picked the Screen systems based on their ability to produce higher-quality work, their low maintenance requirements and the flexibility of an integrated workflow," Osten noted. "We operated a Screen camera for many years, so we have a history of reliability and performance with Screen. From the standpoint of reliable performance, we especially appreciate the PlateRite 8000's replaceable internal laser diodes. As for consistent print quality, we previously were unable to hold a 2 percent dot. We would lose it either in RIPing or in the imaging or on the press. Now we can hold a 2 percent dot every time." Osten has found that the biggest gains in employing Trueflow involve improved throughput. "The first book we ran using Trueflow was a 144-page catalog," he recalled. "We were able to RIP the entire book in four hours due to the digital workflow. There is simply no way we could have completed the job so fast with a standard workflow. The Screen thermal platesetter and Trueflow are excellent tools for helping make RNJ Printing more productive and competitive."