Color Company Cheltenham to be first in the UK to run Speedmaster CX 75

Print Solutions

The Color Company in Cheltenham will be the first UK company to take delivery of Heidelberg’s latest B2 press, the Speedmaster CX 75. It is a press that offers high quality, flexibility and productivity and it is expected to attract many orders in the coming months.

The Color Company has ordered a five colour 750 x 530 mm format machine with Easy Control spectral measurement and it will be delivered over the Christmas break to replace its existing Speedmaster SX 75-5.

‘To accommodate our expansion plans we considered the new Speedmaster XL 75,’ said Ashley Wainwright, managing director. ‘Although there is large step up in cost from our existing press, the Speedmaster CX 75 fits the middle ground and will give us key advantages, not least the ability to handle high quality work across a wider range of substrates and with increased output.’

Already The Color Company has been producing about 22 million sheets a year on its Speedmaster SX 74 and the new press has the potential to increase that output by over 30%. The double diameter impression and transfer cylinders mean even boards up to 0.6 mm can be handled with ease at the top production speed of 15,000 sheets per hour with no fear of marking.

Autoplate is standard on the Speedmaster CX 75 and The Color Company has opted for EasyControl spectral measurement and energy saving peripheral devices which marry up with the sustainable features of the CX75. The company likes the high pile feeder and delivery which is standard on this model, meaning it can take 1120 mm high pallets. The press has been dubbed the ‘XL 75 Lite’ and the two presses do have many features and benefits in common.

‘This is a press that will open up new markets and make some existing work, such as heavy boards for promotional material, much easier to handle,’ said Ashley. ‘Our customers will benefit from the wider stock choice, the heavier solids that are possible with the heavyweight inking power and a continuation of our competitive pricing which is possible because we do regularly invest in good kit.’

The fifth unit of the press is primarily to seal work for speedy throughput; special Pantones are rarely required for the type of work it handles which is diverse but includes magazine, brochure, leaflet and promotional materials for print farmers, public sector organisations and commercial enterprises nationwide. It puts a great emphasis on handling a wide range of contracts and not being reliant on any single customer or market.

‘We did think long and hard about being the first UK customer with the new press but we have faith in Heidelberg and we have always had good quality machinery from them that is well tried and tested and they have really good service and back up if things go wrong (which they rarely do),’ he added.

The company has invested over £2 million in the last four years as part of its structured plans. Earlier this year, the it also added a Suprasetter 75 and the Prinect Cockpit which has increased output of print ready files by 30%. Having the right workflow and software is helping The Color Company be as productive as it possibly can be.