Kennesaw, Ga. - Earlier this year, Keno Graphic Services (Shelton, Conn.) marked its transition from half- to full-size shop with the installation of a 5-color Speedmaster CD 102 with coater and extended delivery. To assist with the transition, Keno also invested across the business in a new Suprasetter 106 CtP device, Prinect workflow, Stahlfolder TH 82, and a POLAR pile turner, all from Heidelberg.

 

The company, a general commercial offset and digital printer serving customers in the education, financial services, nonprofit and medical industries from Boston to New York City, had reached what President Dan Kennedy termed “a nice level of sales but with limited production capacity for growth. Adding the 40” Speedmaster CD 102 was a way for us to open up capacity and increase sales,” he said. “The larger format size enables us to expand our growth in packaging, POP, full-sized posters and a lot more.” The new CD 102 replaces the company’s existing 6-color, 29” Speedmaster CD 74.

 

Although Keno Graphic Services had always sought to fortify its niche in the half-size market by focusing on fast changeovers and medium-run length jobs, the new CD 102’s state-of-the-art automation and ability to make ready in the same time as its existing half-size press, proved decisive for the company. In addition, said Kennedy, “With Easy Control spectrophotometric color management built directly into the CD 102’s Prinect Press Center, our quality is better than ever.” The company also added a POLAR pile turner to eliminate long wait times for paper at the press. “The CD 102 delivers paper faster than we can flip and prep the next load,” Kennedy said. “The new pile turner also reduces heavy manual labor and keeps our workers fresh.” The extended delivery allows the press to run at its full rated speed of 15,000 sph on most stocks.

 

Increased speed and volume in the pressroom could have placed a strain on Keno’s folding department. Thinking ahead, however, the company also installed a pallet-fed, Stahlfolder TH 82 folder to keep up the pace. The high-output pallet feeder maximizes productivity by eliminating manual paper handling. Only one operator is needed to set up the folds and offload the folded signatures.  

 

Tasked with imaging plates for the new CD 102 is a fully automated, Chemfree Suprasetter 106 CtP system with auto cassette and inline punch. “Our customers love hearing about how good it is for the environment,” Kennedy said. “We love it for the high quality plates and huge cost savings with no chemistry.” Print quality is never an issue, thanks also to the company’s use of Heidelberg Saphira Chemfree plates. “Our plates have never been better, especially since we also installed Heidelberg’s Prinect prepress workflow,” Kennedy said. “The two work great together.” 

 

All of the new equipment, including the press, POLAR pile turner, CtP system, and Stahlfolder TH 82, was installed between January and May, with minimal disruption to the company’s production schedule. “We did not have the luxury of shutting down operations to install anything,” Kennedy said. “Heidelberg worked with us to accommodate our production schedule in each department.” 

 

In addition to Heidelberg technology, it’s that brand of professionalism and customer care that keeps Keno Graphic Services coming back for more. “We have always run Heidelberg equipment,” Kennedy said. “We have great faith in the product and in the company. Heidelberg didn’t just try to sell us a press. Instead, our Heidelberg rep advised us on how to go about solving our production bottlenecks, and took us to multiple demonstrations of different types of equipment. In the end, the experience was more of a consultation rather than a sales process.”