Maes Printing Solutions Invests in Two KODAK NEXPRESS S3000 Digital Production Color Presses and Boosts Growth in Colour Printing
Tags: Kodak / Kodak InSite / Kodak NexPress
* New equipment enables company to process more digital print orders faster
Belgium-based Maes Printing Solutions has recorded 51% growth in colour printing since investing in two KODAK NEXPRESS S3000 Digital Production Color Presses in mid-2008. The investment has helped cement the company’s reputation as a one-stop printing shop and increase revenue.
In summer 2003, Manu Galot, manager of Maes Printing Solutions, partnered with Target Co-Investment Fund in a management buyout of Maes Copy. Galot gave the copy centre business a new direction, turning it into a digital printing centre. Two years later, the printing house outgrew its existing facility and moved to an industrial unit in Jette, Belgium, where a cluster was formed with an offset printer: “Many printers focus on a niche market, such as photo books or labels. We adopted the opposite strategy,” explains Galot. “Whatever the customer asks for, we do it in-house – from prepress to finishing. We often find that while one print sector slows down, another will experience growth.”
Manu Galot, manager of Maes Printing Solutions
Faster production, better quality
A number of trends have emerged in the graphics industry over recent years. Customers are increasingly switching to colour, resulting in shorter inventory levels and shorter print runs. They also want to personalise their documents, and are demanding ever-shorter turnaround times. Such market shifts prompted Maes Printing Solutions to invest in two KODAK NEXPRESS S3000 Digital Production Color Presses. Galot explains his decision: “It’s reassuring to know we have two sophisticated, dependable systems at our disposal,” says Galot. “They have increased our capacity. Plus they’re highly durable, so we always know we can fulfil our commitments to our customers.
“Crucially, the quality is impeccable – we’ve had great feedback from our customers, and thanks to such positive word-of-mouth advertising, it has taken no time to fill our order books.”
It’s reassuring to know we have two sophisticated, dependable systems at our disposal
Digital quality at an all-time high
After 18 months using the NEXPRESS S3000 Presses, Galot is well qualified to evaluate the systems’ performance: “The press is extremely stable. The longer it runs, the better it works. The digital print quality is top-notch and is a real match for offset. Our operators are full of praise for the system, which tells us a great deal. The Kodak operator-replaceable components (ORC) concept is proving very popular, as it keeps uptime to a maximum. The NEXPRESS S3000 Press is remarkably reliable, and on the rare occasion we’ve had an issue, the Kodak technicians are there very quickly to resolve it.”
High capacity
Maes Printing Solutions has invested heavily in people and machinery over recent years. The digital print shop produces up to half a million colour A3 prints and two million in black and white every month, in weights ranging from 60 to 350gsm. The finishing capabilities are almost limitless: stitching/stapling, folding, creasing, spiral, binding, cutting, hole punching, coating and more. All operations, with the exception of laminating, are performed in-house. This one-stop shop approach has proved highly successful – between 2003 and 2009, employee numbers grew from 13 to 20, while turnover rose from €1.6m to €2.7m in the same period. 2009 was particularly prosperous, with the company enjoying 51% growth in colour printing. In the middle of an economic downtown, these figures are particularly impressive. “Kodak always advises its customers to become marketing service providers. We followed this advice and are reaping the rewards,” says Galot.
Targeting new markets
Like any successful business, Maes Printing Solutions is always looking at ways to expand. “The packaging industry and the agencies are still unexplored territories – for now,” says Galot. “Adding a fifth colour, glossing or dimensional coating to the NEXPRESS S3000 Presses opens up the potential for many creative applications and the chance to add even more value to our products and services.”
Maes Printing Solutions is currently evaluating the KODAK INSITE Storefront System as a web to print system for its customers. “We’re keeping a very close eye on the latest Kodak innovations and looking at more ways the company’s technology can helps us operate even more profitably,” adds Galot.
About Maes Printing Solutions
Maes Printing Solutions offers its customers a one-stop shop for digital print, large format, facilities management and file management.
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