Direct Edge Media Captures New Opportunities with Koenig & Bauer Investment

Enter the brand new 26,000 sqft facility of Direct Edge, a print communications company with locations in both Southern California and Colorado, and visitors are sure to see some of the most innovative and unique print work being produced for its national portfolio of customers. Its team of employees might be creating innovative packaging for an exciting movie premiere, or producing a new boxed kit to encourage shoppers to try a new skincare line. Promotional items for the Nascar season opener at Daytona are being printed alongside window displays to attract attention at the Downtown Disney complex in Anaheim.

Celebrating its 21^st year in business, Direct Edge has earned its stellar reputation for being technology driven, visually inspired, and offering progressive solutions through its mix of both digital and conventional offset printing including its new Koenig & Bauer (Booth N2443) Rapida 105 41" fully automated press.

“We have been able to produce amazingly creative work for our clients because of our deeply rooted core value of ‘Say Yes’ and a commitment to exhaust all options to deliver results,” says Ryan Brueckner, CEO and co-founder of Direct Edge. “Over the past 20 years, Direct Edge has built its success on providing our customers with industry leading customer service, while investing in superior technology and innovation to deliver powerful print and visual marketing solutions. This focus allows us to continuously evolve and expand our capabilities without limiting what we can offer our clients.” 

That was the impetus when the firm decided to retire an older offset press and seek an upgraded machine with the latest automation that also included in-line UV coating. After thoroughly vetting all of the top press manufacturers, Direct Edge chose the Koenig & Bauer Rapida 105 for its quality, high speed, superior automation, and UV capabilities, as well as its press efficiency and real time production tracking. 

Currently the firm’s litho department produces 60% of its work digitally, and 40% using conventional offset. “We plan to grow our high quality litho clients with the new Rapida,” says Jay Sheffield, director of operations. “Its high production will help accelerate faster turn times. While lower costs, higher quality, and quicker turn time have remained a constant trend, we have also noticed that clients are looking for impactful finishing techniques that are cost effective. The Rapida’s UV capability will increase our capabilities by offering additional specialty coatings to our clients.”

Toby Johnson, director of sales at Direct Edge, sees potential in expanding the firm’s finishing techniques through the new UV capabilities. “We’ll be able to offer flood gloss and dull UV, spot gloss and spot dull UV, strike-through UV, reticulating UV, and textures such as sandpaper,” he remarks. “We believe the Rapida will help give us a unique advantage over our competitors, and meet the growing demands of our clients in order to ensure the highest value and ultimate customer satisfaction.”