Rolling Meadows, IL, October 3, 2007 -- Komori America Corporation, a premier manufacturer of sheetfed and web offset printing presses, today announced the installation of a four-color, 29" SPICA convertible perfecting offset press at Arrow Press of Pittsfield, MA. Arrow Press is a general commercial printer that specializes in quick turnaround work on jobs that can range from digital copies, to saddle-stitched booklets, to four-color marketing materials, as well as offering mailing and fulfillment services. Prior to installing the SPICA, the company was sending its larger run process color jobs outside for completion. The SPICA now allows Arrow Press to produce these jobs in-house with controlled scheduling and management, delivering improved profit margins. Though the SPICA features a compact footprint, it provides a high level of automation, including automatic ink key setting, and can be used either in straight four-color mode or as a two-over-two perfector. As a perfector, the SPICA effectively cuts production time by 50 percent for jobs like publication printing, which requires printing both sides of the sheet. The SPICA has replaced a 2/c Heidelberg MOZ.
"The new press delivers enough press capacity to expand our four-color business. The lay-down of the ink is beautiful," said Robert Nackoul, president of Arrow Press. "Years ago you had to worry about the ink-on-paper aspect of printing, especially for large solid areas or ghosting. With Komori's presses, you don't have to worry about that. Once you get the job up to color, the SPICA holds it consistently through the press run."
Arrow Press also provides computer-to-plate prepress and uses "process-free" plates that are developed on-press by the fountain solution, reducing prepress time and the need for harsh chemical processing. Nackoul noted that in the past job set-up time might have taken as long as four hours. However, with the company's CTP system and the SPICA's automation, set-up time is now reduced to 30 minutes or less. The SPICA supports the Arrow Press promise to customers: "Our turnaround time is when you need it!"
"The SPICA is the perfect solution for companies looking to enhance business offerings, improve productivity and increase profit margins," said Ken Sabol, vice president of sales for Komori's Eastern Region. "We are pleased the SPICA is making a difference in all of these areas for Arrow Press."