Solopress, one of the UK's most recognised online print providers, and Ricoh have confirmed their commitment to collaboration with the installation of the UK's first Ricoh Pro VC80000 high speed continuous feed inkjet press.
As part of the £2m+ investment, Solopress will boost its digital print capacity by around 80% and cut cost per page by approximately 20%, strengthening production capability and enabling turnaround times at twice the speed of its next most efficient digital machine.
Driving measurable outcomesThe investment delivers immediate benefits for both trade and direct customers, greater capacity, reduced lead times, enhanced colour performance, and faster speed to market across a broader application set. Beyond immediate production gains, the dual deployment futureproofs Solopress' capability at scale, reinforcing its reputation as one of the UK's forward thinking print providers and strengthening the service it delivers across its entire customer base.
David Farnsworth, Strategic Account Manager at Ricoh UK Graphic Communications, commented: "Solopress is exactly the kind of forward thinking production environment where Ricoh's technology proves its value. The UK's first VC80000 installation is a significant milestone, not just for Solopress, but as a demonstration of what modern inkjet production can achieve commercially. It also signals the trust in our solutions and the value of the services that we provide.”
Unlocking new production potential
The Ricoh Pro VC80000 brings speeds of up to 150 metres per minute, AI-driven automation, and real time print quality monitoring to Solopress' production floor. Automated registration, predictive maintenance, and Firefly drying technology combine to reduce manual intervention and maximise uptime. The technology will enable Solopress to fulfil orders that were previously extremely demanding on resource in a more streamlined way and generate more new business. The Ricoh Pro VC80000 investment is complemented by the flagship Ricoh Pro C9500 toner engine to fulfil short-run print jobs.
Jack Clifford, Operations Director at Solopress said: “We have seen strong and consistent growth in brochure printing, so increasing capacity in this area was a priority. The Ricoh Pro VC80000 allows us to produce longer digital runs much more efficiently while maintaining the quality our customers expect.”
www.solopress.comwww.ricoh.comImage shows Jack Clifford with the Ricoh engineers