Company
Honsa-Binder Printing, Inc.
St. Paul, Minnesota

Profile
Two companies, E. W. Honsa Printing and Binder Printing, each in business for nearly 100 years, joined forces in 2006 to form Honsa-Binder Printing, Inc. A union shop with a range of offerings from letterpress to four-color offset printing, Honsa-Binder Printing produces everything from calendar books, floor mats, carbonless forms, brochures and pocket folders to political campaign materials with its staff of approximately twenty.

Challenge
Honsa-Binder Printing had been outsourcing its film production and making plates in-house. The company was planning to acquire a new four-color press. In the process, it determined that it could not justify the investment without upgrading to a computer-to-plate solution due to bottlenecks caused by the extended cycle time and costs involved with its existing film-to-plate process.

Solution
Printware Platestream® Violet 4 Computer to Metal Plate System

Results
• Reduced job cost by one-third
• Increased throughput by 50%, saving an average of two
days cycle time on each job
• Reduced makeready time by 50 to 60%
• 20% improvement in year-over-year revenue year to date with an achievable sales growth target of 35%

Streamlining Platemaking Workflow for Improved Control and Profitability
E. W. Honsa Printing was founded in 1920 and its neighbor and competitor, Binder Printing, started doing business in 1912. in 1988, Jerry Owens purchased the Honsa and added his wife, Kay Owens, and Plant Manager Ray Trombley. At the beginning of 2006, Honsa purchased Binder, and the firm was renamed to Honsa-Binder Printing, Inc.

“We have an interesting blend of the old and the new in our firm,” Kay comments. “We are still actively using a 1920’s letterpress that is terrific for specialty work including carbonless forms. At the same time, the rest of our operation is state-of-the-art with offset presses, including our new Shinohara four-color press, and our Printware computer-to-plate system. This unique blend lets us offer a wide range of products that sets us apart in our market.”

Investing in the Future
With the resources of the combined firms available, and seeing an increased demand for four-color printing with shorter turnaround times, the Owenses began looking into improving the firm’s capabilities relative to process color. Trombley says, “We quickly decided the Shinohara press would meet our needs, but we needded to update our platemaking process in order to gain the full benefit of a new, automated, four-color press. There was no way we could support that press while continuing to operate with a film-based platemaking process.”

After investigating a number of options, Honsa-Binder chose to work with Printware to help address color printing needs and take the firm to the next level. A Printware Platestream® Violet 4 system and a Shinohara press were installed in June of 2006. Trombley says, “We made a giant leap when we went to the Platestream. It has been a great addition. It allows us to really take advantage of the increased productivity of the new Shinohara press.”

Taking Time and Uncertainty Out of the Process
According to Jerry Owens, “Before we moved to direct to plate, we were sending out for film. It could take two or more days from the time a job was received until it was on press. And we didn’t have a lot of control over that lag time. With the Printware Platestream® Violet, even if we have file problems, we can have a proof out the same day. And, with fast customer approval, we can even produce plates the same day.” In addition to the improved turnaround time, the Owenses were pleased with the cost reductions. Jerry estimates that the new system has reduced average job cost by one-third and speeded up the process by 50%. He adds, “The cost factor is important, of course, but time is really the driving force. Where customers once commonly were happy with a two-week turnaround, they now want things in a day or two. By upgrading our systems and installing the Platestream, we are able to meet those demands, and our customers are delighted.” There are no bottlenecks and there is no problem keeping up with the capacity of the press. Makeready time is reduced by 50 to 60%, according to Trombley, and makeready waste has gone from an average of 200 sheets to a mere handful.

The firm has also found that it makes sense to gum and store the plates if there is any chance of a reprint, even though most shops recycle digital plates right after use. “We love the plates we get from Printware. We have tried others, but these are the best. We have run those plates as many as five times and still gotten great quality.”

Pushing the Quality Envelope
Another area that is growing for Honsa-Binder is its envelope business. Trombley says, “We added some equipment in that area, and with the Platestream, we are able to make much higher quality plates, resulting in a better envelope product. You can’t overstress the fact that you will always get better quality from direct to plate than film, regardless of the quality of the film.”

Working with Printware
Kay comments, “Printware has been wonderful to work with. We have a true partnership.” Jerry adds, “Working with them, we have been experimenting with some innovations and they have been very supportive. In the rare event we need on-site service or support, their response had been very timely.” Ray and his team also take advantage of Printware’s excellent phone support and its advanced remote diagnostics which can often eliminate the need to bring a technician on site.

Choice of Violet over Thermal
Honsa-Binder has also been pleased with its choice of a violet versus a thermal platemaking system. Trombley adds, “Thermal systems are more expensive to purchase and maintain, largely because of the increased number of lasers they use, the heat associated with the process, and the need to replace an expensive laser. We also like the way that Printware has structured the Platestream system. With the processor directly linked to the imager, it gives us a one-step production process.”

Kay sums up the experience by saying, “We know we made the right decision for our business by going with Printware. Although we are early in the implementation, we have already seen a 20% year-over-year growth in revenues, and we expect to end up at 35% sales growth by the end of the year. And more importantly, we anticipate they will be significantly more profitable revenues.”