Member Article

KEP receives the UK’s first Genesis-V cutting machine

KEP Print Group, a leading commercial print house specialist, has announced a UK first after taking delivery of the next generation multi-purpose cutting machine to help boost performance.

The Tamworth-based company has invested in Blackman & White’s Genesis-V Premium edition machine, as part of ambitious plans to increase the output of it cardboard engineering and point-of-sale division.

The installation features industry-leading tool head technology with interchangeable dual driven and passive tools, whilst the 30% reduction in weight makes it the fastest cutting tool to date.

It offers cutting speeds of 1200mm, twinned with a cutting accuracy of 0.1mm making it an ideal system to quickly and efficiently cut a wide range of substrates.

KEP chose the 3.2metre wide conveyorised version of the Genesis-V and it was supplied with 2 crease wheels, a drag knife and through cut tool.

“Genesis-V is ideal for our expanding cardboard engineering and POS division,” explained Mark Plowman, Managing Director at KEP Print Group.

“The versatility and speed of the machine - with its next-generation tooling options - means we maximise efficiency, as we don’t have to stop production as we change from drag knife to creasing wheel.

“We also love the fact that Blackman & White’s machines are designed and built in the UK and its level of technical support is always excellent.”

KEP Print Group is a full-service commercial printer with multiple disciplines in-house. It specialises in large format printing, digital and litho printing, print finishing, graphic design, direct mail and fulfilment for a range of blue-chip national accounts.

Alex White, Blackman & White Managing Director, concluded: “We’re immensely proud to be working with the KEP Print Group, a highly successful UK-based family business that share similar principles to our company.

“It will be great to see point-of-sale structures up and down the high-street and know that they have been cut on one of our cutting machines.”

Blackman & White is the UK’s only manufacturer of cutting systems and is looking to build on a strong year of sales by starting its 55th year in business in style.

The company, which employs 28 people at a state-of-the-art factory in Essex, grew 10% in 2018 after a surge of orders from UK and overseas customers involved in the aerospace, automotive, graphics, marine and print sectors.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .