University of Missouri Print & Mail Services garners top recognition at the 2023 “In-Print Awards.”
SOLON, OH – May 24, 2022 – In 2019, Graphco, distributor of the industry leading eight-up sheetfed offset press in North America, provided an RMGT 940 five-color press (with coater and LED-UV curing unit) that was used to produce two Gold Award winning pieces for the University of Missouri at the 2023 In-Print Awards competition. The annual contest, co-sponsored by the In-Plant Printing & Mailing Association (IPMA) and In-plant Impressions magazine, is held exclusively for in-plant shops from across industry segments. The University of Missouri faced stiff competition from several other large U.S. universities along with other contestants. (View the complete list of 30 winners.) Capturing gold in the “Booklet” category, the large-format Viewbook is used to help recruit prospective high-school seniors (and their families) to the University of Missouri. “We mail it as a periodical to optimize postage rates,” explained Jeff McNeeley, Director of the University’s 50,000-square-foot print/mail operation, which employs 33 people. The four-color publication features spot high-gloss varnish on the cover and is saddle-stitched in the bindery. MU Health, as the “Magazine/Catalog” category winner, is also printed 4/C, saddle-stitched and mailed to a different audience: the University Medical System’s healthcare patients. Derek Gordon, Midwest regional manager at Graphco, stated: “We are proud to play a part of the University of Missouri’s success. The large runs of 100,000 and 50,000 copies [see specs, below] are above their norm—since they average 3,000 and 5,000 impressions per run – but it’s no surprise that their RMGT press brought home the gold!” Additional job specifications:
“We love the fact that the jobs come off our press dry and we can finish immediately,” continued McNeeley, who, along with his press crew, has fully transitioned from conventional to LED-cured inks on their 8-up offset press. “With the right ink sets and G7 profiling, our colors are extremely consistent. RMGT’s Insta.Color system is closed-loop, and we are dialed in now. There was very little variance on that 100,000, multiple-day Viewbook run,” he said, adding that one of the school colors is gold (PMS 124), which can pose a challenge. “It’s really more of a reddish yellow, which we build from CMYK to match -- and need to maintain extremely tight tolerances for Mizzou branding purposes.” From a bottom-line, machine ROI (return on investment) standpoint, the RMGT’s fast printing speeds (>15,000 sheets per hour) and substantial paper savings enhance overall production efficiencies for the award winning in-plant printer. “Makereadies are just more efficient,” McNeeley reported. University of Missouri press operators confirm that their RMGT Full Autoplate system changes all 5 plates in less than 3 minutes and they now use much less waste paper on their 9 Series press. “That’s a huge drop from our traditional 40” press, which was over 20 years old and would need about 1,600 waste sheets per run. So, essentially, we are able to makeready in half the time, and run 42% faster. A win-win for our operation,” he concluded. These Gold Category winners, along with all the others can be seen at the IPMA annual conference being held on June 4-8, 2023 in Bonita Springs, FL. For more information, go to https://ipma.org/ipma-2023-conference. 
Award-Winning University of MO Printing Team
About Graphco
Graphco is the industry’s leading provider of offset, digital, and print finishing solutions. We proudly represent the finest brands of equipment including RMGT (Ryobi MHI Graphic Technology), Benford LED-UV, Konica Minolta, Standard Horizon, CRON-ECRM, Graphic Whizard, Petratto, Spiel Associates/Sterling, MBM, and many more. These brands are only as good as the technical support team that stands behind them and Graphco’s reputation for top-notch service is second to none. Since 1976, Graphco has thrived in an ever-changing marketplace by loyally adhering to the firm’s original model for success: providing best-in-class print production equipment along with reliable and assured technical service. Learn more about Graphco at www.graphco.com, 800-458-2769. Copyright 2023. All brand names are the property of their respective owners and may or may not be trademarked.
PLACENTIA, CA – May 17, 2023 – RMGT, manufacturer of the leading 8-up sheetfed press in North America, this past summer installed two new offset machines to state-government agencies in Austin, TX. In June, a 29-inch, four-color 790 model perfecting press was delivered to the Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) in-plant facility. Two months later, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) took delivery of a four-color, 25.2x37" RMGT 940ST offset press with an LED-UV curing unit, replacing its 4-color Ryobi 754G XL, which was seven years old.
“These recent press installations, at two autonomous facilities, offer concrete proof that offset printing is far from dead at in-plant shops,” believes Kian Hemmen, sales director of RMGT Print & Finishing Solutions. “Challenged by labor shortages from staff retirements, many in- plant operations are realizing the efficiencies that advanced automation and larger sheet sizes can bring. The return on investment is there.” Texas DOT sees benefit of LED-UV curing One of the outstanding features of the new RMGT 940ST is the LED-UV curing unit, which instantly dries printed sheets. “It doesn’t matter how much ink coverage we have. We print it and it’s dry. The job can move immediately to the bindery,” remarks Art Garcia, Production Manager, Texas DOT. “Additionally, there are no worries about ink offset on the sheets, so the operator can let printed sheets pile higher without having to stop periodically to remove them. Instant drying also means the press does not need to use powder, which reduces clean-up time. We don’t have to do as much maintenance,” affirms Garcia. Another major improvement with the RMGT 9 Series press is the larger sheet size. The new press enables TxDOT to run 16-page and even 32-page signatures, so it can take on more publications work. Garcia estimates productivity has increased 50% just because of the larger sheet size. With a larger sheet size enabling the shop to expand the types of work it can produce, and an LED-UV curing unit that instantly dries printed sheets, the new 15,000-sheet-per-hour (sph) press has stepped up productivity at TxDOT’s 130,000-square-foot plant. Substantial production efficiencies are what led both agencies to justify procuring conventional printing equipment.
“Automatic plate changing as well as auto blanket and ink-roller cleaning expedite the 790’s makeready times,” noted RMGT’s Hemmen. “In addition, programmable inking speeds up tone adjustments.” The press also features continuous dampening and print-density control systems.
Kida admits to considering digital press options before recommitting to an offset solution. “We did our homework,” he shared, which included weighing pros and cons of the latest production inkjet printing technologies. As part of HHS’s due diligence process, he visited TxDOT to see a RMGT 7 offset model in action. “I also checked out an eight-color version at a local commercial printer,” he said. “Both sites offered positive feedback about their respective RMGT presses.” About RMGT North America RMGT (RYOBI HMI Graphic Technology Ltd.), a global leader in LED-UV sheetfed offset presses, is represented by a group of four authorized sales and service centers that serve commercial printers, offset packaging converters and in-plant printers in the United States and Canada. Covering the Northeast US is G.E. Richards, Midwest and Southeast US is serviced by Graphco, the Western US is serviced by Print & Finishing Solutions and covering Canada along with the RMGT 10 Series distribution in the US for legacy Mitsubishi customers is RM Machinery. This network constitutes the single largest offset press sales and service team in North America. As innovators of the first LED-UV printing system for sheetfed offset printing in 2008. RMGT continues to apply their technological expertise and creativity for constant innovation, providing the printing industry with meaningful products and services while building bonds of trust and respecting diverse values. Learn more about RMGT North America at www.ryobimhi.com Copyright 2023. All brand names are the property of their respective owners and may or may not be trademarked.
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