Just over a year after the joint venture between UK manufacturer Timsons Engineering and CPI UK was formed, TimsonsCPI announces its first sale. One of Canada's largest printers, Friesens Corporation, has ordered a T48A web offset book press. The iconic British manufacturer had gone out of business in 2015, before coming back through this collaboration with the UK subsidiary of book printing group CPI. The press will be the first Timson press manufactured in 10 years.
Friesens Corporation, which is unique in being employee-owned, currently operates two Timsons monochrome presses, a T32 and a T48, "beasts of burden" according to the printer, for its range of monochrome products. "These presses have provided us with excellent quality and reliability, so we were disappointed when Timsons ceased production." he said in a statement.
The new press, the Timson T48A, scheduled for delivery in 2024, is an improved version of the previous T48A presses. Among other things, it will feature a new engine, an oil lubrication system in the printing unit that increases production speed by 16%, a lightweight titanium knife folder and a new Baldwin blanket washing system.
For Friesens, this press represents a very important part of its record investment plan, amounting to 19 million Canadian dollars (approximately 13 million euros).
This press is the first new press manufactured by TimsonsCPI, but it is not its first project. The manufacturer is in the process of completing the upgrade of a T48 monoblock press from king-size (16 x 24 cm) to Zero-Make-Ready (ZMR) for its co-shareholder, CPI. The T48A ZMR press, which includes two stacked monochrome printing units, will be installed at CPI William Clowes' facility.
"Since TimsonsCPI's inception, we have received a great deal of commercial interest in upgrade, refurbishment and new press manufacturing projects." emphasizes TimsonsCPI.
