Konica Minolta has today confirmed that PLS Print Logistic Services GmbH in Markkleeberg, Germany, is the latest commercial customer for its AccurioJet KM-1 UV digital sheet-fed press.

PLS, a subsidiary of the American online printing service OvernightPrints that employs 400 people worldwide, of whom 70 are based in Europe, was announced as the first beta site for the press a year ago. Now it has been revealed that the long-standing Konica Minolta customer is building huge new business opportunities with this new system.

The company provides a fast overnight, reliable all-round printing service for a wide range of products, servicing clients through its European webshops. Crucial to its double-digit annual growth is the expansion of its OvernightPrints product range – and the Konica Minolta AccurioJet will be playing a central role in the development of new services and offerings.

In the past, PLS used both offset and Konica Minolta bizhub products to fulfil its clients’ needs due to the high expectations they place on quality, fast turnaround times and service. PLS’s business model is based on an average run length of 160 sheets. Conventional offset printing became impractical for the company, because the quantity of wastage using this technology ranges from 70 to 150 sheets per job. 

Three major benefits of the KM-1 press for the PLS business are:

• Enhanced paper handling and workflow technologies
• Using UV inks enables the company to move work quickly and easily to finishing with offset quality on standard offset stock. This brings the advantage of not having to pre-coat or to use a special suitable digital stock.
• Superior production capabilities compared to competitor models because of the Konica Minolta expertise in inkjet head design and inline controls that monitor quality.

Arndt Eschenlohr, President of PLS Print Logistic Services GmbH, said: “I’ve never known a technology like this. It is better than offset printing, that is for sure. One of the added benefits is that wastage is kept to a minimum. The AccurioJet KM-1 has enabled us to move into new markets, such as packaging, which we are confident will be a major growth area for digital printing.”

Mark Hinder, Head of Market Development, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, said: “PLS has demanding requirements, which makes PLS exactly the right customer to really push the KM-1 to its limits. Through working closely in a successful business partnership focusing, not only have we proved the robustness of this industrial inkjet press, but we are proving to PLS customers that we can match offset quality to provide online printers like PLS a real alternative now. Our focus now is to push even further through testing plastics and packaging materials to allow PLS growing further its capabilities to capture new market opportunities that UV inkjet can create.

“We’ve worked closely with Arndt and his teams to identify and assess how the AccurioJet KM-1 will open up important new markets and grow business for PLS. This world-class digital production system is a highly flexible, adaptable platform for innovative customers looking to expand their capabilities.  

He added: “These are exciting times for Konica Minolta and can offer customers a truly alternative proposition which is now not just focused on printing onto offset papers without pre- treatment. We will continue to push the boundaries as an innovator. It’s another step forward in our firm belief that that AccurioJet KM-1 will become the product of choice for commercial printers looking to capitalise on bridging the gap between toner and offset cut sheet production and wanting to develop new markets.”