TWO work colleagues are aiming to make their mark in the printing world by launching a new business venture.

Jon Wallbank and Malcolm Oates have joined forces to set up Absolutely Digital Print Ltd, operating from premises off Stramongate, Kendal.

The business partners, who previously worked for Frank Peters Colour Printers at Gatebeck, plan to harness 50 years of combined experience in the printing industry.

They are convinced that digital printing, which offers far greater flexibility without affecting print quality, is the way forward.

The directors spent 12 months researching digital technology before taking the plunge.

"We saw digital print as a natural progression from what we were doing in our pre-press environment. We were imaging film on plates; now we are imaging on paper using more advanced technology," explained Mr Wallbank.

With first-hand experience of the market place, they were well aware of a trend towards faster turnaround times for print work and felt switching from traditional lithograph to digital printers was the answer.

"With a normal press, it takes time to get up to the running speed and quality you want, but a digital press monitors a number of variables, such as ink, temperatures etc and can deliver that quality almost from the first sheet through the press," Mr Wallbank told Business Gazette.

"You can switch between jobs very quickly because there are no plate changes, and there is the potential for variable data printing that traditional litho printing cannot achieve."

It means consecutive pieces of work coming off the press can contain different text, images or graphics, making it quicker and easier to produce personalised and individually-targeted marketing literature, for example.

"The beauty of this is that you print only what you want," said Mr Wallbank, citing the example of a college or university which could tailor course details to students' requirements, rather than sending out full copies of its prospectus to every applicant.

"From a marketing point of view, a college could save money and give people exactly what they want, which is a fantastic advantage," added Mr Oates.

The local tourism industry, especially small hotels and visitor attractions, are another sector being targeted by the firm, which produces everything from brochures and leaflets to fine art prints and business cards.

The business partners have invested more than £200,000 in the Absolutely Digital venture, buying a state-of-the-art five colour digital printer as well as finishing and associated equipment.

And they have already landed a key customer in the form of Mullin Design Associates, which is literally on its doorstep.

Richard Husbands of the design studio said the flexibility offered by digital printing enabled the firm to save time and become more efficient.

Initially, the Absolutely Digital partners will be working on their own, but they hope to take on extra staff as the business expands in the future. "We want to utilise the skills that we have built up in our working lives and use them through the latest technology," said Mr Wallbank.

June 5, 2003 14:00