Komori press sales boost new look Ferrostaal

Industry supplier Ferrostaal has presented its new face to the market, with new management team of managing director Carstern Wendler and general manager print and finishing Rene Simpson announcing a raft of orders for its Komori presses.

Among the printers buying new Komori machines are CMYKhub in Melbourne, which has put in a new eight-colour long perfector Lithrone H-UV GL840. An identical machine has also been ordered by Whirlwind Print for a January install. Both presses come with the PQAS camera based print quality system.

Also buying the H-UV press is Sydney’s Rawson Graphics, which has installed a Lithrone LS529 H-UV. The H-UV presses have instant drying, low running costs, and Komori says that while the ink costs more than conventional the productivity gains outweigh those costs, especially when it comes to short run printing. In Japan some 70 per cent of new Lithrones are H-UV.

Among other press sales the Bright Print Group is putting in a Lithrone GL 540 with coater for its NCP Newcastle business, and PrintForce which will put in an identical press in December.

Trent Nankervis, owner of CMYKhub in Melbourne says, “We saw the new H-UV press at drupa and knew it was the press we were looking for,. We offer a 24 hour turnaround guarantee on many of our products, and the instant drying on the H-UV press clearly met this need. We operate our trade service on a high quality, high volume, low margin basis, and the new Lithrone is delivering.”

Komori is now launching H-UV for its web offset presses. Rene Simpson says, “Because they print with UV they can take a thicker stock than conventional web offset. This means that they may be suitable for high volume sheetfed press printers.”

Wendler also announced that the company is now looking at its extensive product portfolio with a view to trimming it, a decision on which products will no longer be supplied is due within days. He says, “Ferrostaal will focus on three sectors; offset print, finishing and packaging. Our top line core product portfolio will remain the same, but we may adjust some of our lines.”

The new slimmed down Ferrostaal has just over 20 full time staff, and works on a contractor arrangement with many of its former engineers and technicians. Wendler says, “Many of our former staff wanted the opportunity to set up their own businesses, so that has been a win-win. However we have retained our senior people, including Ian Wright who has 25 years with us servicing Komori, Steve Harper and Steve Bedson both with 20 years, and Shiro Ito who is from Komori with more than a decade of experience.”

Wendler says Ferrostaal is also taking on two apprentices, one in press and one in finishing. Wendler himself will remain in his role as general manager packaging in addition to his new role as managing director.

 

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