Following the Rainbow

These days inkjet and laser printing may appear [for students] the only way to output a final digital job. The first module the second years tackle on their return is Design & Production – the report on contact with industry is above – so not only do they design they have to also produce industry ready artwork and get quotes to publish their ideas from newspapers, magazines, radio, television and litho printers. All know what CMYK is – but not many know the process.

The editor has knows Chorley’s premier print company from his days working in industry and they have over the years invited groups of students to see how a job that arrives at their door is produced and delivered.

NB Colour in Fellery Street, Doug Nelson and Jenny Stead welcomed the editor into their fantastic working environment. Even though he has spent many a happy hour ‘passing-on-press’, checking proofs, negotiating quotes and in the ‘old’ days making sure film was RRED [right reading emulsion side down] a print shop still is as fascinating to the editor today as it was back in the mid-eighties.

But how getting a piece of artwork to the press has changed, no more black and white artwork – everything is digital today. No more film to worry about the emulsion and no more fall off in quality as the image is transferred via film to a litho plate.

Today a digital file [NB Colour prefer PDf’s although accept ALL file types!!!] is sent direct to their  litho plate imager from the company’s computers creating high quality first generation images. All very technical but so simple although the laser imager and the developing process really is cutting edge.

From top to bottom - Kodak plate maker, Heidelberg litho press and stocks of paper

The plates are taken down to the press and the first surprise to the editor NB have sold their Komori presses and have invested in a 5 colour plus coater Heidelberg ‘monster’ – and impressive it is!! The company also has a 6 colour Indigo digital press, ideal for quality,short run print and this machine doesn’t even need plates!

 Both hand and machine finishing is now completed on the premises – so just about the whole print service is available from gaining a quote online to delivering high quality print work.

The final feather in their cap . . . NB Colour is very proud of being a fully Carbon Balanced business. All of their paper comes from sustainable sources and most of the paper they use are Carbon Balanced too, all at no extra cost to their customers.