Kennesaw, GA – The installation of a 5-color Heidelberg Speedmaster CX 102 press with Inpress Control, aqueous coater and extended delivery earlier this month marked a watershed moment for Ryan Printing in Blauvelt, NY. The new press heralds the one-shift operation’s transition from half- to full-size shop with competitive firepower to spare.

“Before the installation, we were thinking of adding a second shift based on rising volume, but the speed (16,500 sph) and productivity of the CX 102 has made that unnecessary,” Ryan said. “We’ll be sticking with a 5-day, single-shift operation with occasional weekend work. We’re confident we’ll be able to compete effectively by doing what we’ve always done: expanding our capabilities, extending our print market with the 40-inch press, and providing great customer service.”

Real Savings

The new Speedmaster CX 102, which takes the place of a 5-color, 29” Speedmaster CD 74, had its work cut out from the moment it went online. “We already had enough work for it, so keeping it busy isn’t a problem,” Ryan continued. At the same time, “We’ve realized savings on the order of 50 to 70 percent, thanks to the Prinect Inpress Control inline closed-loop color management system, which drives down our makeready time to 10 minutes, enables us to get to precise LAB matching color in under 200 sheets, and substantially reduces our consumption of ink and paper. Our bindery operations have been streamlined by being able to cut larger sheets of printed material and folding larger signatures.”

Thanks also to the cartridge-based InkStar ink supply, the company enjoys the benefits of fully automated ink feeding and reduced start up times by eliminating the need to skin ink cans prior to filling the fountain. The additional benefits of less wasted ink and continuous monitoring of ink levels through the Prinect Press Center Console ensure the highest quality without sacrificing the ability to change inks flexibly.

 Robust Packaging

The addition of the Speedmaster CX 102 also will enable Ryan Printing to expand its packaging business. Not only will the company gain tremendous flexibility in handling substrates from lightweight paper to 40-pt. board stock, but Prinect Inpress Control will keep brand colors consistent and reduce waste to a minimum, advancing the company to a higher level of production capability.

“We’ve always manufactured some packaging materials like boxes, bottle-neckers, and window signage,” Ryan said, “but we are now into it seriously and consider folding cartons a strong growth area. The Speedmaster CX 102 is a robust, flexible press for the wide variety of high-quality commercial and packaging printing jobs our customers demand.”

Easy on the Environment

In choosing the Speedmaster CX 102, Ryan Printing also has strengthened its commitment to environmental protection, based on the low energy usage, resource efficiency, and long service life that make the Speedmaster CX 102 the most environmentally friendly press in its class. The CX 102 is ideal for reduced-alcohol and alcohol-free printing, while color measuring systems such as Prinect Inpress Control reduce paper waste on average by 200 up to 400 sheets per print job and lower the level of CO2 emissions. In addition, environmentally friendly cloth blanket wash-up devices use water and solvent to reduce the overall amount of solvent used, yielding savings of up to 90 percent.

In preparation for the arrival of the Speedmaster CX 102 and the larger plate size, the company replaced its aging violet platesetter with a Suprasetter 106 thermal CtP system with automatic dual cassette loader, becoming one of the first in the nation to do so. Like all members of the Suprasetter family, Ryan’s new platesetter boasts higher productivity, reduced space requirements, a lower environmental impact, and is easily integrated into Ryan’s existing print shop workflow. The company’s use of Saphira Eco Thermal Chemfree Plates increases process stability and shrinks Ryan’s environmental footprint.

Strong Right Arm

By no coincidence, Heidelberg is a longtime mainstay of the company’s business. In addition to the new, Speedmaster CX 102, Ryan Printing’s offset pressroom hosts both half-size and small-format Heidelberg machines. The company’s full-service bindery also boasts a suite of Heidelberg postpress equipment, including two POLAR cutting systems, assorted Stahlfolders, and a Eurobind 600 adhesive binder. With its installation of the first Stitchmaster ST 200 in the U.S. next month, Ryan’s capabilities will expand yet again, enabling it to produce 2-up books by the thousands while eliminating the onerous hand-collating of signatures. The company performs the vast majority of its die cutting in-house on a 23x29 KAMA 74 die cutter supplied by Heidelberg.

Citing double-digit revenue growth from year-to-year and $7.5 million in current annual sales, Al Ryan attributes his company’s 20-year record of industry-leading service and quality to a combination of smart investment and top-notch customer service. “We give our customers what they want, when they want it,” Ryan said. “People are happy with us, and that yields more work for us as we add capabilities.”