Worldcolor to Install Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press
ROCHESTER, NY—May 17, 2010—Worldcolor, one of the leading commercial and publication printers in the Americas, has chosen a Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press with an integrated Muller Martini Sigmaline in-line finishing system for its operations in Dubuque, IA. The Prosper 5000XL Press installation will enhance the company’s leadership position in short-run color and black and white books, as well as versioned and variable magazines, catalogs and high-end direct mail. The press will meet increasing Worldcolor customer demand for a variable production solution that delivers smaller quantities and quicker turns at competitive prices, as well as delivering high-quality reproduction.
A Prosper Press market pioneer, when the press is installed in the second half of 2010, Worldcolor will be one of the earliest users of Kodak’s revolutionary Stream Inkjet Technology. Worldcolor manufactures more than 700 million books a year at facilities in North America and Latin America, including best-sellers, textbooks, cookbooks, and many others. It also is a leading printer of magazines, catalogs, retail inserts, directories and direct mail.
“Worldcolor continues to seek the best ways to deliver value to our customers. In an extremely challenging economic climate, solutions that serve both the client and the provider have to be found,” said Brian Freschi, President, Worldcolor North American Operations. “We believe that high-speed, high-quality inkjet printing is one such solution. Kodak and Muller Martini, both long-time suppliers to Worldcolor, have combined to bring us a system that will enhance our ability to offer many value-added services to our customers.”
For book printers, the Kodak Prosper Press Platform offers a solution that, in many applications, will be superior to offset for run lengths up to 7,000 copies, greatly enhancing supply chain efficiency by reducing obsolescence and wastage from a publisher's perspective. When combined with the Muller Martini Sigmaline in-line finishing system, the Prosper Press delivers a complete files-to-books system. Along with traditional mass market and trade books, the Prosper Press Platform can be used to efficiently print customized course materials. The press’ variable speeds, simple paper path and variable cut-off capabilities allow better system utilization, low startup and makeready waste, and savings in paper consumption, which along with improved energy efficiency and the use of water-based inks conforms to the increasing customer demand for environmentally responsible printing practices.
For direct mail printers, the Prosper Press Platform leverages high-quality customization to improve response rates and offers 30 percent lower total cost of ownership compared to offset printing in combination with offline laser imprinting. For catalog and magazine printers, the Prosper Press Platform beats the overall cost of offset in run lengths up to 3,000 copies, while increasing response rates through the use of personalization and targeted marketing.
“The Kodak Prosper Press platform is transformational for the graphic arts industry,” said Kevin Joyce, Worldwide Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Digital Printing Solutions, Kodak. “The Prosper Press platform is the first digital press delivering offset class quality, productivity and cost for such a wide range of applications. The Prosper Press Platform delivers the flexibility that printers need to build their businesses and thrive in a high-demand, high-speed marketplace.”
The Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press features a print speed of up to 650 fpm (200 mpm) with image quality approaching 175 lpi and a monthly duty cycle of up to 120 million A4 pages. The press is able to handle both coated and uncoated papers, including glossy coated, with basis weights ranging from 45 gsm–300 gsm (30 lbs–200 lbs). In addition, the press boasts an advanced ink formulation to further enhance print quality, durability and the unique ability to print on glossy coated substrates.
“In a very competitive and changing market, our customers are looking to us to be proactive in meeting their needs,” said Gary Durand, Executive Vice President of Operations, Worldcolor North American Operations. “We are constantly evaluating new technologies and processes. Digital inkjet printing promises to be a breakthrough technology, and the Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press delivers offset class quality on the broadest grades of uncoated, coated and glossy coated commercially available papers. Combined with the fully integrated Muller Martini finishing system, we feel that we have an unbeatable system. The enthusiastic cooperation and guidance from both Kodak and Muller Martini made the choice that much easier. Ultimately, our customers will be the winners. Ultimately, customer satisfaction is what we sell.”
This purchase of a Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press with an integrated Muller Martini Sigmaline in-line finishing system, follows announcements earlier this year of Prosper Press platform purchases by Rotomail Italia; Offset Paperback Manufacturers (OPM)/Arvato, a Bertelsmann Company; Consolidated Graphics; and Webcrafters. Kodak also recently announced that the PROSPER 5000XL Press would be publicly launched at Ipex 2010 in Birmingham, UK.
For more information about Kodak’s exhibits at Ipex, visit: www.kodak.com/go/IPEX.
Kodak Products are backed by Kodak Service and Support. Kodak Service and Support is made up of more than 3,000 professionals in 120 countries. It is a leading multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging, data storage and retail industries. Kodak Service and Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.
About Worldcolor
Worldcolor is an industry leader in providing high-value and comprehensive print, digital and related services to retailers, catalogers, publishers, branded-goods companies and other businesses worldwide. Founded in 1903, Worldcolor’s products include advertising inserts and circulars, catalogs, direct mail products, magazines, books, directories, digital premedia, logistics and mail list technologies. During its century-long existence, Worldcolor has had a rich tradition of leadership and excellence. Its team of approximately 18,000 employees is focused on helping clients meet their needs from facilities located in the U.S., Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. More information about Worldcolor can be found on its website at www.worldcolor.com
About Muller Martini
Muller Martini is the world’s largest producer of print finishing solutions for commercial and book printers, trade binderies, newspapers, and digital book manufacturers. They are also the world’s leading manufacturer of variable size web offset presses. Muller’s innovative workflow solutions optimize processing efficiencies, while helping to build new revenue streams. With U.S. headquarters in Hauppauge, New York, Muller’s sales and support team provides training and responsive service to printers and binderies nationwide. Their state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities are located in Newport News, Virginia, and in Allentown, Pennsylvania, home to Muller Martini Mailroom Systems, Inc.
About Kodak Prosper Solutions
Based on innovative Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology, Kodak Prosper Solutions deliver digital without compromise, enabling print service providers to produce offset class output in terms of speed, quality, and cost for their clients.
The family of Kodak Prosper Products includes the Kodak Prosper S10 Imprinting System, for direct mail, catalogs, magazines, newspapers, inserts, and transactional documents; Kodak Prosper 1000 Press for books and direct mail; and Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press for books, direct mail, catalogs/inserts and magazines. For more information, visit www.prosper.kodak.com.
About Kodak
As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.
To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.
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