ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTION
We are using state-of-the-art production and measurement and control technologies to achieve a high degree of environmental friendliness. This is not only good for the environment, but it also allows us to offer high-quality print products at reasonable prices.
But all technical equipment needs someone to operate it. It is our staff that forms the core of all our environmental protection endeavours and at the same time guarantees premium printing and finishing quality. We, therefore, bank on trained specialists from the region, in-house production and quality assurance as well as on continuous employee training.
Prepress – platesetting
In general, we produce our print orders in the so-called batch printing method. That means that we process several print orders involving the same paper type and grammage together in a combined-run production. In doing so, we make optimum use of printing plates and paper sheets, do good to the environment and are able to achieve reasonable prices for our customers.
Every print order in offset printing requires individual printing plates. They take care that, in the printing machine, the four primary colours cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black) are applied to the sheet so as to ensure perfect print results.
In contrast to conventional prepress, which requires the exposure of films and film montage prior to the printing plate exposure in several processing steps, we do the exposure directly on the printing plate – and have done so for several years now. With digital prepress, this is referred to as the so-called "computer to plate" method (CTP).
From an ecological point of view, this method represents a major advantage compared to the more complex "computer-to-film" method. By minimising the number of work steps, less auxiliary material such as film, film chemicals and rinse water is needed and the greenhouse gas emissions usually generated in this context are reduced.
Indispensable materials such as rubber coating, rinse water and printing plate developers are reduced to a minimum by state-of-the-art technology from Agfa. Almost all waste products are recycled and delivered to our service providers with a continuously documented disposal list.
The aluminium printing plates we use are recycled at a rate of 99 per cent and thus reintroduced into the raw material cycle.
Printing & finishing
Our machinery consists mostly of the newest generation of offset sheet printing machines from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG and digital printing machines by HP.
General supplies
Depending on the type of printing machine, we print without using alcohol in the operating process whenever possible, or at least with reduced amounts of alcohol. By using special cleaning cloths, we realize savings of up to 70 % on cleaning agents, reducing the contamination of the cleaning agents to a minimum. Also, we use mostly biologically safe cleaning agents.
Central ink supply
The ink supply for our printing machines is based on 300 kg exchangeable containers made of metal. This has the advantage that no small ink containers or ink cartridges are used. Unnecessary plastic trash is completely eliminated.
A 300 kg exchangeable container of a primary colour is equivalent to 150 cartridges of the same colour. This saves us several thousand plastic ink cartridges in just one week. Other advantages are that, contrary to ink cartridges, the 300 kg exchangeable container is emptied completely leaving no ink residues in the container, and that it is reusable.
Waste paper
As is common practice with sheet offset printing, each project is printed with a so-called "startup sheet". These are absolutely necessary to prepare all necessary machine settings so that the product printing can proceed at the actual quality level. In order to keep the waste paper usage as low as possible, we place great emphasis on continuous monitoring of the machine quality. This is carried out at regular servicing intervals by a technician of the printing machine manufacturer.
By using the "Prinect Inpress Control" system that automatically checks the ink application on the sheet while the machine is running, the number of unusable printed sheets is further reduced tremendously.
Utilities and office
Why waste energy? In our search for energy saving potential, we came upon resources that already exist: we use heat exchangers to recover the waste heat of machinery, compressors and hot water lines and are thus able to heat an entire printing hall without needing additional energy.
The use of filter systems helps us optimise water conservation. Consumption-controlled compressors, fans and air shafts ensure an efficient use of energy.
Our company is generally committed to the motto: Preventing waste comes first. Because the best waste is that which never occurs. Unavoidable waste products are separated at the best possible rate and reused or disposed of by material groups.
We contribute towards preserving the environment also on a small scale: by consistently recycling the ink and toner cartridges from our offices.
