Nationwide Print has purchased a new digital press which is so large that the St Austell-based firm has had to build a new room in which to house it.
Launched last year, the Ricoh ProC9200 is eight metres long and can print up to 9,000 pages per hour; it is Ricoh’s flagship printer and has been designed to deliver the highest-quality finish demanded by today’s exacting standards, at a fast pace.
Julian Hocking, MD at Nationwide Print, was pleased to receive the new purchase, saying: “We’ve had this press on order since it was released and we’re really excited about its next-generation capabilities, particularly the capacity to print large sheets up to 1260mm with excellent colour saturation and image quality.”
He added: “The press is also extremely versatile. For example, we can use it to print both sides of board up to 470gsm, and it can be used for textured media, envelopes and translucent stock.”
A dedicated new room has been constructed at Nationwide Print HQ on the Holmbush Industrial Estate, and the team will undergo a full week of specialist training to help them get the most out of their prized new piece of kit.
The machine compliments other recent purchases, including a new Komfi B2 Laminator, a Duplo Perfect Binder, a Duplo Saddle Stitching Machine and two creasing and folding machines, along with a complete upgrade of Nationwide’s Tharstern MIS system.
All these power-hungry technologies are run using solar energy generated by a large roof array; Nationwide Print officially became the UK’s most environmentally-friendly printer last year when it won the coveted title at the 2018 PrintWeek Awards.
The new equipment will allow the Cornish SME to remain at the cutting edge of the UK print industry, serving international clients such as Armani and Rolex, and local customers including St Austell Brewery and the Eden Project.
