Ventura Printing Increases Production Capacity with Installation of Fourth Mitsubishi Press

OXNARD, CA—In early 2006, Ventura Printing acquired Business Mailing Center, a $2 million mailing and fulfillment firm in Oxnard. The combination of the new capabilities, a growing sales force and an influx of 40-inch work led the commercial printer to add another Mitsubishi press to its stable of sheetfed presses.

The five-color, 40-inch Diamond 3000S is equipped with an aqueous tower coater and extended delivery. It is the fourth Mitsubishi press that Ventura Printing has purchased in 12 years.

“In terms of size and run lengths, many of the jobs we have been receiving are a better fit for the 40-inch sheet size,” said David Wilson, general manager. “Compared to other printing equipment, Mitsubishi presses offer exceptional quality, faster turnarounds and superior reliability,”

Founded as Horton Printing in 1920, Ventura Printing is an employee-owned provider of general commercial printing with a staff of 110. The printer reported just over $15 million in sales volume in 2006.

Ventura Printing’s services include scanning, color correcting, printing, binding and fulfillment of marketing brochures, catalogs, annual reports, direct mail and packaging. The average run length is 5,000 to 10,000 impressions, although Wilson said Ventura Printing is not timid when it comes to larger jobs because the company runs presses around the clock and seven days a week.

To meet the needs of its clients, Ventura Printing operates fully equipped electronic prepress and bindery departments. The mailing and fulfillment division enables Ventura Printer to provide a “one-stop solution” to customers that previously had separate relationships with a mail house and a print shop, according to Wilson.

“The mail side of our business is growing due to our existing print customers being able to take advantage of mailing services, and print orders are increasing as a result of our relationship with mail customers,” he said.

On Ventura Printing’s pressroom floor can be found an eclectic mix of sheetfed presses, ranging in sheet size from 20 inches to 40 inches and configurations of two colors to six colors. The company currently operates a total of three Mitsubishi presses, all with aqueous coating units. The Diamond 3000S shares space with a six-color Mitsubishi 3F-13 (also a 40-inch press) and a six-color 1F-15 (a 28-inch model).

Ventura Printing installed its first 28-inch Mitsubishi press in 1995, after conducting extensive print tests on the presses of different manufacturers.

“We discovered that the Mitsubishi was superior to the other presses we tested,” Wilson recalled.

The firm implemented computer-to-plate technology in 2000. A CIP3/4 interface between the presses and prepress equipment allows operators to export the ink profiles for the ink fountains directly to the press consoles.

Being able to offer its customers consistent quality gives Ventura Printing a definite competitive advantage.

“Our customers are very pleased with the results,” Wilson said. “We are happy Mitsubishi press users.”

About Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses
Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses (MLP U.S.A. Inc.) markets multicolor sheetfed and web lithographic presses manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. MLP U.S.A. provides complete sales, parts and service for the entire line of Mitsubishi presses. For more information, contact MLP U.S.A. in Lincolnshire, Ill., at (847) 634-9100 or the Mitsubishi West Coast Headquarters in Ontario, Calif., at (909) 947-5725. Mitsubishi recently relocated its West Coast operations from Torrance, CA, to the new and expanded facility in Ontario. Information also can be found at www.mlpusa.com.