Xclusive Printing Solutions boosts quality with RICOH Pro C9500

Xclusive Printing Solutions has enhanced its print production capabilities by deploying a RICOH Pro C9500 colour press at its Sydney facility.

The company, with more than fifty years of combined industry experience, provides print and signage services to customers nationally as well as supporting a broad network of print resellers across Australia. Xclusive Printing Solutions (XPS) handles a variety of print formats, including single-sheet flyers, folded brochures, booklets and large-format signage.

Upgrading equipment

The team at XPS faced growing challenges in meeting last-minute demands with their previous setup. Increasing expectations for quality and the ageing RICOH Pro C7200S printer prompted the search for a new device to maintain their standards for output and reliability.

"Indeed, previously it was not possible to take a print job from the offset and run it on a digital machine," said John Meoushy, Director, Xclusive Printing Solutions. "The noticeable drop in quality was simply not acceptable."

After assessing available options, XPS opted to invest in the RICOH Pro C9500 colour press. According to the company, the upgrade has enabled significantly improved digital print quality, expanded flexibility for both short and long runs, and more consistent performance to help address an increasing workload.

Offset-comparable output

With the new press operational, XPS reports that the digital output is now comparable to the results typically associated with offset printing - a distinction traditionally marked by a noticeable difference in quality.

"Our clients were very impressed with the quality of the outputs we were able to deliver. Often the jobs were indistinguishable from offset outputs," said Meoushy.

The ability to replicate offset-level quality on a digital machine means jobs previously designated for the offset press can now be completed digitally. This change offers significant savings in turnaround time and production flexibility.

Operational flexibility

The installation of the RICOH Pro C9500 colour press has enabled XPS to manage scheduling and completion of print runs more effectively. The reliance on the offset printer for high-quality jobs has diminished, allowing for swift allocation of work to whichever device best suits the requirements.

"We are now able to turn small jobs around much more quickly which is proving to be an additional business benefit," Meoushy said.

This increased flexibility supports the company's objective of delivering high quality output with fast turnaround times, and helps clients who increasingly require fast delivery for variable quantities.

Reliability and maintenance

John Meoushy noted that the XPS team has been impressed with the RICOH Pro C9500's reliability and performance since the upgrade. The press delivers consistent results while minimising downtime, reducing interruptions in daily operations.

"Because the press is so reliable, we've had very little need for service calls," Meoushy said. "The machine is designed in a way that allows us to handle small replacements ourselves, while knowing Ricoh support is always just a call away if required."

The reduced downtime and the ability to perform minor service tasks internally have contributed to more seamless operations on the production floor.

Outlook

XPS is not currently planning to add additional printers, but the company has indicated it will review printer fleet requirements as demand for services continues to grow. The business sees Ricoh as an ongoing partner in planning for future capacity.

"We have a great working relationship with Ricoh, and I am sure they will continue to support our operations in the future, they have become a valuable print technology partner for us, and we are keen for this to continue," said Meoushy.

The decision to transition to the new digital press was influenced by the positive experience XPS had with its previous Ricoh machine, with the team prioritising reliability, output quality and operational efficiency in its most recent acquisition.