System 38S H-UV Web Makes International Splash

ONPRESS81
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JPN
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Apr. 2014
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System 38S H-UV Web:
The New Standard of
Productivity and Quality
Ultimate Synergy
SYSTEM 38S H-UV
Feature
System 38S H-UV Web Makes International Splash
4
An open house at the Tsukuba Plant kicked off the drive to introduce an entirely
new type of Komori machine — the H-UV-equipped System 38S web offset press.
The productivity of a web plus the green credentials and visual punch of H-UV. All
in a dramatically shorter configuration. The optimum solution for Web-to-print
and gang-run printing models.
Feature
Pepio Presses Print First Electronic Devices
10
Printed electronics is a revolution whose time has come — and
Komori’s Pepio presses will be deployed on the front line. An update
on the state of play in the field and the achievements of the Pepio
F20 and R20 gravure offset presses in recent exhibitions. Komori’s
leadership in the manufacture of high-precision machines shines
in a new arena.
User Profiles
Change Agents Making a Difference
14
In mature and developing economies, on tropical islands and in teeming
megalopolises, in the hands of energetic startups and famous print houses, Komori
presses are change agents — driving growth, innovation and expectations in the
graphic arts world. From 29-inch Enthrones to mighty 32-page System webs,
Komori is making a tangible difference.
Topics
Komori Kando in Service and at KGC
32
The Komori service department in Japan handled an especially
difficult order for Lithrone 50s with the flair that is written into the
company’s DNA. And KGC staged a special management seminar for
Chinese art printer Artron. Close-ups of the way Komori’s approach
to customers is truly kando-inspired.
Show Reports
KGCE and Tsukuba Host H-UV Events
34
KGCE was the site of the Printology H-UV Open House, while the Tsukuba Plant
staged Komori’s annual spring open house, also an H-UV-focused event. Full crowds
turned out for the seminars and demonstrations. Everything from K-Supply solutions
to an update on the next iteration of the K-Station Printing Task Control Software/
JDF Interface was covered in detail. Pics and stats.
81
no.
Printing specification of this issue:
All pages printed by four-color process H-UV.
Cover laminated with matt polypropylene film.
Komori On Press
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System 38S H-UV Web Makes
Jadranko Pušec
Member of Management
Board, Radin Print
4
Komori On Press
From Croatia: Jadranko Pušec, member of the management board of Radin Print in Croatia,
came to the Tsukuba Plant to see the 38S H-UV and liked what he saw. He’s a good judge
because his company runs lots of web offset presses, including two System 38D 32-page
webs and one System 38S 16-page web. “I think that the System 38S H-UV press that we
saw today is a very good press, and I predict that it will have a very good future. It represents
progress because it is simple, and with these machines simpler is better. The elimination
of the hot-air dryer and chill stand means that the paper will not be ‘shocked’ by the heat.
I believe that in Europe it could find a role in the printing of short-run business-to-business
publications. It could also be used for printing high-end catalogs once it can print on paper
with higher grammage.”
H-UV Web: Kando Machine
H-UV
WEB
Quality × Productivity
Komori users from all over the globe visited the
Tsukuba Plant this spring to witness the international
debut of the System 38S H-UV with 625 mm cutoff
(LR-438/625S H-UV) web offset press. Also featuring
an eight-color Lithrone G40P H-UV, the event
delivered a Komori message for printers pursuing
a Web-to-print or gang-run printing business model.
The two presses ran the same job on the same
paper to allow a side-by-side comparison of the
H-UV web machine and the high-spec H-UV Lithrone
perfector. On Press joined the gathering and spoke
to two interested customers.
International Splash
From Taiwan: Wang Chang-hong, chairman of Hong Jia Printing in Taiwan, explained that
he was impressed with how quickly H-UV technology has advanced. “I came to Tsukuba
last year, and so I was amazed to see H-UV technology implemented on a web press at
the demonstration today. I have ordered a six-color Lithrone G40 UV press with coater after
studying the options available and based on my knowledge of the Taiwan market. I think H-UV
is still not well known in Taiwan, but after seeing today’s demo I feel that I will need to look at
its potential much more closely.”
Wang Chang-hong
Chairman
Hong Jia Printing
Komori On Press
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Innovation the Komori way
The stars were aligned for the integration
of Komori’s H-UV Innovative Curing
System into the company’s acclaimed
System 35S/38S Series web offset
presses. This development means far
more than the simple merger of H-UV
printing’s outstanding performance with
the productivity of Komori’s 16-page web
presses. It is, of course, the graphic
impact, the environmental credibility and
the operational upsides of H-UV multiplied
by the speed, efficiency and raw power
of the System machines. But it goes far
beyond this. In fact, this transformation
enables commercial web presses to go
head to head with sheetfed machines and
achieve unprecedented success.
Currently in production in Japan, the System machines with
H-UV were debuted for international customers this spring at
the Tsukuba Plant. Orders are already in double figures — with
many orders coming from sheetfed users.
To a certain degree, Komori’s development of this press and
the quick acceptance of it by the Japanese industry reflect the
growing recognition of the dominance of H-UV technology
over other UV systems. Komori has received orders for more
than 400 H-UV-equipped sheetfed presses from customers
around the globe. Overseas markets are seeing a pickup in
the momentum of sales as the competitive advantage of H-UV
technology becomes more widely known. Already, shipments
of H-UV presses outstrip those of presses with other instant
drying systems by a considerable margin.
H-UV web development concept
The development concept that produced Komori’s H-UV web
presses consisted of three elements. First, achieve a radical
reduction in paper waste at press start-up. Second, provide
sheetfed-level print quality. And finally, design a press that
benefits the environment.
In the past, a major problem for web offset presses has been
start-up waste due to the necessary adjustments for paper
shrinking and web meandering as a result of the heat of the
Space saving: H-UV web press with sheeter
• Conventional web offset press
• H-UV web offset press
1/3 shorter than conventional web
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Komori On Press
H-UV Web: Kando Machine
dryer. To dramatically cut paper loss, the hotair dryer that is normally configured with web
offset presses has been eliminated along with
the chill stand and the complex configuration
of chill rolls in the chill roll assembly. This
reduces the total length of the press to twothirds that of a conventional web press. When
specified with a sheeter, the height of the
machine is just 2.7 meters, making it suitable
for installation in the pressrooms of most
sheetfed users. This compact, space-saving
arrangement solves the problem of unstable
web behavior, which is exacerbated by a
longer paper path.
The new H-UV-equipped presses take the
advances of the KHS-AI quick start-up system
and the AI-Link integrated control system a
step further. By incorporating a special H-UV
mode that combines the stable travel of the
paper afforded by the shorter paper path
with changes to the acceleration gradient and
the printing on-off timing, the H-UV presses
significantly slash start-up paper loss and also
shorten start-up time.
H-UV dryer on System 38S
While a KHS-AI-equipped conventional web offset press
typically has start-up waste of 800 to 1,000 copies, the new
H-UV web presses reduce this to just 200 copies. This results
from optimal web tension and precise control of not only color
but also cutoff position and cross direction. The result — the
most powerful short-run, quick-turnaround web solution in
the world.
Space saving: H-UV web press with folder
• Conventional web offset press
• H-UV web offset press
25% shorter web path
Cutoff: 625 mm
1/3 shorter than conventional web
Dryer and folder length may differ depending on specifications.
Komori On Press
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Ozone-free, powderless, free of characteristic UV odor, space-saving,
energy-saving, and available with the full range of Komori options that have
made the System Series machines the preferred web solution worldwide.
In addition, there is no dry-down with H-UV’s instant drying
and densities are consistently on target, so print quality is
comparable to that of a sheetfed press.
Environmental benefits
The green credentials of H-UV System Series web presses are
very substantial. The reduction of energy usage is significant
because the hot air dryer and blower are completely eliminated.
And CO2 emissions are reduced due to less makeready waste.
In addition, since UV ink is used, VOC emissions are zero.
H-UV is, of course, an entirely ozone-free process, which is a
plus for the environment and removes the need for an exhaust
duct. And even though the rate of production is two to three
times greater than that of a sheetfed press, only one H-UV lamp
per side is needed, which lowers both initial and running costs.
Sheetfed-level quality by design
One key to achieving the print quality of
sheetfed presses is related to the moisture
content of paper. The hot-air dryer of a
conventional web press typically reduces
the moisture content of the paper, resulting
in wrinkling of the web. These problems, as
well as postpress issues such as smearing,
are suppressed by Komori’s H-UV web
technology. Since moisture content of the
paper before and after drying is identical, even
the problem of static is eliminated.
CO2 reduction by H-UV system
Waste paper
Gas
Power for dryer
Power for press
40%
H-UV lamp performance
For H-UV drying, the 160 W/cm lamp enables production of
30,000 impressions per hour. This is possible because of the
construction of web machines. Compared to sheetfed presses,
a significant advantage of the webfed design lies in the method
of sheet transport. In a sheetfed press, one edge of the sheet
is held by the grippers, whereas with a web offset press, the
paper of the web is a single connected roll, allowing the web to
be held under tension in a stabilizing, defined way. Thus web
presses are fundamentally more suitable for higher printing
speeds than sheetfed presses. This also allows the H-UV lamp
to be positioned closer to the paper surface than in the case
of a sheetfed press. Along with a newly designed reflector, the
lamp yields a radiation intensity that is 30 percent higher than
the equivalent lamp in a sheetfed press.
Reduction of waste paper by quick
start-up (in print copies)
• Conventional web (gas dryer) with KHS-AI at 800 rpm
reduction
800–1,000 copies
• H-UV web with KHS-AI + AI Link + Special H-UV mode
at 500 rpm
75–80% reduction
200 copies
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Komori On Press
H-UV Web: Kando Machine
Quality
Positioning of various printing systems
H-UV
Sheetfed
Sheetfed
H-UV
Web
Web
Digital press
Copier
Production volume
The numbers behind the story
A four-color sixteen-page System Series
press configured with a sheeter is just 16.5
meters long, 7.8 meters shor ter than a
similarly specified conventional web using
solvent-based ink. The System 38S press
accommodates web widths of 625–965 mm
and may be specified with a cutoff length of
578, 598 or 625 mm. In addition, a version of
the System 38S for book printing has a cutoff
of 638 mm and a web width range of 880–924
mm. The System 35S handles web widths of
620–880 mm and provides a cutoff of 546
mm. The paper stock range for both presses is
40–130 gsm. Komori’s System Series H-UV web
presses are shipped with fully automatic platechanging (Full-APC) as standard equipment for
ultra-short-run work.
Transforming powers
Komori’s System web offset presses have
been the gold standard in the commercial
web industry for three overwhelming reasons:
high quality, high productivity and high added
value. The KHS-AI and AI-Link mechatronics
work together with Komori technologies
such as Full-APC to make the System 35S/38S
the definitive web offset platform for shortrun, fast-turnaround work. Now configured
with the H-UV drying system, these presses
offer an entirely new range of possibilities
to sheetfed users. Instant drying without a dryer, of course,
but also the stunning impact of wrinkle-free H-UV printing.
Ozone-free, powderless, free of the characteristic odor of UV,
space-saving, energy-saving, and available with the full range
of Komori options that have made the System Series machines
the preferred web solution worldwide. Sheetfed-level quality
with web productivity. This innovative development is perfect
for sheetfed users who wish to implement a Web-to-print or
gang-run printing business model — the competitive strength of
an H-UV-enabled System 35S/38S changes all the equations. The
sum of Komori’s development achievements and expertise in a
design aimed squarely at the pinnacle of printing. The Komori
H-UV System 35S/38S web offset presses.
H-UV web press specifications
Model
System 35S
System 38S
Max. printing speed
30,000 iph
Cutoff
546 mm
578, 598, 625 mm
638 mm
Web width
620–880 mm
625–965 mm
880–924 mm
Stock grammage
40–130 gsm
Drying systemH-UV (one lamp each for front and back)
Plate changing
Full-APC
Komori On Press
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Pepio Presses Print
First Electronic Devices
Technological innovation
Printed electronics refers to technologies
for manufacturing electronic devices using
a variety of printing techniques. Thanks to
technological progress in organic materials
and nano-scale materials (such as graphene,
carbon nanotubes, and nanosilver), inks with
superior conductivity, semiconductivity,
insulating performance, and luminescence
have been developed and improved in the
past few years.
Also, whereas printing technology was in the
past used for just one part of devices (such as
membrane switches and antennas), it is now
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Komori On Press
possible to manufacture entire devices with printing technology.
In addition, the application of this technology to ‘new concept’
devices such as flexible and large-area electronics is being
studied; the rollout of products to large markets throughout
the world is widely anticipated.
Printed electronics enable low cost production, large surface
area, improved productivity, reduced initial investment for
manufacturing, a lower environmental impact, flexibility, and
freedom of design. Hopes, therefore, are growing for use of
this technology as a new method of manufacturing that will
complement conventional photolithography.
Success in the printed electronics business will be achieved
by providing low-energy, resource-saving manufacturing
technologies and propagating these technologies throughout
Printing vs. photolithography: fewer steps in production process
• Photolithography
Wafer
preparation
step 1
Coating with
photoresist
step 2
Exposure
Development
Etching
step 3
step 4
step 5
Stripping
step 6
• Gravure offset printing
Vastly shorter workflow
Printing
Heating
society. Thus, new products that leverage these technologies
are hotly anticipated — for example, flexible displays, wearable
displays and sensors. Such technology will not only result
in very profitable business but will also transform people’s
everyday lives.
Technical data
Printing method
Printing speed
Substrate width
Substrate thickness
Printing area
State of the industry
For roughly the past 10 years, there has been
a clamor proclaiming innovations and social
changes due to printed electronics. While
research and development has been very
energetic, very few businesses have arisen
from these efforts and the creation of a market
has yet to happen. Currently, the principle
players in R & D are universities, research
Gravure offset
10–300 mm/s
250 x 250 (min.) to 520 x 600 (max.) mm
45–250 µm
500 x 580 mm (max.)
From top: Very fine lines
printed on substrate with L/S
of 20/20 microns; Automatic
Register Control system with
high-precision camera and
fine alignment stage for fine
positioning of ITO and printed
metal lines; and sleeve system
that reduces the time needed
for plate cylinder changing.
Komori On Press
11
Frame Wires
Projected capacitative touchpanel screens are
used in smartphones for their high-resolution
tracking and narrow bezel.
laboratories, element makers, electronics
manufacturers and major printers. Their work
has not progressed beyond the development
of new functional materials and new
laboratory-level prototypes. Hence, there is
Technical data
Printing method
Printing speed
Substrate width
Substrate thickness
Printing area
Repeat length
very little R & D that has engendered actual mass production.
In light of this situation, Komori plans to drive both R & D and
the business side by advancing printing and precision machine
manufacturing, its two core capabilities. Combined with new
materials, this approach will lead to the establishment of mass
production technologies.
Komori’s work in this field to date has targeted smartphones and
tablet computers. The company believes that it will be productive
to focus on these two fast-growing product categories.
Development work by Komori has resulted in the production
of sample printed electronic devices. Creating a working device
(a touchpanel) by collaborating with the Industrial Technology
Research Institute (ITRI) of Taiwan is seen by the company as
a tremendous success. Komori has made the manufacture of
a device by printing a reality.
Komori is certain that collaboration with ITRI is extremely
valuable not only because of ITRI’s superb R & D capabilities
in Taiwan (the island accounts for roughly one-half of global
touchpanel manufacturing) but also its deep relationships with
Taiwan’s advanced electronics companies, its familiarity with
printed electronics products, and a research focus that is very
close to the business at which Komori is aiming.
Gravure offset
1–10 m/min
250–520 mm
45–200 µm
500 x 610 mm (max.)
628 mm
From top: Fine lines with L/S of
30/30 microns printed by Pepio
R20; Smart Alignment System
for high-precision alignment
on the target; and Long Run
Support System controls
swelling of the silicone blanket
by radiation with IR light.
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Komori On Press
From left: Chun-Ting Liu, Vice President and General Director, Electronics and
Optoelectronics Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI),
Hsinchu, Taiwan, with Satoshi Mochida, Vice President, Komori Corporation; center and
right: the scene at FPD International 2013 in Yokohama
Pepio F20
The Pepio F20 is a flatbed gravure offset press offering highquality fine line deposition and high productivity for the
manufacture of capacitative touchpanels, a market that is
expected to expand. Able to print on both glass and film, this
machine is capable of achieving a line width of less than 20
microns. The combination of Komori’s high-tech, high-precision
press and printing materials that were developed for optimal
matching with the press makes possible fine line deposition
that was not attainable with conventional printing methods.
High precision is featured throughout the press: motion control
and a solid frame bed for print quality; the camera and a fine
alignment stage for positioning ITO and printed metal lines.
Stable suction power is produced by the use of a ceramic-spec
suction table and an ultrafine pore diameter, thus preventing
damage such as suction marks.
Pepio R20
The Pepio R20 is a continuous roll-to-roll gravure offset press
that offers next-generation productivity for the deposition of
fine lines. While the target substrate is roll film and the target
market is the same as that of the Pepio F20, the Pepio R20 meets
the needs of markets requiring higher productivity by providing
continuous rather than intermittent printing. This press uses the
precision tension control technology that Komori acquired in
developing web offset presses to enable continuous printing
with high print quality. A new Smart Alignment System was
developed for precision alignment on the target.
with ITRI: a sample capacitative touchpanel
with high-precision frame wiring having an
L/S (line width/line spacing) of 20/20 microns
made by gravure offset printing was exhibited
at the Touch Taiwan International Touch
Panel and Optical Film Exhibition in August
2013. Just two months later Komori and ITRI
succeeded in the production of a sample with
even higher precision frame wiring and an
L/S of 9/9 microns. This was displayed at FPD
International 2013 in October in Yokohama.
Komori believes that this degree of progress
in just two months — reshaping the metrics for
the printing of ultrafine lines — is grounds for
optimism concerning future development.
With the establishment of mass production
technologies capable of consistently producing
touchpanels with an L/S of 20/20 microns or
less, the questions underlying mass production
have been solved. Komori began taking orders
for Pepio gravure offset presses in April 2014.
These rapid advances suggest that Komori is
destined to play a major role in manufacturing
high added value devices in the future.
Current rollout and future outlook
As of April 2014, one Pepio R20 press has been installed for
the mass production of automobile touch sensors at a company
in Japan, and two Pepio F20 presses have been installed in
research laboratories, one in Japan and one overseas.
To exhibit its progress to the industry, Komori successfully
manufactured working touchpanels through joint research
Komori On Press
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User Profiles
Cecosami, Peru | Lithrone S40SP [LS-440SP]
Cecosami bets on
Lithrone S40SP technology
Founded in 1989, Cecosami is one of the leading printing companies in Peru.
Well known for the quality of its products, the excellence of its service, and the
strength of its dedication to the graphic arts, this printer — supported by the
best available technology — has carved a trail of innovation and excellence.
From left: Jairo Valencia, General Director of Cecosami; Luis Cieza de León, General Manager of Cecosami;
and Gerardo Silbermann, General Manager of Grafinal S.A.
With 24 years of experience in the industry, Cecosami has a
staff of more than 200 people in three locations, all in the capital
Lima. One facility is dedicated to design and prepress, another
houses the printing plant, and the third site is the warehouse.
Cecosami’s order book is concentrated in very segmented
products, like catalogs for the direct sale of cosmetics. The
company also serves a host of commercial, editorial and
packaging customers.
The printer offers a complete range of services, from the
creative work that flows from its well-known design department
to the finishing lines and distribution system that guarantee
optimal attention to the requirements of its customers. Because
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Komori On Press
of Cecosami’s technological orientation, it
chose Komori as its offset press manufacturer
and has installed five presses with leading-edge
specifications that assure quality, efficiency
and low operating cost.
One characteristic feature of Cecosami is
its personalized attention to each customer.
The customer is considered a vital ally of
the company. Consequently, Cecosami has
graphic experts who know the processes
and most suitable materials and are trained
to provide solutions to the customer according
to the type of product being developed. This
approach, embedded in the DNA of Cecosami,
has generated an increase in the demand for
graphic solutions. This thinking also motivates
the company to expand and modernize
by investing in new models of presses that
allow for more production efficiency and
greater capacity.
Technological renewal
The company recently invested in its fifth
Komori press, a four-color Lithrone S40SP
(4 x 4 colors), making Cecosami unique in
Peru as the only printer deploying this ultimate
high-technology machine.
The Lithrone S40SP runs at a maximum
printing speed of 15,000 sheets per hour
and has digital controls. The acquisition was
prompted by the excellent results from the
company’s first LS-440SP, purchased in 2011.
Once both presses were up and running,
turnaround times decreased and printing
quality improved. In addition to the two
SuperPerfectors, Cecosami operates a sixcolor Lithrone S40 with coater, a six-color
Lithrone 28 with coater, and a four-color
Enthrone 29. Efficiency and quality are further
bolstered by using the full range of Komori
mechatronics systems — KHS-AI, PDC-SII,
PDC-SX, KID, KMS-IV and PCC.
The company’s improving income is a direct
result of the reduction of run times and
materials usage and enhanced management
of the plant environment.
only possible with very long runs but with even better quality.”
Mr. Cieza de León comments on the advantages of the
speed in this revolutionary printing system: “Designed to
print 4 x 4 colors, the LS-440SP delivers double-sided one-pass
printing. This allows significant time reductions with better
cost-performance for customers.”
To keep up to date with the new machinery, K-Station was
also installed, making Cecosami the only company in Peru with
this software. K-Station connects all presses to a server that
compiles data summarizing performance in real time, allowing
managers to take action on contingencies, thus stimulating
productivity throughout the plant.
Clear-cut payoff
These investments are certainly registering on the printer’s
bottom line: sales grew by 22 percent year-over-year in 2013.
Some 70 percent of customers are domestic, with international
clients making up 30 percent of the total. Based on these
results, the company has decided on a strategy of seeking
further commercial growth and has plans to expand its plant
and further update its machinery. Considering its success so
far, Cecosami has decided to rely on Komori as a strategic
partner for its business.
Calculating the upside
To ensure optimum operation of the LS-440SP,
Cecosami operators received training from
Komori instructors dispatched from Japan
who conducted tests with the printer’s jobs
to check the press’s operating parameters and
printing quality. Any problems that occurred
were displayed on the PQC’s monitor.
The owner and general manager of Cecosami,
Luis Cieza de León, explains why he added a
second SuperPerfector: “We wanted to satisfy
the requirements of customers for products
at reasonable prices with quick turnarounds.”
He also mentions the innovative capabilities
incorporated in this press: “If we compare
sheetfed with web presses, sheetfed machines
have always been at a disadvantage up to
now in terms of production efficiency. With
this model, however, sheetfed presses are
competitive with web offset equipment even
when very large jobs are compared. The
LS-440SP allows us to offer prices that are
Komori On Press
15
User Profiles
DB Print, France | Lithrone G40P [GL-840P H-UV]
DB Print captivated
by H-UV technology
“You can miss a technological opportunity once but not twice!” is the deepseated conviction shared by Arnould Méplon, president of DB Print’s holding
company, and Stéphane Canonne, managing director of DB Print Halluin. Both
men consider this tenet the key to the DB Print group’s success.
From left: Jacques Vasseur, Sales Manager, and Stéphane Canonne, Managing Director
Open to all possible solutions leading to higher client
satisfaction in terms of quality, deadlines and prices, DB Print
group launched substantial investments at a time when the
graphic industry was being hit very hard by the economic crisis.
The group employs 110 people and is composed of two large
industrial sites, one near Tourcoing in France, and the second
40 kilometers from Warsaw in Poland; four commercial offices
in Brussels, Paris, and the French cities of Lille and Amiens;
and one site in Morocco for hosting customer service and
administrative departments.
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Komori On Press
Quick, efficient decisions
Arnould Méplon has always demonstrated
sound and speedy judgment, as can be seen
through the arrival of Stéphane Canonne
in the group. “In February 2005, though I
was an unknown 32-year-old sales engineer,
Mr. Méplon hired me as director of Imprimerie
Morel et Corduant. I seized the opportunity
and learned the job very fast,” Mr. Canonne
says. “Then, in 2007, he asked if I would take
on the role of director at Douriez-Bataille in
Halluin. He allowed me eight days to think
about the deal, but I told him ‘yes’ after
eight seconds! The same year, we decided
to gather all our production entities under
the same DB Print banner. Under our unified
logo, all of our clients and collaborators —
publishing companies, direct marketing and
communication agencies, SMEs, graphic
designers and printers — can trust in the same
quality of service.”
“If it conveys real added value
technologically, buy it!”
Canonne will never forget how his first H-UV
press was acquired: “DB Print had been a
Komori client since 1993. I visited them at
Graphitec in June 2011, where I attended
the H-UV press demonstration. The shock
at seeing this technology was so great that I
immediately called Méplon to inform him of
what I discovered. His response showed his
trust in me: ‘Well, if you like it, and if it conveys
real added value technologically, buy it!’ At
that time, we were not planning to invest, but
right there in the Komori booth, I ordered a
Lithrone GL-840P H-UV. Since installation in
August 2012 at our Halluin factory, we have
been thoroughly satisfied with the machine.
Thanks to this H-UV instant curing concept,
lead times are shortened and the product
quality is perfect. We can accept scattershot
orders with lead times as short as 24 to 48
hours. Ink consumption is reduced by 30
percent and paper waste is also cut. It’s a winwin relationship: for the clients, the printer...
and the environment!”
“Ink consumption is reduced by 30 percent and paper waste is also
cut. It’s a win-win relationship: for the clients, the printer...and
the environment.”
—Stéphane Canonne
color Lithrone 40 with aqueous coater, and the new eight-color
Lithrone G40P H-UV perfector equipped with the PDC-SX and
a large control screen. “In France, we implement short runs of
high added value work to be delivered very quickly,” Canonne
explains. “At our Polish site, we print low added value products
for which price is the decisive factor.”
All services, from prepress up to the routing services
“Our group enhanced its services downstream,” the young
manager says with satisfaction. “Now, we can print page
backgrounds on our H-UV press, add personalized touches
using the digital press, forward the products through our onestop workshop, and then implement a customer satisfaction
survey via our phoning platform!” In the context of increasingly
fierce competition, DB Print is well positioned to play its
cards beautifully.
Save the earth
At DB Print, eco-friendly directives are not
merely for show: “In 2012 we invested 2.5
million euros in our Halluin factory while
reducing our CO2 emissions by 75 percent.
We are FSC and PEFC certified, have received
the Imprim’Vert label, and are working with
vegetable inks only. The CTP system that we
bought in Poland allows us to save 100 cubic
meters of water per month,” stresses Canonne.
Two complementary sites
Inaugurated in 2008, DB Print Polska is
a factory of 1,000 square meters with 45
employees, equipped with a four-color
Lithrone 40SP and an eight-color Lithrone S40P
with PDC-SII and K-Station JDF transplanted
from France. In Halluin, the company also has
45 employees and the equipment is composed
of an eight-color Lithrone 28P perfector, a five-
Stéphane Canonne (lower right) with DB Print pressroom crew
Komori On Press
17
User Profiles
Paper Ku Group, Indonesia | Enthrone 29 [E-429]
Bali printer strikes
offset gold
The Paper Ku Group’s Bali Printing Center (BPC) in Denpasar on the island of Bali,
Indonesia, is on a roll. Founded in 2008 as a quick printing service using digital systems,
the company has made the unusual (but highly productive) transition to offset. Founder
and Managing Director Iwan Lukito has a dream — offer complete solutions and grow
into the biggest printing company on Bali. BPC is well on its way, running a four-color
Enthrone 29 and a suite of digital presses to meet rapidly expanding needs in this market.
Iwan Lukito, Managing Director (far right), with his crew
Part of the reason for the fast growth of this start-up lies
with the economic circumstances and the state of Internet
accessibility in this country of more than 17,000 islands.
Although Indonesia is a member of both ASEAN and the G-20
and has registered steady economic growth of more than six
percent since 2007, the rollout of the Internet has been uneven
and the availability of broadband connections is spotty. Mr.
Lukito says, “The market for offset printing in Indonesia is
amazing because consumers need to read brochures and
sales materials on a medium with better quality than the
Internet allows. Also, some areas and towns don’t have good
Internet connections.”
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Komori On Press
Driven by a vision
“The Bali Printing Center,” he continues, “is
a service company with capabilities in the
fields of digital printing and offset. We are
one of six branches of the Paper Ku Group,
which operates in East Indonesia and is based
in Surabaya. In the last two years, the group
has placed three orders for new Komori
presses and is looking to move up to its first
40-inch Lithrone. Armed with determination,
confidence and passion, we intend to develop
and utilize our experience and creativity to
provide optimal results to the printing market
on Bali. Our vision is to be the fastest, most
competitive and most qualified provider in our
region. And we see our mission as providing
the best service and quality for our customers.
Our goal is to provide complete satisfaction.”
The company’s entry into offset printing
came with the installation of a used fourcolor Lithrone 20. “This broadening of our
services,” says Lukito, “was a real eye-opener.
Even though digital printing was still our basic
concept, we soon realized that in reality the
market needed offset print, particularly for
offset’s ability to print a large number of high
quality copies quickly and at reasonable cost.
With offset, color reproduction is outstanding
and front/back register accuracy is excellent.”
Rapid acquisition of offset firepower
In April 2013, the group acquired its first
new Lithrone, a four-color Lithrone S29 for
its factory in Surabaya, Indonesia’s secondlargest city, located on the northern shore of
East Java. Then in October of that same year,
a four-color Enthrone 29 was installed in its
facility in Surakarta (Solo), a city in central
Java. In April 2014, the company’s second
E-429 was commissioned in the factory in
Yogyakarta (Jogja), a city that is the capital
of the Yogyakarta Special Region in Java,
Indonesia. And now the printer plans to
install a four-color Lithrone G40 in its factory
in Surabaya. In addition, the group has two
other Komori machine in its sights — a fourcolor Lithrone A37 and an Impremia S29.
The Komori presses transformed the
company, allowing it to address segments of
the market that were previously unreachable
and in many cases didn’t even exist. “We
produce brochures, flyers and posters,
banners, stickers, business cards, menus,
certificates, invitations — the whole range of
articles for businesses and consumers. We
produce a line of advertising materials for one
of the biggest mobile telephone providers
in Indonesia, but we also print short runs
of menus for start-up beachfront cafes. We
have products for both indoor and outdoor
applications using a variety of media and
lamination options,” says Lukito.
BPC also undertakes gang-run printing
work for its high profitability. Printing many
small format jobs on one imposition is very
economical and thus profitable because
operator costs, plates, makeready time and
press wash-up are reduced. Further, all clients
are billed for plates and paper, making this
method exceptionally bankable.
“Our vision is to be the fastest, most competitive and most
qualified provider in our region. And we see our mission as
providing the best service and quality for our customers. Our
goal is to provide complete satisfaction.”
— Iwan Lukito
Digital or offset: 200-sheet cutoff point
Jobs are assigned to digital or offset equipment according to
the number of sheets for the order. In the case of 750 x 530 mm
sheets, orders requiring 200 or fewer sheets are run on digital
machines. Anything more is routed to the offset press.
BPC operates three other factories — Bali Print Card, Digital
Print Press and Paperku Bali — along with two printing shops on
Bali. Each specializes in a different type of product. A great deal
of work, however, comes in through the company’s network of
300 agent printing shops located throughout the island. Some
63 employees work directly for the printer.
Despite its one trillion dollar economy, Indonesia is still a
developing country, and many of the difficulties faced by BPC
and the methods used to overcome them reflect the travails of
pioneering with high-tech equipment in a rapidly modernizing
archipeligo. First, the company has no salesmen. Many
customers bring their work into the printing shops, attracted
by the fluttering banners that announce the prices for various
printed items. “We have a website but we are also very active
on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, where we run
sales campaigns and keep in close touch with our customers.
We’re pretty heavy users of electronic direct mail to advertise
our special offers,” says Lukito. “Our basic concept is still digital
print, but we recognized the demand for offset printing. We
spotted an opportunity and grabbed it. We’re very satisfied
with the progress we’ve made and confident in the potential
of this market in the future.”
Komori On Press
19
User Profiles
Grafitext, Ecuador | Lithrone G40 [GL-540]
Lithrones power the
ascent of Grafitext
A modern industrial enterprise, Grafitext is one of the 10 largest printing
companies in Ecuador, with its main office in the capital city Quito — at an
elevation of 9,350 feet, one of the highest capital cities in the world; a branch
office in Guayaquil, the largest and most populous city in the country; and its
plant located in Calacalí, a rural parish of the canton of Quito.
Back from left: José Luis Calderón Mediavilla, Director, and Christian Calderón Mediavilla, General Manager, Grafitext;
front from left: Darwin Galeas, Commercial Manager, and Gerardo Silbermann, General Manager, Grafinal S.A.
At present Grafitext is managed by two young entrepreneurs,
Christian Calderón Mediavilla and José Luis Calderón
Mediavilla, the sons of Luis Calderón Calle, who is one of the
most important current shareholders.
A full-service printer with a production line that includes
both sheetfed and web offset presses as well as equipment
offering a range of postpress and finishing options, the company
undertakes all types of work but is particularly known for
hardcover and paperback books, magazines, high-end catalogs,
POP materials and posters.
The beginning: elementary school textbooks
Although now a fixture of the Ecuadorian printing industry,
the business can be traced back some 40 years to a small
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Komori On Press
shop running a single used machine. The
establishment was called Gráficas Mediavilla
Hermanos, a family company managed by the
Mediavilla Vaca bothers. At the outset, their
production was dedicated to printing school
texts, particularly the well-known Patito. Patito
Lee (now renamed Prolipa) is the first-year
elementary text that most Ecuadorians used
to learn to read. Many people still remember
it fondly from their school days. The series
has been expanded to cover natural sciences,
social studies, mathematics and foreign
languages. The mother and father of the
Calderón Mediavilla family were in charge
of the design and content of the books but
The high level of production resulted in greatly increased
the printing was carried out by Gráficas
demand, and to cover the additional orders Grafitext invested
Mediavilla Hermanos. The Mediavilla brothers
in a five-color Lithrone G40 with coater the next year. This
were relatives of Mrs. Calderón. Today the
production setup allowed management to position the Grafitext
intellectual property rights to these works
brand on the national and international levels as a synonym
for quality, excellence and productivity.
belong to Mr. Calderón Calle.
After a difficult and demanding start, the
The second machine was initially purchased to allow the printer
company began gradually growing and then — to enter the package printing arena and provide additional
thanks to the efforts of shareholders, managers
capacity for commercial printing work. The brothers explain:
and employees — expanding robustly in a “Since we had already gained a great deal of experience with
our first Komori, the decision to buy the second machine was
sustained way, eventually joining the top ranks
much easier. Our main expectation with the GL-540 was the
of the Ecuadorian business world. In 2000, the
company renamed itself Grafitext Cia. Ltda. ability to meet current demand. And this has been achieved
and began on a course of investing in new — Grafitext can deliver high quality jobs on schedule and our
machinery with cutting-edge technology to
production volume has doubled. Additionally, our short-term
gain a competitive advantage in the graphic
plans envisioned entering the packaging market — one purpose
arts industry. Company executives had
of buying the five-color press was to begin carton production.
decided to enter the commercial printing
But we have now delayed this while we increase capacity for high
market, where there was a premium on high
quality commercial printing. The coater of the GL-540 is being
quality and short turnaround times. The
used for magazine and book covers. However, we anticipate
competing in the field of package printing in the near future.”
need to acquire reliable new machinery was
clear because competitors already operated
In 2013, Grafitext enlisted the cooperation of Swiss-based SGS
to obtain ISO 9001-2008 Quality Management Certification.
production lines with advanced technology. In
2007, a modern plant with 7,000 square meters
Certification led to a greater commitment to securing its position
as a leading company in the graphic arts industry, fulfilling all
of floorspace was built to accommodate the
government regulations while still offering the best service to
new machinery and facilitate an increase in
customers, whom Grafitext sees as strategic partners.
overall capacity.
Lithrone S40 starts a revolution
Having fixed its sights on the commercial
printing segment, the company found itself
requiring an additional sheetfed printing press
in 2010. “We analyzed all machinery brands,”
say the Calderón brothers, “but thanks to the
Internet and colleagues abroad we learned
about the Komori brand. Despite some initial
concerns because Komori was just entering
the local market, we decided to go with
them. And because quality and delivery times
are the most important factors, we settled
on a four-color Lithrone S40 configured
with a high level of automation in order to
maximize productivity.”
“We specified the press with a range of
options, including PDC-SII, KHS-AI and PCC,
mechatronics systems for which rival makers
had no comparable equivalent,” say the
brothers. “The machine was selected because
of its configuration and format, which were
just right for printing books and magazines.
This LS-440 revolutionized the rhythm in our
plant because of the high printing quality,
the reduction of costs and the slashing of
downtime. Our hopes were for a machine
with high productivity and excellent print
quality, and Komori fulfilled these beyond
our expectations.”
Looking ahead to another machine
The Calderón brothers are proud of their achievements. They
know that their success has not come by chance but rather from
their efforts and sacrifices and the business know-how they
inherited from their father, Luis Calderón Calle. “As a result of
the growth that we are experiencing, we will be in need of a
new machine for 2015,” they add.
Komori On Press
21
User Profiles
Chroma Printing House, Poland | Lithrone G40P [GL-840P H-UV]
Web-based Chroma says
‘Yes’ to H-UV perfectors
Walking through the pressrooms of the Chroma printing house in Zary, Poland,
passing by the 200 people who work here, watching impressive equipment in
action (six Komori printing presses, two of which are the first H-UV perfectors in
Poland), one can’t help thinking that this is what success on a world scale looks like.
From left: Satoshi Mochida, Vice President, Komori Corporation; Krzysztof Raczkowski, Owner, Chroma Print;
and Jolanta Kurowiak, President, Reprograf
However, success is not the main topic of discussion at Chroma
because it is so clearly evident. What is often discussed, though,
is the 20-year history of the largest Internet-based printing
house in Poland, the hard work of Krzysztof Raczkowski — its
owner, and the many people who have contributed to the
company’s success. And success it is! Over 1,500 orders — both
large and small — are efficiently executed each day. Because
each customer matters. Every investment is thoroughly analyzed
with regard to the company’s finances and future opportunities.
Chroma has based its equipment investments on innovation
— not only what is new in Poland but also what is new on the
world market. And it is the world market that Mr. Raczkowski
watches attentively — for inspiration as well as news about the
latest technologies. He not only wants to be a step ahead of
competition in Poland and elsewhere but also to provide his
customers with the best available solution: the smoothest order
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Komori On Press
processing and the highest quality product
within the shortest time possible.
A rounded love of the business
Rac zkowski describes his business
philosophy: “I like traveling but my trips
are chiefly business trips. I visit trade fairs
and industry events. I observe how printing
plants in other countries work — from Japan
to Australia to the United States. Of course, it
is not possible to simply transfer the printing
practices I observe to Polish business reality,
and that is definitely not my goal. But it helps to
identify global trends in order to build business
here and compete successfully with the largest
players in the industry.”
Twenty years ago, at the end of the communist
era in Poland, Chroma began just like the
majority of printing houses in Poland — with
a single tiny press and a printer looking for its
own way of development. Raczkowski recalls:
“As the number of orders began to grow, we
started expanding and purchasing new
machines, which stimulated further growth.
Among important milestones, I would list the
purchase of our first CTP system, the decision
to obtain orders through the Internet, and
our investment in Komori printing presses.”
After the first investment in a Komori press,
Raczkowski decided to purchase subsequent
Komori presses. Over six years Chroma bought
four innovative eight-up Komori printing
presses. “I really like their melody,” says
Raczkowski with a smile. “The characteristic
everyday clatter, the rustle of the paper being
fed into the equipment, the suckers, and the
sound informing us that the process has just
ended and everything has gone smoothly.”
However, to hear the melody, Raczkowski
must carefully analyze every investment.
Komori H-UV — quality, speed, security
This careful analysis was reflected in his latest
purchases — two eight-color Lithrone G40P
perfectors with H-UV, the first Komori presses
of this kind in Poland. The first press began
operating at Chroma in 2012 after a series of
intensive trials prior to purchase. Appreciating
the many advantages of the H-UV curing
system, Raczkowski decided to purchase a
second eight-color Komori press with H-UV,
which was installed in August 2013.
Raczkowski says: “It’s a very economical
solution — saving on paper because of
very short makeready times has brought
us tremendous efficiency. It should be
emphasized that H-UV curing is approximately
twice as energy-efficient as traditional UV
curing lamps. Obviously, that brings us
significant savings. But the most important
advantage of the Komori H-UV press is
significantly shorter total turnaround time.
Because we process many orders each day, the Komori presses
give us a sense of security in our everyday work.”
Third H-UV press already in the works
Raczkowski intends to buy a third Komori H-UV press, which
will be installed in spring 2014. He explains: “When I am satisfied
with a given solution, I proceed in the same direction and analyze
further advantages that can be gained. This was how I proceeded
after my initial purchase of Komori machines as well as with the
current presses equipped with H-UV technology. At Chroma
a team of skilled specialists successfully implements even my
boldest plans. They analyze potential sales opportunities and
promote each plan zealously.”
The newest Komori H-UV press prints 150,000 sheets a day,
with an average of 50 makeready operations performed daily.
Zbigniew Komarnicki, the press operator, emphasizes numerous
benefits of the press in everyday work, including an exceptional
inspection system of printed sheets: “The press is equipped with
two cameras that scan images and immediately catch errors. It
allows us to control the whole process, take quick action and
input corrections if necessary.”
Savoring success with Komori
Chroma does not take its success for granted. Future plans
include adding 6,500 square meters of production space,
purchasing the third Komori H-UV press and a new CTP
platesetter. So Mr. Raczkowski is calculating again…but for
now he is savoring the triumph of his printing house. And with
Komori, each day is a triumph.
Komori On Press
23
User Profiles
Toppan Leefung, China | Lithrone G40 [GL-540] / Lithrone S40SP [LS-440SP]
Toppan Leefung:
Confidence in ink on paper
Toppan Leefung Pte. Ltd. is a marquee well known throughout the printing industry.
The company was created through a tie-up of Toppan Printing, one of the top
500 global corporates, with Hong Kong Leefung, a renowned printing brand.
Yuan Fu-yin, Managing Director of the Toppan Leefung Group’s China Division
Founded in Hong Kong in 1960, the Leefung Group was listed
on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1991 and expanded into
mainland China in 1992. Over more than half a century, the
Leefung Group grew quickly and, with its many wholly owned
subsidiaries and joint ventures, operates globally with business
in more than 30 countries and territories.
Printer of high-end magazines
When the Leefung Group began operating in mainland China,
it set up a simple industrial facility of some 2,000 square meters
in Shenzhen that was staffed by about 150 employees. The
group now provides services to domestic magazine media
and publishing companies from three locations — Shenzhen,
Shanghai and Beijing — using plant floorspace of 105,000 square
meters with about 2,400 employees. These three plants are
able to print the same job in different locations by means of
their world-class color management system and high-level print
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Komori On Press
quality protocols. This not only accommodates
short deadlines but also improves publishing
efficiency and adds value for publishing clients.
Toppan Leefung produces many high-end
magazines, including ELLE, Rayli Fashion Beauty,
Harper’s BAZAAR, Vogue and GQ. In the field of
publishing printing, Toppan Leefung occupies
a position of renown.
“Contributing to broad-ranging lifestyle
communications as an information and
culture driver by using exper tise and
advanced technology to provide products
that reciprocate our customers’ trust is our
guiding principle,” says Yuan Fu-yin, managing
director of the Toppan Leefung Group’s China
Division, by way of introducing the mission of
Toppan Leefung.
From left: Beijing Plant, Shanghai Plant and Shenzhen Plant
Toppan Leefung, a company focused
on publishing printing, has racked up an
extraordinary record over the years. And it is
aiming for ever-higher growth as a leader in
a constantly changing business environment.
Balanced approach to digitalization
So how is Toppan Leefung, positioned as
a commercial printer in China specializing
in printing brand-related magazines and
books, responding to the onrushing tide
of digitalization?
Mr. Yuan is worried about the situation
but certainly doesn’t appear rattled. Says
Yuan: “Digitalized processes in China are in
a stage of slow development and will grow
incrementally due to the enormous scale of the
domestic market.” From Yuan’s point of view,
digitalization has changed people’s reading
habits, but this change does not mean that
paper media is being supplanted by electronic
media. “People who love reading are still
reading paper books. Young people love
electronic devices, but they don’t necessarily
love using these devices to read books. In any
event, paper books and other paper media
will be with us forever.”
Over the last year, Toppan Leefung has
completed a repositioning in China and may
be planning even bigger changes. “We are
considering expanding rather than downsizing
the scale of our business. And we are looking
for opportunities to broaden our categories of
operation. In the future, package printing will
be incorporated in more strategic initiatives.
This market has a great deal of potential,”
says Yuan.
Toppan Leefung has long had a partnership
with Komori. The company has a high opinion
of the ease of operation of Komori presses,
the speedy and comprehensive after-service,
the price of the machines, and the reasonable
cost of maintenance. The plants in Shenzhen,
Shanghai and Beijing were equipped with
five presses — four-color Lithrone S40SPs and
one five-color Lithrone S40 with coater. In
October 2013, the Shanghai plant added a
new five-color Lithrone G40 with coater and the Beijing plant
commissioned a new LS-440SP. The combination of these two
classic machines brings Toppan Leefung a great many orders
for printing books, periodicals, corporate PR brochures and
annual reports.
The four-color Lithrone S40SP SuperPerfectors draw praise
from the production managers at all three plants. Zhang
Peng-fu, printing manager at the Shenzhen Leefung plant, says:
“The configuration of this machine is very advantageous for
short-run magazine printing, and it meets customer needs
because of its short lead time and ability to meet tight deadlines.”
Lu Yong-quan, who holds the same position at the Shanghai
Leefung plant, notes: “The Lithrone’s operation has been
excellent. Its structural design is outstanding and problems
have been few.” Zhao Zhi-xing, printing manager of the Beijing
facility, adds: “Machine performance is stable and reliable, and
even if some minor glitch occurs, Komori resolves the problem
very quickly.” In addition, the printing managers of the three
plants give a thumbs up to Komori’s technical service team.
Putting commercial webs in the picture
Since a large amount of Toppan Leefung’s business in China is
high-end magazine printing, the company is now considering
high-speed commercial web machines. The printer thinks that
Komori will be able to deliver commercial web presses offering
ultra-high-speed printing with advanced automation that will
yield breakthrough performance.
Regarding Toppan Leefung’s future, General Manager Yuan
has high expectations: “Based on our business of printing
high quality magazines and books, we will raise our game in
the fields of commercial and package printing.” Both Toppan
Leefung and Komori look forward to an even brighter future
for the Chinese printing industry.
Five-color Lithrone G40 with coater at Shanghai Plant
Komori On Press
25
User Profiles
Design Geulggol, Korea | Lithrone G40 [GL-540 H-UV]
Printing ‘the intent
of the designer’
An unconventional company in Busan, Korea, the country’s second largest
city and well known for the Busan International Film Festival and the port, is
using ‘unique’ as a weapon in its arsenal. Design Geulggol is a specialist design
company that seamlessly handles everything from design services to printing.
The word ‘geulggol’ is pure Hangul that
originally meant font. As a company name,
however, it refers to all behavior — seeing,
reading, feeling and being inspired. The idea
is that it expresses the company’s commitment
to designing everything in the world.
Seo Mu-sung, President
Development of original characters
President Seo Mu-sung founded the
company as Geulggol Jangteo in 1996. At first
it handled mostly editorial design, publishing
and printing. Once the firm became known
for its editorial design, the name was changed
to Design Geulggol, and thereafter the
company expanded the scope of its business,
undertaking the development of original
characters and brand products and setting
up a department for creating and managing
websites while continuing to work toward
becoming a full-spectrum design house.
According to Mr. Seo, “Transportation
and communications are highly developed
in Korea, and the entire country is a ‘oneday zone of life.’ I have often been told by
people in the industry that large design houses
concentrated in Seoul operate throughout
the country, so regional design shops find it
difficult to succeed. But we cannot give up
the challenge.”
Based on the experience and know-how of
the previous 10 years, the company launched
its own brand, Design IVY, in March 2010.
Promoting a sophisticated brand that was ecofriendly, Design Geulggol released a series of
characters with names such as BONEE and
MONOON, PONG-JI and GGODUNG O.
BONEE and MONOON were honored with
the 2012 Good Design Award in the visual
design category.
Installation of H-UV for perfect satisfaction
In September 2013, Design Geulggol became
the first printer in the country to install a five-
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Komori On Press
Original characters: BONEE & MONOON, GGODUNG O and PONG-JI
color Lithrone G40 H-UV press. The Korean
printing market is in a downturn, and printers
are fighting a desperate battle. Compared to
the capital region, in particular, local areas
that enjoy very little demand are in dire straits.
In this situation, Seo was concerned that the
company might go under unless it could
establish some differentiation from other firms.
“I believe that printing, like design, involves
creating new things. I felt that we needed a
press that could perfectly print the intent of
the designer,” says Seo.
Seo explains his choice of Komori equipment:
“I considered the investment in a new press very
carefully. I had a great deal of trust in Komori
based on our previous installation of a used
L-626. I considered other manufacturers, but
concentrated on Komori, which had shown
its H-UV technology and CMS solutions at an
exhibition. The new press that we installed
is equipped with not only H-UV but also
KID, PDC-SX, K-ColorSimulator, K-PressNavi
and K-Station.”
Seo wasn’t certain about the investment in
a new press. He couldn’t ignore the voices
of gloom that he was hearing around him.
“I wasn’t sure that we could succeed given the
limits of a regional printer and the various
software products that would be the firstever installed in Korea.” In the end, though,
the investment was a success. “Everything
worked without a hitch. The instant H-UV
drying worked perfectly and the H-UV
reproduction, the PDC-SX measurements,
and the color management all performed
to our complete satisfaction. Operating in a
powderless printing environment and using
the CMS solution offered by Komori software
resulted in a pressroom that I considered ideal.
I was so satisfied I even boasted that I had
really made a most excellent choice.”
From design to printing: one-stop service
Design Geulggol is a general design agency.
For reproducing items that it directly designs, it
has a full line of press, prepress, digital printing
and finishing equipment. It runs the GL-540 H-UV as its offset
press and a Xerox C800, a Xerox C700, a Xerox FX4122 and a
Xerox FPSS server as its digital printing systems. For finishing
equipment, the agency appreciates the superb UV embossing
effects produced by the Scodix digital print enhancement
system and the fine hot foil stamping of the Kama ProCut 76 Foil.
It also uses an integrated JDF workflow for central management
of the line so that all processes from acceptance to delivery of
finished products are connected to a single network.
In 2013, through the efforts of Seo and more than 50
employees, Design Geulggol appeared for the second time
on a list of Korea’s top design companies. It was first recognized
for this honor in 2010. Also in 2010 the firm was designated an
‘inno-biz’ — a small to medium-sized enterprise recognized
for its exceptional technological competitiveness and growth
potential. For its contributions to society, Design Geulggol was
honored by the Vocational Rehabilitation Project Agency of
the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled.
“The Korean printing industry at present is definitely in a state
of crisis. Because printing is fundamentally not an attractive
market, the possibility of growth in the future is slim. But it is
not a market that will disappear entirely. Put another way, the
number of competitors will not increase and strong players
will be few. Amid this crisis, Design Geulggol is aiming to be
a strong player in a reorganized industry. In not only Busan
but throughout the country, we have the finest facilities and a
differentiation strategy. We are ready to compete strictly on
quality,” affirms Seo.
From left: Dr. Song and President Seo
Komori On Press
27
User Profiles
H.R.G., Czech Republic | Lithrone G40P [GL-840P H-UV]
H.R.G. installs
first H-UV press
in the Czech Republic
The year was 1503. The location Litomyšl, a small city 140 kilometers from
Prague in East Bohemia. There, over five hundred years ago, the first printer in
the city was founded.
Now part of the Czech Republic, Litomyšl
has just 10,000 inhabitants, is dominated by a
chateau designated a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, and is the home of H.R.G. Although it is
now the only company to maintain the city’s
printing heritage, H.R.G. plays a significant
part in the local community, employing over
130 people and registering a turnover in excess
of nine million euros.
H.R.G. was founded in 1992, three years after
former typesetter and current co-owner Petr
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Komori On Press
Lorenc obtained personal permission to print for the city using
his garage as his first pressroom. Twenty-one years later it
became the Czech Republic’s first printer to install a Komori
eight-color Lithrone G40P perfector with H-UV curing.
Says Mr. Lorenc’s son-in-law and H.R.G. co-owner Leoš Tupec:
“In 2010, we invested in a new press and we bought our first
Komori — a four-color Lithrone S40 with coating unit. A visit to
the Komori stand at IPEX that same year gave us our first sight of
the Komori H-UV process, which was being demonstrated on
a Lithrone eight-unit perfector, and we were at once surprised
and impressed by its drying speed.
A close look at H-UV applications
“We then researched H-UV for two years,
going to both the Netherlands and Japan.
Eventually, we had seen such a wide cross
section of work being produced by Komori
H-UV machines that we felt we had learned
enough to decide on Komori again. With all
our existing machines being shorter presses,
it was a logical step for us to invest in our
first four-over-four B1 perfector — the new
Komori GL-840P.”
Mr. Tupec, an economist who has been at
H.R.G. since 2005, continues: “We provide
printing services to marketing agencies,
publishing houses, industrial companies
and financial institutions, and 90 percent of
our business is Czech based. With blue-chip
companies such as Philips, Vodaphone, L’Oreal,
Bosch, Lego and several car manufacturers in
our portfolio, we’re in a highly competitive
market here in the Czech Republic, and we
pride ourselves on maintaining outstanding
traditional relationships with our customers.”
“We work nonstop, Monday through Friday
on triple shifts, providing our clients with
an integrated chain of services starting
from graphic design through to a vast range
of finishing processes and including final
distribution to any location throughout the
Republic. The workload at H.R.G. is extremely
varied — typical examples include flyers,
folders, maps, brochures, catalogs, magazines,
calendars and all types of stationery. This
involves us in printing on a wide variety of
materials such as self-adhesives and carton
board as well as lightweight materials. Average
time from order to delivery is three to five days,
but always getting tighter, so we are always on
the lookout for anything that will reduce our
production times,” says Tupec.
“It is our biggest-ever single investment so we could not take
any risks — we wanted a press that we knew for certain would
be in full production immediately after installation. No long
on-site testing, no extended training, just instant production
and the capability to take sheets printed on both sides to postproduction straight from the delivery of the press — which must
be every printer’s dream,” smiles Tupec.
Extending the product range through H-UV
Will H.R.G. promote the H-UV system to clients? “Not
specifically,” says Tupec. “The best promotion for us is when
happy customers spread the word to other companies. Our
clients do not care which machines we use — all that matters
to them is that we provide a full, reliable service and that we
keep our word on quality and delivery dates. In time, they will
notice that the better quality and turnaround we are providing
is enhanced by our new press and that this press is also enabling
us to create, design and produce new types of products for
them. From our side, we’re looking forward to accepting new
business — magazines and catalogs that require printing on
very lightweight papers as well as jobs printed on recycled
and other ecologically popular materials that were difficult to
handle using conventional inks.” The environmental benefits
of the Komori H-UV process are also important to H.R.G.,
which holds FSC certification along with ISO 9001 and ISO
1400 recognition.
Next step for H.R.G. — a step back in time
Explains an enthusiastic Leoš Tupec: “We are from a historic
printing city and our dream is to create a printing museum in
Litomyšl. We collect historical machines dating back to the
19th century, thereby ensuring their survival. We renovate them
and locate them near our latest highly automated equipment.
We love print and want to show how the industry has changed
over the centuries.”
Counting on Komori H-UV experience
That the GL-840P would be the first H-UV
Lithrone in the Czech Republic was not a
factor in H.R.G.’s decision to purchase the
press. “What really mattered to us was that
we were totally confident that Komori had real
experience with H-UV technology and that it
had already made so many H-UV installations
around the world. Such additional benefits as
low energy use, automated plate changing, fast
makeready systems and lower material waste
rates are very beneficial bonuses, for sure, but
it was the faster job throughput and Komori’s
thorough H-UV knowledge and experience
that were critical to us,” states Tupec.
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29
User Profiles
Cummings Printing, US | System 38D [LR-438/1250]
Leaping ahead
of the competition
Business growth requires an understanding that every business landscape is
constantly changing, presenting new opportunities along the way. Companies
that stand the test of time are the ones that continually adjust their course in
response to change. Cummings Printing in Hooksett, New Hampshire, is a
company that fully embraces this philosophy.
From left: Kosh Miyao, President of Komori America, and Jack Cummings, President of Cummings Printing
In 1914 Lew A. Cummings and two employees opened a small
commercial printing company in Concord, New Hampshire.
The business grew until a fire damaged much of the facility
in the late 1920s. Lew then decided to move from Concord
to Manchester, New Hampshire. He believed that new
opportunities for growth were better in a larger city that was
closer to Massachusetts. His instincts were correct.
In a short period, Cummings Printing grew from a local
commercial letterpress printer to a sheetfed offset company
producing a variety of different publications. Always open to
a changing market, the company evolved into a full-service
magazine and catalog printer competing on a national scale.
“Our family history in printing appears to have started even
before my grandfather Lew. I have a document on the wall
outside my office from 1863 that lists the occupation of my
great-grandfather as ‘printer,’” says Jack Cummings, president of
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Komori On Press
Cummings Printing and the third generation to
run the operation. Jack started working at the
plant as a 16-year-old, sweeping, cleaning and
driving the delivery trucks. Moving through
each phase of the operation, including being
a press operator, he eventually went into sales
before he succeeded his dad as president
in 1988.
Standing out in a competitive marketplace
Jack Cummings believes most commercial
printing companies that have survived in this
last decade are capable of delivering very
similar products with very similar machinery.
However, there are three main areas where
he believes Cummings Printing rises above
the competition. The first area is its ability to
consistently print a quality product in a timely
manner at a fair price. The company adheres
to strict ISO 9000 standards, making the
ability to deliver both quality and competitive
pricing a reality. The second area is how his
company handles issues that arise. As any
printer knows, very few projects go off without
a hitch. The critical factor is how a company
responds to those issues and solves them.
Cummings knows that thriving in a complex,
ever-changing market requires being nimble.
A family-run business like Cummings can
respond quickly and creatively to challenges
and issues as they arise.
Making the investment to thrive
In a highly competitive marketplace, the third
area where Jack Cummings smartly focuses
is the ability to maintain profitability, which
he believes involves investing in equipment
that makes it possible to produce work faster
and more competitively. Over the years the
company has continually invested in updated
equipment as well as streamlined processes.
Ten years ago it expanded to a new facility
that has grown from an initial 65,000 square
feet to its current 100,000 square feet. The
new location enabled Cummings Printing
to purchase web equipment to support its
growing publishing clientele and therefore
compete much more effectively. Recently the
company replaced a 16-page web press with a
Komori System 38D web offset press — North
America’s first.
“I went to a print facility in Sweden to look
at this press at the urging of my Komori sales
rep. I wasn’t really thinking seriously of buying,
but when I saw what this press could do, it
just blew me away. I just said, ‘wow’ and
bought it on the spot. I believe the short-run
magazine and catalog market is not going
away and this machine has the capability to
double my output. It would take two 16-page
presses to produce what this press does,”
Cummings explains.
The Komori System 38D has rewritten the role
a 32-page web press plays in the marketplace.
Equipped with the KHS-AI (Advanced
Interface) as standard equipment, its high
efficiency delivers the excellent print quality,
short makeready and short-run capability that
answer market demands.
Cummings notes that the System 38D can
hang eight plates automatically and produce a
standard-size 32-page product while handling
Images of three generations of the Cummings family: Jack Cummings
flanked by portraits of his grandfather Lew Cummings (left) and
father John Cummings (right).
the exact size rolls the company already runs through its 16-page
presses. These features make it possible to cut time to market
in half. Additionally, the System 38D has cut makeready waste
by 50 percent.
“When we looked for a press that would allow us to double our
output and produce work faster with less waste, plus get the
added benefit of actually cutting labor in half, the Komori System
38D was the only web offset press that fit those requirements.
It is no wonder when I saw it in action that I was amazed,” says
Cummings. “I’ve seen a number of machines come in and out
of here since I have been in this business, but not one like this.
In an industry where everyone has much the same capability,
this press is an absolute game changer, and I have no doubt
going forward it will move us far ahead of competitors using
16-page presses.”
Komori On Press
31
Tokyo
[Komori service]
Topics
Komori Service
Root and branch overhaul
of six-color Lithrone 50s
In 2012 the Komori service department in Japan had an unusual order from a longtime customer, and the story
of the job tells a great deal about the Komori approach to customer service throughout the world.
The printer had two six-color Lithrone
50 UV presses, both with extended
delivery and one with a coater, that
had been acquired in the mid-1990s.
Although the user had also recently
started running a new Lithrone 40-inch
press, doing the work on this press
required twice as much paper as on
the L-650s. In addition, since the work
also required die cutting — a process
that is inherently slower than printing —
additional die cutting equipment would
be required if the user continued to use
the 40-inch machine.
Not an easy task
The printer therefore decided to either
buy a new 50-inch press or overhaul his
older machinery. Because no sheetfed
press manufacturer makes a 50-inch
model, overhauling and refitting the
L-650s was the only option available. This
presented a huge challenge for Komori
as more than 10 years had passed since
the models were discontinued and many
parts were no longer manufactured. In
particular, electrical components and
commercial parts could not simply
be fabricated.
After pondering these difficulties, the
service department decided to take this
opportunity to perform the overhaul
and refit and, in the process, make
an ‘overhaul kit’ to meet the needs of
other Lithrone 50 users who needed to
continue using their 50-inch machines
for particular applications.
Scheduling problems
A new PQC console was swapped
in and the cooperation of Komori
Electronics was obtained to replace
the sequencers. The initial plan was to
carry out the work in 54 working days.
However, because the user could not
afford such long downtime, Komori
was forced to reschedule the job for
weekends, with major work done over
the spring Golden Week holidays,
add
$t1,
$gp, $t1 # &A[i/2] - 28
lw $t1, 28($t1)
# fetch A[i/2]
addi $t1, $t1, 1
# A[i/2] + 1
sll $t2, $t0, 2 # turn i into a byte offset
add $t2, $t2, $gp # &A[i] - 28
sw $t1, 28($t2)
# A[i] = ...
# A[i] = A[i/2] + 1;
lw $t0, 0($gp)
# fetch i
srl $t1, $t0, 1
# i/2
sll $t1, $t1, 2
# turn i/2 into a byte
offset (*4)
add $t1, $gp, $t1 # &A[i/2] - 28
lw $t1, 28($t1)
# fetch A[i/2]
addi $t1, $t1, 1
# A[i/2] + 1
32
Komori On Press
summer vacation, the New Year period
and the slack season. Since these
circumstances meant the work took a
long time, sometimes a mechanism in the
press broke down before it was serviced,
requiring the work to be brought forward.
In addition, service personnel had to be
substituted according to the specific
task being undertaken. The problems
were anything but small. The number
of items requiring overhaul or repair
was enormous, and control of all the
processes was a complex task in itself.
The work period was so long that storage
of parts and tools became an issue.
The customer, though, was ver y
satisfied, and this was the only thing
that mattered to Komori. The service
depar tment now visits the printer
monthly to keep on top of the presses‘
operating status. The service engineers
and specialists are confident that this
root and branch overhaul of the L-650s
demonstrated the department’s technical
prowess and bolstered the customer’s
trust in Komori. The department plans
to offer this overhaul kit to other users
in the future.
Tsukuba
[KGC]
Komori Graphic Technology Center
KGC’s advanced seminar
in plant management
Artron managers enrolled in a special course in printing plant management at KGC found that Komori’s expertise
in customer relations and as a service provider is as important as the company’s record as a press manufacturer.
From left: Xu Zechang, General Manager of the
Beijing Plant, and Liu Zheng, General Manager of the
Shanghai Plant
Executives from Artron, the diversified
printing group in China that is well known
worldwide for winning just about every
award the industry has to offer, came
to the Komori Graphic Technology
Center in the Tsukuba Plant in February
— their third visit. This time they took a
special course focused on issues such as
raising production efficiency and human
resources management. On Press sat in on
one session of the course and managed
to talk with two Artron plant managers.
At the beginning of the session, the
instructor, without asking any questions
and by just looking at the figures covering
the operating ratios at Artron plants,
hypothesized the nature of the problems
that the plants were experiencing and the
most plausible reasons for the difficulties.
What was even more amazing was that
these reckonings were pretty much on
target. The explanations were varied — the
type of work, the specifications and age
of the presses, and crewing factors — but
the insights revealed by the figures were
significant and were analyzed in detail
during the presentation.
The viewpoint of Artron managers
On Press spoke with Liu Zheng, general
manager of Artron’s Shanghai Plant, about
his reasons for taking the course. “Komori
is a strategic partner of our company. Like
Artron, Komori was severely impacted by
the worldwide slowdown caused by the
financial crisis and has now recovered.
We’re here to study the essence of
Komori’s approach to management
as both a manufacturer and a vendor.
We asked Komori to cover topics such
as general and financial management,
human resources management and
marketing management. Komori gave
us exactly what we were looking for. It’s
been tremendously instructive.”
Xu Zechang, general manager of the
company’s Beijing Plant, spoke of what
he wanted to get out of the course:
“Komori is a top company not only in
technological innovation but also in
customer service. In the past few years,
the fusion of web offset technologies and
sheetfed technologies has yielded great
progress. And from a user’s perspective,
we can see that Komori is really devoted
to user training. They offer training in
the use of their technologies and also in
plant management. In today’s society, it is
necessary to study and train continuously,
so when we get back home we will turn
what we learned into action and apply
it in our work.”
Mr. Liu added, “The corporate
management culture of leading Japanese
companies has made a deep impression
on us in the last few years. I am sure that
what we learn here will give us many
ideas in the future.”
Komori On Press
33
Show Reports
Komori Graphic Centre Europe hosts Pan-European Printology H-UV event
Printology H-UV at KIE
The Printology H-UV Open House that took place
November 26–27 in KGCE, the Komori Europe Graphic
Technology Centre in Utrecht, was a major success.
It was the occasion for Akihiro Komori, president of
Komori International Europe B.V., to emphasize that
KGCE is not only the Komori Pan-European showroom
and demonstration center but also a key spot for the
research and development of new products, customer
training and a place for technological exchanges with
major printing suppliers.
With more than 250 visitors from 18 European
countries, Komori’s innovative and exclusive H-UV
technology once more proved why it has been
generating such great interest worldwide for more
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Komori On Press
than six years. Four H-UV technology seminars
organized over the two days gathered speakers from
the Komori New Business Development Team as well
as world-leading partners involved in the development
of H-UV applications, such as Baldwin for H-UV lamps
and Toyo for high-sensitivity inks. In addition to live
demonstrations of the best-selling five-color Lithrone
S29 and the five-color Lithrone G40, both with
coaters, visits to the Dutch Komori H-UV customer
Ipskamp at their printing plant in Enschede were also
organized, allowing 100 participants to witness the
outstanding print quality and productivity of Komori
H-UV sheetfed presses in a production environment.
Tsukuba Spring Open House features three H-UV presses
Tsukuba Open House
Focuses on H-UV Presses
The Tsukuba Plant outside Tokyo hosted Komori’s
annual Spring Open House. The event presented
a seminar on business solutions offering new
possibilities in printing and systems to increase
the efficiency of printing workflow management.
The highlights of the day’s demonstrations and the
upcoming K-Station Version 4 Printing Task Control
Software/JDF Interface were covered in detail.
The demos showed off three H-UV-equipped presses:
the mighty eight-color Lithrone G40P perfector with
A-APC and PDC-SX, the compact and nimble four-color
Lithrone A37, and the added-value-spec six-color
Lithrone G40 with interdeck dryer and inline coater
printing on both ordinary and metallized paper. In
addition, an exhibition of the Komori color matching
system was shown — a brochure output by the
Impremia C80 Full Color Digital Printing System
that was placed next to a brochure printed by the
GL-840P allowed visitors to confirm that color tones
were comparable.
Some 113 printing industry figures from 68 printing
companies throughout Japan attended the open
house. Of particular interest to visitors were the
insides of the presses and the arrangement of the
H-UV instant drying system.
Komori News — New distributor in Brazil
The Furnax Group, a major player serving the
Brazilian graphic arts market with commercial
equipment and supplies, has been appointed as
Komori’s new distributor in the country. One of
the largest importers of graphic technology and
hardware, Furnax is recognized for the excellence
of its equipment and service.
Esteban Lo, Director
Rua Visconde de Parnaiba, 771 Bras, Sao Paulo - SP, Brazil +55-11-3277-5658​
Komori On Press
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