Sebis Direct has carefully followed the development of full-color digital print engines for use in high-volume transactional applications. After a lengthy analysis of existing technology, Sebis selected the Screen Truepress Jet520 inkjet web press in a dual-engine duplex, roll-to-sheet configuration with dynamic perforation.

“High-speed continuous inkjet presses have long looked like the best solution for adding color to transactional documents,” explained Wes Sanders, president. “Some early models performed great at trade shows but did not work very well in practice. We waited for the best combination of technology and total costs of printing and operation. A history of successful installations was a major determining factor as well. The Screen Truepress Jet520 and its variations have over 380 installations worldwide.”

Sebis, a $7 million firm founded in 1989 and based in Bedford Park, Ill., prints, finishes, assembles and delivers compliant and transactional documents. Sebis caters to the health care, insurance, government and utility sectors in 37 states and Canada. Between its main facility and a satellite plant in Brooklyn Heights, Ohio, Sebis boasts more than 120,000 square feet of production space. The Bedford Park location operates around the clock, seven days a week.

Before installing the Truepress Jet520, color images, callouts and logos appearing on documents that Sebis produces had to be static and part of preprinted forms. The Truepress Jet520 prints variable data and graphics along with static document content in one pass directly onto blank paper rolls instead of onto preprinted shells.

“The Truepress offers higher volumes at full color and expands our capabilities in the transactional and print-on-demand segments,” Sanders said. “Color elements can be entirely dynamic. They can change from document to document and page to page.”

In the past, changes to policy terms, customer service phone number or hours of operation have resulted in the replacement of forms and waste of inventory. There are no forms to run out of or become obsolete with the Truepress Jet520.

“Document revisions now can be made instantly with no waste whatsoever,” Sanders said. “Eliminating preprinted forms also prevents the inclusion of the wrong form in a document production run.”

The dual-engine duplex model prints both sides of the paper at once. Sebis combined the press with a paper handling line from Lasermax Roll Systems. It features high-performance paper tension, rotary cutting, dynamic perforating and precision stacking.

“Perfectly stacked documents with edge-to-edge color exit the system ready for assembly,” Sanders said.

Checks, receipts, forms and payment stubs frequently require perforated pages. The Truepress/Lasermax combination produces simple and complex perforations inline. Perforations can be horizontal or vertical or both.

“The ability to dynamically perforate only certain pages in a document in a relatively inexpensive format was another key requirement,” Sanders said. “This capability reduces steps and saves clients money.”

The Truepress Jet520 significantly expands opportunities in book production for Sebis. The Illinois and Ohio locations both have acquired new perfect binders.

“We already produce books for insurance companies and have added print-on-demand books to our portfolio thanks to the Truepress,” Sanders said. “Throughput is well over 2 million impressions per day. Book blocks can be black and white or full color.”