PHOENIX, September 2, 2008-CanDo Printing of Phoenix has improved quality, job turnaround times, pressroom efficiency, customer satisfaction and profitability.  Owner Frank Blankenship says to understand why, look no further than his new printing press-a six-color, 23"x29" RYOBI 750 series press with aqueous coater.

The busy commercial print shop prints business cards, brochures, pocket folders, pamphlets, flyers, posters and more. 

In late 2006, Blankenship's business had grown to the point where he was ready to invest in a new press.  He owned a 4-up, six-color, 20"x28" press with coater, but was looking for a 6-up press that allowed him to better compete with 40-inch presses in his market.  He liked the economics of a half-size press, but wanted one that delivered more throughput-without going to a 40-inch model.

xpedx sales representative Don Epley took Blankenship to two area printers who were using the 23"x29" RYOBI 750 series press.  Talking pressman to pressman at the shops, Blankenship found they were particularly impressed with how the Ryobi machine performed.

Consistent print quality, dramatic growth in efficiency, cost savings
with new RYOBI press

In January 2007, Blankenship bought his six-color, fully automated RYOBI 756, 23"x29" press with aqueous coater and densitometer.  "We feel it is a good move to buy a press with a coater.  More than half of our customers request coating and it allows for faster dry times," said Blankenship.  "The coater on the Ryobi press is superior."

Since the purchase and installation, he said he has realized faster turnaround times, improved print quality, more consistent printing density, less paper waste and cost savings.

All are attributes that Blankenship says "make customers, employees and owners very happy.  We have much more consistent printing than we used to-and that's been essential to growing our business."

The Ryobi press is also very cost effective.  "My old press took 40 minutes on average to set up a four-color job.  This press takes 15-20 minutes to set up.  If you cut your set-up time in half, with a two-man crew, you save a dollar a minute," he noted. 

Based on preparing 10 makereadies a day, with 20 minutes less setup time required, I save 200 minutes in productivity a day.  That averages more than $3,000 a month in labor savings for set ups alone."

Blankenship also noted that the Ryobi press comes to registration quickly and uses less paper for set up.  He previously used about 500 sheets for each makeready.  With the RYOBI 756 the average job uses 300 sheets per makeready.  With 10 makereadies a day, the new press saves 2,000 sheets of paper a day.  Average monthly savings on paper?  $2,500.

"I couldn't be happier with this press. If you asked me for five things I'd like to see changed on it, I couldn't come up with one-there's nothing that needs to be changed on this press.  It has lived up to how xpedx billed it," said Blankenship.  "xpedx and my Ryobi press are making me money.  And they're saving me money."