Commercial printer FORMNET use seven Sharp MX-M1204 production print systems to help them overcome high-demand print jobs in Turkey. Find out how they do it.
FORMNET is a Turkish digital commercial printer that was founded in 1998. In recent years the company has expanded rapidly, attracting new clients thanks to a strategic pricing policy and its creative approach to marketing.
The majority of orders to-date have typically been low-volume jobs (50-300 prints) with tight deadlines. To handle this level of work, FORMNET have been using innovative printing techniques, along with advanced production printing systems fully capable of handling a range of book and booklet binding finishings.
However, when the Ministry of Education placed an order for 15 million pages to be printed and delivered in a tight timeframe, they knew they needed to upgrade their current printing capacities with new devices.
The Challenge
The Ministry of Education placed a strict deadline of two months in which to deliver the printing, so FORMNET looked for a solution that would enable them to meet the deadline. They knew offset quality was a must and that an investment in several new production systems was the best possible solution.
They also knew they needed to partner who could deliver and install a high quality production printing system, as well as support them in the development of their broad services portfolio, and future expansion plans.
Other considerations for FORMNET were that, due to the size of the order, they needed a system that would be virtually maintenance free. They also needed finishing capabilities to offer a broad range of print and inline finishing options.
The Solution
The simple solution to the problem would have been to buy an offset printer, as the quality would be impeccable and the speed outstanding. However, FORMNET’s owner, Mr Ibrahim Sahin, wanted to add a layer of future-proofing and innovation into his investment. FORMNET worked with Sharp’s business partner Mitasan to find a solution that would meet their immediate needs, as well as offer them a good degree of headroom for future expansion and innovation. The solution would be to test high-capacity print production systems, such as the Sharp MX-M1204.
“Sharp MX-M1204 performed outstandingly during the tests.” said Sahin “We operated the machine and the printing capacity without any interruption for 24 hours. The output was excellent with the performance level being exactly the same as its theoretical value.”
Additionally, the device was a perfect choice for printing on thick paper and came with a wide range of finishing options which was an important part of the order.
Sahin told us, “the Sharp MX-M1204 is a high-speed and robust model. We appreciate the ease of use of the finishing units and the paper stacking capacity makes our everyday job easier. The triple air feed system separates and feeds the paper to prevent jams and paper tearing.”
The Benefits
FORMNET purchased seven MX-M1204s to fulfil the initial order from the Ministry of Education, who amazed by the print quality and the speed at which the order was fulfilled.
However, there have been further benefits to the purchase, as the Sharp MX-M1204 has proven perfect for short jobs, with little or no time needed to prepare the press for low initial warming-up costs. Meanwhile, the number of low- volume orders was constantly increasing.
FORMNET is now a digital printing centre with the highest daily printing capacity in Turkey. Thanks to the installation of the Sharp MX-M1204 production print systems, its printing house has a daily capacity of 1,200 000 black and white pages. It operates 24 hours, seven days a week.
Sahin summed up his company’s experience with the Sharp MX-M1204, stating “today’s commercial printers are under constant pressure to deliver the highest quality in record time. Now we are ready to face this challenge. With the growing number of orders, we are developing rapidly and we are already thinking about installing more Sharp digital printing systems.”
If you would like to find out more about the Sharp range of high-production printers and MFP devices, please get in touch with the Sharp Document Solutions team to discuss setting up a demonstration.
