Imagination seals KM-1 deal at PrintEx

Imagination Graphics has added an AccurioJet KM-1 to its printing stable after finalising the deal with Konica Minolta at PrintEx19.

The Sydney-based printing and graphic operation is the first NSW printer to invest in a KM-1 with owner Emmanuel Buhagiar saying while the move is significant for his business it is the right decision as it will boost the offering available to his customers.

The purchase is the latest in a string Buhagiar has made during his 10 year relationship with Konica Minolta with the most recent being the addition of two Konica Minolta presses last year, the AccurioPress C6100 and 1085. The business has enjoyed solid growth in the last three years with steady investment supporting that growth and future growth.

The KM-1 sheet fed B2 UV colour digital inkjet combines the speed and flexibility of offset presses with the digital benefits of variable data printing with zero make‑ready.

“This investment was a big step for Imagination Graphics, however, it was the right one. We did our due diligence and had faith that the KM-1 and Konica Minolta, as a trusted partner for more than 10 years, would deliver,” Emmanuel Buhagiar, director, Imagination Graphics, said.

“Imagination Graphics chose the KM-1 due to its ability to print on a wide variety of stocks, which gives us great versatility in the types of work we can take on, as well as the colour and quality reproduction and ability to match Pantone colours.

“The KM-1 will open up a whole new market and client base for Imagination Graphics. It will also give us more speed, faster turnaround, the ability to bring work in-house that we have previously had to outsource, and the opportunity to take on short-run projects, which will make us more competitive. For example, using the KM-1, we can print up to 3,000 A2 posters in an hour, all with different designs, which would be far more costly and time-consuming on an offset press. As a customer-focused business, the ability to deliver on time with quality is critical to our success.”

Sue Threlfo, general manager, production and industrial print, Konica Minolta said: “We are delighted that Budgie has made the decision to purchase the AccurioJet UV inkjet press. We have a long association and we know that this will take Imagination Graphics to the next level in their business.”

The KM-1 can print on a variety of substrates at varying thicknesses hitting speeds of up to 3,000 sheets per hour simplex or 1,500 sheets per hour duplex.

Its unique design marries Konica Minolta’s UV ink, high-speed inkjet head technology and image processing system, with its expertise in stable sheet path control and two-sided printing with superb registration accuracy.

Adam Todd, industrial print solutions consultant, Konica Minolta, said, “Konica Minolta is excited that Imagination Graphics is the first NSW installation of the game-changing KM-1, and the third in Australia. The KM-1 will open up new markets for Imagination Graphics and let it produce a much wider variety of high-value applications for its customers. We are proud that Imagination Graphics has selected Konica Minolta as its strategic partner for this venture.”

Emmanuel Buhagiar said, “Imagination Graphics has worked with Konica Minolta for more than 10 years, and every time we have upgraded our equipment we have seen business growth right up to our last investment, which was the AccurioPress C6100 and C1085. We expect the KM-1 to bring the same benefit.

“It brings a lot of versatility across substrates and stocks, prints fast, and is a sturdy machine. The aim is to open up the B2 market for us, and bring outsourced work in: presentation folders, posters.”

This is the first NSW install for the KM-1, the third in Australia, and the 100th globally since its introduction to the market just over two years ago.

Imagination Graphics has gone from strength to strength in recent times taking out the Konica Minolta National Specialised Print Awards in 2018 for its ‘Hamptons’ pop-up book and earning a trip to the company’s headquarters in Tokyo.

It also bought out two local rivals in 2018 which doubled its capacity and lead to a tripling in staff from around four to 15.

In other investments it also added a Duplo DC 645 cutter/slitter, and a refurbished Heidelberg GTO 52 with varnish.

Revolution Print in Ballarat, Victoria added a AccurioJet KM-1 to its offering last year and have been very happy with it due to its reliability, offset-like paper registration and service commitment by Konica Minolta.

Buhagiar expects the new printer to be up and running in a couple of months.

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