The UK's favourite print show - MacMate

NEWS
Ink Shop reverts to short run
foundations with new web strategy
THE INK SHOP is going back to
its roots in a move that will see
the Scottish business launch a
new ecommerce engine in the
next few weeks and which has
seen it invest to cope with fast
turnaround high quality short
run print.
The company has found
foot traffic to its main street
locations fall off as managing
director Stuart Mason explains:
“Small businesses do not have
the time to get in the car, drive
to the town, park and then walk
to our shops. Consequently
very few people now visit the
shops, though they are busy
with web orders.”
All production was carried
out in Cumbernauld and this
will continue as the emphasis
switches to online ordering.
The company has bought a
Xerox Colour 1000 supplied by
Danwood, the first Presstek
52DI UV in the UK, Duplo
DPB-500 perfect binder and a
range of Morgana finishing
equipment including the
CardXtra Plus, UV coater and
guillotines.
“We are changing our
business model quite
substantially. When we started
19 years ago we were
Managing director Stuart Mason explains: “Small businesses do not have the
time to visit our shops. But the shops are busy with web orders.”
predominantly a supplier to
small businesses for short run
work. As the business has
grown we expanded and
adapted to support all kinds of
business, including public
sector and trade work. We have
realised that we need to focus
on the more profitable areas of
work. In longer runs there is
still a downward trend on
pricing so at the end of last year
we decided to get out of this
feeding frenzy.”
The company has combined
a Xerox web to print
application with an MIS to
handle orders over the web and
to process them ready for print
on one of the conventional or
digital presses. “We will have
an entirely new online brand
with a new customer friendly
interface for ordering print. It is
a significant investment,” says
Mason.
The aim is to handle micro
print runs, 50-200 copies, on
the Xerox, runs up to 500 or so
on the Presstek and longer runs
on the ten-unit Speedmaster 74
that was installed in 2007. At
the end of this year the plan is
to replace this with an XL75
with coater, says Mason.
The Presstek DI press will
allow the company to offer
printing on plastics, for
example self adhesive labels,
window stickers and other
specialist items.
“We are aiming at 12 hour
turnaround for next day
delivery,” says Mason. “We will
offer a next day service with
high quality. This is a sector
that demands 100% guarantees
on service and quality, but
where price is not alwaysthe
most important consideration.
“There are some strong
companies that are in the web
to print market. We will be
differentiating ourselves
through very very fast
turnarounds.”
The Xerox will replace a
KM digital press, offering both
a more consistent result and a
fifth toner option which the
company will use to add a spot
varnish effect using the Xerox
clear toner.
“By the end of this we will
have spent £1 million on the
Xerox, Presstek, finishing and
the software, which is what we
spent on the ten-colour
Speedmaster, but we know we
have to be fully committed. We
are definitely going in the right
direction.”
Double win in Queen’s Awards for Enterprise
PRINT HAS COLLECTED two
awards in the 2011 Queen’s
Awards for Enterprise, both
commendations going to
previous winners.
Seacourt has won its second
award for Sustainable
Development inside four years,
earning the award for its policy
for reducing the environmental
impact of a printing company.
The Oxford printer has long
been one of the most
environmentally aware print
businesses in the UK and after
achieving zero-waste status it
collected a waste reduction
4 May 2011 www.printbusinessmagazine.co.uk
award and a further sustainable
business award last year.
Jim Dinnage, Seacourt
chairman, says: “This was
unimaginable 15 years ago on
the start of our sustainable
journey, when we were your
average dirty printer. The
greatest thanks must go to our
team of staff, clients and
suppliers, who have all
wholeheartedly believed in and
supported this strategy all these
years, and who are still with us
to celebrate this greatest of
achievements.”
The industry’s winner in the
Innovation category went to
FFEI, achieving recognisition
for the low cost composite resin
imaging drum used in its Alinte
platesetters. Over 150 have
been installed at Indian clients
in the last 18 months.
The drum is made from a
Zanite polymer composite
which is mixed with ceramic
additives to result in a very
strong, very accurate casting
that matches machined metal
components for strength and
precision.
“Our company culture is
built on innovation,” says FFEI
managing director Andy Cook.
“But our innovation is directed
just as much at our internal
processes as delivering gamechanging
technologies. This
philosophy has definitely
contributed to our ten percent
growth record year on year,
even against the backdrop of a
world recession.”
Awards for International
Trade went to book publisher
Igloo Books, to reports
publisher and conference
organiser Media Analytics and
to Speciality Paperboard
Containers, Rotherham.