News
Dobson & Crowther Expands with ROLAND 900
Envelope printing specialist Dobson & Crowther Ltd, Llangollen, North Wales, has announced details of a £2.5 million investment with the purchase of a five-colour plus coater version of a size 6 ROLAND 900 press at Drupa. The printers expanding environmental focus means that the press will be configured to run alcohol free from day one, with the ability to produce high gloss coating without the environmental issues associated with UV.
The new manroland press will replace an existing Heidelberg Speedmaster machine, and recent investment also includes the installation of a new Tharstern MIS package.
“We believe that a print business has to invest to move forward,” said Paul Holden, Managing Director at Dobson & Crowther. “These latest additions to our factory will provide us with the very latest in press technology, and an MIS system that will allow us to take advantage of developments such as JDF and JMF. The new ROLAND 900, with its significantly faster make-ready capabilities, and the benefits of JDF, will allow us to produce 20% more work every working day.”
The final decision on the press was between manroland and KBA, and a team from Dobson & Crowther, including press operators, viewed both machines in action in Germany before concluding the selection process. “The print quality on the ROLAND 900 had the edge for us,” said John Goddard, Sales Director. “The ability of the printnet press computer system to work efficiently with the JDF and JMF system was another key point.
“With the environmental focus that we are now adopting as a company, it was also important that the new press was suited to running without alcohol, and manroland were able to demonstrate that aspect.” The company has recently boosted its environmental credentials by gaining Certification for both FSC and PEFC substrates.
Dobson & Crowther is the UK’s largest manufacturer of litho printed envelopes, producing in excess of half a billion envelopes a year for the direct mail industry. The company is the market leader in the production of horticultural seed pockets. Other areas of specialisation include the production of photographic systems bags, wallets, mailers, school photograph envelopes, mobile phone and inkjet recycling mailer bags, charity and jewellery pockets.
Established in 1904, the business moved to Llangollen in 1946 and was eventually acquired by Smurfit Packaging UK in 1973. In March 2006 the business changed its name from Smurfit Print UK back to Dobson & Crowther following a management buyout, with a team of three now owning the business: Mike Smith, Chairman; Paul Holden, Managing Director; and John Goddard, Sales Director. The business currently employs 135 staff.
Reviewing this latest round of investment, John Goddard added: “If you don’t spend, you stand still. If a print business stands still, it will die.”
Adding his thoughts regarding the order, Gary Doman, Director of Sheetfed Sales at manroland GB, said: “John and the team at Dobson & Crowther are very technically aware, and knew exactly what they wanted this latest investment to achieve for them. We are, of course, delighted that the ROLAND 900 was able to provide everything that they needed in terms of print quality and technical capability.”
For further information on Dobson & Crowther Ltd, visit our website: www.dobsonandcrowther.com, e-mail us: sales@dobsonandcrowther.com or call 01978 862100.
Dobson & Crowther Expands with ROLAND 900
Envelope printing specialist Dobson & Crowther Ltd, Llangollen, North Wales, has announced details of a £2.5 million investment with the purchase of a five-colour plus coater version of a size 6 ROLAND 900 press at Drupa. The printers expanding environmental focus means that the press will be configured to run alcohol free from day one, with the ability to produce high gloss coating without the environmental issues associated with UV.
The new manroland press will replace an existing Heidelberg Speedmaster machine, and recent investment also includes the installation of a new Tharstern MIS package.
“We believe that a print business has to invest to move forward,” said Paul Holden, Managing Director at Dobson & Crowther. “These latest additions to our factory will provide us with the very latest in press technology, and an MIS system that will allow us to take advantage of developments such as JDF and JMF. The new ROLAND 900, with its significantly faster make-ready capabilities, and the benefits of JDF, will allow us to produce 20% more work every working day.”
The final decision on the press was between manroland and KBA, and a team from Dobson & Crowther, including press operators, viewed both machines in action in Germany before concluding the selection process. “The print quality on the ROLAND 900 had the edge for us,” said John Goddard, Sales Director. “The ability of the printnet press computer system to work efficiently with the JDF and JMF system was another key point.
“With the environmental focus that we are now adopting as a company, it was also important that the new press was suited to running without alcohol, and manroland were able to demonstrate that aspect.” The company has recently boosted its environmental credentials by gaining Certification for both FSC and PEFC substrates.
Dobson & Crowther is the UK’s largest manufacturer of litho printed envelopes, producing in excess of half a billion envelopes a year for the direct mail industry. The company is the market leader in the production of horticultural seed pockets. Other areas of specialisation include the production of photographic systems bags, wallets, mailers, school photograph envelopes, mobile phone and inkjet recycling mailer bags, charity and jewellery pockets.
Established in 1904, the business moved to Llangollen in 1946 and was eventually acquired by Smurfit Packaging UK in 1973. In March 2006 the business changed its name from Smurfit Print UK back to Dobson & Crowther following a management buyout, with a team of three now owning the business: Mike Smith, Chairman; Paul Holden, Managing Director; and John Goddard, Sales Director. The business currently employs 135 staff.
Reviewing this latest round of investment, John Goddard added: “If you don’t spend, you stand still. If a print business stands still, it will die.”
Adding his thoughts regarding the order, Gary Doman, Director of Sheetfed Sales at manroland GB, said: “John and the team at Dobson & Crowther are very technically aware, and knew exactly what they wanted this latest investment to achieve for them. We are, of course, delighted that the ROLAND 900 was able to provide everything that they needed in terms of print quality and technical capability.”
For further information on Dobson & Crowther Ltd, visit our website: www.dobsonandcrowther.com, e-mail us: sales@dobsonandcrowther.com or call 01978 862100.
