UK’s first AccurioJet 30000 B2 inkjet press at Hickling & Squires

Print Solutions

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) has completed the first UK installation of its new AccurioJet 30000 B2 inkjet press at Nottingham based print and communications provider Hickling & Squires. The investment marks a major step in the company’s long term production print strategy, enabling it to bridge the gap between litho and digital, expand its capacity for high quality short run work, and deliver greater flexibility and value to customers.

Hickling & Squires has undertaken a significant transformation of its production environment, retiring older litho equipment and restructuring its workflow around a more agile mix of technologies. Production director Jamie Gilbert explained that the move to B2 inkjet had been on the roadmap for some time, but the opportunity to accelerate the investment came as part of the company’s ongoing partnership with Konica Minolta.

The AccurioJet 30000 sits at the heart of a diversified production set up at Hickling & Squires that includes wide format inkjet, flatbed and reel to reel devices, as well as four Konica Minolta digital toner machines. The new press provides a high quality B2 platform capable of handling the ‘in‑between’ work that previously sat between litho and digital. Jamie added, ‘Customers are getting a better quality result, and we can now produce on a wider range of substrates, including plastics and fabrics, at a much bigger scale.’

To support the installation, Hickling & Squires constructed a dedicated nine metre by 16 metre climate controlled production room, complete with air conditioning and humidity management, which was completed in just five weeks.

According to Mark Bladon, major accounts sales specialist – industrial printing at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK), the installation reflects a wider shift in how forward thinking print businesses are rebalancing their production mix.

‘Jamie and the team needed to upgrade the litho equipment, but instead of simply replacing like for like, he recognised that a lot of his short run work needed litho level quality but with more flexibility. The AccurioJet 30000 delivers exactly that – a B2 inkjet platform that sits perfectly between litho and digital. It is the first AccurioJet 30000 in the country, and it is a fantastic showcase for what this technology can do.’

Hickling & Squires serves a wide range of sectors including education, hospitality, leisure and major UK brands, producing applications such as booklets, menus, letterheads and specialist short run work. The new press enables the company to deliver higher and more consistent print quality, with faster turnaround times for short run and mid volume jobs. It also delivers reduced waste and improved efficiency, with a more resilient, future ready production workflow.

With the AccurioJet 30000 now in full production, Hickling & Squires plans to continue evolving its offering in line with customer demand. ‘We always follow the trend,’ added Jamie. ‘If we are doing something regularly and it makes sense to bring it in‑house, we do it. Right now, the focus is on fine tuning this new inkjet press and then we will keep building from there.’

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) has completed the first UK installation of its new AccurioJet 30000 B2 inkjet press at Nottingham based print and communications provider Hickling & Squires. The investment marks a major step in the company’s long term production print strategy, enabling it to bridge the gap between litho and digital, expand its capacity for high quality short run work, and deliver greater flexibility and value to customers.

Hickling & Squires has undertaken a significant transformation of its production environment, retiring older litho equipment and restructuring its workflow around a more agile mix of technologies. Production director Jamie Gilbert explained that the move to B2 inkjet had been on the roadmap for some time, but the opportunity to accelerate the investment came as part of the company’s ongoing partnership with Konica Minolta.

The AccurioJet 30000 sits at the heart of a diversified production set up at Hickling & Squires that includes wide format inkjet, flatbed and reel to reel devices, as well as four Konica Minolta digital toner machines. The new press provides a high quality B2 platform capable of handling the ‘in‑between’ work that previously sat between litho and digital. Jamie added, ‘Customers are getting a better quality result, and we can now produce on a wider range of substrates, including plastics and fabrics, at a much bigger scale.’

To support the installation, Hickling & Squires constructed a dedicated nine metre by 16 metre climate controlled production room, complete with air conditioning and humidity management, which was completed in just five weeks.

According to Mark Bladon, major accounts sales specialist – industrial printing at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK), the installation reflects a wider shift in how forward thinking print businesses are rebalancing their production mix.

‘Jamie and the team needed to upgrade the litho equipment, but instead of simply replacing like for like, he recognised that a lot of his short run work needed litho level quality but with more flexibility. The AccurioJet 30000 delivers exactly that – a B2 inkjet platform that sits perfectly between litho and digital. It is the first AccurioJet 30000 in the country, and it is a fantastic showcase for what this technology can do.’

Hickling & Squires serves a wide range of sectors including education, hospitality, leisure and major UK brands, producing applications such as booklets, menus, letterheads and specialist short run work. The new press enables the company to deliver higher and more consistent print quality, with faster turnaround times for short run and mid volume jobs. It also delivers reduced waste and improved efficiency, with a more resilient, future ready production workflow.

With the AccurioJet 30000 now in full production, Hickling & Squires plans to continue evolving its offering in line with customer demand. ‘We always follow the trend,’ added Jamie. ‘If we are doing something regularly and it makes sense to bring it in‑house, we do it. Right now, the focus is on fine tuning this new inkjet press and then we will keep building from there.’

Pictured left to right: Jamie Gilbert, production director; Neringa Newton, digital manager; Joanne Bryan, machine operator; Tommy Jenkins, machine operator, all from Hickling & Squires; and Jak Defty, IP technical specialist at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK).