Quality and Consistency by a ‘Classic’ J Press 720S
“The J Press 720S prints better than offset, its quality is second to none.” — Jeff Hernandez, VP, Classic
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It’s a funny story about how Classic ended up investing in the Fujifilm J Press 720S. To hear Jeff Hernandez tell it, after a complete evaluation of the digital presses on the market, Classic narrowed the field down to two, and then arranged a printer “shootout” with two of its key clients as judges.
After evaluating the output of the two presses, the clients accused Classic of slipping an offset printer into the test. They thought the J Press 720S printed sheets were actually printed offset. In the end, it was the high-quality output of the J Press 720S that stood out.
“In regards to color consistency, there is no other digital press that is more consistent; from one sheet to the next, from the tail to the gripper,” says Hernandez, VP of the Broadview, IL., high-end commercial print provider.
“Most digital devices are inconsistent, especially with grey (PMS 436), but not the J Press 720S. The ability to calibrate PMS colors accurately is amazing. It’s a solid machine and the technology is revolutionary.” A leader in digital artistry and innovative printing, the 35-plus-year-old print provider continues to craft solutions, master technologies and expand its capabilities to exceed its clients’ highest expectations.
Among its clientele is Fortune 500 brands, including automotive and high-end fashion leaders, as well as B2Bs, boutique businesses and agencies. And the J Press 720S fits right into the mix. With a 29.5-inch x 20.9 inch sheet and an output of 2,700 sheets per hour, Fujifilm’s second generation sheetfed J Press 720S is an ideal solution for printers looking for the quality and robustness of an offset press, and the versatility to handle even the shortest of press runs.
For example, take the uptime the digital inkjet press offers. Classic’s uptime is at 90 percent, which exceeded its initial expectations. “It just runs and runs,” Hernandez says. “Our inkjet heads are functioning perfectly, not clogging or streaky, which is a great testimony to the inkjet technology of FUJIFILM Dimatix SAMBA printheads.”
With a toner-based machine, press operators often would need to check the output, because they needed to ensure the output is right. With the J Press 720S, Classic’s operators don’t have to sit around and pick samples for review – it just runs.
Hitting another gear The perfect complement to Classic’s other equipment, the printer is pleased with the new business rolling through its doors. “The J Press 720S has opened new avenues to us,” Hernandez says. “We continue to offer the high-quality product we are known for, while now being more cost-effective with short-runs.” Hernandez says that inkjet is the next level of quality, emphasizing how the J Press 720S output is better than offset.
Additional benefits include no rollers to deal with, no gap streaks, no roller streaks and no ink problems. “Fujifilm’s J Press 720S is very consistent from sheet to sheet, it prints better than offset, and quality is second to none,” he says. “It’s the absolute right fit for our needs.”
Today, Classic is able to produce a variety of short-run jobs on its J Press 720S, including those that are design-heavy, as well as variable data and jobs with unique specifications. It recently switched a high-end variable specialty publication job onto the J Press 720S. Hernandez says having more flexibility with color options was key, and now this particular job will continue to be produced on the J Press 720S. “Since we’ve been in production, all jobs we’ve run on the J Press 720S will stay on the J Press 720S,” he says.
“Once a client has been introduced to its outstanding output, and recognizes the noticeable differences (compared to the previous press), they do not want us to go back (to the previous press).”
For Classic to produce beautiful work off its toner-based machines, it had to work “twice as hard” and deal with markings and streaks. It could never match the quality of offset. “When running regular coated and uncoated stock, the J Press 720S outputs the best sellable sheet in the industry,” Hernandez says.
And per Hernandez’s experience, when comparing ink costs, in many situations, it’s less expensive to go with inkjet versus toner.
“Our relationship with Fujifilm goes back 25 years,” Hernandez says. “We are a long-time user of Fujifilm’s Superia LH-PJ plates. All of Fujifilm’s solutions are very consistent, and sustainably cleaner products compared to others in the industry. Fujifilm is very innovative, and always is thinking ahead of the others.”
“Our uptime is at 90 percent, which has truly exceeded our expectations.” — Jeff Hernandez, VP, Classic
