Based in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, KL Druck has a proud 120-year heritage and specialises in producing point of sale and out-of-home products for a range of high-profile global brands, including Audi, Adidas, Lindt and Primark. A screen printing pioneer in the years following the Second World War, the company began investing heavily in digital print technology around 20 years ago. Its latest investment, the Fujifilm Jet Press 720S, began operation in August 2018.
“We first heard of the Jet Press when it was launched at drupa, 2012,” says Gerhard Worch, Managing Director at KL Druck. “We were then, and remain to this day, a Fujifilm plates customer, but this new machine certainly grabbed our attention. We kept an eye on its development over the years and as our business grew and our customer requirements evolved, the Jet Press became the obvious next investment choice for our business.
“We pride ourselves on being able to offer our customers a full service PoS package, which often includes both large and small format material. Until now we’ve had to outsource smaller format work, where run lengths were too short to produce cost-effectively on offset. With our investment in the Jet Press, we can now produce everything in-house, and can do so quickly and affordably without compromising quality.
“Over the past five years in particular, we have noticed a significant change in the turnaround times required by customers. Campaigns were traditionally planned well in advance, whereas now, customers often won’t finalise details until the last minute. As a result, they need print turned around at a much quicker rate than ever before. The Jet Press helps us to meet these requirements, allowing us to get finished products back to customers at a much faster rate and for a more competitive price.”
Worch continues: “We did, of course, explore a range of press options, particularly some toner-based alternatives, but the Jet Press really stood out to us. The quality and colour gamut were far better than anything else we looked at, and we also liked the fact that the Jet Press is sheet fed and fits in perfectly with our existing finishing systems. Furthermore, many of our customers are increasingly eco-conscious, so the fact that the Jet Press uses water-based ink was also a major contributing factor in our decision.”
Worch concludes: “Throughout our history working with Fujifilm, we’ve been very happy with the level of service and support provided, and the Jet Press sales and installation process has been no exception. We have already shared Jet Press sample prints with some of our most important customers and they are very excited about the new creative opportunities our investment will provide to them.”
Says Taro Aoki, Head of Digital Press Systems, Fujifilm Graphic Systems EMEA: “In a market that is ever-changing and evolving, print businesses need versatile equipment that allows them to keep pace with market trends and changing customer demands. We are delighted to be growing our partnership with KL Druck as they continue their digital expansion, and we look forward to seeing the further benefits and opportunities that the Jet Press 720S installation brings to their business.”
