For a printing company with no background in prepress Prism is now running one of the most advanced digital workflows in the country, with more than a little help from Currie Group
In a universal story Greg McHenry, Brian Ginty, and a now retired business partner, left their former printing company some 20 years ago to strike out on their own. Beginning with a pre-loved single colour GTO and KOR and a plate burndown frame, the trio worked hard over the years, gradually increasing their market and improving their printing technology. By the turn of this decade, they made a quantum leap into a multi-colour press, and three years later bought their first new press, a six colour 28” machine.However with every opportunity comes challenges. One of the primary issues facing the company at that point was plate production. McHenry says, “We had reached the point where it was becoming very difficult to co-ordinate the presses and the external prepress, as the amount of plates we required was growing rapidly, and the time frame we needed them in was shrinking equally rapidly. We knew we had to do something about it, but really we knew zip about prepress. Fortunately though at that time the Currie Group’s rep Vince Pignataro, who was a regular caller, recognised our situation and was able to provide the answers we needed.”
With the right tools…
From that initial discussion Prism bought an ECRM MAKO 4matic CTP unit from Currie, hired an experienced prepress operator, rented a factory across the road from their main plant, and began to produce its own plates, around 300 a month at that time. McHenry says, “We immediately reaped benefits, not only in having total control over the job and the scheduling, but in being able to provide a far quicker service to the market, which it was demanding at the time, and of course still does. Whereas previously getting a proof to a client would take a day or two with the in-house solution it could be half an hour. We could get the job at 9am, have the proof by 9.30, have it to the client and approved by 11am and be running the job at 12noon. This took us into a whole new league. In fact I would say without doubt that if we had not brought prepress in house with the help of Curries then there is no way we would be in the position we are today.
McHenry says, “Our in-house CTP system is the most important, and the most profitable part of the business. Our ECRM MAKO is a great tool, it produces consistently high quality plates day after day. We started with 300 a month, and within five years we are up to 1500 a month. The MAKO has proved its worth many times over.”
About the MAKO 4matic
The MAKO 4matic is a full-featured, automatic 4-page CTP solution, engineered to accommodate a full range of 2, 4, and 6 page presses. While developed specifically for commercial printers demanding high-quality output, the MAKO 4matic provides a simple and easy transition to CTP production. The 4matic has the ability to deliver in excess of 20 4-up plates per hour at 2540 dpi. And the MAKO 4matic can accommodate any plate size between 385 mm x 385 mm and 635 mm x 927 mm. The largest format provides generous space for oversize jobs such as 6-page gatefolds, with all printers’ marks and colour bars in position. Both cassette and pin bar can be changed in minutes to accommodate different plate sizes and/or press registration systems.
Embracing automation
From that initial investment in CTP and proofing Prism has now gone on to embrace a fully automated digital workflow. McHenry says, “Currie Group has been terrific. Our knowledge of prepress has grown and grown, with their consistent support, encouragement and leadership we now have a very efficient prepress system running. They showed us the benefits of installing preflighting software for instance, which has slashed the problems we have with files. And more recently we have installed a fully automated digital workflow from ECRM (Workmates), which has provided us with a sleek prepress operation, eliminating the possibility of mistakes and taking out much operator input. When we started we had file issues in about one in ten cases, now with fully automated digital workflow it a rarity. “
According to ECRM Software Manager, Mike Mierjeski, “WorkMates is specifically engineered to help commercial printers to simplify and automate standard production tasks. There isn’t a more affordable workflow solution to address these basic prepress needs. What customers like is that WorkMates is scalable. If a printer decides that they want stochastic screening or colour critical ICC matched proofs, all they need to do is add a plug-in module. WorkMates simplifies digital prepress workflow issues and increases efficiency through significantly reduced prepress, make-ready and production times.”
At drupa last May, ECRM launched WorkMates 3.0, a workflow solution that has been expanded with six new optional production tools. The six new tools include TrapMate, CIPMate, ScreenMate, ProofMate, ColorMate, and ICCMate.
Added to the original four WorkMates production tools, users can now choose from 10 different options to accelerate and automate tasks.
Reaching new pinnacles
Prism is now using the digital workflow to reach even higher levels of quality, with printing standards on the ECRM patesetting system. Andrew Dunn, Digital Prepress manager at Currie Group says, “Prism is now using a full process control solution which is producing with certified colour. With the fully automated digital workflow, which includes colour management software, and the ECRM MAKO plate setter and high quality consumables Prism has become one of the most advanced printers in the country.”
Greg McHenry says, “None of this would be possible without Andrew Dunn and the team at Currie Group. They have been simply sensational, the knowledge they have and their ability to communicate that in ways that we can comprehend so that we now have a digital workflow that is working perfectly has been tremendous, and has enabled this company to make significant steps forward.”
