The principle of the “Aggregation of Marginal Gains” seeks to optimise all the variables in a process or system. So even though the consumable spend in a printing company accounts for only 3% of the total cost of production print managers still look to “save” by using cheaper consumables. This is a false sense of economy, just take a look at the data below pertaining to press wash.
When all is fair, paying more upfront will cost you less than the back end costs of cheaper products when it comes to press consumables. The following pertains to evaporation of different classes of press wash over a specific time unit. It’s quiet clear that evaporation alone squashes much of the price advantage that cheaper A1 and A11 Class press washes offer.
A1 Class Wash (cheap) – 5.5Lt /time unit
A11 Class Wash (cheap) – 2,8 LT/time unit
A111 Class Wash (Fogra) – 1.7 Lt / time unit ( Special Offer)

Then consider the life of your blankets and rollers when applying the aggressive VOC washes. They harden prematurely and need replacing more frequently.
Highly researched and developed aliphatic hydrocarbon based washes, such as Dyna Wash G60 are better suited to maintain rubber printing blankets and rollers.
Only a small percentage of printers in South Africa have embraced Fogra listed and/or Certified products so it’s really common place to hear of printers using paraffin or white spirits to wash blankets and rollers. This was common 30 years ago but today technology has evolved and ignoring these advances in technology will close down any hope of success in an ever consolidating market space.
It should be noted that Fogra Certified consumables and additives doesn’t address the actual performance of the product, it only advises that the product is safe to use. But Fogra Certification should be the basic minimum requirement when considering consumables and additives.
0 Comments