 Printing Impressions 400 Fastest Growing Company Invests in the Latest Offset Technology
CINCINNATI, OH — August 29, 2019 — Graphic Village’s chosen mantle, “The Print Shop of the Future”, is truly the reinvention of a commercial printer built to compete in 2020 and well beyond. Today, Graphic Village, based in Cincinnati, OH, is a multichannel marketing solutions provider. Their client list spans numerous vertical markets including financial services, healthcare, education, non-profits, manufacturing and marketing agencies. The fact that Graphic Village is one of the Printing Impressions 400 fastest growing companies (110% growth to $20 Million FY 2018, Jumping 141 places to #223) would point to the strength of the Graphic Village reinvention approach. While operating under its current identity for a little more than five years, Graphic Village’s roots go back much further. It was the vision of the executive team led by Eric Kahn, Executive Chairman of Graphic Village, and Larry Kuhlman, previous owner of Bramkamp Printing and President/Partner of Graphic Village today, to acquire and unite distinct operations that specialized in marketing, commercial print, digital print, packaging, wide format and direct mail. Formed in 2013 through the merger of Cincinnati’s leading Offset and Digital printers (Bramkamp Printing & DocuPros) Kahn quickly folded in 9 additional companies to build what is today’s Graphic Village. “Our goal was to vertically integrate our business, bringing all the print product lines under one corporate roof,” says Kahn. “We want to be a ‘one-stop shop’ for our clients. But we ended up with three different manufacturing facilities that weren’t integrated. So last year, We bought a 153,000-sq.-ft. building in Blue Ash and we moved everything under one roof. Our goal is to keep growing, both organically and through strategic acquisitions. We will continue to pursue additional businesses in the regional marketplace, both in the same spaces and in unique spaces.” As part of this string of acquisitions, Graphic Village ended up with a wide range of equipment spanning every manufacturer and technology type. As a technology pioneer in Greater Cincinnati, Graphic Village was the first in the Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana Tri-state to install the HP 12000 and Scodix equipment. But moving into new facilities was a chance to evaluate what each acquisition had brought to the table. Selling off the older pieces gave them the ability to invest in newer, more state-of-the art equipment. “We have always invested, and tried to be at the forefront of technology,” says Kahn. “When we moved into this facility, We actually invested $4.5 million in new equipment, including offset presses, die cutters, and digital equipment. In addition to investing in leading edge equipment, we continue to invest heavily in people. Most recently, we were fortunate to bring on a new CEO, Michael Nold, who brings the experience and expertise to truly make Graphic Village a world class organization.” One of the centerpieces of the new facility was the installation of a new RMGT 940 LED UV press, which appealed to Kahn and his team because it maintained the 16-page layout in a smaller footprint with much lower staffing requirements. “The feeds and speeds off that press are exactly where we need them to be from an improvement standpoint,” says Larry Kuhlman. Mark O’Bryan, who was the president of CTS Packaging when it was acquired, and today is Division President of Packaging at Graphic Village, notes that the new press is opening up new services not just in the commercial print side of the business, but in packaging as well. “This RMGT press offers the diversity we need to get into new markets where we haven’t been in the packaging world,” he notes. “Things like the higher-end food and beverage space. This is a hybrid press that can do both commercial print and packaging, as the LED-UV inks and coatings position us to take advantage of both spaces.” Graphic Village is already enjoying the faster make-readies, better color control and the instant dry times that the LED-UV equipped RMGT 940 brings to the table. And while Kahn notes that with just nine months since the installation, they have quickly ramped up the business they can push to the press, he foresees it being a workhorse. “In fact, we already have the pad right beside this press for the next one. We’ll probably retire one of our other older presses and put in either another press specifically for the packaging side, or another 9 series. We have a lot of room for growth.” “The growth of Graphic Village has been incredible to watch,” says Chris Manley, President of Graphco, the RMGT distributor for the region. “We’ve been amazed at the strength of Graphic Village’s production team and the relative ease with which they moved the work from a Heidelberg SM102-10P, an SM-74-6 and a Ryobi 755XL onto their new RMGT 9 Series press. Their scheduling and execution to achieve nearly 100% utilization of this new press almost immediately has been very impressive.” “Graphic Village truly embodies what it means to be The Print Shop of the Future. With the current path they are on, I can’t see anything slowing them down. Being able to offer our partners The Unfair Advantage of an RMGT press to help propel them forward that much faster is a truly exciting opportunity. I cannot wait to see where Eric takes this company next.” Graphco and Graphic Village will be hosting an open house event on September 12 from 10am-4pm so that fellow printers from around the Midwest and Southeast can witness the latest in RMGT print quality, automation and flexibility of production in action. For more information about this event please visit http://bit.ly/GVOpenHouse. About Graphco Graphco is the industry’s leading provider of offset, digital, and print finishing solutions. We proudly import the RMGT line of new offset printing presses featuring market-leading LED-UV curing technology, Smart Insta.Color automated make-ready, and our popular Packaging Edition presses. All RMGT presses offer best-in-class reliability and durability. The Graphco Technical Service Team stands behind every RMGT press and Graphco’s reputation for top-notch service is second to none. Since 1976, Graphco has thrived in an ever-changing market place by loyally adhering to our original model for success: Providing best-in-class print production equipment along with reliable and assured technical service. Learn more about Graphco at www.graphco.com About RMGT (RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology) RMGT is among the world’s largest manufacturers of sheet-fed offset printing presses and the world leader in LED-UV technology with over 450 placements worldwide. Our high-speed, fully-automated presses are respected worldwide for unsurpassed print quality, low total cost of ownership, extreme ease of operation, and unmatched reliability. In partnership with Panasonic, RMGT released LED-UV Curing for Print at DRUPA 2008 and we now offer the only G3 LED-UV technology on the market. Headquartered outside of Hiroshima Japan, RMGT is a joint venture company bringing together the best technology and manufacturing expertise of Ryobi Limited and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The enhanced product lineup and strengthened manufacturing prowess makes RMGT an indispensable brand for the printing industry. Learn more about RMGT at http://www.ryobimhi.com
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 Horizon Printing & Mailing projects 25-35% growth with the RMGT 9 Series. AUSTIN, TX — August 22, 2019— For Austin, Texas-based Horizon Printing & Mailing, UV print capabilities are one of the things that set them apart from the competition. 13 years ago, the shop installed their first UV press, and were the first and only commercial printer in Austin offering this advanced print technology. When the time came to increase capacity, the RMGT 920 8-color LED UV with perfector was an obvious choice. “We’re growing,” says Harold Carter, general manager for Horizon. “We needed more capacity, and we wanted to get into the perfecting market. This new press will give us a competitive advantage, with not only the perfecting capabilities, but the LED-UV technology.” Based on their legacy of printing UV for more than a decade, upgrading to LED-UV technology was going to have huge advantages. “There was never any doubt for us — we knew when it was time to put a new press in, it was going to be an LED-UV. It was a no-brainer. We’re going to have shorter production times with this press, and quicker turn-around times, which in turn will allow us to bring in a wider range of customers, for both short- and long-run jobs. We are projecting growth of 25-35% by the end of this year with the RMGT 9 series once we are fully up and running.” The Press with the competitive edge Carter notes that when it comes to the LED-UV technology in particular, it wasn’t just the higher quality and faster drying times that made this press stand out. He notes that the LED-UV has lower electricity costs versus the traditional UV they had been running, which will in turn help the shop improve the bottom line. The fact that the press packs a large amount of power into a compact footprint, as well as the ability to run jobs on a wider range of substrates also contributed to the decision to go with RMGT. At Horizon, Carter notes that they are seeing run lengths get shorter over time, a trend that is echoed by many across the industry. However, while Horizon does have digital equipment, Carter notes that the RMGT 9 series will actually be getting some of the short-run work moved back to offset from the digital side. “When you look at the cost of the plates and other materials, along with how fast it is to change the plates on this press, we realized we could do shorter runs economically on this press and still have cost savings versus a longer digital run,” says Carter. “We will still do the really short runs on digital of course, but depending on the type of piece, we will be moving a number of jobs over to the RMGT 9 Series.” The quality of digital is good, but the quality of offset is betterCarter further notes that for Horizon, 85% of the revenue is still coming from the offset side of the business, making the investment in the RMGT, which can handle a much wider range of jobs than most digital or offset presses, a good fit for the business. “Not to mention,” he says, “while the quality of digital is pretty good these days, the quality of offset is still better. That will always be part of the equation as well. You are limited in terms of what you can do for things like solids on the digital equipment, whereas with offset we just have more control over that.” “What’s exciting about this installation is that this is the first RMGT 9 Series with a perfector being installed in the Southwest United States,” says Kian Hemmen, Director of Sales, Print & Finishing Solutions, the RMGT distributor for the region. “Horizon Printing is the type of shop that we really like to see these machines go to because of their commitment to quality. We know that the press is going to shine and will continue to help them grow as the top-quality printer in Austin. It has been an honor to work with Mike Spann, Harold Carter and the team at Horizon Printing. We are so grateful to be partners with the 28 year old company that shares the same goals and values that we do: Quality, Commitment, and Expertise.” About Print & Finishing Solutions (PFS) Print & Finishing Solutions (PFS) is the largest graphic arts service and supplies company west of the Mississippi. PFS services California, the country, and the world with quality new and used machinery, installation and training, and post-sale support. Specializing in new and refurbished machinery, parts, supplies, and service for the print and graphics industry, PFS supports commercial printers and binderies of all sizes as well as digital printers and corporate and public in-plants. Within its facility, PFS offers two demonstration centers catering to both commercial offset / bindery and digital solutions. The Commercial Showroom features the latest machinery from RMGT, Horizon, Challenge, Perfecta, and Preferred Pack. The Digital / On-Demand Showroom features the latest products from MGI, OkiData, Mimaki, Rhin-O-Tuff, MBM, James Burn, DRYLAM, and others. About RMGT (RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology) RMGT is among the world’s largest manufacturers of sheet-fed offset printing presses and the world leader in LED-UV technology with over 450 placements worldwide. Our high-speed, fully-automated presses are respected worldwide for unsurpassed print quality, low total cost of ownership, extreme ease of operation, and unmatched reliability. In partnership with Panasonic, RMGT released LED-UV Curing for Print at DRUPA 2008 and we now offer the only G3 LED-UV technology on the market. Headquartered outside of Hiroshima Japan, RMGT is a joint venture company bringing together the best technology and manufacturing expertise of Ryobi Limited and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The enhanced product lineup and strengthened manufacturing prowess makes RMGT an indispensable brand for the printing industry. Learn more about RMGT athttp://www.ryobimhi.com  INDIANAPOLIS, IN — July 23, 2019 — With mergers and acquisitions affecting printers in the direct mail and fulfillment market, EZ Mailing had a significant decision to make back in 2014. Kevin Bennett, President of EZ Mailing, based in Indianapolis, IN, bought the assets of the business and had no intention of becoming a sheetfed offset printer again. The business was based around mailing and fulfillment, and Bennett, who had sold print for nearly 30 years previously, planned to just broker any offset print while focusing on his digital print and mailing operations. “With the existing digital print capabilities of the company we acquired, I have the distinct memory of thinking that only an idiot would jump back into purchasing big iron (offset presses),” states Bennett. That changed, however, as he quickly discovered that brokering out the print work meant a loss of control over everything from timelines to quality, and a whole lot of the profits as well.In June 2018, he took a big step and purchased Haywood Printing, a commercial shop based in Layfette, and immediately put the older offset press that came with the business up for sale — and put down a deposit for the new RMGT 920. One of the biggest draws for Bennett, for whom mail continues to be a large portion of the business, is the offset speed and quality, without the need for press powder. “Press powder kills,” he says. “If I printed a job offset on one side, and variable-data on the other, I blow press powder through the digital press. With LED-UV technology on the RMGT 9 Series press, I don’t have that issue.” RMGT - Making the economics of Offset more profitable While Bennett does have a large fleet of digital presses for those variable projects, he notes that he doesn’t just run everything on those units “because of the cost. That click rate will eat you alive,” he says. “And what is the life span of a digital press? Maybe 3-5 years? With offset, it’s 20 or more. We pulled a lot of the jobs we were running digital before, and we’ve moved them back to offset on the RMGT press. I can take a postcard job that would be around 3,000 clicks digitally and run it eight-up on the RMGT in a few minutes time and pocket the extra money.” It’s not even about the quality, or even the color fidelity, which Bennett notes are fantastic across the board. Rather, he stresses that the RMGT has made the economics of print much more favorable. “I can manufacture a piece more cost-effectively on offset,” he says. At the same time, because the RMGT 9 Series press uses LED-UV curing, there is no dry time either like there would be on a conventional press, allowing him to “do a pass through, then just flip it over and run it again for the other side. And I can send it right to finishing from there. I can have a 1,500 sheetjob done from plates to finished in less than 15 minutes.” Print isn't dead, Offset is alive “EZ Mailing is the perfect example of how not only is print not dead, but offset print is very much alive and well, and still has a powerful role to play in today’s industry,” says Chris Manley, President of Graphco, the RMGT Distributor in the Midwest and Southeastern U.S. “We are also extremely proud to work with Kevin Bennett, who I call an Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur. Within a few weeks of showing Kevin what the RMGT 9 could do for his business, he had placed his order and made plans to visit the RMGT factory in Japan. We are thrilled to see that his quick calculated, decision-making has resulted in great gains for his business."
Gary Greis, Graphco Regional Manager adds, “The RMGT 9 Series press is a perfect bridge between offset and digital, allowing printers to gain the benefits of shorter, more cost-effective runs, while also eliminating press powder and other chemicals, and getting the instant dry times for better productivity. No matter what vertical or print type a shop is targeting, EZ Mailing proves this press can be a game changer.” About Graphco Graphco is the industry’s leading provider of offset, digital, and print finishing solutions. We proudly import the RMGT line of new offset printing presses featuring market-leading LED-UV curing technology, Smart Insta.Color automated make-ready, and our popular Packaging Edition presses. All RMGT presses offer best-in-class reliability and durability. The Graphco Technical Service Team stands behind every RMGT press and Graphco’s reputation for top-notch service is second to none. Since 1976, Graphco has thrived in an ever-changing market place by loyally adhering to our original model for success: Providing best-in-class print production equipment along with reliable and assured technical service. Learn more about Graphco at www.graphco.com About RMGT (RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology) RMGT is among the world’s largest manufacturers of sheet-fed offset printing presses and the world leader in LED-UV technology with over 450 placements worldwide. Our high-speed, fully-automated presses are respected worldwide for unsurpassed print quality, low total cost of ownership, extreme ease of operation, and unmatched reliability. In partnership with Panasonic, RMGT released LED-UV Curing for Print at DRUPA 2008 and we now offer the only G3 LED-UV technology on the market. Headquartered outside of Hiroshima Japan, RMGT is a joint venture company bringing together the best technology and manufacturing expertise of Ryobi Limited and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The enhanced product lineup and strengthened manufacturing prowess makes RMGT an indispensable brand for the printing industry. Learn more about RMGT athttp://www.ryobimhi.com  SHOREWOOD, IL – April 26, 2019 - Graphic Promotions Inc. (GPI), based here, recently installed a fully equipped RMGT 790 press that features LED-UV curing technology. The shop has replaced two older 4-Up offset presses, while increasing their size to a 6-Up platform that runs at 16,000 SPH. Daryl Sladek, the Owner of GPI, notes that his shop started out 25 years ago as a strictly offset printer, running pieces such as brochures, letter heads and other commercial print jobs. However, in recent years, he notes, “we’ve become a lot more digitally involved. The digital end is where we’re going, and that was the reason for the new press — we are trying to be more competitive in that market.” GPI offers their highly selective customer base the finest in wide format ink jet print production and has carved out a strong niche in the extremely high-quality end of that market. Recognizing that this segment focuses on short runs, GPI originally considered adding a half-size digital press, but quickly found that what they really needed wasn’t a device that could do full variable data, but rather a true press that could handle shorter runs of 250-500 while also producing 100,000 piece jobs when the opportunity came up. Their new RMGT 790, with the LED-UV technology and a full suite of automation technology has fit that bill perfectly. Shorter, faster, and more efficient runs with RMGT
Making shops more competetive with LED-UV Technology
“This is a great example of why offset is still such a strong technology, even in today’s digital world,” said Chris Manley, President, Graphco. “True variable data jobs are just a small percentage of the short run work out there. And our RMGT offset press can tackle the huge portion of that work that is static, in most cases, for far lower cost than digital, with higher quality and a wider range of substrates. Graphic Promotions realized that offset is still a rich, vibrant and, more importantly, profitable print technology. Graphco is very pleased to be a long-term partner to Daryl, Stacey and the rest of the GPI crew and we are ready to help them continue to grow and evolve for their next 25 years in business.”
About Graphco Graphco is the industry’s leading provider of premium offset, digital and print finishing solutions, including innovative RMGT Offset presses, GEW LED-UV curing systems, Horizon finishing systems, Foliant laminators, and other top brands. These brands are only as good as the technical support team that stands behind them, and with factory-trained technicians on-staff for every product we sell, Graphco’s reputation for top-notch technical service is second to none. Since 1976, Graphco has thrived in an ever-changing market place by loyally adhering to the firm’s original model for success: providing best-in-class print production equipment along with reliable and assured technical service. Learn more about Graphco at www.graphco.com, 800-458-2769. About RMGT (RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology) RMGT is among the world’s largest manufacturers of sheet-fed offset printing presses and the world leader in LED-UV technology with over 450 placements worldwide. Our high-speed, fully-automated presses are respected worldwide for unsurpassed print quality, low total cost of ownership, extreme ease of operation, and unmatched reliability. In partnership with Panasonic, RMGT released LED-UV Curing for Print at DRUPA 2008 and we now offer the only G3 LED-UV technology on the market. Headquartered outside of Hiroshima Japan, RMGT is a joint venture company bringing together the best technology and manufacturing expertise of Ryobi Limited and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The enhanced product lineup and strengthened manufacturing prowess makes RMGT an indispensable brand for the printing industry. Learn more about RMGT athttp://www.ryobimhi.com  CHICAGO, IL — March 27, 2019 — For Roman Majewski, the founder of Chicago’s Polpress, printing has been more than a way to earn a living, going back to his early days in the Chicago printing trades where his passion for high quality printing was fostered by men twice his age. Polpress is known throughout the city for the craftsman’s approach that is taken with each print job they produce. Investing in a better way to produce his demanding client’s projects has been Roman’s goal for many years, but until the perfect mix of technology, footprint and value became a reality, this investment had to wait.
“Derek Gordon from Graphco told us about the RMGT 9 Series press a few years ago and I’ve been interested in this press and LED-UV ever since,” says Roman Majewski. “We went to Push Solutions and some other RMGT houses and all we heard was great news. I could tell the technology and build quality of the press were solid, and LED-UV curing was ready for prime time, so we pulled the trigger.” The new press was installed in September of 2018 and it’s no coincidence that Polpress grew by over 15% by the end of the year. “This press just runs and runs,” notes Majewski. Polpress’s new RMGT 940ST-5+CC+LED-UV five-color press features a full suite of industry leading technology like RMGT’s SMART Insta.Color make-ready technology, FULL RPC fully automatic plate-changing, dual coating capability to produce both Aqueous and LED-UV and even a color console interfaced with a Wi-Fi tablet. “Our family has two Tesla cars and I do my photography with a Leica so I’ve always invested in the best technology. The build quality and features on this new RMGT press have really impressed me,” Majewski comments. “We want to offer the best print quality and with LED-UV and all this great automation we can give our customers the best with a lot less effort.” In addition to the productivity gains, part of their success is due to using LED-UV inks, which allow Polpress to print on nearly any stock. “It has instant curing, and the idea of just running the job, taking it off the press and putting it on the cutter is just amazing. It’s like having a huge digital press, basically, a huge, full-sized digital press,” Majewski said. As one of the only LED-UV printers in the city of Chicago, Polpress is also capitalizing on the environmental benefits to the RMGT 9 Series. Since it emits no VOCs and doesn’t require any sprays to keep the inks open overnight, nor any powders to help with drying, the work coming off the press is compliant with even the most stringent environmental regulations — including California’s Prop 65. “We don’t have those laws in Illinois yet, but I am sure they will be coming,” Majewski noted. And when it does, Polpress will be well positioned to capture even more of the work in the Greater Chicago area and beyond. “We didn’t really look at any other presses,” said Majewski. “No one else really had a good option in this particular sheet size.” He further noted that once they got the press installed and really started using the automation and LED-UV curing, he knew there was no going back. With the advanced features the RMGT 9 Series brings to the shop. Majewski found that they could run more work than they ever could before on their old equipment. “The speed and fast make ready make it a speed demon,” he said. During the busy election season last fall, for example, he notes that they had so much work they had the press going 24/7, instead of the usual 24/5.5, but never missed a deadline and was able to open up new markets at the same time. The new RMGT 9 Series press joined a Mitsubishi Diamond Series 40” press that was installed years ago so Polpress is now an all RMGT shop offering their clients everything from high quality brochures, event booklets, community publications, direct mail advertising and presentation materials. Derek Gordon, Regional Manager for Graphco adds, “Roman and I have known each other for over 25 years and I’ve always admired his knowledge of the printing trade. Partnering with Polpress on this investment right in my hometown is a real feather in Graphco’s cap.” Energy conservation and low carbon emissions are important enough to Polpress that they have 3 zero emissions vehicles and 2 charging stations outside of their building so employees can charge their cars while they work. “This new RMGT press uses very little power and the LED-UV inks are VOC free, so we are doing our part for the environment. And we think our print quality is now the best in the city.” While the new press is equipped to do Aqueous coating with the high gloss and excellent rub resistance of LED-UV inks means the highest energy user (IR/Hot Air Dryer) in the pressroom will only run for a few jobs per month. To learn more about Polpress please visit www.polpress.com About RMGT (RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology) RMGT is among the world’s largest manufacturers of sheet-fed offset printing presses and the world leader in LED-UV technology with over 450 placements worldwide. Our high-speed, fully-automated presses are respected worldwide for unsurpassed print quality, low total cost of ownership, extreme ease of operation, and unmatched reliability. In partnership with Panasonic, RMGT released LED-UV Curing for Print at DRUPA 2008 and we now offer the only G3 LED-UV technology on the market. Headquartered outside of Hiroshima Japan, RMGT is a joint venture company bringing together the best technology and manufacturing expertise of Ryobi Limited and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The enhanced product lineup and strengthened manufacturing prowess makes RMGT an indispensable brand for the printing industry. Learn more about RMGT at http://www.ryobimhi.com About Graphco Graphco is the industry’s leading provider of offset, digital, and print finishing solutions. We proudly import the RMGT line of new offset printing presses featuring market-leading LED-UV curing technology, Smart Insta.Color automated make-ready, and our popular Packaging Edition presses. All RMGT presses offer best-in-class reliability and durability. The Graphco Technical Service Team stands behind every RMGT press and Graphco’s reputation for top-notch service is second to none. Since 1976, Graphco has thrived in an ever-changing market place by loyally adhering to our original model for success: Providing best-in-class print production equipment along with reliable and assured technical service. Learn more about Graphco at www.graphco.com  LANCASTER, PA — January 15, 2019 — Prestige Color is proud to announce that they have installed a new RMGT 9 Series five-color offset press with coater and LED-UV curing. The 50-year old business has been owned and operated by Jim Miklos, President, for the past 10 years, doubling in size to a more than $8 million operation. Prestige Color caters to medium and large businesses, providing integrated solutions that provide total document management, digital printing capabilities and online access. The acquisition of the RMGT 9 Series offset press allowed Prestige Color to replace two of their older 40-inch offset presses. An analysis of their previous offset operation revealed that makereadies were taking up as much as 65% of the charged press time, leading to slow downs and backups as they waited to get work into production. “We had to do something to improve that,” states Jim Miklos. “We addressed other equipment needs first, ahead of the press investment, but it was time for us to make the move.” Faster makereadies saving dozens of hours monthly
Saving clicks with RMGT LED-UV Curing
The cutting edge of pressrooms around the country Another cost savings they have experienced has to do with the reduction of personnel. Previously, he noted, they had five operators running the presses, but today they just have one. “The RMGT now does the lion’s share of the work,” he said. “It was the best ‘bang for our buck’ in terms of value for the investment. And the emerging LED UV technology, in conjunction with the fast makereadies and press speeds, allowed us to jump in and be at the cutting edge of pressrooms around the country.”
“There is a lot of talk about what digital technologies can do, but the click charges can add up fast,” said Jim Lundy, sales manager with G. E. Richards, an authorized RMGT dealer in North America. “With RMGT’s LED UV technology, Prestige Color is proving that short run doesn’t have to mean high-cost digital equipment. There is still a market out there for short and medium length offset jobs, and innovative shops like this one are a great example of how to do it right. We are proud to be part of their journey, and we look forward to serving them for many more years to come.” About G.E. Richards Founded in 1972, G.E. Richards Graphic Supplies has grown to 10 branches and over 50 million in sales. They have become the fourth largest graphic arts dealer in the country by keeping in touch with the ever changing needs of their customers and the printing and graphic arts industries. G.E. Richards offers a large variety of products from printing plates, presses and ink, to film, computers, printers, scanners, imagesetters and platesetters. Learn more atwww.gerichards.com About RMGT RMGT is represented in the US and Canada by a group of six authorized sales and service centers that serve commercial printers, offset packaging converters and in-plant printers in North America. This network constitutes the single largest offset press sales and service team in North America. In 2008, RMGT introduced the first LED-UV printing system for sheet-fed offset printing. Today, RMGT continues to apply their technological expertise and creativity for constant innovation, providing the printing industry with meaningful products and services. Learn more about RMGT at www.ryobimhi.co 
CHICAGO, IL — January 8, 2019 — RMGT is pleased to announce multiple installations of RMGT presses with LED-UV curing technology in greater Chicago and the surrounding areas. 2018 marks the 10-year anniversary of RMGT leadership in developing LED-UV technology for sheet-fed offset presses. This industry changing anniversary lining up with five new RMGT press investments in the area is seen as confirmation that RMGT and LED-UV curing is changing the landscape of print in the Midwest. In addition to these five printers, six other Midwestern companies also purchased RMGT LED-UV equipped presses from Graphco, RMGT Midwest Distributor, during 2018.
Each of these eleven companies is enjoying the efficiency and productivity improvements offered by RMGT’s robust suite of make-ready automation, high-speed print production and LED-UV curing as they expand their market share in each of their local and regional areas. As LED-UV becomes not just mainstream but highly stable technology, these companies are perfect examples of how adopting the right level of automation and technology can bring new profitability to both their offset print volume and also to the digital work that they “reverse cannibalize” onto their RMGT presses. VISOgraphic
VISOgraphic in Addison, IL installed their RMGT 10 Series press in late fall of 2017. “We jumped from three older presses with no automation, to a completely new press manufacturer in RMGT,” states John Dahlke, COO of VISOgraphic. “Heavy ink coverage jobs and substrates sensitive to offsetting now run at rated speeds without issues thanks to LED-UV curing. One of the big advantages with LED-UV is the accelerated throughput within our plant,” noted Dahlke. “With immediate LED-UV curing, once off press, printed sheets can go right to our bindery for conversion. Even uncoated jobs that normally had to sit overnight to dry can now be immediately worked on --- with no fear of marking or offset. We have not had to rerun one job due to scuffing, offsetting or picking since installing the RMGT 10 Series with LED-UV curing system.”
Polpress
Another printer benefiting from LED-UV curing in the greater Chicago area is Polpress. Founded in 1991 in a small storefront on Chicago's northwest side, Polpress established itself as the printer of choice for Chicagoland’s large Polish speaking community and they continue to serve this clientele today. As part of their growth strategy, Polpress recently installed an RMGT 9 Series Press equipped with LED-UV technology. “Investing in LED-UV curing was a logical choice for us,” states Roman Majewski, President of Polpress, “We print both offset and digital, and since our new press came in many short run jobs are going LED-UV offset. We can run four 11x17 jobs on one single press sheet and since they dry instantly, it just doesn't make sense to pay clicks.” Roman continues, “During our political season, having jobs coming off the press and going immediately to finishing helped us meet our customers very tight deadlines. And we got great comments about the print quality and rub of their postcards even without coating.
Hagg Press
Hagg Press, located in Elgin, IL, has been a mainstay in Chicagoland for the last 40 years, ranking in the Printing Impressions Top 400 commercial printers in the US. In the second half of 2018, Hagg Press consolidated the workload from three existing offset presses onto their new RMGT 10 Series Press equipped with LED-UV technology. The Hagg family believes in a sustainable future for the planet and is committed to creating and enforcing eco-friendly practices and procedures at Hagg Press. “Investing in LED-UV has reduced our impact on the environment,” states Jordan Hagg, VP of Operations, Hagg Press, “We have reduced our power consumption tremendously by eliminating the need for large IR/Hot Air driers to dry the ink and coating. But our biggest savings is moving the work from one 28” and two 40” presses to the RMGT 10. Imagine the carbon footprint those 3 presses with driers had compared to this one LED-UV equipped press?”
Graphic Promotions
Graphic Promotions (GPI) will take delivery of their new RMGT 7 Series press with LED-UV curing in early January. Located in Shorewood, IL, GPI has over 50 years of experience in the print industry and for years has placed a strong focus on large format printing, while also providing offset printing and all major finishing and binding services to their nationwide, quality conscious, customer base. “Our investment in an RMGT press with LED-UV curing sticks with our strategy of going after short-run high value work,” states Daryl Sladek, President, Graphic Promotions. The RMGT 7 Series is a 6-up press which is replacing a 4-up press from another manufacturer. Daryl continues, “We are interested to see how our new LED-UV curing capability impacts some of our traditional ink jet work. Now that we can offset print on plastic, styrene and other substrates that we have to run ink jet now we see great potential to reduce cost and push through lots more volume.”
Martin One Source
As the name indicates, Martin One Source is a truly full-service commercial printer that offers offset print, digital print, office supplies & furniture, apparel and mailing services to list just some of their capabilities. They are currently installing an RMGT 9 Series press equipped with an LED-UV curing system. Having already experienced the advantages of printing with conventional UV on their Ryobi 7 Series press for the past 10 years, Martin One Source quickly embraced the advantages of LED-UV. “When we analyzed the cost savings of switching to LED-UV, the impact on our business was dramatic,” states Chuck Martin, President, Martin One Source. “We are committed to offset printing and it was an easy cost savings decision to invest in the 9 Series press from RMGT.” Martin One Source meets the needs of its customers from 3 locations around central Illinois with headquarters in Champaign. “After so many years of excellent service from our original Ryobi, sticking with the new RMGT 9 was an easy choice for us.” concludes Martin, “If it ain’t broke why fix it.”
“These five installations provide the tangible evidence of how RMGT technology and LED-UV curing is revolutionizing what offset printers can do,” states Derek Gordon, Midwest Regional Manager for Graphco, the RMGT Distributor in the Midwest. “They also confirm what I hear every day from my customers. Offset printing is still central to the growth strategies of these commercial printers. Thanks to technologies like LED-UV curing, offset print is becoming much more profitable than digital while actually speeding turnaround times. And since we bring added profit to a much larger part of our customer’s volume the impact on their bottom line is much greater. I think our company motto says it best. Our customers have an unfair advantage.” About Graphco Graphco is the industry’s leading provider of offset, digital and print finishing solutions. We proudly import the RMGT line of new offset printing presses featuring LED-UV curing technology, Insta-Color automated make-ready, and Perfecting & Packaging presses. RMGT presses offer best-in-class reliability and durability. These brands are only as good as the technical support team that stands behind them, with 12+ factory-trained technicians based in the Midwest. Graphco’s reputation for top-notch service is second to none. Since 1976, Graphco has thrived in an ever-changing market place by loyally adhering to the firm’s original model for success: providing best-in-class print production equipment along with reliable and assured technical service. Learn more about Graphco at www.graphco.com, 800-458-2769. About RMGT RMGT is represented in the US and Canada by a group of six authorized sales and service centers that serve commercial printers, offset packaging converters and in-plant printers in North America. This network constitutes the single largest offset press sales and service team in North America. In 2008, RMGT introduced the first LED-UV printing system for sheet-fed offset printing. Today, RMGT continues to apply their technological expertise and creativity for constant innovation, providing the printing industry with meaningful products and services. Learn more about RMGT at www.ryobimhi.com Printing Solutions Adds LED-UV Powered RMGT Perfector Bringing Hybrid Print to the Next Level12/11/2018  Balancing Clicks Versus Plate Costs is Key to Profitability
SOLON, OH — December 6, 2018 — Printing Solutions, based in Lawrence, Kansas, joins a growing wave of commercial printers who are making major investments in the offset side of their hybrid print manufacturing operations. The first six months with their new LED-UV equipped RMGT 790PF Five-Color Perfector with In-Line Coater is already proving that this investment was a great move for both profitability and speed to market. “Bringing in the Perfector has cut our impressions in half on several big pieces of business and offering in-line UV Coating has opened lots of new doors since our original Ryobi didn't have a coater,” states Terry Jacobsen, who partners with John Hutton as co-owners of Printing Solutions. “We were extremely happy with our first Ryobi 7 Series so when the time came to upgrade sticking with RMGT was an easy choice,” continues Jacobsen, “but what has really been fantastic is the LED-UV curing. The older press used powder, which gummed up the digital presses when we ran pre-printed sheets. RMGT had the perfect solution with LED-UV cured ink. The work is dry when it comes off the press, and we can now run shells in the morning off the RMGT and then take it right into digital production to print the variable pieces. We can ship the same day. That’s been a great feature.” Since the new RMGT press was installed in May 2018, Jacobsen noted that there have been a number of other key benefits. They have been able to move from having three pressmen running three shifts to just one pressman working one shift — while producing the same volume of work. “We ran our original Ryobi at 15,000 just like we do today, so I attribute these improvements to instant curing with LED-UV and the perfector on the new press,” Jacobsen said. He also noted that the electric bill is much lower, since LED-UV curing uses much less electricity than the old IR dryer. The shop has been much cleaner without powder spray blowing around and the lower heat level keeps static down as well. Lawrence is the home of the University of Kansas and it is ideally situated to serve the printing needs of both Kansas City and Topeka. Printing Solutions has made this area their home since their foundation in 2000. Jacobsen and Hutton worked together in a print shop as teenagers and, later as adults, started Printing Solutions in their garages. As their start-up business grew they learned that the printing company where they had first met was closing its doors. So they took a chance and purchased their former employer’s 6 color Akiyama Press and moved their new business into their previous employer’s building. Today Printing Solutions occupies a modern and spacious 36,000 square-foot building and they are now the only full-service commercial printer in the area. “All the other print shops changed to total digital operations,” Jacobsen noted. The full service (offset & digital) model has been a great fit for the company, which does a tremendous amount of work for the healthcare, industrial manufacturing and educational segments, as well as taking on subcontracted work from fellow printers that require offset commercial printing. Printing Solutions found that many of jobs they had coming in could be most efficiently manufactured using a hybrid printing process, with shells being printed offset and then variable overprints being run through their digital presses. The company used this approach for many years before LED-UV, but with instant cured shells that are powder-free their copiers are humming along with fewer break downs and of course their manufacturing costs are dramatically lower than using a purely digital process. Jacobsen observes that the key factor in determining if a job is run offset or digital is plate cost versus click costs. “If the cost of the clicks is more than the cost of the plates, we run it offset,” he said. “With a full 23” X 29” sheet size we are effectively running 3 digital sheets at a time and the LED-UV curing means we can move the jobs to finishing immediately. If you think about it, our RMGT 7 is basically a 6-up digital press that runs at 15,000 sheets per hour. So even 500 sheet jobs are much more profitable on our press.” The more environmentally-friendly press has also led to more work coming through the door, with Jacobsen noting that one of his current customers sought them out specifically because he explained LED-UV curing during a sales call. “This particular customer was getting her work printed somewhere else, but this was a very ‘green friendly’ company. She wanted to know how environmentally friendly we were, and now she is our customer,” Jacobsen said. “Keeping Printing Solutions an all RMGT shop was a great honor for us and their success so far is gratifying,” said Derek Gordon, Midwest Regional Manager for Graphco, the RMGT Distributor in the Midwest. “This is another example of how RMGT technology and LED-UV curing is revolutionizing what offset printers can do. It’s great to see how easily they can compete with the all-digital printers, and do it for less than the cost of the clicks. This is a great success story, and we can’t wait to see where Terry and John go next — and we are looking forward to helping them get there.” About Printing Solutions Centrally located in Lawrence, KS, Printing Solutions is a full-service commercial printer offering a wide range of services and capabilities. Their customizable online ordering system can be setup quickly to allow end users and quick and easy ordering option. Once the order arrives, they have the dedicated staff and equipment needed to help with anything from eCommerce to program management and all the details that are essential to getting your job perfect the first time and every time. Being located in the Midwest, Printing Solutions is an ideal partner for your production and fulfillment needs, as transit times and shipping costs are lower than a facility located on one of the edges of the country. Learn more at www.printing-solutions.com About RMGT RMGT is represented in the US and Canada by a group of six authorized sales and service centers that serve commercial printers, offset packaging converters and in-plant printers in North America. This network constitutes the single largest offset press sales and service team in North America. In 2008, RMGT introduced the first LED-UV printing system for sheet-fed offset printing. Today, RMGT continues to apply their technological expertise and creativity for constant innovation, providing the printing industry with meaningful products and services. Learn more about RMGT at www.ryobimhi.com  PrintPapa is installing the RMGT 9 Series press to improve the ability to service short-run work
SANTA CLARA, CA — November 21, 2018 — PrintPapa, an online commercial printer based in the heart of Silicon Valley (Santa Clara, CA) has expanded their print manufacturing capabilities by installing an RMGT 9 Series offset press. Started in 2005 by co-founders Paul and Shawn Nag, PrintPapa has been a premier producer of short run books, catalogs, banners, point-of-purchase displays and other marketing collateral materials primarily through their digital print production capabilities. In 2018, PrintPapa invested in offset print with RMGT and joined a movement taking place in North America which challenges the notion that short-run printing should be done with digital print technology. “With customers not wanting to inventory print, we have always operated a print-on-demand model,” states Paul Nag, co-founder of PrintPapa. “Our motto of ‘fast.. good… and cheap…’ has allowed us to grow our business significantly over the past 13 years.” Nag notes that as his company has grown, they have struggled with the inability to run more than one 11x17 sheet at a time through their digital offset press. With their offset operation, PrintPapa can print on a 24 x 36 inch sheet running at 15,000 sheets per hour with high line screen rulings. This investment was timely as requests for print runs in the 5,000-10,000 range has grown which challenges the economics of manufacturing on their high-volume toner-based digital press. The RMGT 9 Series offset press will address both of these needs, allowing them to create a faster, more efficient operation. “Our offset press was small format, and we had to grow,” states Shawn Nag, co-founder of PrintPapa. “We also saw that the demand for print runs longer than is cost effective on digital, has grown as well. It’s just not cost effective to print these jobs on digital platforms anymore. Our RMGT 9 Series press, prints on an 8-up sheet, increasing production over our current offset equipment as well as eliminate the click charge to run those longer jobs on the digital press. We’re going to see real savings.” The press is scheduled to be installed and up and running by mid-November, and Nag is excited about the opportunity to bring more work in house, as well. “Having an 8-up offset press allows us to reduce the need to outsource many jobs, allowing us to keep them in-house. This increases our turnaround capability and widens the kinds of products we can produce for our customers.” Paul Nag feels that beyond improving his bottom line, he also sees the opportunity to reach out to other customers and verticals he can’t currently service effectively, giving him a chance to expand his operation as well. “Sales is chomping to go after some of those bigger jobs,” he said. “We know for a fact it’s a ‘if we build it, they will come’ model.” “PrintPapa is the perfect example of a modern day print operation,” said Kian Hemmen – Western Regional Sales Manager, Print & Finishing Solutions, an authorized RMGT dealer. “They see a place for both digital and offset equipment, and the key is having the right tools for the right jobs. We are excited to see where Paul and his team go next with the RMGT installed, and we are looking forward to serving them well into the future.” About PrintPapa PrintPapa is fast growing online print shop based in Santa Clara, CA, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Founded in 2005 by Paul and Shawn Nag, PrintPapa specializes in short run books, catalogs, banners, point of purchase displays and other marketing materials. PrintPapa delivers on the promise of ‘fast.. good… and cheap…’ by maintaining the latest in offset, digital and wide format print production capabilities. With over 1000s of 5 star reviews and 100% Satisfaction Guarantee Policy making it a worry free site to order online. To learn more or to get an instant quote visit PrintPapa at www.printpapa.com. About RMGT RMGT is represented in the US and Canada by a group of six authorized sales and service centers that serve commercial printers, offset packaging converters and in-plant printers in North America. This network constitutes the single largest offset press sales and service team in North America. In 2008, RMGT introduced the first LED-UV printing system for sheet-fed offset printing. Today, RMGT continues to apply their technological expertise and creativity for constant innovation, providing the printing industry with meaningful products and services. Learn more about RMGT at www.ryobimhi.com  RMGT celebrates its tenth anniversary of the launch of its groundbreaking LED-UV curing technology for offset presses. Discover how automated technologies has made the RMGT 9 series press the dominate choice for the 8-up offset press market, with over 700 presses installed worldwide  |
