Impress Print has transformed its digital finishing workflow by installing the Duplo DC-648 and DC-F100, replacing several standalone finishing machines with one fully automated, press-side system. The upgrade has dramatically increased efficiency, reduced waste and energy usage, and allowed the team to finish jobs faster and more sustainably than ever before.
Impress Print, the award-winning and sustainability-focused printer based in Walton-on-Thames, has spent more than two decades refining its environmental credentials. From early carbon reduction efforts to today’s solar-powered, low-waste production model, the business has always aimed to operate responsibly. As demand for fast, short-run digital work increased, Managing Director Mike Kille realised that finishing was the one part of the workflow that no longer kept pace with the rest of the operation.
“Before installing the Duplo DC-648 multi-finisher with the DC-F100 integrated folder, finishing was spread across several standalone machines. A single job might be cut on the guillotine, moved to a creaser and then taken to a folder before it could finally be boxed.” Mike explains, “A single job would go through two or three machines before it could be finished. Now it is printed and it goes straight into the multi-finisher and it is done.”
The multi-step handling was slow and inefficient and it also conflicted with Impress Print’s sustainability goals. Operating several machines across three buildings created unnecessary power usage and increased the risk of waste from excessive handling. Mike had been looking for a way to simplify the journey from print to finish without compromising the company’s high standards.
“Everything was separate,” Mike says. “With the DC-648 and F100, we have brought it all into one place. The barcode system is set up, it is fully Fiery integrated, and the operator can print and finish straight away on the Duplo system.”
This was exactly why Impress positioned the DC-648 directly beside its digital press. The idea was to create a single-operator workflow that would remove movement around the site. “The operator can print the job, put it straight onto the Duplo, and it runs through. That was a big part of why we wanted it next to the press.”
The impact was immediate. “For us, it was the speed of getting the finished work off,” Mike explains. “That was the aim of the purchase, to get jobs through more quickly.” Impress had always met customer deadlines, but the internal strain of moving work between machines and buildings created unnecessary pressure. The Duplo removed that burden. “We were always achieving what customers wanted, but there was a lot of running around internally. Now we can comfortably make the deadlines. It is much easier to track the job and know where it is in the workflow.”
The investment also strengthened the company’s environmental mission. “We are no longer powering two, three or even four machines. Everything is done by a single machine,” Mike says. “It is very efficient in terms of power. And waste is reduced as well, particularly with the barcode setup.”
Another significant advantage has been how quickly the team adapted to the system. Impress trained four operators on the DC-648 and F100, none of whom had traditional finishing experience. “They came from a printing background, but they picked it up really well,” Mike explains. “That is what we liked. It is straightforward, easy to set up and simple to use.”
The change has created a calmer and more controlled production environment. “Overall it has definitely reduced stress. It is a much smoother and more straightforward way of producing the job.”
When asked to summarise the impact of the investment, Mike is clear. “The major benefit is the efficiency of producing the work. We know that when we send a job to that printer, it will be finished in the same location and quickly. Much quicker than before.”
Impress’s sustainability mission continues to evolve and the Duplo plays a part in that long-term strategy. Mike reflects on the broader journey: “We started working on carbon reduction twenty years ago. Back then, calculating emissions was not something people talked about. We began by working out what our emissions were, then planned how to reduce them. You pick something to start with and then build on it over time.”
The installation of the DC-648 and DC-F100 is another step in that progression. It strengthens productivity while reinforcing the principles that have shaped Impress Print for more than two decades.
