Brisbane printer goes for six with first new release Speedmaster 52 in Australia

Brisbane printer Cornerstone Press is replacing its seven year old Heidelberg Speedmaster (SM) 52-5 with a new six colour SM 52 press with high pile delivery, the first six colour 52 to be installed in Australia


Peter Conomos, owner of Cornerstone Press, says the new options available on the SM52 are impressive. “The two features that really sold me are the Vario dampening which makes quality control much easier, and the ink unit temperature control which is very valuable, particularly in a climate like Brisbane.”

(Above, from left: Heidelberg Australia's Jim Darcy with Cornerstone Press managing director Peter Conomos and his son Robbie Conomos)

Unlike the older machine used by the business, the IR drying option has not been fitted on the new press, something that Conomos feels is both expensive to operate and unnecessary, particularly in a warmer environment like Brisbane. “In my experience, the only reason the IR Drying feature is ever used is if the printers are feeling the cold,” he jokes. On a more serious note, he believes optioning the press with ink temperature control “is a much better way to go, from both a cost and production perspective.” This option allows the press to maintain optimum print quality day or night, winter or summer, thus minimising start-up times and reducing waste.

Shane Hanlon, Product Manager A3 solutions at Heidelberg, agrees with these assertions. “We are seeing the trend moving away from IR Drying for the A3 market, particularly in relation to short runs.”

“In short runs the stacks produced are not large enough to contain the heat that will assist with the drying process. Also the smaller surface area of A3 (or smaller) sheets does not attract the same amount of heat, as with larger press and sheet size, so in most cases the IR system on an A3 press can be very inefficient as compared to a larger press.”

“In my opinion,” says Hanlon, “if a business wants the best bang for its buck, then Ink Unit Temperature Control is a much better option. Don't just take my word for it, talk to printers that use it I'd be very surprised if they didn't say the same.”

Conomos claims that another benefit of the new press is its ability to print thicker stock with the NEW Expanded Stock option, in conjunction with the NEW standard feature Perfect Jacket Plus. “We will be able to comfortably run stock up to 50% thicker (0.6 mm) which means we can move back into markets we haven't been able to service in recent years.”

Being able to stay in process and move to PMS without having to do full wash up is also a bonus. “Most of the work we do is process, but increasingly jobs require a varnish and PMS colour,” says Conomos. “The six colour enables us to do these jobs quickly without interrupting the workflow.”

The press will be installed in the company's new premises at Northgate in June. “With a new building it made sense to get the new press at the same time, so that everything can be set up from the start. With double the space and a new Speedmaster 52-6, we won't know ourselves,” says Conomos. “We've enjoyed a good year, and the Brisbane market is buoyant at the moment. We're looking ahead to increasing capacity and throughput and the new press should enable us to increase our market share.”

Press Options

Vario Dampening
On the Cornerstone Press' SM52-6 press the continuous dampening system Alcolor has been optioned with the Vario function, allowing for hickeys to be removed from the printing plate during the production run. This enhances print quality and minimizes waste.

Expanded Stock Range
The SM 52 offers the option of processing material from 0.03 up to 0.6 mm.

Heidelberg CombiStar Compact (Ink Unit Temperature Control System)
This compact accessory ensures consistent printing conditions, minimising start-up time and reducing waste. The CombiStar Compact is also available as a water cooled version if required thus reducing the heat within the print shop as well as within the press.