Leeds based commercial printer, Print Work has added another two Duplo machines to its collection. This time with a new DC-618 with an F-100 integrated folder and a new DBM-700 Booklet System, all from CJB, Duplo’s national dealer.
“We first saw Duplo equipment in action when we went to purchase our first Konica Minolta press back in 2017,” says Dave Rushton, Director at Print Work. “We went for a demo and were thinking about short-run digital print but didn’t know what we needed finishing-wise. I saw the DC-616 in the corner and asked what it was, the demonstrator ran some business cards and creased jobs and that was the first time we'd seen this finishing done in such a way. We were completely blown away because it did everything that we needed it to do in one small unit that was easily programmed. We didn’t have the resources to act on it immediately but it had been in the back of our minds ever since. So we struggled on with the guillotine and creaser for about 6 months before purchasing the DC-616 and from day one it just worked. It took all the fussy materials we could throw at it and before we knew it, it was working day in, day out.”
“We’ve been dealing with CJB for over 4 years now, and Carl and Josh at CJB have been amazing” continues Dave. “Their advice is invaluable and their knowledge of Duplo equipment is unrivalled. CJB are always at the other end of the phone with advice and techniques that make us much more efficient and we get the best usage out of our Duplo equipment. We’ve started with entry-level equipment and upgraded where we need to. So after the basic DC-616, we then bought a DC-616 PRO with the PC controller in 2020, followed by a DBM-150 in 2021. We then added a DC-618 and upgraded our hand-fed DBM-150 to a refurbished DBM-500 to increase our booklet production. Last year, we upgraded the older DC-616 to a refurbished DC-646 and a new DPB-290 perfect binder to move into perfect binding. In September, we installed our new DC-618 with a DC-F100 integrated folder and a new DBM-700 digital booklet maker with the square spine module. CJB has helped us every step of the way and we’ve been able to build our market presence a little bit more with every upgraded machine.”
“Like most of our customer base, we’ve helped Print Work grow and expand using the best equipment on the market for the right price,” says Carl Boulter, Director at CJB. “The Duplo equipment, like Dave said just works. It’s not complicated and gives consistently high-quality print. We love being part of the journey of companies like Print Work as they go from strength to strength – and they have done it in a really good, thoughtful and sustainable way. Because we have fully factory trained and Duplo certified engineers we were able to refurbish various bits of kit to fit the requirements of Print Work, but when it came to expansion and speed, they needed the latest that Duplo had to offer.”
“All our upgrades came after we realised that we needed more capacity, the increase in automation really helps us keep up with the orders” concludes Dave. “The 500, although old, is a great backup to supplement the new DBM-700.
“I loved showing Dave and Nick around at Drupa. It was a great chance to really show off the pedigree of Duplo equipment and open their eyes to what was achievable in the foreseeable future for their finishing requirements. Says Wendy Hogg, Regional Sales Manager for Duplo UK.”
“Our customers are usually those selling at craft markets, online on Etsy or other platforms – they own their own shops” explains Nick Goodliff, Director at Print Work. “One thing about our customer base is that they are looking for a sustainable solution as part of their purchase in order to sell it on as well.”
“The majority of our paper is either 100% recycled stock, part-recycled or FSC®-certified. We also stock papers made from agricultural waste and cotton fibres. It’s become a huge selling point and our customers pass on the story of sustainability to their own customers.
“This is our fourth year here in just over 4500 sq ft with offices and we are looking for more space to offer our customers more services and the base is growing. We’re a very online company, with a very strong Instagram community, around 30,000 followers and it allows us to keep in touch with them quite regularly – and many of them tie in their posts with us and it has a snowball effect.”
“Essentially, we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction, we aren’t happy until the customer is, so we will fix issues if they arise and will take ownership of them” concludes Nick. “It’s why much of our customer base has been with us for so long, if someone is only ordering 20-50 copies, and something looks off – it will stand out and so we will fix those issues, not simply offer a small discount off their next order. We are now known in certain circles as the printer of choice for entire conventions and craft-fairs because of our quality product and customer service. We’re always proud when walking around conventions like Thought Bubble to see a lot of our print on the stands. It is great to see our customers growing and exhibiting their products, knowing that we had a hand in it.”
Photo Credit Left – Right: Nick Goodliff and Dave Rushton in front of their new DBM-700 Booklet System
