BARRINGTON TAKE THE FIFTH

Leominster printer upgrades with five colour Gronhi


    • Allison

     

    Sanxin success

    When Printers Superstore began its transformation of the small offset market with the introduction of Chinese-built high quality, low cost B3 presses, Barringtonprint of Leominster was one of the early adopters. In 2010 the company installed its first four colour machine, a Sanxin YK524, which Director Dylan Barrington says was a success for the 26 year old company.

    “Buying the YK524 was a smart move,” he says. “It was an ideal entry-level machine, which did a great job for us, and made us competitive in the short run high quality colour market.”


  • Whistles and bells

    Now, Barringtonprint has replaced its YK524 with another Chinese press from Printers Superstore; a Hans Gronhi GH525 five colour press. “This is an upgrade for us,” says Dylan. “The most obvious difference is the fifth printing unit, which we tend to use for special colours, although it’s very useful as a sealing unit when required. Most of the other advantages of the new machine are beneath the surface, as the spec is impressive with plenty of whistles and bells.”

    Closed loop

    Mr Barrington highlights the ‘closed loop colour’ system included with the GH525 as a highlight. “Colour consistency is constantly being monitored and feedback provided so we can make on-the-run adjustments,” he says. “This is a modern machine which excels at both short and medium run jobs. Setup is extremely fast thanks to CIP networking which allows for automatic ink duct setting. We can arrive in the morning and it’s ready to run before the kettle boils. We can get up to quality in under 20 sheets.”

    First choice

    Barringtonprint has two main production machines, the GH525 and a B2 Komori press. “Increasingly we’re taking work off the Komori and putting it onto the Gronhi,” says Dylan. “This is partly due to reducing run lengths, but also our minders prefer it, and if we’re already set up on the Gronhi it’s quicker and easier than setting up the Komori. The print quality is the same.”

    “Having worked with Printers Superstore for several years, we know they are great to work with and always responsive,” he continues. “This time around we had a look at digital machines as well as litho, but a machine like this bridges the gap between the technologies with a low cost per sheet, thanks to a low purchase price, and low running costs.”

    Barringtonprint employs 10 staff and is in a rural location in Leominster, near Hereford. The company prints a broad range of general commercial work, mainly for customers in the local area.




    Pictured above:Dylan Barrington with the GH525