Two different solutions to make offset even more competitive

Offset is, as printers worldwide prove on a daily basis, a competitive print technology which can compete with digital for smaller quantities. Of course, only if no variable data are necessary. The minimum number of copies is contentious, but in general 600 prints is the limit for significant price differences.
Offset not only scores on price, but also on short production times thanks to print speeds of up to 18,000 prints per hour. Price and availability of the different paper varieties can also make a difference.

What is can makes offset more competitive?
Apart form these two advantages there are two other solutions which make offset more competitive. Two solutions which are at odds with each other: the use of older, used presses, or make-ready times of less than 2 minutes available with the newer generation automated offset presses.

Koenig & Bauer claims that its Rapida 105 needs less than 2 minutes to change jobs. These superfast make-ready times are possibly because plate changes or other manual jobs are now fully automated. This is of course not a cheap solutions. For the price of a Rapida with all options included you can easily buy 4 used offset presses. These are more than 10 years old, but according to the white paper by Smitherspira these older presses are still good to go. In this white paper, sponsored by Heidelberg, there are very big differences between the different formats and manufacturers. But, as can be seen with a quick Google search, this translates into the purchase price.
The price will be what makes printers choose between newly and automated or good second hand.

The Smitherspira white paper is available free of charge, after registration, via this link.
More information about how Koenig & Bauer thinks they can accomplish make-ready times of under 2 minutes, can be read via this link.