In its largest-ever press investment, UK folding carton converter Benson Gateshead has purchased an 8-colour Speedmaster XL 106 B1 format perfecting press from Heidelberg.
The machine is configured to produce medium format sheets at speeds of up to 18,000/hour in up to eight colours and a coating on one side of the sheet - or up to six colours and coating on one side of the sheet plus two colour printing and coating on the reverse. The reverse printing product is marketed under the Benson Verso name.
Andrew Pybus, general manager of the company's two North East sites, says: "We need to stay ahead of the game and this press will give us additional capabilities, both in the number of printing units that can be utilised for single-sided printing, and in the ability to print on both sides of the sheet in a single pass".
Heidelberg UK sales director Jim Todd adds: "With this configuration, Gateshead has created a clever solution that enables them to offer something different to the market and to broaden the appeal of their packaging solutions.This is a very unusual Speedmaster XL 106 with a print-coat-perfect-print-coat configuration. It can offer eight colours straight or six-back-two and with coating on both sides. Packaging with information or marketing material inside the box is a growing trend, and Benson have been quick to equip themselves to meet this need."
