With over 70 years of experience and accumulated knowledge, Sohokkai Co., Ltd. has expanded beyond traditional printing to embrace new multi-media such as web and video production. This allows the company to offer high-value, impactful proposals that resonate with customers. President Sohshiro Tamura explains, "To create printed materials that connect emotions from person to person, we prioritize customer-focused planning and proposals, creative designs that bring ideas to life, efficient and precise digital workflows, and printing equipment capable of producing vibrant and stunning colors. Achieving this requires not only advanced technology but also the skills and creativity of our staff, and we are committed to continuously developing their capabilities."
To address the diversification of customer needs, the company has focused on enhancing productivity, accommodating small-lot and multi-variety production, standardizing internal workflows, and reducing costs. As part of these efforts, the Speedmaster SM 102-8-P, which had been in use for 18 years, was replaced with a new Speedmaster SX 102 Version 92.
The Speedmaster SX 102 is a multi-color, perfector press model based on the proven SX 102 series’ perfecting print technology. With a plate format of 650 x 940 mm, it offers up to 20% savings on plate costs compared to the 70 x 100 format. The newly introduced SX 102 Version 92 enables efficient processing and significant cost savings in plate production.
"Tasks that were previously manual have been significantly automated, allowing for consistent printing speeds of up to 14,000 sheets per hour and faster job changes."explained Shinji Shibata, Deputy Manager of the Printing Department. "This has improved productivity and time efficiency on the production floor. With Push to Stop production as a goal, we aim to make steady progress in regular print production."
The Prinect Inpress Control quality management system ensures inline color and registration adjustments during production while measuring every sheet. "Operators no longer need to frequently pull sheets during printing, allowing them to focus on the process with greater confidence," said Shibata. A single team could handle up to 18 jobs in one shift.
By collaborating with HEIDELBERG Japan consulting team for workshops, the company thoroughly analyzed current conditions in production and job data, uncovering potential improvements. Shibata expressed his commitment to addressing the identified challenges without disrupting standardized workflows, aiming to reduce make ready time and minimize waste while maintaining high quality.
President Tamura highlighted current market trends, noting that traditional sales approaches for print are no longer sufficient. Customers now seek digital content such as videos and web materials. Despite the rise of digital printing, he emphasized the importance of integrating print and digital media to deliver value to customers.
By leveraging the Prinect workflow and digitalizing manufacturing processes, the company identified ways to eliminate unnecessary time and costs. Moving forward, they plan to use the Speedmaster CD 102-5 UV for high-quality jobs, such as fashion and art magazines, to meet stringent customer requirements. The newly introduced SX 102 will focus on fast turnaround jobs through productivity and efficiency. Tamura expressed his vision of meeting high customer expectations with the complementary features of the two Speedmaster presses.
