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Investment in CTP crowned paramount by Kingston Carton
Investment to improve efficiency , a recently installed Screen B1 PlateRite 8300 Computer to Plate (CTP) system has had the effect of increasing and improving plate output at Kingston Carton’s packaging print facility, Hull.
“We have experienced a dramatic boost to our production efficiency since the Screen CTP system was installed,” says Steve Ticehurst, reprographic manager at Kingston Carton. “We originally employed third party suppliers to make certain plates with the rest being produced in-house via a manual film operation. We have now significantly increased the number of plates produced with the PlateRite 8300 and we’re not even using it to its maximum capacity!”
As a packaging printer operating in a number of sectors including the food and healthcare arena, Kingston Carton need this quality and consistency to produce plates perfect every time. For this reason, the company had to be sure that its chosen technology could deliver accurate registration and colour consistently.
Mr Ticehurst says: “In many cases, the packaging is as important as the product for our customers. We have to produce exact, colour accurate cartons that clearly state vital information, such as medical instructions, allergy advice and ingredients. The work we produce is always scrutinised by our customers for very good reason, so it is up to us to provide them with consistent, high quality results every time. They can be reassured that their product is faultless and ready to be released into the marketplace. We now feel reassured that, together with Screen’s CTP technology, we are in total control of the quality we produce during each print function; from the start to the end of the entire process.”
Already a Screen customer for the last twenty years, Kingston Carton is confident of the PlateRite 8300’s durability and reliability. It chose a thermal system because of its suitability to UV ink applications; and, in addition, the company was impressed with the range of automated features offered, such as the PlateRite 8300’s inline punching facility.
The installed PlateRite 8300 has provided Kingston Carton with a far more flexible and efficient way of working. The company reports that it is now in an even stronger position to prioritise work and rush jobs through urgently or make amendments at the last minute, should customers need to do so.
Mr Ticehurst continues: “Without having to employ any extra staff, we now have the resources on-hand to produce a set of plates within half an hour; as opposed to having to wait longer for our supplier to image and deliver them.”
The installed PlateRite 8300 produces Fuji plates for a mixture of MAN Roland and Heidelberg presses which typically run on a double-day shift. Kingston Carton’s also invested in an additional SAL-8800II single cassette autoloader so that it is able to image plates overnight when required. This optional extra ensures the company’s presses are kept running to a maximum and the business is operating to full capacity.
With design, prepress, printing and finishing departments, Kingston Carton is a quality carton manufacturer to a wide range of manufacturing industries in the UK. A family owned business that was established in 1917 employing over 70 people and regarded as one of the UK’s foremost carton producers .