A stellar line up of top notch printing companies have inked letters of intent at drupa for the new Landa Nano presses, with at least three choosing the Komori-built model, the Impremia NS40.
Ive’s Blue Star Print, along with HeroPrint and an unnamed flexible packaging company have taken the Komori option. According to Carsten Wendler, managing director Print&Pack (formerly Ferrostaal Australia), the Komori agent, the companies have expressed their confidence not only in the new Nanoprint technology but also in Komori’s ability to fine tune the presses for peak performance. Ferrostaal is also in the position of being able to guarantee service across Australia and New Zealand.
“Drupa’s been a very good show for us with sales right across the board, including a major Bobst investment. The Komori Landa presses are still not ready to go to market but the printers are making sure they’ll be at the front of the queue when they become available in 2018,” he said.
The latest signings join Trent Nankervis, CMYKhub, who was one of the original investors at last drupa when the Landa presses first came on the market. He is joined by Cimpress, which runs Vista Print throughout the world with one of its 20 Landa Nanopresses assigned to Australia.
The sign-up of so many commercial printers for the Landa S10P perfecting configuration, especially the ‘for-trade’ suppliers is a vote of confidence in the ability of the new technology to handle ultra short runs. According to Paul Selig, Ive director, the Blue Star team came to drupa with no intention of signing on but were convinced by the Komori demonstration. They were already familiar with the technology following a presentation in Sydney by Michael Mogridge, the Asia Pacific general manager for Landa.
“We’ve a good long-term relationship with Komori and Ferrostaal where we’ve worked on a number of projects together. Komori is not suggesting that it has a press ready for sale yet, but this is a journey that Ive wants to be part of as an industry leader,’ said Selig.
He made the point that as one of the largest digital printers in Australia it is imperative that the industry works out an equitable and sustainable business model. The current consumable model is seeing a drift of margins away from the printer to the vendor.
“Its nothing new but the pricing model must be sustainable for all concerned. It’s early days but I’m convinced this technology has the potential to be a game changer,” he said.
The Komori Impremia NS40 press runs at a slower 6000 sheets per hour and Selig is convinced the output is better than on the faster running presses over at the Landa stand.
The Australian line-up is part of an extraordinary acceptance of the new technology by the industry at drupa. With Landa announcing more than 25 presses sold on the first day the total investment committed for the presses is now many millions of dollars.
Much of the interest is coming from the flexible packaging industry. Michael Mogridge says they nearly “underestimated the demand.”
“The folding carton manufacturers are almost ripping our arms off, they’re so excited. These guys have massive make ready costs and time, either with an expensive flexo plate or an even more expensive engraving. They’re salivating at the prospect of being able to run Nano,” said Mogridge.
The three presses on the Landa stand will go to beat sites after the show; one each to printers in German, Sweden and the USA. The Komori press, which was built alongside the others in the Landa plant in Israel, will be taken back to the Japanese factory for further tests.