Tuas-based printer Fuisland Offset Printing (S) Pte Ltd believes in investing for the future. The company has decided to upgrade its current two Mitsubishi presses by investing in two new Ryobi MHI V-3000 presses. The first of the new presses was installed in June 2015 with the second scheduled to be installed in June 2016.
Fuisland Offset Printing was founded in 1996 and currently operates from its 14,000 sq. feet plant in Tuas. The mainstay of the business is book printing with 30% of the total output being exported. The company takes good care of its 38 employees. Many of the staff have been with the company for more than 15 years and are highly motivated. Staff can continue working after the mandatory retirement age if they wish to do so. The oldest employee is 78 years old.
The two new Ryobi MHI V-3000 presses will replace the current Mitsubishi four-colour presses which were purchased a decade ago. In addition to the Mitsubishi presses, the company has invested over the last few years in a full array of post-press equipment – binding, stitching, folding and sewing. This allows the company to perform most of the processes in-house. A Fuji Xerox 700i digital colour press complements the two offset presses to provide total customer service.
Managing Director, Mr. Png Eng Lee says that despite the challenges faced by printers he is confident that the printing business is here to stay. The global printing industry continues to thrive despite all the challenges. It is only that printers will have to make the adjustments to stay relevant in the new business environment. If printers can serve the needs of clients efficiently with competitive pricing and fast service there is no reason that they cannot be profitable.
Mr. Png “To be successful printers must invest in new presses and finishing equipment. The new presses are more efficient and productive with much faster make-ready times. This will lead to lower costs and increased productivity. Printers who do not invest in new equipment will find the going tough in future. Apart from upgrading the presses, post-press equipment will also have to be upgraded as well.”
Mr. Png’s strategy is to upgrade in stages without causing any disruptions to day-to-day operations, Hence the decision to install the second press only in June 2016. Post-press equipment will also be upgraded in stages. “Fuisland has a long-standing relationship with the Mitsubishi brand. They are quality presses which are competitively priced with low maintenance costs. Hence the decision to invest in the two new Ryobi-MHI V-Series presses. The new Ryobi MHI V3000 press which was installed in June this year has resulted in faster make-ready time and less wastage.
Ms. Jenn Teo of Ryobi MHI agent Asian Printing Equipment Centre lauded the decision by Fuisland Offset Printing to invest in the two new presses. “They have used Mitsubishi presses from day one beginning with the F-series, the Diamond series and now the V3000. They appreciate the print quality of the presses, the need for minimum maintenance and our excellent service support when required. In a competitive business climate, coupled with the difficulty in getting skilled operators it makes sense to invest in the latest equipment. The resulting improvement in productivity will lead to continued profitability”