Centrum Printing has tripled its floor space as part of an investment drive that also includes a new KBA press and upgrades to pre-press and finishing.
Director Percy Vij told ProPrint that the Sydney firm's KBA packaging press was scheduled to arrive at its new 3,500sqm factory in a fortnight.
The six-colour Rapida 162a plus coater, which Centrum signed for at PacPrint, should then start production in December, he added.
"A lot of interest has been shown in the new machine. A lot of industry people are supporting us, including other printers, who have shown a very positive response to work with us."
Vij said the KBA press would provide a big boost to Centrum's second-half results.
Centrum is currently operating out of a 1,100sqm site in Mascot. Some equipment has already been relocated to the new premises in Chipping Norton ahead of the main move on 20 December. The site is then expected to open on 13 January, he told ProPrint.
[ProPrint Power 50: Vote for Percy Vij]
Chipping Norton will also take delivery of a new guillotine, as well as a Screen PlateRite Ultima 24000S platesetter and Fujifilm Brillia HD LH-PLE plates to take Centrum's platemaking up to VLF size.
"If you buy a bigger machine, you need a bigger pre-press to support that," said Vij.
"It’s a major project to manage, but all is going well with the press slab laid, our new press about to commence installation and now the pre-press side taken care of through Fujifilm."
The Screen platesetter will be able to service Centrum's smaller presses, while Centrum's current Fujifilm XMF workflow software will be upgraded to accommodate the larger format.
Fujifilm's general manager of graphic systems, Sturt Eastwood, congratulated Centrum for its "strategic move into large-format prepress and packaging".
"We are fortunate to have been partnering with the Centrum team for some years now and have been more than impressed with their management depth and progressive nature," said Eastwood.
Screen managing director Peter Scott said: "Our thermal CTP partnership with Fujifilm is stronger than ever and we were delighted to be called in to advise on Centrum’s planned upgrade. It’s great to see a progressive printer thinking beyond the 'eight-up' B1 format and focusing on more profitable larger-format sectors."
[Feature: Centrum Printing's epic turnaround]
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