Minuteman Press Bryanston recently installed a Gemini 2 sheetfed desktop cutter, which was enabled through a partnership between Altron Document Solutions (ADS) and label printer and cutter specialist Intellistor. It is the third unit installed in South Africa and is ideal for small-run application and on-demand tailored solutions.
The innovative desktop cutter can handle a variety of thickness and sheet sizes such as A4, A3, SRA3, SA3, letter, tabloid and tabloid extra.
The cutter can also do:
– Perforation cuts (small dots).
– Kiss cuts (half cuts).
– Die cuts (heavy cuts).
– Creasing.
Minuteman Press Bryanston owners Jacques and Fransie du Preez praised the machine for its ability to produce smaller-runs as well as the speed with which it can cut and score: ‘The turnaround time is much quicker than the old method of having a die made,’ said Fransie du Preez.
Packaging is a new market that the machine opens for Minuteman Press Bryanston. According to Fransie du Preez, there is a big demand in packaging, especially in times of the pandemic, and the machine can now accommodate that demand. The Gemini also enhances the company’s existing offerings, namely business cards and stickers, as they can do much more with different cuts, substrates and sizes.
The boxes that can be created with the Gemini have extensive applications, including birthday parties, corporate functions and bridal showers, as well as seasonal events such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Halloween. Key to the machine is its ability to personalise unique items. Jacques du Preez added that they treat their customers as business partners and can thus help them grow their business.
The Minuteman Bryanston owners believe the Gemini will put them ahead of the game and they also praised the service from ADS and Intellistor. ‘Both parties are always willing to assist and go the extra mile. John de Beer (ADS national account manager focusing on the Minuteman Group), was fantastic throughout, from accounts to technical issues. He pops in regularly to check everything is well.’
‘We have identified short run personalised labels and packaging as a major revenue and margin opportunity for the Minuteman Press Group in South Africa,’ said de Beer. ‘They are very successful in producing long run labels on their wide format printers. With the ability to print on a wide variety of media, including freezer labels for food products on the Versant 180 presses, the Gemini enables them to kiss-cut labels into any shape and size, from one label to infinity. Customers can get products delivered on the same day.’
‘Digitally printed labels and packaging was worth $13.4 billion globally in 2017. While the label sector has been the early adopter and is mature in some regions, there is very strong growth in corrugated, carton, flexibles and direct-to-shape, with developments in metal printing. By 2022, the rapidly expanding digital (inkjet and toner) packaging market will grow by almost 13% annually to exceed $22.0 billion.’
Joshua Humphreys, Intellistor technical supervisor, said they added the Gemini desktop system to their range of products because of ‘the need for something like the Gemini in the market, and the lack of serious competitors in that price range’.
According to Intellistor sales manager Jacques Roux, the ADS partnership serves both parties, as ADS has a ‘massive footprint in the rest of the country. We have one office in Midrand, and ADS has presence across the whole country’.
Additionally, ADS and Minuteman Press have a longstanding relationship, which according to Intellistor is great leverage for them, and they believe the partnership will grow positively. Intellistor also trained the technicians at ADS for the installation of the machine.
Kalideck sales representative Nicole O’Gorman was also present, and explained that Kalideck supply Minuteman Press with a huge range of packaging board, sheets of self-adhesive labels and more.
ALTRON DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS
+27 11 928 9111
hotline.marketing@bdsol.co.za
www.altron.com
www.bytesdocumentsolutions.co.za
