Herald Chase Group Installs Ryobi 755 + Coater

Herald Chase Group, Reading, has announced the purchase and installation of a Ryobi 755G five-colour plus coater B2-format offset-litho press. The press was purchased from UK Ryobi distributor Apex Digital Graphics.

Having seen the press in action at an Apex open house event, long-time Ryobi fan Chris Goslar, Managing Director of Herald Chase Group, said: “Once I had seen it in action, I knew that this was the press to take the business on to the next level. The speed of make-ready, the print quality and consistency, and the overall production performance are excellent.”

The new press has been installed to print a wide variety of four and five-colour work, including direct mail, leaflet and brochure work. It has replaced a five-colour Heidelberg and a two-colour Ryobi, and takes pride-of-place alongside six other litho presses, including a four-colour Ryobi machine.

“Make-ready speeds are reduced to some 10 minutes per job, as opposed to the 45 minutes on the older printing equipment that the new Ryobi has replaced,” added Justin Earl, Operations Director at Herald Chase Group. “That is a huge step forward in job preparation time, and one that will provide huge benefits to us as a business.”

Speed of job preparation will be aided by the installation of a B2-format Screen PlateRite 2055Vi daylight working computer-to-plate solution, also provided by Apex Digital Graphics. “Quality plates are an essential ingredient for good printing,” said Justin Earl. “Accurate plate creation is an essential component of fast make-ready on the press.”

With regard to the installation of the press and CtP equipment, Steve Basterfield, Commercial Director at Herald Chase Group, commented: “Working with Apex is a pleasure; they are a great company to work with from salesman Mike Wooding through to the installation team and the support guys.”

Herald Chase was set up in 1992 to provide a range of marketing services to large corporates and the advertising industry. In recent years the company has expanded its services to include data, e-services, warehousing and logistics. Following a merger with Conservatree Print & Design, the business now employs over 50 people at its busy warehouse complex in the heart of the Thames Valley. Customers include B&Q, Comet, Wincanton, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, BG Group, Thus plc and many others.

Commenting on this latest installation by Apex Digital Graphics, Joint Managing Director Bob Usher said: “We are delighted, of course, to be able to continue our long-standing business relationship with Chris. The Ryobi 755 with coater and Screen 2055 CtP is a proven combination to provide highly productive and cost effective B2 printing.”

The Ryobi 750G product is the flagship B2 format press in the 750 Series, capable of printing up to 16,000 sheets per hour on stock thicknesses of up to 0.6mm as standard, and incorporating Ryobi’s High Grade feeder. The press incorporates semi-automatic plate changing; IVS ink volume setter software, which takes ink profile data from the digital front-end; PDS print density control; program inking; plate register remote control; and automated wash-ups.