• Lifecycle Plus contract covers software, service, and consumables
• Williams builds new production center
• Higher productivity, improved quality, and greater focus on customers

The Williams Printing team focuses on optimum quality and customer requirements. An end-to-end solution from Heidelberg helps the company meet its own high demands.

U.S. printer Williams Printing (WPI) recently built a 20,000-square-foot production facility in Rural Hall, North Carolina. Rather than relocate its older equipment to its new plant, WPI decided to invest in a complete, updated solution from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg). This covers everything from prepress and press to postpress, with a new Suprasetter 106, volume-based Prinect Production Manager software, a Speedmaster CX 75-5+L complete with Saphira consumables, a Versafire EP digital printing system, and a POLAR jogger and stacker. The Prinect software, service activities, and all consumables form part of a volume-oriented Lifecycle Plus contract – one of a range of Print Site Contracts offered by Heidelberg.

Like a Formula 1 racing car
As a commercial printshop, WPI is committed to quality and customer service, achieving an above-average throughput speed with its small, agile team. "We can produce 250,000 four-color brochures, folded and shrink-wrapped, in two to three days – unlike larger companies, who can take that long just to prepare a quote," reveals owner Kevin Williams. The latest investments in the new Heidelberg technology in all areas of the company are making a major contribution to these rapid response times.

WPI has installed a Suprasetter 106 complete with Prinect Production Manager in its prepress section. Thanks to this workflow upgrade, files from prepress can be transferred faster than ever before to the company’s new Speedmaster CX 75. The advanced technology of this Speedmaster press means WPI can achieve makeready times of less than 20 minutes, whereas its predecessor required up to 60 minutes to prepare a job for a full run. "It’s like switching from a bicycle to a Formula 1 racing car!" says Williams.

Reliably high end-to-end print quality
In addition to the dramatic increase in overall productivity, WPI is also seeing big improvements in print quality. "If we leave a long job running on the press, I can rely on the 10,000th or 20,000th sheet looking just like the first OK sheet," explains Williams. The use of Saphira consumables from Heidelberg, which include everything from inks and blankets to printing plates and dampening solution, also helps achieve this consistently high print quality. Williams had two key criteria in this regard – optimum print quality at all times combined with a competitive material price forming part of a volume-based Lifecycle Plus contract.

Comprehensive customer support with flexible digital printing solution
For its shorter print runs, WPI decided on the Versafire EP digital printing system from Heidelberg. This meant trusting the references from other users and moving away from a rival supplier. Installed a little over six months ago, the Versafire is exceeding WPI’s expectations in terms of productivity, quality, and user-friendly operation of the press, which also utilizes the Prinect Digital Frontend for simpler and easier impositioning.

Williams is equally impressed by the technical support Heidelberg offers for the Versafire. "The service concept was a key factor in the switch to a digital solution from Heidelberg. The possibility of phoning someone and getting an immediate answer or, if this is impossible, obtaining feedback in a reasonable amount of time is priceless for any business owner," he emphasizes.

www.wpicolor.com