Komori

Feature
Interview with President Komori
4
President Komori discusses the highlights of fiscal 2011, including the impact of
the development of the H-UV system, the Lithrone G40, new initiatives in emerging
markets, the outlook for the Komori digital press and the run-up to drupa 2012.
International Exhibition
Looking Back on IGAS 2011
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A review of the ‘Komori Solutions for Efficient Print Production’
presented at IGAS 2011, including a look at the Welcome Party,
notice of the prestigious industrial design prize awarded to the
Enthrone 29, and a heads-up on drupa 2012.
Feature
Komori Thrives in Flourishing India
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An end-to-end look at the Komori story in the enormous rising powerhouse on
the subcontinent. An interview with a long-time observer of the Indian printing
industry, profiles of Komori’s two distributors and sketches of some of their
growing stable of customers.
User Profiles
The Compass of Komori Users
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Komori users installing and retrofitting H-UV systems, introducing
the Enthrone 29 and the new GL40, designing and constructing an
advanced green printing plant, leading with a Lithrone S1040SP,
and substituting an E-429 for a digital press. Customers moving
ahead with Komori presses.
Topics
Printing Show Roundup
36
H-UV is the emerging global standard, as seen in photos and notes from printing
exhibitions in France, the Netherlands, the US, Colombia and Russia.
Topics
Komori Calendar 2012
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Komori Corporation’s environmental ideals are embodied in the
company’s 2012 calendar in the form of works by photographer
Mark Laita. The details on printing these exceptional creative
expressions.
74
no.
Printing specification of this issue
Cover: 4-color process plus 2 PMS (pink and green) with gloss/matt/drip-off coating
Inside front cover: 4-color process with gloss/drip-off coating
Inside pages: 4-color process
Cover and inside front cover artwork by Mitsuo Katsui
Komori On Press
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Q&A
An Interview with Top Management
Strengthening our revenue base by further developing the offset printing business, expanding and making
our operations multifaceted by building up new business opportunities, and working for an early recovery
in business performance and further growth.
Fiscal 2011 Overview: Highlights
Q Were there any bright spots indicating an
improvement in business performance?
A Yoshiharu Komori: The past three years have given
rise to competitive new products and technologies
as a result of promoting development that is firmly
focused on the future.
For example, since its announcement in October
2009, the innovative H-UV curing system that instantly
dries ink has received staunch praise and is fitted to 60
percent* of our printing presses sold in Japan. Having
designed a product fitted with H-UV and numerous
automated labor-saving technologies of which we are
justifiably proud, we have developed promotional
activities with the OffsetOnDemand concept and will
stimulate demand in Japan and overseas.
Furthermore, in February 2011 Komori announced
the Lithrone G40 sheet-fed offset printing press, the
successor to our mainstay Lithrone S40. While bringing
about improvements to existing capabilities and raising
product value, the G40 offers cost competitiveness
thanks to its reduced number of components and
manufacturing processes.
The successful development of the Currency IC532III
intaglio press for printing currency has brought about
an increase in overseas sales negotiations. In February
2011, an order for a currency printing facility (worth
approximately 3.4 billion Japanese yen) was received
from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (the Central Bank of
the Philippines).
Moreover, inventories that were once excessive,
caused by the sudden drop in sales following the global
recession, have now been reduced to acceptable
levels.
* Ratio only of models on which H-UV can be installed
Further Develop the Offset Printing Press
Business
Q What specific ef forts are being advanced
to strengthen the revenue base by fostering the
development of existing businesses?
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Komori On Press
A Y. Komori: Since its establishment in 1923, the
Komori Group has developed its business centered
on offset printing presses. We are working to expand
our revenue base by using the technologies and knowhow we have accumulated over those years not only
for the sale of printing presses but also to actively
develop proposal-based sales and services to resolve
customer issues. Komori’s sales division is engaged
in the sale of a wide-range of OEM products from
blankets and rollers to software and printing supplies.
Similarly, our service division goes beyond the provision
of after-sales machinery repairs. We encourage our
customers to purchase preventive maintenance
services to avoid sudden breakdowns, and advise
them on ways to improve productivity, boost quality
and reduce plant expenses. At Komori, we are working
to link the sales and service divisions with the Komori
Graphic Technology Center located at the Tsukuba
Plant to pursue improvements in customer production
efficiency and profitability while expanding our own
revenues, to build up mutually beneficial relations with
customers, and to become a trusted Print Engineering
Service Provider (PESP).
Along with these sales and service initiatives, Komori
continues focusing on the research and development
of technologies and products reflecting customer
needs. In production, while working to improve cost
competitiveness as the top priority, we are striving to
improve quality and firmly establish the equation that
Tsukuba quality is the world’s best perceived quality. To
address the appreciation of the yen, the Komori Group
will advance the overseas procurement of parts and
examine overseas production. To those ends, a new
Overseas Production Promotion Office was established
at the Tsukuba Plant in February 2011.
Reinforce Sales Capabilities in Emerging Markets
Q What progress has Komori achieved in cultivating
markets in emerging economies?
A Y. Komori: The expansion of the printing industry
is surpassing the GDP growth rate in China, which has
particularly outstanding growth among the emerging
economies. To increase sales in this promising market,
in addition to holding exhibitions and technology
exchange meetings in various parts of China, Komori
has established the “One China, One Service Team”
structure, uniting our local subsidiaries and distributors
to provide uniform service and positively advance sales
and service. With the success of these efforts, Komori
achieved record-high sales in fiscal 2011.
Komori demonstrated three of its newest printing
presses at the Print China 2011 exhibition held in
Guangdong Province in April 2011, making an appeal
based on its technological strengths. The reaction
exceeded all expectations, leading to very lively
business discussions.
While future government monetary tightening
policies warrant careful monitoring, the Chinese
printing and printing machinery market is expected
to continue growing while showing trends toward
greater domestic demand, market expansion from
coastal to interior areas, and shifts to more diverse and
higher value-added printing. Komori will work closely
together with its local subsidiaries and distributors
to advance market development and increase sales.
We are also working to establish the Komori brand in
Central and South America, India, Southeast Asia and
other emerging markets, making use of the technical
service centers we have established in Brazil and
Malaysia to hold product exhibitions, arrange parts
supply and maintenance structures, and provide
ongoing technical training and support to distributors.
Expand the Security Press Business
Q What efforts is Komori making to advance overseas
sales of security presses?
A Y. Komori: The market for security presses for
printing currency and securities is on a growth trend.
In the emerging economies, the demand for new
machinery and equipment is rising for the increased
currency printing accompanying economic growth,
and to ensure security. In the developed countries
as well, replacement demand is rising from efforts to
reinforce security and boost operating ratios.
During fiscal 2011, Komori held open houses for over
a dozen government officials and securities printing
company representatives at the Tsukuba Plant, to
convert this rising demand into orders.
Komori’s strengths in this field include superior
printing quality based on our proven track record
providing equipment to the National Printing Bureau
for over 50 years as the sole Japanese manufacturer
of currency presses, along with high productivity
incorporating small-lot compatibility, automation
and other technologies developed for offset printing
presses.
We will continue holding open house exhibitions,
discovering customer needs, and strengthening our
product lineup and service structure to win more
orders in foreign countries and expand our market
share in overseas markets.
Develop New Business
Q What progress has the Company made in developing
new business?
A Y. Komori: The Komori Group is presently focusing
on the development of digital printing presses. Digital
and offset printing presses have their respective merits
and demerits, and printing companies are expected
to use both in the future for different purposes, rather
than relying on either one alone. From that perspective,
manufacturers of of fset printing presses and
manufacturers of digital printing presses are moving
toward global strategic cooperation in the printing
press industry. At Komori, we came to the decision
that our company had to enter the digital printing
press business to respond to the diverse needs of our
customers. While we are latecomers to this field, we are
using our distinct advantages to develop competitive
products, and preparing a sales structure in time for the
drupa 2012 international printing industry exhibition
scheduled for May 2012 in Germany.
Komori is also assiduously advancing research and
development efforts toward entering the Printed
Electronics (PE) field and the precision machinery field
based on its core competencies of printing technology
and precision machinery manufacturing technology.
Source: Komori Corporation Annual Report 2011
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2011
Komori On Press
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SHOW
R E P O R T
Komori’s Corporate Theme — Kando: Beyond Expectations
Komori IGAS 2011 Theme
September 16—21, 2011 Tokyo Big Sight / Tokyo, Japan
KOMORI Solutions
for Efficient Print Production
Komori believes that our mission is to deliver better products
Exhibition Machines and Demonstrations in Each Theater
and services, and we are actively engaged in initiatives ranging
Innovative
from the development of new products to preventive maintenance
Solutions
OffsetOnDemand
and environmental protection activities.
At IGAS 2011, Komori Solutions was based on six sub-themes
— each a specific solution that we are confident will work for
our customers.
Stand Layout
KOMORI Stand
Hall East 3 E3-1
2
4
Fully finished products were produced during this demonstration by the
combination of the ultra-fast KHS-AI-driven start-up, which reaches stable
densities within 20 sheets, and the innovative H-UV curing system, which
allows printed work to be passed immediately to postpress for cutting, folding
and saddle-stitching.
Color management is also a vital element in OffsetOnDemand, and both presses
were linked to the Komori Color Management System’s ‘K-ColorSimulator’
(exhibited for reference). Color matching using a digital proof based on the
profile of the press was also shown.
Innovative
H-UV Pack-Print
Solutions
Innovative
H-UV Pack-Print
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KOMORI Ecology
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EAST 6
Solutions
1
EAST 3
7
9
12
OffsetOnDemand
Solutions
KOMORI
Assistance
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Innovative
EAST 5
5
Efficient and
Multi-flex
Print Solutions
1 LITHRONE S26 (LS-426)
Four-color H-UV-equipped Lithrone S26
6
Four-color H-UV-equipped Lithrone G40
6 ENTHRONE 26P (E-426P) New
3 DoNet /CMS
4 LITHRONE G40 (GL-640+C) New
7 Print Gallery
8 Service Corner
Six-color H-UV-equipped Lithrone G40 with Inline Coater
EAST 2
EAST 4

EAST 1
5 LITHRONE G40 (GL-440) New
2 LITHRONE G40P (GL-840P) New
Eight-color H-UV-equipped perfector Lithrone G40P
3
Four-color convertible perfector Enthrone 26P
9
10
11
12

Environmental Corner
Web/Chambon Corner
Currency Printing Corner
K-Live Station
Main Reception
Exhibition of a Lithrone G40 equipped with a new coater — an optimum solution
for package production and special printing applications. The demonstrations
showed changeover from jobs demonstrating the fast curing performance
of H-UV with heavy stock and printing aptitude with a wide range of special
substrates to jobs showcasing high added value printing such as pseudoembossing using the coater.
Equipped with a Full-APC system (Fully Automatic Plate Changing System), which
performs the fastest possible plate change by means of sequence control, the
machine on exhibition demonstrated the impressive speed of job changeover.
The press was equipped with a high-resolution type PQA-S utilizing a twocamera system to detect printing defects, which is a particularly important need
in package printing. In addition, the PDC-SX on the operation console is capable
of measuring special colors, which are frequently used in packaging printing,
and enables the inspection and maintenance of high quality printed work.
Efficient and
Multi-flex Print Solutions
The Lithrone G40, which delivers solid basic press functions and offers
outstanding performance for a very reasonable initial cost, was equipped
with Komori’s proven Semi-APC (Semi Automatic Plate Changing System) and
the innovative H-UV curing system to showcase its ability to meet the needs of
quick turnaround, short runs of many different items, and low cost.
Making its debut at this IGAS, the Enthrone 26P represented the perfector in
the Enthrone Series of presses, which feature high quality and compact design.
The Enthrone is based on a cylinder arrangement of double-size impression
and transfer cylinders and offers competence with a wide range of printed
items and short runs with very stable print quality. While it boasts a doublesize cylinder design, the Enthrone 26P provides an operator-side stepless
construction and a small footprint that allows installation even in confined
spaces. A machine capable of working efficiency that will lead to higher margins
and business growth.
By performing changeover between light and heavy stocks on both machines,
the demonstration exhibited printing efficiency, the ability to handle a wide
range of work, and high print quality.
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Komori On Press
Komori On Press
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SHOW
September 16—21, 2011 Tokyo Big Sight / Tokyo, Japan
R E P O R T
Sangam Khanna, Director of Insight Communications and Print Solution India Private Limited
Welcome Party
Ladies and gentlemen, President Komori, and distinguished guests visiting IGAS and Komori:
On behalf of Komori Corporation and distributors around the world, I thank you all for being a
part of the Komori family. We are deeply touched by the overwhelming response and the deep
interest you have all shown in Komori products — machines and technologies that are beyond
our expectations.
Komori will continue to strive to always meet the expectations of its customers and ensure that
they keep ahead of their competition by delivering cutting-edge technologies.
Most of you have visited the Komori factory during your visit to Japan and will continue to use
KGC often to keep updated on new technologies.
I request that you all kindly join us at drupa 2012 in Germany.
Thank you very much.
President Yoshiharu Komori
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Komori On Press
Komori On Press
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SHOW
September 16—21, 2011 Tokyo Big Sight / Tokyo, Japan
R E P O R T
Komori Corporation receives the Special Jury Prize of
the renowned Machine Industrial Design Awards for
the Enthrone 29
Komori has announced that the Enthrone
29 has received the Special Jury Prize
of the prestigious Machine Industrial
Design Awards, which recognizes the
development of industrial design in Japan.
See you at
drupa 2012
drupa 2012 information
Venue: Date: Düsseldorf Exhibition Center
Srockumer Kirchstr, 61
D-40474 Düsseldorf
Germany
May 3–16, 2012
Komori Corporate Theme:
Kando: Beyond Expectations
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Komori On Press
Hall No. 15
Stand No. D04
Komori On Press
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Diverse Currents
Power India’s
Dynamic Growth
India’s incredible cultural riches have recently been coalescing with economic development that
has global implications. Komori has been on the scene since the 1950s and now two distributors
have led the Indian printing industry to Komori. On Press interviews an industry veteran and
introduces the distributors and their most recent customers.
India is on a roll. This incredibly complex, multilingual,
multiethnic, pluralistic society is bursting with energy set off
by robust economic growth that started in the early 1990s.
Today Indian culture is a major force in a number of arenas —
film, literature, music and fashion. Indian accomplishments
in business, science and the academic world are gaining
attention on every continent. A fast-growing urban middle
class is in the sights of the world’s marketers. India’s
sustained democratic freedoms — preserved in the face
of many challenges for more than 60 years by a secular
constitutional republic — are unique among the newly
emerging economies. From Bollywood to the IT centers
of Bangalore and Chennai and from the vast Thar Desert
to the imposing Himalayas, India is rising as never before.
Heir to utterly glorious historical riches, a synthesis of nearly
every ethnic and religious current of the past millennium,
India’s enormous potential will change the world. The
printing industry too.
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Komori On Press
Worshipped as the goddess Ganga in Hinduism, the
Ganges is the most sacred river to Hindus and is also a
lifeline to millions of Indians who live along its course and
depend on it for their daily needs. The iconic first Prime
Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, wrote in his will, “The
Ganga is the river of India, beloved of her people, round
which are intertwined her racial memories, her hopes and
fears, her songs of triumph, her victories and her defeats.
She has been a symbol of India’s age-long culture and
civilization, ever-changing, ever-flowing, and yet ever the
same Ganga.”
Above, Benares, the oldest city in India and a holy city to
Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.
Komori On Press
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S. K. Khurana, Editor of Print and Publishing
Inside the
Indian Printing
Industry
On Press talked with S.K. Khurana, a longtime observer of the Indian printing
industry and editor of Print and Publishing, the print and online journal that
tracks the field and reports the developments that matter — to determine
where the industry is and where it is going.
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Komori On Press
On Press: Could you give us an outline of the
printing market in India, its scale and unique
characteristics?
S.K. Khurana: The Indian printing industry has
come of age, growing into a huge business that
is commensurate with the country’s population,
which stands at 1.21 billion. However, its scale
is not easy to determine precisely. While some
printers include the cost of substrates in their
turnover, others pass on the cost of paper and
board directly to print buyers. Nevertheless,
the most solid information about the industry
indicates that total turnover accounts for around
1,850,000 million Indian rupees (approximately
US$40,000 million), with thousands of printers
in its fold.
The statistics of this community of printers paint
an interesting picture. Some of them operate
with a staff of more than two thousand while an
enormous number of printers operate with just ten
or even fewer personnel. Then there is also a fleet
of ‘contract’ workers who are not listed on payrolls
but are engaged by the printing community
when needed. Broadly, one can speak of three
categories of printers: printers with staff of more
than 500, those with staff of 51-499, and those
with staff of up to 50. A rough estimate indicates
that there may be around 180,000 commercial
(advertising collateral, books and periodicals),
packaging (of paper, board and special substrates)
and newspaper printers in India, with around 300
printers falling into the commercial category. Of
these, perhaps 10 are national enterprises that
target the entire country.
The vastness of the country makes it difficult to
generalize, but a number of characteristics of the
printing industry in India are noteworthy. First,
printing companies are overwhelmingly familyowned, and the enterprises are handed down
from one generation to the next. Decades ago, the
education levels in the industry were a mélange
of informal qualifications, but now the field is
full of young people who have received formal
training in the country as well as at institutions in
Europe and the US. In fact, India now has some
24 printing colleges.
The geographic center of the industry has shifted
over the past decades. Calcutta and eastern India
were the core of the business in the 1970s. The
center then shifted to Mumbai, later to Delhi,
and more recently to southern India, especially
cities such as Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai.
More than any other factor, these shifts seem to
be attributable to the vision of the entrepreneurs
in these respective areas. Government incentives
such as those provided by tax-free zones to spur
development have also played a role.
OP: What are the main printed items in such
segments as commercial, publishing and
packaging printing?
S.K. Khurana: A modern shopping mall culture
has become increasingly popular among Indian
consumers. Thus the requirements for retail
packaging are rapidly multiplying. And in keeping
with the prevailing marketing philosophy that
‘packaging sells products,’ the demand for quality
packaging is on the rise. This, of course, involves
substantial value enhancements to packages —
foiling, embossing, UV printing and coating, die
cutting and a range of other finishing processes.
Though in-line processing has not yet been
Komori is one such
company that took the
initiative and upgraded the
Indian print industry with
its state-of-the-art userfriendly printing equipment,
thereby enhancing the
overall quality of printed
products.
implemented by most printers, off-line operations
are expanding rapidly with the active support of
suppliers. The next growth area in India is the book
printing segment. A rapid increase in the number
of titles, especially in children’s books and coffee
table books, is bringing brighter prospects to the
printing industry.
OP: What are the main issues when it comes
to India’s export and import of printed items?
What sort of quality control measures are used
for exports?
S.K. Khurana: It is a matter of considerable pride
when Indian printers secure orders for printed
items from overseas companies. The type of
printed work usually depends on the market from
which the order comes.
Indian printers are exporting textbooks, exercise
notebooks, and even diaries and calendars to
developing countries.
High-end quality printed products like boxes for
the cosmetics industry and value added tags for
the apparel industry are exported to advanced
economies such as the US and Europe.
Nevertheless, the major difference between
these two segments is volume, and the larger
amount of exports generally goes to developing
countries. In recent years, CAPEXIL, an export
promotion body sponsored by the government of
India, has been instrumental in encouraging and
supporting the participation of Indian printers
in international book fairs and large packaging
shows — with the hope that exports to the US and
Europe will show steady increases.
Regarding quality control measures related to
exports, the majority of printers have installed
peripherals like quality inspection systems, either
in-line or off-line, in addition to adopting stateof-the-art technologies throughout the workflow
as well as gaining various ISO certifications. The
recognition of the potential offered by CIP4
workflows is rapidly growing throughout the
industry.
Imports of printed items are generally handled
by publishers and distributors of books, catalogs,
magazines and comics. According to industry
Komori On Press
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estimates, imports of such items are rising faster
than exports. Interestingly, the toy industry is
also registering growth of imports and these
articles are being imported to India with primary
packaging, the value of which is quite high as
compared to the cost of the packaged product.
OP: How are Indian printers dealing with the
growing importance of environmental issues?
S.K. Khurana: Safeguarding the environment
is taken seriously by the Indian printing industry.
Printers have started installing hazardous waste
disposal systems, and are also opting for ‘woodfree’ paper whenever print buyers make such a
request. All of this has created a wave of ‘going
green,’ but there is still much to achieve.
OP: What is the future outlook for the Indian
printing market? How will print compete and
cooperate with electronic publishing?
S.K. Khurana: With the increasing strength
of digital communications, the Indian print
industry believes in a ‘wait and watch’ policy
and is continuing to invest in conventional
equipment. This policy seems prudent for now
because there is still a large percentage of the
population in villages who have little or no
access to the Internet. Industry gurus forecast
a comfortable period of around 10 to 15 years
of an assured market for conventionally printed
products. However, in the top eight metropolitan
areas, which have a combined population of more
than 86,000,000, electronic publishing is indeed
gaining momentum.
OP: How does the Indian printing industry assess
Komori and what expectations does the market
hold for the company?
S.K. Khurana: As to new investments in stateof-the-art printing machinery, the buyers are
many, but they have limited access to instant
capital. Some machinery suppliers have seen this
need and have stepped up to the plate to support
selected printing establishments by offering them
comfortable financial terms. Komori is one such
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Komori On Press
company that took the initiative and upgraded the
Indian print industry with its state-of-the-art userfriendly printing equipment, thereby enhancing
the overall quality of printed products.
Printers in India have substantial confidence
in and respect for Japanese equipment. This as
well as the untiring efforts of their two dedicated
distributors are the main reasons Komori has
seen its market share grow significantly. The
company’s renowned commitment to supporting
its customers will undoubtedly ensure that Komori
continues to see growth in India.
S.K. Khurana Profile
A veteran observer of the Indian printing industry,
S.K. Khurana has long served the industry as
a publisher of magazines, books, directories,
websites as well as a provider of other services
to the print community. As editor of titles such as
Print and Publishing and All About Newspapers,
Khurana has developed a range of publications
that have been instrumental in developing
integrated business and marketing solutions
among their readers.
India and Komori:
Longtime Bonds
2011
Lithrone G40
is released.
2002
Tsukuba Plant opens.
Lithrone S debuts.
1996
Full banknote printing lines are
installed at Bharatiya Reserve Bank
Note Mudran Pvt. Ltd.
India
Ever since Komori was founded in 1923, the company has won
renown throughout the world as a manufacturer of printing systems
that adheres to the pursuit of ultimate quality and reliability, which
is the origin of monozukuri, or making products.
Although substantial exports began in the 1980s, and exports,
mainly to Europe, the US and China, now account for 68 percent of
total sales, it is not very well known that Komori’s relationship with
the Indian market began quite a while ago.
The first Komori press for the Indian market was delivered in 1954.
The machine exported was a full-size (37 inch/640 mm) single-color
press equipped with a stream feeder. From the outset, Komori’s
founder fixed his eyes on the markets of nearby neighbors India and
Asia rather than Europe and the US.
Now, some 57 years later, Komori’s two distributors in the country
— The Printools Corporation and Insight Communications and Print
Solution India Private Limited — have built a solid foundation for sales
and service in the Indian market. Specifically, Komori has sold more
than 400 units of web offset presses and multicolor full-size and
half-size sheetfed presses in the past five years. The following pages
present profiles of these two distributors and short sketches of some
of their customers — users who are transforming the industry in India.
Komori is working to firmly build up the Komori brand by using its
technical service centers to serve these newly emerging markets —
holding product demonstrations, strengthening parts supply and
maintenance, and training distributors’ engineers on a continuous basis.
1989
Komori acquires
Chambon SA.
1983
Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar is awarded
the Nobel Prize in
Physics.
1979
1971
First domestic shipment of
B-B type commercial web press
developed by Komori.
1954
37-inch single-color offset press
equipped with stream feeder is
developed and
exported to India.
Mother Teresa is
awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize.
1968
Har Gobind Khorana is
awarded the Nobel Prize
in Physiology or Medicine.
1951
Komori 44-inch single-color offset
press is exported to the Ministry
of Education of Thailand and the
Philippines.
1926
Offset printing press is developed.
1923
1930
Chandrasekhara
Venkata Raman is
awarded the Nobel
Prize in Physics.
Komori Machine Works is
founded in Kitashinmachi,
Honjo-ku, Tokyo.
Komori On Press
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D
U
istributor
H-UV
USER
I
Sangam Khanna, Director
Insight Communications
and Print Solution India Private
Limited
New Delhi
E-mail: [email protected]
nsight Communications is a 20-year-old company in
India that provides printing solutions to Indian print
service providers (PSPs). The company is a distributor for
sheetfed and web heatset commercial presses from Komori
along with software solutions for the printing industry.
Insight Communications supplies technologies for the
Indian graphic arts industry and is the largest distributor of
print machinery equipment in India. The remarkable success
of Insight Communications lies in its professional acumen
and the personal attention that the company delivers to
its customers.
Over the last five years Insight Communications has been
a market leader in selling brand-new Komori offset presses,
making Komori the press of choice among printers.
Insight Communications has commissioned more than
1,700 printing systems in the past decade. The company has
a pan-India network of offices spread across Delhi, Chennai,
Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune and
Kolkata. A dedicated customer support system gives its
customers a competitive advantage in an increasingly
dynamic business landscape.
A visionary team of experts and highly experienced
directors leads Insight Communications: Ajay Aggarwal, Ravi
Dugal, Nechalraj Singh Ahluwalia, Angelo Lima Fernandes
and Sangam Khanna.
The company is powered by a professional workforce of
more than 100 highly talented and motivated people who
are supported by managers with one overriding philosophy:
“We only win if our customers win.” Everyone in Insight
Communications is driven by a commitment to achieving
100 percent customer satisfaction and nothing less.
sers
Aarvee Printers chalks quality path
A
arvee Printers is a family business established in 1988 as a repro house that diversified
into commercial offset printing in 2000. Aarvee is managed by the uncle-and-nephew
duo of Sunil Verma, managing director, and Kunal Verma, executive director.
In line with their forward-looking development strategy, Aarvee has invested in India’s first
H-UV-enabled machine, a five-color Komori Lithrone S40. The Lithrone has been installed
in a new sprawling 70,000-square-foot facility in Noida, in the Delhi National Capital Region.
“H-UV will enable us to print on nonabsorbent surfaces such as plastic and foil board in addition
to running high-end applications using various paper grades that offer stunning effects,” says
Kunal Verma.
Sunil Verma says, “Since we graduated to new Komori presses, we find our urge to experiment
has grown — we’ve been creatively enhancing our clients’ print products and are always
delighted to see the printed results on our Komori press. It’s a lean mean machine that delivers
quality with consistency. And it’s a highly dependable press that our operators are always
happy to load for print jobs.”
“The visit to the Komori Graphic Technology Center was an eye opener. We were highly
impressed with the H-UV technology demonstrations and experiments. We opted for one
after being convinced by its applications and process. The results — superior printing on foils,
reduced dot gain, increased savings, improved environmental aspects — are all impressive. On
a scale of 10 we give Komori 10 out of 10 for maintaining such a high level of professionalism and
cultivating a work ethic worth emulating in our own company,” concludes the younger Verma.
Sunil Verma has a similar assessment: “We have a very high regard for Komori. They have great
dedication to their customers and their support service is exceptional. The Komori presses
are very high quality, reliable and sturdy. They have never let us down.”
Aarvee Printers
New Delhi, Delhi NCR, India
From left: Sunil Verma,
Managing Director, and Kunal Verma,
Executive Director
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H-UV
USER
sers
Shiv Offset takes India’s
first Komori LSX29 H-UV
I
t was another milestone for Shiv Offset when a load of containers landed at its printing
facility in Indore in September 2011. India’s first five-color Komori Lithrone SX29 plus
coater in an H-UV-ready configuration press had arrived. This is the third new Komori press
in a row for Shiv Offset.
Shiv Offset and its sister firm Saikripa Packaging are among India’s leading printers, suppliers
and exporters of packaging material, advertising material and packaging solutions. The
spectrum of packaging and commercial printing solutions at Shiv Offset includes aluminum
foil, blister foil, pharma foil, magazines, advertising catalogs, printed labels, posters and
calendars. The company is a master of multicolor printing and special effects.
Adhering to the philosophy of staying ahead of its competitors, Shiv Offset has pioneered
in embracing new technology — always readying itself for the future in advance. Shiv Offset
was the first printer in Indore to buy two five-color LS29s with coater and extended delivery.
The new LSX29 with H-UV is an extension of this strategy.
“We believe in rowing the boat and reaching the ship while it’s still at sea rather than
waiting for the ship to reach the shore and then heading for it. The decision to go for an
H-UV-ready press was based on this line of thinking. Komori presses are pure production
presses and not marketing machines. They are a true representation of Japanese culture.
They don’t shout for recognition. They are quality. The reliability of the presses speaks for
itself. Once a printer opts for Komori machines, he will live and die with Komori machines.
We are proud to announce that we are a Komori house and will remain one,” says Jiten
Shadija, director of Shiva Offset.
Legriffe Offset declares
allegiance to Komori presses
Swastika Printwell sets high
standards with new Spica 29
“K
“W
omori presses are a class apart when it comes to
high printing quality, reliable performance and ease
of handling. Maintenance is minimal — it’s a hassle-free
press in our experience. Indeed, Komori machines are
synonymous with superior printing quality,” says Ashok
Dedania, managing director of Legriffe Offset.
“When it was time to invest in a new press, we evaluated our
options, listening to many suggestions and making on-site
visits to printers with machines popular in India. In the end,
based on our experience with Komori machines, we decided
to buy a brand new four-color Lithrone S29,” says Dedania.
He adds, “We know Komori presses inside and out, as
we have lived and grown with Komori machines since we
started in the printing business. We enjoy the operability of
Komori presses. We have no qualms about declaring that
we are with Komori and we will remain with Komori forever.”
e are extremely proud of investing in a new Komori
press. The Komori Press runs as if it is on autopilot.
And our operators are very comfortable in handling the
press, as they know that the machine gives nothing less than
the best,” says Harjinder Singh, owner of Swastika Printwell.
Swastika is a medium-sized commercial printer with a vision
of making it big on the Indian print buyer’s radar. “Komori
presses set the benchmark when it comes to advanced
automation and ease of use. The Spica 29 allows us to offer
quick job turnaround and meet clients’ deadlines,” says Singh.
Swastika Printwell
Lucknow, India
Harjinder Singh,
Managing Director
Legriffe Offset
Gujarat, India
From left: Ashok Dedania, Managing Director,
Atul Dedania, Director, and Alpesh, Director
Singhania makes headway in
business with new Komori
W
Shiv Offset
Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
From left: Shreechand Shadija,
Chairman and Managing Director,
Jiten Shadija, Director, and Kamal
Shadija, Director
hen Singhania Printing Press in Guwahati decided to
revamp its production system, it went for the best.
“Our new setup was meant to give us the best infrastructure
in the business, as we had to engage a new audience. We
decided to buy a brand new Komori Spica 29P along with
a CTP system,” says Director Vikram Singhania.
“Our decision to go with Komori has proved the right one.
The Komori press performs hassle-free and our operators
are very happy running it,” adds Singhania.
Singhania Printing Press
Guwahati, India
Right: Vikram
Singhania, Director,
with staff
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U
istributor
sers
Print Point likes Lithrone’s ‘unique features’
F
N.A. Bhoj Raj, Managing Director
The Printools Corporation
Bangalore
E-mail: [email protected]
22
Komori On Press
ounded in 1969 as a manufacturer of typecasting
machines, Printools Corporation became a Komori
distributor in India in 2005. In a short span of five years,
Printools has become the engine for the dramatic growth of
Komori presses in a market that had long been dominated
by German machines.
The printing industry in India is overwhelmingly familyowned businesses managed by first- and second-generation
owners along with large printing companies that operate
mainly in the commercial and packaging segments.
This structure means that any decision-making is very
conservative and slow. Moreover, the continuous slump
in print job prices and the saturated market have made
expansion even more difficult.
Managing Director N.A. Bhoj Raj describes the company’s
mission. “Printools has put significant efforts into educating
customers about the advantages of Komori’s new machines
and their performance with respect to quality, speed and
productivity. The company is headquartered in Bangalore
and maintains offices in Mumbai and Pune.”
“Komori develops new technologies with the overriding
goal of delivering kando — performance that is ‘beyond
expectations.’”
“To ensure kando, a close relationship must be built
with the customer. Kando is as much about listening and
understanding as it is about performing.”
“Printools has delivered kando to our customers, and
they have responded by expressing great satisfaction with
Komori products. By offering flexible solutions, Komori
creates products that are customized to each customer’s
individual needs. Because of the superior value provided by
Komori products and our dedicated work as a distributor,
the Komori brand has become a real player in the local
market. Consequently, there has been a steadily increasing
demand locally for Komori presses. Today Indian printers
know that keeping ahead by investing in leading technology
is essential for business growth.”
“We at Printools are proud to say that our customers are
not only clients but also part of our family.”
L
ocated in the dynamic city of Bangalore, Print Point India was established 23 years ago
and now operates two Komori Lithrones — both four-color Lithrone S40s, one with
coater — along with a four-color SM 74 to produce mostly packaging, although roughly 20
percent of turnover is commercial printing.
Print Point describes itself as a customer-focused company that takes great pride in serving large
multinational corporations active in sectors such as IT, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals,
electronics and automobile manufacturing. Among its many qualifications, Print Point is an ISO
9001:2008 certified printer that is audited and approved by a number of major multinationals.
The printer is definitely a Lithrone fan: “We especially like the Lithrone’s unique features
such as automatic plate changing and blanket washing. The level of integration of various
mechanisms and computerization is simply amazing. These sophisticated and advanced
mechanisms make the presses more reliable. Our core business is advertising and promotional
materials, pharmaceutical and cosmetics cartons, fluted cartons and food-grade cartons. We
continuously upgrade our technologies and processes, a policy that makes us one of the most
trusted and admired printing companies in the country.”
And in turn Print Point trusts Komori: “The excellent support from Komori Corporation and
its Indian distributor, The Printools Corporation, is very gratifying.”
Print Point India Pvt. Ltd.
Bangalore, India
From left: Ashok Kumar
and Sadanand Singh, Directors
Komori On Press
23
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sers
Ramya’s mission statement: Creating
‘excited customers’
K
nown as the ‘Silicon Valley of India’ because of its position as the nation’s leading IT
exporter, Bangalore is a major economic and cultural hub and the third most populous
city in India. It is also home to Ramya Reprographic, a printing house established in 1984
that has recently installed a four-color Lithrone S29 with coater to operate alongside two
Heidelberg SM 74s.
Ramya has an intriguing mission statement: “Our new mission simplifies our raison d’être. We
intend to become a trusted partner by constantly creating excited partners. In short, our plan
is to go beyond creating satisfied customers to creating excited customers,” says R. Narendra,
managing director of Ramya.
They also have a concrete plan for ‘creating excited customers.’ Mr. Narendra explains: “Ramya
is looking to tie up with any foreign company that is interested in expanding its business in
India. We want to continue growing. One of our key goals is to take Ramya to a more visible,
national level.”
Narendra also has a ready explanation for his latest investment. “We are happy with Komori
print quality. The Lithrone prints on heavier stock, its maximum printing speed is much faster,
and the automation level is much higher than its competitors. So we feel very comfortable
working with Komori. I think the fact that Komori is a specialist company dedicated to the
manufacture of printing presses makes a big difference.”
Nirmala HiPrint
aims to add GL40 to
Lithrone fleet
Omkar Offset keen
on ‘operator-friendly’
LS40
Rashtrothana enjoys
its ‘many advantages’
L
E
R
ocated in the city of Thrissur, the
cultural nerve center as well as
a major academic hub of Kerala, an
Indian state on the Malabar Coast
of southwest India, Nirmala HiPrint
was established in 1994 and operates
primarily as a commercial printer.
Nirmala HiPrint runs two four-color
Lithrones — an L-426 and an LS-429 —
and has another one in its sights. The
printer explains: “We plan to add a
GL-440 to our facility within the next
two years.”
The printer’s view of Komori presses is
based on their superior technologies:
“The Lithrone has the latest version of
KHS-AI (Advanced Interface) system,
which reduces job changeover times
and cuts paper waste to an absolute
minimum. ”
“We are proud to have purchased
the latest Komori press and we look
forward to importing many more
presses from Komori. In fact, we know
that Komori manufactures low-waste,
energy-efficient machines that deliver
impressively high print quality.”
stablished in 1983 in the fastgrowing , high-tech cit y of
Bangalore, Omkar Offset Printers
is equipped with state-of-the-ar t
infrastructure and backed by a
dedicated team of professionals.
Publishing printing accounts for roughly
half of total sales, while the remainder
is divided between packaging and
commercial printing.
Omkar explained the background to
their investment in a four-color LS40:
“The outstanding qualities that drew
Omkar Offset to the Lithrone S40 were
not only the ease of operation but
also the technologies that Komori has
optimized to meet the diverse needs
of printing. This gives us the versatility
to print on thicker paper, speed up
production, control the quality of
output and also reduce waste of paper
and ink. Operation is also hassle-free.
Komori printing presses don’t need
much maintenance, and they are built
to be operator friendly.”
ashtrothana Mudranalaya, a
printer organized as a charitable
trust and located in Bangalore, operates
two Lithrone S Series presses, a fourcolor Lithrone S26 and, more recently,
a four-color Lithrone S29.
Rashtrothana Mudranalaya is very
clear about the factors that went into
its choice of manufacturer: “We like the
performance of Komori presses, their
quality, and the outstanding service that
comes with the machines. The press is
highly automated and delivers excellent
reliability. We use less material and
thus have many advantages over our
competitors. All of these factors explain
why we have opted for a second Komori
machine within a span of two years.”
The printer’s high opinion of the
manufacturer extends to the Komori
Graphic Technology Center, which
they say offers excellent training for
operators and engineers. “Komori has
so satisfied us in every aspect of support
that we did not even consider machines
from other manufacturers.”
Ramya Reprographic Pvt. Ltd.
Bangalore, India
R. Narendra, Managing Director,
and Mrs. Narendra
24
Komori On Press
Nirmala HiPrint Pvt. Ltd.
Omkar Offset Printers
Rashtrothana Mudranalaya
Thrissur, Kerala, India
Bangalore, India
Bangalore, India
Rajan Vattoly, Managing Director
From left: Mr. Shankar and P.S.
Venkatesh Babu, Managing Partners
Dinesh Hegde, Chairman
Komori On Press
25
User Profile
User Profile
H-UV
USER
Europe’s first LS-840P with H-UV
Zalsman, Zwolle, The Netherlands
Herman Verlind, former Director (left), with President Komori in front of the visiting user group
Komori has long benefited from the
immediate impac t of graphic show
demonstrations that highlight the benefits
of its innovative technology. In a notable
instance of this phenomenon, the H-UV
drying presentations at Komori International
Europe’s Graphic Technology Center in Utrecht
last autumn made an instant impression on
visitors from Holland’s Zalsman. So significant
that three days after Hugo Verlind, director at
Zalsman, saw the H-UV system on an eightcolor Komori Lithrone S40P perfector at
the event, his company placed the order for
Europe’s first H-UV Lithrone — also an eightcolor Lithrone S40P, with the addition of a
press coating unit.
Says Mr. Verlind: “Although we already had
in mind a Lithrone S40 perfector for our next
investment, the H-UV drying is what really
triggered us into immediate action. Across the
industry, drying has always been considered
a problem — on occasion liable to slow down
production, delay finishing and limit the choice
of substrates. We’d seen a Lithrone 840P at
Snell in Belgium and we were impressed
by its superb makeready features and print
quality. As a follow-up, we intended to visit the
Komori Graphic Technology Center in Japan
for demonstrations on the new H-UV system
to find out whether it was as good as Komori
had told us. However, we were unable to make
the journey, as the timing coincided with our
takeover of Thieme in Zwolle.”
26
Komori On Press
Takeover of Thieme was the catalyst
The takeover of Thieme Media Centre, a longestablished Dutch printing group with a wide
customer base, large premises, and equipment
that included a Roland 704 perfector and a
Roland 705, provided Zalsman with many
new reasons to move forward quickly with the
purchase of its first 40-inch Lithrone perfector.
Continues Verlind: “The Thieme deal fit
perfectly into our own development strategy.
First, its nearby premises provided us with
a relatively easy relocation exercise. With a
production space three times the size of ours, it
gave us room to enhance production workflow
and prepare for medium- and long-term plans.
Second, Thieme’s customer base immediately
boosted our client list and turnover, in
particular presenting us with several valuable
large-format contracts. Additionally, the
workload we inherited sharpened our focus
on adding another large Lithrone to our lineup,
which already included a Lithrone S40 and
two Lithrone 29s.
Acquiring Thieme changed the perspective of
Zalsman’s work — adding more long-run jobs
of up to 500,000 pages in length — and giving
an immediate boost to Zalsman’s turnover —
from 10 million to 18 million euros. Under the
leadership since 1960 of Herman Verlind Sr.
and later his sons Hugo and Herman Jr., the
150-year-old company had already maintained
an impressive growth rate of 10 percent every
year since 2006.
Inspiring customers
As Hugo Verlind explains: “Over the last few
years, we had recognized beyond any doubt
that the massive challenge for us, and for that
matter all printers and industry suppliers, was to
create a long-term plan for company growth in
the face of the continually shrinking traditional
printing market. Our philosophy is to help make
money for our clients, offer them enthusiastic,
creative support and build an authentic crossmedia platform for them. Even to the point
where we have created an Inspiration Room
in the new premises to help promote creative
thinking for clients and for ourselves!”
Digital production is just one of several
facilities at Zalsman to answer the call for
cross-media service. Although offset print
remains the mainstay, digital presses perform
an important role at the company — with a
Kodak Nexpress SE3900 sitting opposite a
Xerox Nuvara 288 within a full in-house digital
facility. Among other work, the Nuvara handles
large volumes of single-color work for one
of Zalsman’s major clients, the Netherlands
Ministry of Defense.
Continues Verlind: “Of course, our growth into
cross-media means adding facilities, not taking
away important resources for our customers
such as print product warehousing and delivery
— we stock over 2,500 products for our clients,
ready for our 24-hour delivery response.”
Zalsman’s seven-tower warehouse includes
15,000 square meters of ‘popular’ space for
those products that are highest on the quickresponse list. A high volume of these are for
Parker — catalogs, folders, stationery and
novelty products held in stock for fast delivery
around the globe.
In fact, everything at Zalsman is geared for
quick response, even down to the turnaround
on quotes, which can be up to 100 a day and
are also turned around in 24 hours. Applying
the same principle to production, it is easy to
see why the H-UV quick drying system fits into
Zalsman’s philosophy.
The Komori H-UV system utilizes a single,
newly developed UV lamp to cure highsensitivity UV ink. The result is almost
instantaneous drying whatever the substrate or
ink level density, with no issues of odor, UV heat
or post-print drydown. “We actually take the
printed jobs straight to the finishing department
from the delivery of the H-UV Lithrone and
process them immediately. There’s also never
any need for spray powder, so the H-UV system
also offers us and our customers environmental
benefits as well quality,” says Verlind.
Hugo Verlind, Director (left), with President Komori
Coating unit adds compatibility
Zalsman’s inclusion of an additional endof-press coating unit seems surprising, until
Verlind explains: “We already have a five-color
Lithrone S40 with coater. Adding a coater to
our new eight-color Lithrone S40P not only
gave us the benefits of a new approach to
production through the H-UV system but
also gave us compatibility with the LS-540
and coater. When necessary we can use the
two in tandem on straight four- and five-color
jobs. Another of our customers is Sunshine Art
Decoration, for whom we often print anything
from 1,000 to 20,000-copy runs of multicolor
large-format art posters and prints on the
LS-540. These can be quite complex, and the
H-UV gives us the especially attractive benefit
of printing whites, metallics and foil in a single
pass using the perfector in its straight mode.”
“We also like the idea of entering other similar
niche markets such as printing on plastics and
producing transfers. In fact, all the markets
involving production on difficult materials are
open to us now that we have the H-UV drying
system,” Verlind says.
So it’s an open door at Zalsman, and not
only for new business but also for Komori
customers, 30 of whom accompanied Komori
Corporation President and CEO Yoshiharu
Komori recently on a visit to see the company’s
H-UV Lithrone in production. In Japan over
80 similarly equipped presses have already
been installed, several of them on smaller
format four-color presses on which H-UV
offers immediate reverse-side backup. The
glowing reports from those visiting Zalsman
and from Komori’s recent H-UV Open Houses
indicate that many European printers — large
and small — will soon be following the lead set
by this innovative Dutch company.
Komori On Press
27
User Profile
User Profile
H-UV
USER
Integrated direct marketing
McCallum Print Group, Seattle, Washington, US
of Seattle, Washington, since it was founded
in the mid-1960s. McCallum has grown over
the years to become a premier provider of
a wide range of in-house integrated direct
marketing services that include high quality
direct mail, mailing and distribution, assembly
and fulfillment. Operating with 180 employees
out of three facilities totaling 180,000 square
feet, McCallum’s products and services are
in high demand, particularly among highprofile business-to-consumer companies,
including those in the travel and telecom
industries. With the needs of its customers
always dominant, McCallum is constantly
looking for technologies that will improve
its processes and the quality and variety of
end products it can offer. It was this mindset
that led the company to take a close look at
Komori’s new innovative eco-friendly H-UV
curing system at an open house Komori held
prior to Graph Expo 2010. McCallum eventually
become the first printer in the country to install
it, retrofitting its Komori LS-640 press.
Terry Storms, President
Taking an innovative and eco-friendly
approach to meeting customer needs
Keeping at the forefront of cutting-edge
technology and evolving business trends is a
strong differentiator for any business, but one
that requires keen management skills and the
willingness to step ahead of the crowd.
It is these attributes that have continually
brought success to McCallum Print Group
28
Komori On Press
New capabilities and process
improvements
The Komori H-UV System is an innovative
drying and curing system that was developed
by Komori as one of its many products designed
to improve overall pressroom efficiency. With
just one lamp mounted in the delivery, the
system offers high print quality and reliability as
well as excellent economics and eco-friendly
performance. Significant advantages include
shorter turnaround times, reduction in stock
space due to the fact there is no waiting for
printed items to dry, and improved quality
since the entire print process is powderless.
“Sixty percent of our work is direct mail orders
and the other forty percent is commercial and
packaging production, so our customers are
looking for the high quality enhancements
and special effects that can be created with
UV applications on uncoated paper and nonpaper substrates, like strike-though varnishes
for packaging applications,” says Terry Storms,
president of McCallum. Using a wide variety
of substrates, both in finishing and weight,
McCallum saw big advantages in Komori’s
H-UV technology because products come off
the press dry and ready to handle.
“Everything in our world today is on-demand
and has to be turned around very quickly. When
it comes to putting ink on a substrate, Komori’s
H-UV system is very appealing because the
entire printing process is powderless. This
makes it possible to do the finishing work
immediately, which gives us a competitive edge
when it comes to turnaround times,” Storms
explains. McCallum is also finding that the
H-UV system makes it very easy to move from
H-UV to conventional inks on the press, which
also improves production speed and overall
efficiencies. For its H-UV printing, McCallum
is using Toyo Ink’s proprietary H-UV ink that
was developed and tested at Komori’s R&D
center in Japan.
Cost was also an important consideration.
“We could have converted this press into a
conventional UV ink press, but that would
have been a much more expensive proposition.
Komori’s H-UV system was significantly less
than what we would have spent for traditional
UV technology,” Storms says.
Furthering a commitment to the
environment
Being located in the Pacific Northwest,
McCallum has a long-standing commitment to
environmental sustainability and believes ecofriendly practices are critical for its business and
its clients’ businesses as well. Having received
the highest possible five-star rating from the
EnviroStar program that certifies businesses for
their efforts to prevent pollution and reduce
hazardous waste, McCallum is involved in
numerous sustainability certification programs
and initiatives and is ranked in the EPA’s top 20
list of printers that are the largest green power
purchasers.
Komori’s H-UV system supports these
initiatives in a number of ways by offering
energy savings and low running costs. In
addition, the system does not discharge ozone
thanks to the elimination of light emitted in
the ozone-generating wavelength of the
spectrum — something that does occur with
conventional UV.
“We work hard to minimize the environmental
impact of our products and manufacturing
processes. The energy consumption of
Komori’s H-UV system is significantly less than
with traditional inter-deck UV systems since it
is a single lamp system, and it uses less power
than the traditional IR drier that came with the
press. So that’s definitely helping us reduce our
environmental impact,” Storms notes.
Immediate results for clients
The innovative Komori H-UV technology
is also delivering immediate results to
McCallum’s clients. “This system really opens
up the possibilities from a design perspective.
If our clients are interested in some special
effects, or certainly if they are asking for quality
commercial work on uncoated sheets, we
suggest using the H-UV system because of
the enhanced image quality we can produce
on a coated sheet,” Storms explains. “And then
there are other times that the system drives a
positive impact for the client from a production
standpoint because of its ability to deliver
faster throughput and turnaround. So we can
present it to clients from both a sales and a
production efficiency perspective.”
Having a 15-year relationship with Komori,
McCallum Print Group knows where to turn
to keep ahead of the competition when it
comes to offering customers the highest quality,
high-impact applications and designs. “We
couldn’t be more pleased with the capabilities
we now have with Komori’s H-UV system. The
retrofitting went very smoothly and the special
effects we can accomplish, especially with
packaging, are definitely making a difference
in our competitiveness and our profitability,”
Storms concludes.
It’s easy to see that with Komori’s H-UV
system users can readily attract new customers
with added value printing, while at the same
time improving pressroom efficiency with an
eco-friendly footprint at a fraction of the cost
of traditional UV. In addition, Komori’s H-UV
system is very appealing because the entire
printing process is powderless.
To l e ar n m or e ab o u t M c C allum's s u c c e s s
with H-UV, go to ht tp : / /w w w.youtube.com /
user/ KomoriT V and hear how H-UV has
revolutionized their business.
Komori On Press
29
User Profile
User Profile
‘A press designed for us’
Haining Huashi Platemaking and Printing Co., Ltd., Haining, Zhejiang Province, China
Pan Tianyong, General Manager
Haining Huashi Platemaking and Printing Co.,
Ltd. was established in the city of Haining in
Zhejiang Province. Haining is a spot famous for
viewing the sights of the Qiantang River, and it
also holds the title of the ‘foremost economic
metropolis’ of northern Zhejiang Province.
Initially the company focused on platemaking
and exporting photo film, but in 2007 Haining
Huashi switched to commercial printing,
installing a printing press and undergoing a
total transformation. At this time, the company
faced limitations of capital and location. Its
approach to investment was to ensure that
there would be no excessive impact on future
production. Thus Haining Huashi was very
cautious in selecting a second press, wanting
a superior machine that offered stable quality.
“Seemed to have been designed from the
beginning for us”
The printer undertook comprehensive
comparisons of the products offered by
three or four manufacturers. Haining Huashi
believed a product with low cost-performance
30
Komori On Press
would not deliver the kind of results they were
hoping for. Komori presses were a brand
that was well known in the industry, so the
printer did research on Komori products via
the Komori website. “We concluded that
Komori might be just right for us. When we
presented our cost-performance requirements
for the new press, the Komori sales manager
accepted them without question, saying ‘I
will absolutely find the press that meets your
needs,’” explains Pan Tianyong, president of
Haining Huashi. “That machine was the Komori
four-color Enthrone 29, a product that seemed
to have been designed from the beginning
for us. Although it was just released this year
and was less expensive than competitor
products with the same specifications, it was
an improved version of a previous well-known
machine and the quality was superb. I decided
to purchase the four-color Enthrone 29 with
no doubts at all,” continues Mr. Pan. “And I
hadn’t even seen the prototype of the machine,”
he adds laughing. President Pan signed the
contract in January this year and bought the
E-429. The Enthrone was unveiled in China at
the Dongguan printing exhibition and then
transferred to Haining Huashi’s plant in April.
Installation was completed in three days, and
the press immediately began production.
Within just a few months of operation, the
stability of the E-429 had been proven. Printing
on both light and heavy stocks, the press
handled every order with aplomb. Ease of
operation was so outstanding that as soon as
Mr. Yang, the computer guru and equipment
chief, connected it to the company’s systems,
the Enthrone was working full time.
Service really matters
A month after the press began operation,
Komori’s service team came to Haining Huashi
and carried out an inspection of the machine.
When Pan was interviewed, he expressed a
very high assessment of Komori service. “It was
our first Komori press, so when our managers
and equipment chief actually operated the
machine, there were some questions, of course.
Komori service answered all of these questions,”
he explained. Pan also has high expectations
for Komori. “We hope they will continue to
develop presses that meet market needs, and
I look forward to continued cooperation with
Komori,” he says.
Wenzhou Nanfang takes GL-440
Wenzhou Nanfang Libang Printing Co., Ltd., Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Wenzhou Nanfang Libang Printing Co., Ltd.
is located in the well-known city of Wenzhou,
whose people are renowned throughout China
for their wisdom, generosity and business
acumen. As a hub on the front lines of China’s
economic reforms and market opening, the
city is home to many private companies. These
enterprises are business innovators that have
created economic miracles. Wenzhou Nanfang
is one of these miracles.
Rapid diversification and growth
Established in 1994, Wenzhou Nanfang is
located in Wenzhou’s economic development
zone. At the outset, the company concentrated
mainly on single-color printing. As market
trends developed and more customers sought
high-tech solutions, Wenzhou Nanfang From left: Dai Xiaoya, General Manager of Wenzhou Nanfang Libang Printing, and
transformed its business policies and devoted Satoshi Mochida, Senior Managing Director, COO and Representative Director of Komori,
at All in Print China 2011
its energies to the development of the printing
business. Over the next decade and a half,
income grew and the scale of production
expanded. The product line was mainly photo to the people on the shop floor — had a high
albums, high quality notebooks, catalogs, and opinion of the first Komori machine. In June
high-grade packages and cartons. Over that 2011, Wenzhou Nanfang invested in a four-color
span, staff grew from 10 to 310.
Lithrone G40 equipped with automatic blanket
Today the printer can handle paper weights washing, ink roller cleaning and impression
ranging from 40 to 400 gsm. It can also print cylinder cleaning systems. Installation was
on many types of paper, including coated, completed in one week and the machine was
matte, offset and lightweight coated paper as formally commissioned 10 days later. Printing
well as special papers. Thus, the company has at 12,000 sheets per hour, the GL-440 prints
a variety of customers — from pharmaceutical documents, envelopes, business cards and
and cosmetics companies, cigarette and spirits various types of labels. Wenzhou Nanfang says:
makers, to computer businesses, apparel and “Compared to other presses, the construction
leather sellers, and cleaning product industries. of the Lithrone is better. There are no gaps.
High-speed changeovers are easy and print
‘Test’ leads to second Komori press
quality is superb. These are all benefits of
The printer had only one printing press when Komori presses that give them a competitive
it started out, and it soon became clear that this advantage over the machines of other makers.”
was not sufficient to support the company’s
long-term grow th. Wenzhou Nanfang Wenzhou South establishes its own brand
“Komori’s ‘One China, One Service Team’
undertook a comprehensive comparison of
available machines. After studying websites never fails to deliver,” says Ms. Dai. “The target
and doing market research, the company I set when founding Wenzhou Nanfang was to
decided to invest in the Komori press that grow our commercial printing operations and
had been presented by the Komori sales team. also make every effort to succeed in overseas
General Manager Dai of Wenzhou Nanfang markets — on the way to establishing our own
explains: “I regarded our purchase of the first brand, a brand known for outstanding quality.”
Komori printing press as an experiment. We Her deepest hope is that as Komori continues
decided to invest in our second press not only to evolve its presses, Wenzhou Nanfang will
because of the Lithrone’s stable performance achieve this target in the near future.
but also due to Komori’s excellent after-service.”
Everyone in the company — from managers
Komori On Press
31
User Profile
User Profile
IROPA sets new green standard
IROPA, Rouen, France
32
Komori On Press
In February 2008, Etienne Rigaud and
Laurent Crevel, CEO and MD of the IROPA
printing house in Rouen, embarked on an
unprecedented adventure. The company had
already attained the Imprim’Vert label in 2005
and was in the process of obtaining Programme
for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
(PEFC) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
certification. Because IROPA was considering
relocating — delivery had become a problem
in the town center — they said to themselves, ‘If
we are going to change, we might as well build
a real High Environmental Quality (HQE: Haute
Qualité Environnementale) industrial site.’
Impression and Ingenidoc joined forces with
IROPA. The Certivéa office also joined them
in this experimental venture.
From the start, Quille Construction, a branch
of Bouygues, asked all participating parties —
the managers as well as the 110 employees of
the three printing houses and their suppliers —
to be actively involved in creating a conceptual
building project. For a total of 14 criteria —
including everything from the construction
site, heating, water supply, and waste disposal
to working conditions — they joined together
to come up with innovative solutions to meet
HQE requirements.
Three branches of the FIROPA group
under one roof
This HQE project was carried out by IROPA
together with two other companies of the
FIROPA group in Rouen, which is supervised
by Denis Jacqueline and controls a group of
19 printing houses. Invited to share the new
building that offers floorspace of 7,300 square
meters on a site of some 27,000 square meters
in Saint-Etienne du Rouvray, Tag Notices
The presses at the heart of the process
IROPA previously had eight presses: six
Heidelberg presses and two Komori presses
— an eight-color Lithrone S40P and a fivecolor Lithrone S40 with coater, both highly
automated. The design of the new site was a
good opportunity to rethink the entire printing
process. Etienne Rigaud and Laurent Crevel
didn’t hesitate: in June 2009, they ordered
three more Komori presses and kept only one
Heidelberg 37 x 52 cm machine. CEO Etienne emission’ site, the two leaders were hoping to
Rigaud explains: “Having worked with Komori exchange ideas with the IROPA team and see
presses since 2002, we knew that they were how the Komori presses were contributing to
extremely reliable. Our objective was to the HQE approach.
simplify our fleet of machines by using only
“We showed them the chimneys that we
two plate formats: 53 x 75 cm and 72 x 103 cm. installed for recovering the heat from the
This conformity would offer our operators more machines,” Rigaud explains. “Depending on
versatility, much better machine operability, the outside temperature, a system of heating
pumps cools down the factory — free cooling
and simplified planning.”
“The criteria of productivity and environment in summer and warming in winter. Combining
were, of course, decisive. We actually produce this system with efficient Komori motors, we
more with six presses than we did formerly reduced our energy bill by 30 percent. Another
with eight. And the three new Komori presses strong point is the automatic ink insertion: no
— one four-color Lithrone S40P perfector 72 x more 2.5 kg containers, lockers or SID (Special
103 cm, one four-color Lithrone S29 with coater, Industrial Waste). We receive 200 kg drums.
and one four-color Lithrone S29P perfector — The ink is in a large plastic bag in the drum,
are controlled by KHS-AI. The prize: speedy which is connected to an air pump. After usage,
makereadies, waste reduction and excellent the drums are used to recover the dampening
inking stability. CMYK Optimizer Press software water when it is discharged.”
and the ISO 12647/2 graphic technology
“President Komori asked us a lot of questions
process control certification complete this and our discussions were very rewarding,”
lineup of capabilities. Dampening is alcohol- Etienne Rigaud and Laurent Crevel conclude.
free and we print on chemical-free Kodak After visiting the three printing houses, the
Thermal Direct plates, thus further reducing leaders of Komori took part in a meeting
our environmental footprint,” Mr. Rigaud says. concerning technological developments.
“The operators were trained at Komori France
The new site — the land, the building and the
in Antony and had another session when the equipment — is a completely self-financed
new presses arrived in June 2010,” Rigaud 16 million euro investment for the FIROPA
recalls. “We started production here on July group. Thanks to the HQE certification, IROPA,
19 while keeping the two Komori presses active which is the only printer in the industry to
at the old site, until their relocation in October. have this distinction and which also works
And we opened the offices on May 13, 2011.”
for local authorities, banks and businesses,
will be able to pioneer new markets. Green
An experience that enthralled the
competitiveness — a concept that certainly
president of Komori
seems to have a future.
Yoshiharu Komori, president and CEO of
Komori Corporation, who is known for his
concern for environmental issues, and Eiji Kajita,
president of Komori International Europe,
visited this pioneering site on July 1. As the
Komori factory in Tsukuba, Japan, is a ‘zero
Komori On Press
33
User Profile
User Profile
Poligrafica: A passion for printing
Poligrafica, Duran, Ecuador
The E-29: Efficiency and quality
Aneka Jaya Printing, Jakarta, Indonesia
the company gaining ISO 14001 certification,
which is reserved only for companies that make
no impact on the environment. In Ecuador,
Poligrafica is the first and only printer to have
obtained this certificate.
From left: Nathan Guy, Production Manager, and Luis Chonillo, General Manager
Citation from A Great Place to
Work Institute
34
Komori On Press
Poligrafica is a graphic ar ts company
supported by 33 years of experience in the
market. Founded in 1978 in Guayaquil City,
Ecuador, by Luis Chonillo, the enterprise has
increased its sales nearly every year. Since
Poligrafica’s inception, the idea to become
the country’s preeminent printer with regard
to technology and quality has been almost
an obsession.
Before the printer’s recent move, it was
located in downtown Guayaquil. But increased
sales and the new machines necessary to meet
demand reduced production space, causing
serious logistics problems. The enterprise
thus began the mission of finding a facility
where it would have enough space to roll out
its future projects.
Poligrafica invested in an 18,000-squaremeter site in the suburbs of Duran, 20 minutes
from the center of Guayaquil. In 2008, the plant
opened its doors, giving Poligrafica the space
it needed for expansion. The chief executive
officer took advantage of the expanded
premises by installing an electric substation,
a water treatment plant, a recycling plant with
zero environmental impact, and cellars for
hazardous and nonhazardous waste. These
initiatives as well as the use of eco-sustainable
raw materials like vegetable-based inks and
paper from sustainable forests resulted in
Qualifications in abundance
In addition, Poligrafica has won awards,
such as “Best of Ecuadorian Print,” in various
categories. It has obtained international
certifications, including G7 Print to Process
Expert certification and ISO 9001: 2008 quality
management certification. In 2011, A Great
Place to Work Institute named Poligrafica
the 13th best place in Latin America and the
8th best place in Ecuador to be an employee.
International artists have also recognized the
quality of its print. The well-known painter
and sculptor Oswaldo Guayasamin says: “All
Ecuadorians should be proud to have a graphic
arts business that produces work of a quality
and beauty equal to that of European printers.”
The printer’s product offering has diversified
to meet the demands of the Ecuadorian
market. Today the portfolio of products
includes appointment diaries made with
high quality imported materials; notebooks
that are enhanced by the use of special inks
on the cover; package production services,
using a complete set of machines suitable for
printing cardboard and making blister- and
heat-sealed packaging; security documents
used for items such as checks, savings account
bankbooks, scratch cards and mortgage
bonds; and continuous forms used for bills,
commercial invoices, sales slips and credit
notes. In the offset segment, the company
has four printing presses to print all the orders
received. Poligrafica’s most recent acquisition
is a Komori 10-color Lithrone S40SP.
Technology is key to Poligrafica’s strengths,
and investment in technology is fundamental
to its business policy. For many years, the
production of cosmetics catalogs, books and
magazines has grown significantly, creating
opportunities to improve capabilities in this
field. In the Lithrone S40SP, Poligrafica has
clearly found the machine needed to give its
clients not only superior quality but also better
delivery times and service.
From left: Ir. Agus Prijono, Sales Manager of PT Bright Grafa
Machinery, and Frans Rene Hahijary, Commissioner, Medy
Gunawan, Director of Finance, and Rudy Chandra, Managing
Director of Aneka Jaya Printing at IGAS 2011
Aneka Jaya Printing was established 10 years
ago in the Kepu area of Jakarta. This area is a
‘just-in-time’ printing district in the capital
city. At the end of 2010, Aneka Jaya Printing
invested in a new four-color Enthrone 29,
and this first investment in a new machine
realized the dream of Rudy Chandra, Aneka
Jaya’s managing director, of developing into a
very successful just-in-time printing company.
Technology is key to survival
To survive in the global market, especially
in the area where Aneka Jaya operates with
its strong competition and pricing pressure,
Mr. Chandra knows that modern technology
is essential. Installing the Enthrone 429 is one
of his strategies to master these challenges
since a Komori machine gives the printer the
advantages of both outstanding efficiency
and high quality.
Forty jobs per day
Last year when the proportion of short-run
jobs was growing, Chandra’s strategic thinking
began in earnest. When new equipment was
needed and the time was right, Chandra
decided to replace his old Sprint 426 with
the Enthrone 429, shown at Indonesia All Print
2010 in October.
Finally, one week after the beginning of
production in November 2010, Chandra could
say, “We can print 40 jobs per day. This is very
fantastic and gives me great satisfaction.”
“The professional
after-sales service of the
Komori Team is an additional factor that is definitely ‘ beyond expectations."
Rudy Chandra, Managing Director
Reduced waste and high speed
“The completely automatic Enthrone 429 takes
just 10 minutes and around 10 waste sheets to
get an OK sheet. That means the machine suits
our needs very well — significantly reducing
both paper waste and time. When operating
at the maximum printing speed, Aneka Jaya
Printing attains both lower costs and high
quality,” Chandra continues.
Competing with digital
As proof of the Enthrone 29’s efficiency, the
machine is also used for short-run jobs that
are normally printed on a digital press. This
Komori press, with the advantage of a reduced
number of parts, competes successfully against
the digital option.
These achievements are underlined by the
fact that Komori’s professional engineers were
able to shorten the installation time to only
two days. “The final thing I can add is that the
professional after-sales service of the Komori
Team is an additional factor that is definitely
‘beyond expectations,” concludes Chandra.
Komori On Press
35
Graphitec
June 7–10 in Paris, France
Komori France exhibited a five-color
H-UV-equipped Lithrone S29 on the
theme ‘H-UV in an OffsetOnDemand
Environment’ to a packed booth at
Graphitec. Since Komori was the only
manufacturer to exhibit a press and
present live demonstrations, the booth
filled with visitors when the presentations
were about to start.
Graph expo
September 11–14 in Chicago, US
Komori America participated in Graph Expo,
introducing the new PDC-SX Spectral Density
control system. Komori America also received the
Printing Industry of America’s prestigious InterTech Technology Award for its H-UV technology.
Scenes from Komori Shows
H-UV Emerges as New Global Standard
Graphitec in France — KIE Open House in the Netherlands — Graph
Lithrone G40 Open House
June 29 in Utrecht, Netherlands
More than 200 visitors attended the introduction of the
Lithrone G40 at the KIE Open House on June 29. During
live demonstrations and presentations, the Komori
staff showed the newly developed Lithrone G40 and
explained the H-UV system.
Expo in US — Andigrafica in Colombia — Poligraphinter in Russia
Andigrafica
June 21–25 in Bogotá, Colombia
Andigrafica 2011 was held in Bogotá and Print Press
S.A.S., the Komori distributor in Colombia, staged an
exhibit of Komori print solutions.
Poligraphinter
October 4–8 in Moscow, Russia
Komori exhibited at Polygraphinter 2011,
the main national printing exhibition in
Russia. Yam International, the Komori
distributor, demonstrated a seven-color
Lithrone SX29 plus Cold Foiling with UV
Curing and Coater as well as a five-color
Enthrone 29.
36
Komori On Press
Komori On Press
37
Komori C a l e n da r 2012
Cover: 5-color+matt varnish+OP varnish+coater
Mark Laita
For over 20 years, advertising agencies worldwide have asked Mark Laita to bring his expertise, problem-solving abilities and signature style to their most important
campaigns. His clean, colorful, and vivid product photography has earned him a reputation for award-winning work for a host of blue-chip clients.
Based in Los Angeles since 1986, Mark also maintains a studio in New York City. His grace, wit and straightforward manner provide for a relaxed and efficient working
environment. Mark’s still life photography has been featured in numerous campaigns.
His work has been recognized year after year by Communication Arts, Archive, Graphis, the One Show and the Kelly Awards. Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles began
representing Mark with a show of his fine art prints in September 2006. The United States Postal Service featured Mark’s flower images in a series of postage stamps in 2007.
Jan – Feb: 5-color+matt varnish+OP varnish+coater
4-color
MAR – APR: 5-color+matt varnish+OP varnish+coater
orange
matt varnish
indigo
matt varnish
OP varnish
coater
OP varnish
coater
4-color
4-color
MAY – JUN: 5-color+matt varnish+OP varnish+coater
JUL – AUG: 5-color+gloss varnish+matt varnish+OP varnish+coater
green
matt varnish
bright yellow
matt varnish
OP varnish
coater
gloss varnish
OP varnish
4-color
4-color
coater
SEP – OCT: 5-color+matt varnish+OP varnish+coater
yellowish green
38
Komori On Press
matt varnish
OP varnish
coater
ONPRESS74
en
4-color
JPN
40P
Nov. 2011
10.8K
HP
NOV – DEC: 5-color+matt varnish+OP varnish+coater
gold
matt varnish
red
matt varnish
OP varnish
coater
OP varnish
coater
4-color
Komori On Press
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