October 1, 2007 -- SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif. -- Superprint Lithographics in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., is accustomed to jobs arriving in the morning and going out the door later the same day.
Superprint views speedy turnarounds as a regular component of the service that the former instant printer offers its customers to complement quality and price.
A new Mitsubishi Diamond 3000S sheetfed press with aqueous coater and extended delivery is integral to Superprint's goal of providing high-quality products faster and less expensively than its competition, according to Roy Chen, production manager.
"Market forces had a lot of influence on our decision to buy the Mitsubishi press," Chen said. "Quality is much easier to guarantee because of the current technology of printing. Right now, the market demands quick turnarounds and low prices. The Mitsubishi press offers all the features needed to accomplish that."
Founded as an instant printer in 1978, Superprint eventually expanded into full-size sheetfed printing for the trade. The trade printer acquired the five-color, 40-inch Mitsubishi press to replace a 12-year-old press from another manufacturer. Chen said the Diamond 3000S is more than twice as productive as the six-color, 40-inch press it replaced.
"When it comes to production speeds and setup times, there really is no comparison between a brand-new press and a 12-year-old machine," Chen said.
The Diamond 3000S shares the pressroom with an existing four-color, 40-inch perfector manufactured by a different press builder. Superprint also utilizes small-format Ryobi 3200 MCD (two-color) and AB Dick 9100 (two-color) offset presses, along with a Ryobi 3404 four-color direct imaging press.
Superprint's prepress department features the Kodak Trendsetter 800 III Quantum platesetter and Prinergy workflow system. The press's control console is linked to prepress via the Mitsubishi ColorLink CIP4 server.
"Direct-to-plate has helped reduce the cost and improve the speed of production," Chen said.
Superprint generates $4.5 million annually printing for the trade. The company employs 25 people and operates two shifts a day, five days a week.
Posters, brochures, catalogs, postcards and folding cartons are among Superprint's typical projects. Run lengths range from "very small" to upwards of 70,000 impressions.
"Big runs are always attractive, but the Mitsubishi press is ideal for small runs," Chen said. "The setup times and running speed are very fast, so we are able to complete one job and start the next job quickly."