Konica Minolta’s AccurioJet KM-1e Drives Peabody Press to Best Revenue Year Yet

Peabody Press, located in Baltimore, Maryland, has added a high-speed, full-color Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1e digital inkjet press to its print shop. The new device has enhanced the company’s existing range of printing technologies and mail shop services, offering clients new possibilities in printed output.

Specializing in commercial print and direct mail, Peabody is a family-run business that has been bringing its clients’ creativity to light in print for more than 70 years. It offers offset, digital, flexographic, large-format and letterpress printing along with a full-service bindery, plus list processing within a fully operational mail department.

“While our team already had deep expertise in leveraging advanced technologies to deliver exactly what our clients need, when they need it, the AccurioJet KM-1e has allowed us to further extend our range of solutions and reduce turnaround time,” said Derek Smoot, owner of Peabody Press. “The large sheet size has unlocked exciting new opportunities – we’re producing more books and variable-data projects than ever before. In fact, work for one of our university clients has increased by 150 percent thanks to this press. Our sales team is finding it has opened new doors due to its efficiency, color consistency and flexibility of media types. The AccurioJet KM-1e Inkjet Press integrates seamlessly with our existing print technologies. We couldn’t be more pleased with the investment.”

Peabody first explored Konica Minolta’s AccurioJet KM-1e as part of its strategic expansion into inkjet printing. The shop had grown its digital business over two years and knew they had enough work for it. In fact, the shop’s digital department was overloaded, as was their six-color press, and Peabody wanted a more efficient half-size press. Working with Konica Minolta’s team, Peabody ran test sheets to see the quality of the work, which matched  their six-color press. They also reviewed a wide range of projects they could transition over from other presses in the shop.

Now Peabody and its clients are benefiting from a full-color 29.5-inch sheet-fed LED UV Inkjet Press that delivers exceptional print output much faster than offset or aqueous inkjet presses. In addition, no make-ready is required and no drying time is needed. The UV light curing technology dries ink instantly, maintaining crisp, clean images with outstanding color stability and consistency. Peabody has found that the color and image quality have been game changers, especially for clients who have moved from toner to inkjet.

“It’s been a massive success,” continued Smoot. “We’re turning out jobs faster than last year, and we just ended our best revenue year ever. This addition has helped us invest in our backend, finishing and digital bindery equipment, based on what this press has done so efficiently. And we’re still figuring out additional ways to increase efficiency as we go along. Downtime on the press has been limited, and we’ve only needed one maintenance call. Speed is the key to our industry’s future, and the AccurioJet KM-1e has pushed us toward that.”

“We’re incredibly proud of the success Peabody Press has achieved with the AccurioJet KM-1e,” said Frank Mallozzi, president, IPP, Konica Minolta. “They’ve leveraged the press to deliver innovative, high-quality solutions that enhance client satisfaction through faster turnaround times and seamless integration with their existing technologies. The impressive business growth they’ve experienced to date by adopting inkjet speaks volumes about the impact of this investment.”

For more than 70 years, Peabody Press has produced high-quality and cost effective printing for a diverse client base, consistently shaping and developing the shop’s workflow to meet the needs of each client. Its dedicated team of highly experienced professionals has allowed the shop to evolve into a thriving full-service company. Peabody Press aims to continue being a leader in the print industry in the Baltimore community, supporting local businesses and working with numerous companies, schools, organizations and individuals. Peabody Press takes special pride in supporting local nonprofits that are vital to the community. The shop started in a Baltimore row home in 1947. The current 33,000 sq. ft. facility, with state-of-the-art equipment, has been operating since 2003.