Colonial Printing installs third Komori press
Owner cites positive history with Komori in choosing the LS40
Colonial Printing, a commercial sheetfed printer in Warwick, R.I. that serves a diversified client base that includes advertising and design agencies, corporate marketing departments and universities, has recently installed a six-color Komori Lithrone S40 press with in-line aqueous coater. Colonial Printing’s need to meet customer requirements, the demands of its growing business and a favorable experience with Komori products and services were all cited as driving factors in choosing the LS40. Having seen its business double in size since installing its first 40-inch six-color Komori press with coater in 2004, Colonial Printing needed a second, highly automated press to continue its impressive growth.

“We have been a Komori house since my father founded the business 31 years ago, but up until 2004 we ran only half-size presses,” said Ken Menna, vice president and co-owner of Colonial Printing. “There was no question we would buy a Komori this time around. The degree of automation on this press just astounds me. It is a true 16,000 sheets per hour printing press — that is a very attractive feature for us. This press will give us the opportunity to broaden our sales horizons and help market our company.”

The advanced automation features available on the new LS40 were of major importance to Colonial Printing. Foremost, among other features, was the skeleton-type transfer system that utilizes an air guide to eliminate marking. “That was a huge thing for us since it minimizes contact points between the sheet and the press — especially on the second pass through the press,” said Menna. “Since 85 percent of everything we print goes through the press two times, removing the potential for tracking and marking from the equation during the second pass is titanic.”

Colonial’s applications include annual reports, newsletters, advertising inserts and specialty collateral materials developed by designers. Finished pieces range from one by one-inch hang tags to 27 by 39-inch. fine art posters, with most products done in 8½ by 11-inch and 11 by 17-inch formats. Colonial’s owners also anticipate significant productivity improvements from the new press. Since its crews are already familiar with the first Komori press, it gives the company flexibility in press crew assignments and it is easier to keep production moving.

“The refinements that make the newest LS40 presses so easy to use reflect the Komori product improvement philosophy,” said Ken Sabol, vice president of sales for Komori’s Eastern Region. “This is what we mean by our commitment to evolving together with customers.”