Cito Superfeeder

We were featured in the November 2007 edition of Printweek about the purchase of a new Cito Superfeeder to enhance our envelope printing capabilities. The article has been reproduced below:

Cito Superfeeder

Managing director of Graphico Printing Shaukat Dungarwalla has saved time and money and gained more control of production with his feeder.

What does the machine do?
It manages a continuous feed of envelopes to the press and collects them on the other side on a conveyer belt. This makes repacking easier and is manageable with a single minder.

Why did you choose this particular machine?
This is really the only machine that has the flexibility of continuous feed without stopping the press.

What was your previous machine?
We had a Just-Feed, which we replaced because it was manual, inconvenient and cumbersome.

Why did you make the purchase?
As I said, we purchased the Superfeeder in order to replace the Just-Feed system, which was outdated and could not meet our expectations in terms of production.

What features do you particularly like?
It is a universal machine, so the feeder fits on any press. It can be moved easily from machine to machine, meaning we can change where the production takes place, as per our requirements. The fact it is continuous feed is also a benefit.

Is there anything that you dislike?
Nothing really. It’s a simple solution for a difficult process.

Is there anything that you wish it had?
A counter would be useful.

How fast is it?
It is a variable speed feeder, so can run it as fast as you can print.

How reliable is it?
So far it seems fairly robust. It’s made of solid metal, so it should last a long time.

How easy is it to use?
Very easy. Cito provided us with a training package with installation.

How much time or money has it saved?
It has saved time in that we can now run jobs at full-press speed, which is much faster than our old solution and the quality is considerably better. It allows us to be in more control of production and saves money in the time that each job is on the press.

Has it won you any new work?
Yes, we have been able to keep many more jobs in-house, as well as becoming a trade envelope printer. So, Graphico is now able to accept jobs from our existing customer base, as well as from the trade.

Would you say that it offers value for money?
While expensive for what it does, the volume of envelopes we produce means it is worth the money.

What about the pre- and after-sales service?
Cito’s training and after-sales care is excellent on a one-to-one personal basis, with regular follow-up calls.

Who do you think the machine is right for?
It would be perfect for any company producing envelopes, as well as those who send envelopes out for printing. This is a must in this day and age, as margins are being eroded daily.

Under what circumstances would you buy another?
This machine is very flexible, being able to move from one machine to another. It can cope with high-volume demands, so I would only purchase another if the demand increased even more dramatically than it already has.