Ohtomi purchases and installs first MPS flexo press
A ten-colour, EF 430 multi-substrate flexo press with the APC (Automated Print Control) package was purchased and installed by Indonesian printer Ohtomi, and marks their first MPS investment and fourth flexo press.
Previously as an exclusive user of letterpress technology, Ohtomi made the initial switch to flexo ten years ago. Hiroyoshi Oshima, Marketing Director at Ohtomi explains why: “In our manufacturing facility, we have 25 letterpress machines, running production of 50-60% of the total print jobs. We embraced flexo as a better alternative for longer print runs.”
Advantages of flexo compared to letterpress
For Ohtomi, flexo was proven as the more favourable solution for their press operators, as flexo presses are less complicated to operate versus letterpress machines. Oshima adds: “Automation and pressure control has improved considerably in flexo. Nowadays, flexo offers offset quality, which is a great advantage combined with higher productivity compared to letterpress.”
The biggest advantage of letterpress, according to Oshima, is fine-tuning of colours and images.
When demand for an additional new flexo press developed, Ohtomi was open for consideration between the leading flexo press manufacturers. Keeping in mind that presses are difficult to maintain due to high temperatures in Southeast Asia, important to Ohtomi was a manufacturer with a solid and local service infrastructure.
“Service was one of the main reasons we chose MPS, next to their proven reputation of offering the highest print quality and productivity,” said Oshima. “The MPS service organization is very organized and customer-focused, with their offering the Red Box with spare parts, remote support, as well as local expert engineer service from their regional office in Kuala Lumpur. We also have a good relationship with Ahmad Sopian, the local MPS agent in Indonesia.”
Ohtomi plans to purchase at least one additional MPS press within a year, and more in the future.
Operator Training
During the Factory Acceptance Test in November 2018 at MPS headquarters in the Netherlands, two Ohtomi press operators received extensive flexo training in machine operation, maintenance and troubleshooting, to assure maximum results from their new MPS flexo press.
Both operators successfully completed the training program and are now certified MPS flexo operators.
About Ohtomi
Ohtomi is a family business founded in 1971. The company began its origin when Hiroyoshi Oshima’s grandfather started a trading company between Japan and Indonesia in the 1930’s, before World War II. The trading company was the first to bring label presses to Indonesia. Responding to a growing demand for labels, Oshima’s father began printing labels himself, resulting in the Ohtomi label printing business.
Today, Ohtomi is a flourishing company with three locations. The main factory is located in Jakarta, Indonesia and employs around 200 people. In October 2017, a small second printshop was opened in Surabaya, and Ohtomi is also a shared owner of a printing company in Vietnam and Thailand.