Acorn Web, a specialist printer of short to medium run A4 and A5 multi page products, says it continues to strive for manufacturing excellence with the purchase of a brand-new cover press.
The Normanton based web offset printer says it has made the investment to replace its current cover press and following an extensive review process it has announced that it has chosen to buy a Komori Lithrone G37 sheetfed press.
Acorn Web says following a period of sustained growth, whereby the number of regular titles produced has increased to more than 300 and having been consistently close to capacity across its 24/6 core shift pattern, it was necessary to perform a review of the market. The review started shortly before Drupa in May 2024 and covered both digital and conventional presses. It has also involved many site visits, demonstrations, and press tests to ensure the correct asset was chosen, added the company.
The company says the new Komori press scheduled for install in Q4 of 2025, will offer the increase in capacity it needs, but more specifically it will help further minimise paper waste, reduce energy, and cut CO2 from this part of the process.
The Komori Lithrone G37 has been specially configured to allow for printing four process colours, plus one special colour and coating in line too, continued the company. It is equipped to run UV LED and conventional inks together with UV or water-based coatings. Acorn Web says this configuration helps the company to meet the varying production needs of its customers, and its shared focus with them of printing covers more sustainably.
To deliver the highest level of productivity and quality the company says the press comes equipped with Komori’s state of the art Print Quality Assessment System, or PQAS in short, this ensures a continuous high level of quality assessment through in-line 4K cameras mounted on the press. These high-resolution cameras efficiently automate colour control, register control, and content inspection of all sheets.
According to Acorn Web, the new press will offer at least a 30% productivity improvement over the outgoing B1 press which will be taken out of production once the new install is complete. Acorn Web says as part of its assessment it identified that 99% of all jobs do not require printing from a B1 sized press. The Komori Lithrone G37 has a smaller SRA1+ production size, which will result in lower capital and running costs over the existing press, added the company.
Mark Roberts, managing director for Acorn Web said: “We are grateful to Komori for their patience and attention to detail when working on this important step for Acorn. We place sustainability at the highest level of importance when considering investments. We have already reduced our scopes 1 – 3 carbons emissions by over 35 % in the last three years. We believe the reduction in energy and material consumption that the Komori Lithrone G37 offers will help us deliver further sustainability benefits, and the productivity improvement will help meet our increasing customer demand too”
Steve Turner, managing director for Komori UK said: “We are excited to support Acorn Web's mission to enhance productivity and sustainability. As its first ever Komori press, the Komori Lithrone G37 is a future-proof solution that aligns with its commitment to efficiency, waste reduction, and delivering enduring value to customers. By investing in cutting-edge technology, Acorn Web is adapting to change and overcoming industry challenges with confidence."
Acorn employs 130 staff and produces A4 & A5 magazines, catalogues & brochures for publishers, retailers, local government, and some print management companies. In the year ending 30th September 2024, it posted sales of £25.5m. The company concludes by saying this latest investment brings the total capital expenditure for the year to over £2m.
You can find out more about Acorn Web Offset in our Publishing Services Directory.
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