TORONTO - xpedx Canada is the new master distributor across Canada for Ryobi Ltd., one of the world's largest offset press manufacturers.
 
xpedx Canada finalized the agreement with Tokyo-based Ryobi this summer.  xpedx Canada is now building Ryobi press sales and service teams across the nation, details of which will be announced soon, the company said.
 
"Canadian printers of all sizes want to boost automation, reduce total production costs and tap lucrative new print markets," said Michael Kearney, vice president and general manager of xpedx Canada. "Ryobi has a compelling quality and value offer in state-of-the-art large, mid-size and small presses that can help printers become more productive, efficient and profitable."
 
All Ryobi press formats will be sold and serviced in Canada, including Ryobi's high-demand, fully automated 6-up and 8-up presses available in up to 10 colors.  Ryobi parts fulfillment will be through company's Memphis, Tenn. distribution center.
 
xpedx Canada will sell the new 42-plus inch RYOBI 1050 press and the 36-inch RYOBI 920 press as well as the popular 31-inch RYOBI 750 and 780 series presses, the 20-inch RYOBI 520 series and other smaller format presses.
 
All offer the latest automation and print technology advances. The 1050, 750 and 780 series presses run at maximum speeds of 16,000 sheet per hour.  Ryobi also manufactures a new LED-UV curing system, which saves power consumption by 70%, and a new inline casting and foiling system for specialty printing.  
 
xpedx Canada will host the North American debut of the RYOBI 1050 series press at PRINT 09 in Chicago, Sept. 11-16 and will discuss the full Ryobi offer at Graphics Canada in Toronto Nov. 12-14.
 
The new RYOBI 1050 series 42-plus inch press delivers key technology advances to printers including fully-automatic plate loaders and a sophisticated close-circuit camera that allows the press operator to closely monitor and adjust print quality during a print run.
 
The press also features a double diameter impression cylinder and a double-diameter transfer drum as well as a movable shell-type skeleton transfer drum that accommodates various print stocks and thicknesses, including packaging substrate.  Other options include an inline aqueous coaters, UV curing units and infrared dryers that speed delivery times and enable high-value specialty printing.
 
The RYOBI LED-UV system was the first curing unit that replaces conventional UV lamps with long-life UV light-emitting diodes, cutting power consumption in excess of 70%.  Dry times are shortened, speeding job completion. The LED-UV unit is also available on the two-up RYOBI 520 series press and the eight-up RYOBI 920 series press. The inline casting and foiling system enables special effects printing on a wide variety of substrates.
 
The addition of the Ryobi to xpedx Canada marks a significant expansion for the company.  Earlier this summer, xpedx Canada announced that it acquired the operations of Gould Paper Canada in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Those businesses now operate as xpedx Canada.
 
xpedx Canada this summer also expanded xpedx.ca to include real-time pricing, inventory availability and easy online ordering.