RMGT's Strong 2016 Includes Growth in Packaging
RMGT (RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology Ltd.) had another record year in 2016 with press sales up significantly over 2015’s record setting results. Across North America, printers seeking all the benefits of high quality offset printing in a digital world are adopting the lowest total cost of print platform from RMGT. The 9 series press continued to consolidate its position as the offset press of choice for commercial printers who are keenly focused on increasing the productivity and profitability of their pressrooms.
One customer who has adopted that philosophy is Brad Flagge, co-owner of Push Solutions in New Berlin, Wis. Earlier this year, Flagge sat down to talk with Frank Romano about his experiences with the RMGT 9 Series press equipped with LED UV curing, and his success with the press continued throughout the year as Push Solutions grew revenue by over 60% and saw a staggering 300% increase in its profitability. Flagge is just one of many rapidly growing customers — some seeing savings that can top $125,000 or more by retiring their older machines. Less makeready time and paper waste along with higher quality and running speeds are just some of the major savings RMGT customers enjoyed during 2016.
Bringing RMGT Technology Closer To Customers
One way that RMGT and its distribution partners in the Graphic Systems North America (GSNA) have raised awareness in 2016 was the opening of a new technology demo center in the Midwest. As one of six RMGT authorized sales and service centers in North America, Graphco, based in Cleveland, made a strong commitment to the RMGT brand. The WD Manley Technology Center opened in late August, with RMGT starring as one of the headline technology providers.
"Our new technology center appeals to all segments of today’s print industry," Chris Manley, president of Graphco, said. "Our demo center presents solutions to the challenges faced by printers of all sizes, and our equipment demonstrations present real world applications for today's print needs."
The Midwest technology center joins the Southeastern RMGT demonstration facility, which commenced operations in late 2013 and is operated by Paper Handling Solutions in Marietta, Ga. Both RMGT technology centers hosted open house events during 2016 to encourage printers in the Southeast and Midwest to learn more about RMGT's cost-reducing and quality-enhancing technology. These facilities regularly host printers who want to see RMGT presses first hand so they can experience the difference in quality and speed available through investment in RMGT technology. Print & Finishing Solutions, the West Coast distributor for RMGT, will be opening it's own Technology Demonstration Center in 2017.
Drupa 2016 was a breakthrough event for RMGT, securing more than 70 orders for its offset presses during the show. This strong result clearly indicates that highly automated offset presses that produce the quality printers need today, at very affordable manufacturing costs, are in a resurgent phase once again. Building on the drupa success, for the third Graph Expo in a row the RMGT booth had record-setting attendance and significant order intake, proving that printers of all sizes and specialties want to know more about how RMGT technology can transform their business. This sets the stage for a strong Print 17 later this year in Chicago, where RMGT presses running live will continue to prove a strong commitment to the North American print market.
New Technologies
Finally, the end of 2016 saw GSNA beginning to introduce the RMGT 10 and 11 series of presses. These are specifically geared toward the packaging and corrugated board markets, opening up the LED-UV technology to a much greater number of print shops. The 10 series is a 41˝ press, and the 11 series is a 44˝ press, and GSNA now offers both to printers across the United States, alongside the 9 series, which continues to draw strong attention.
One company that is betting on the 10 series is Colbert Packaging, based in Lake Forest, Ill. Along with a new diecutter and in-line inspection system, 2016 was a year of upgrades and improvements at Colbert Packaging, with the RMGT 1050 LX taking center stage. The offset press can print six-color processes and coat paperboard in a single pass, using both aqueous and UV inks and coatings. The manufacturer of folding cartons, rigid setup boxes, labels and inserts, and paperboard specialty products, is enjoying much greater production capacity along with much higher efficiency in the shop since the press went into operation.
“The reliability, durability and quality that RMGT offers packaging and commercial printers continues to make the 10 and 11 Series presses very popular around the world,” Kozac Takata, manager of international sales and marketing, RMGT, said in a statement after drupa. And the strength of the market response to these presses only gained momentum as the rest of the year unfolded.
2016 was a strong year for the RMGT brand in North America as printers are quickly realizing that there is no other machine in the market that serves both the offset and short run niches the way that RMGT presses using LED-UV technology can. The past year ended on an incredibly high note, with 2017 sure to bring proven profitability and performance to even more printers.
