Canon has just taken another step forward with its VarioPrint iX1700. The first two units of this B3-size sheetfed inkjet press in Europe are now in operation at AC medienhaus in Germany and Bookadew in the Netherlands.
Launched last year, the VarioPrint iX1700 prints up to 170 A4 images per minute at a resolution of 2,400 x 1,200 DPI. It uses water-based polymer pigment inks and features automated functions for maintenance and quality control.
This sheet-fed press is positioned between the high-end imagePress V1350 toner press and the VarioPrint iX2100 and iX3200 inkjet printers. (Just above this product line is the varioPRESS iV7.)
The VarioPrint iX1700 for Publishing and Commercial Printing
A subsidiary of the ACM Group, the German printing company AC medienhaus specializes in commercial and publishing printing, with operations ranging from prepress to finishing and logistics. Faced with steadily declining print runs, it is seeking to further expand its digital printing business.
The printer already has an imagePress C10010VP color printer and a VarioPrint 6000 monochrome printer.
"This investment marks an important milestone in the development of our company and our digital printing business. Our goal is to produce our publishing and commercial printing projects more efficiently while supporting our growth," says Andreas Durst, CEO of AC medienhaus .
With this new press, AC medienhaus plans to produce, among other things, books, brochures, training materials, educational resources, and personalized printed materials. But the investment should also enable the company to bring back some of the production currently outsourced to subcontractors.
He adds: "The VarioPrint iX1700 stood out because of its quality, total cost of ownership, integration into our production workflows, and seamless compatibility with our existing equipment."
Short-run A4 landscape-oriented books from Bookadew
In the Netherlands, Bookadew, a subsidiary of ARS Print Media that specializes in short-run hardcover and paperback books, faced a different challenge.
Equipped with a VarioPrint iX3200, the print shop was looking, in particular, to reduce the production cost of A4 landscape-format stitched books produced in small runs and sold directly through its website. Before choosing the iX1700, the printer tested print quality, various media types, lamination, and finishing constraints.
With this press, Bookadew also hopes to expand beyond the book market. The press will produce custom packaging on heavyweight silk-coated paper, particularly for Happibox gift sets.
