Chesapeake buys second press in a month

The Komori Lithrone S40 printing press has been specified with Komori’s highest automation package, which includes fully-automated plate changing and Komori KHS-AI fast make-ready system.

Chesapeake made the investment after running extensive trials on the press at Komori’s Graphic Technology Centres in Japan and Holland. The new press will be installed in June.

The Leicester team undertook an extensive evaluation of B1 machines from the top five press manufacturers before deciding on the Komori machine.

Chesapeake’s operations director at the Leicester site, Mark Wilson said the Lithrone’s fast start-up and pre-inking and de-inking “significantly” reduced waste.

“The press configuration provides us with a very robust and flexible system that will help ensure we continue to deliver the very best in printed carton products to our customers,” added Wilson.

Chesapeake was so impressed with the Komori’s PDC-SII closed-loop colour management system that it has retrospectively added it to one of Leicester’s existing three Lithrone 28″ presses.

Since Chesapeake was bought out of Chapter 11 by private equity, the company has invested in new equipment at sites in the UK, Ireland, Benelux, France, Germany, the US and China.

In February, Chesapeake bought a KBA Rapida press for its Greenford site that will produce complex patient information leaflets.

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