Category Archives: Vendor News

Challenge Titan Paper Cutter Series

Titan Programmable Paper Cutters

The Titan Paper Cutter Series continues the Challenge tradition of innovation, delivering large cutters features and sophisticated yet easy to use controls in convenient smaller format sizes. Models are available in 20 inches / 50.8 cm, 23 inches / 58.4 cm, and 26-1/2 inches / 67.3 cm cutting widths.

The Titan’s solid cast iron and steel construction provides years of quality cutting. The solid one inch thick metal tables provide a strong work surface necessary in a production environment.

The fully programmable Titans are accurate to within +/- 0.002 inch (0.05mm). For manual adjustments, the line-light indicator projects onto the stock to quickly allow for visual alignment. A low-pressure foot pedal clamping system provides safe control of the clamp where pre-cut clamping is needed, such as holding slick stock in place of verifying cut position.

Barcode Reader

Titan cutters with the TC control system can add an optional barcode reader to run multiple production lots quickly and efficiently. Once the job arrives at the cutter, simply scan the barcode printed on the job ticket or in the bleed area and the cutting program will instantly load into the machine. The barcode contains all cutting commands, or it can refer to pre-programmed job name already stored in memory.

Download brochure >>

Titan 200 – 20″ Cutter

Challenge Titan 200 TC

This budget conscious 20 inch manual backgauge paper cutter meets the toughest safety standards in the industry today. When it comes to choosing your next paper cutter, this one is easy…step up to a Titan 200!

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Titan 230 TC – 23″ cutter

Challenge Titan 230 TC

Today’s print market places great demands on your business. Investments in cutting-edge wide format, inkjet, and digital print engines ensure you meet your customer’s diverse needs. Finish your upgrades with a Challenge Titan 230.

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Titan 265 TC – 26″ Cutter

Titan 265 TC 26" Cutter

The Titan 265 is based on a solid cast iron and steel construction for maximum durability. Featuring a powerful hydraulic clamping and cutting that yields up to 26 cuts per minute!

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The Titan Series are safe, productive, and durable machines that fit almost any budget.  Stop wasting valuable production time using that old cutter. Step up to a Titan Series cutter today! 

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Titan Series Paper Cutters

Titan Series Paper Cutters – Large Cutter Features in Small Format Sizes

Titan Series Paper Cutters

Delivering large-cutter features in convenient, small-format sizes!

From the budget conscious 20″ manual backgauge model to the programmable versions of the Titan Series, these hydraulic powered cutters offer large guillotine features in a compact footprint.

Featuring cast-iron and steel construction, quality American manufacturing, and many low-maintenance features, the Titan Series provides years of trouble-free operation. These are safe, productive and durable machines that fit almost any budget. 

The Titan Series Paper Cutters continue the Challenge tradition of innovation, delivering large cutter features and sophisticated yet easy to use controls. Models are available in 20″, 23″ and 26.5″ cutting widths.

Download brochure >>>

Titan 200 – 20″ Paper Cutter

Challenge Titan 200 TC

The Titan 200 is based on a solid cast iron and steel construction for maximum durability. Featuring light-safety curtains, enclosed rear table, two-hand cut buttons, and knife safety latch. Fully hydraulic cutting and clamping.

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Titan 230 TC

Titan 230 Paper Cutter

The Titan 230 TC features a solid cast iron and steel construction for maximum durability. Category 4 light safety curtains, enclosed rear table, two-hand timed non-repeat cut buttons, and a knife safety latch.

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Titan 265 TC

Titan 265 TC Paper Cutter

The Titan 265 features a solid cast iron and steel construction for maximum durability. Industry – exclusive UHMW gib surfaces, composite bushings, and a one-inch thick solid metal table require virtually zero maintenance for years of trouble-free operation.

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Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Horizon CRF-362 Creaser Folder

Specialty Folding – CRF-362

Are you ready for the next generation in creasing and folding?

The Standard Horizon CRF-362 Creaser / Folder has been designed to handle the unique requirements of creasing and folding of digital color output across a wide range of light and heavy-weight stocks, coated or uncoated.

Specialty Folding - CRF-362 Creaser Folder

Crease and folding can be done in one pass for easy and accurate processing of a variety of applications such as restaurant menus, greeting cards, book covers, and marketing collateral.

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CRF-362 Benefits Include:

Pre-Confirgured Patterns

The CRF-362 comes configured with 7 selectable fold patterns and 6 selectable cover creasing patterns for perfect binding including spine, hinge, and flap creasing.

Eliminate Image Cracking

Capable of up to 10 crease lines on a sheet, the system uses an impact scoring technology that eliminates or minimizes cracking of the stock or printed image.

Add-in Perforation

The CRF-362 can also easily handle perforations with the optional PRF-36 Perforation Unit

Easy Setup & Changeover

Set-up and changeovers – including fold pattern, creasing number, and up/down crease selection – can be easily achieved through the high resolution color touchscreen designed for simple and intuitive operation.

Broad Paper Range

The system can handle paper weights up to 400 gsm for creasing without folding (350 gsm with folding) and sheet sizes up to 14.33” x 34”.

For more information on Standard Horizon’s CRF-362 from Standard Horizon, please contact us at 810.238.7370 or click here!

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Six Solutions, One Binder

Fastback binding strips are the highest quality, on-demand binding products on the market! Fastback strips come in various styles, textures, thicknesses, and colors – so you and your customers never have to compromise.

Create strip bound, image bound, softback, easyback, hardback, and custom hardback books / documents with the Fastback 20 in less than 15 seconds! Watch the video below!

Fastback Strip Bound – How to bind a document in 15 seconds!

Fastback Model 20

Create super strong, impressive books in 15 seconds or less, with the Fastback Model 20.

The Fastback Model 20 is the perfect binding machine for copy shops, financial institutions, government agencies, or educational environments. It will produce excellent results at a very low cost, whether it’s binding presentations, yearbooks, or important documents.

This machine is not just for the office, it is a real workhorse and can be used 24 hours per day!

View the Fastback 20 >>

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

OKI C9DP Series - Digital Envelope Printers

Professional digital printing at your fingertips with OKI Digital Print Solutions!

With the OKI C942dn and C931e, premium print jobs that required expensive printing equipment or outsourcing are now available affordably and on-demand. Digital printing delivers rich, saturated, press-like color – without the mess. With no setup costs and fast turnaround times, users can broaden services, expand short-run offerings and deliver high quality printing on demand. Whether printing-for-profit or looking to reduce costs and bring your specialty printing in-house, the OKI C9 series is the solution.

OKI C9 digital printers can be used as a standalone production station, and
also complements existing production equipment by offering extended
printing capabilities. The C942dn and C931e have a compact footprint, vast
capabilities, and are remarkably easy to use and maintain. With four- and
five-color printing options available, users can unlock creative potential and produce a wide range of breathtaking output including invitations, stationery, brochures, packaging prototypes, point-of-sale material, window graphics, banners, labels and more!

Unlock new markets & grow your business with digital printing

What’s the best choice for you? That all depends on priorities and budget. Because one size doesn’t fit all, OKI offers solutions for every need.

Each environment has different needs. Some want full color, plus white to begin creating innovative and exciting print applications, and others want four color printing to reduce their overall cost per print, and offset jobs that normally require a larger press to complete. OKI is the ideal color print device for creative, opportunity-seeking print shops, design firms, and even large retailers: a fast, flexible, cost effective, easy-to-use printer that lets you do more in house than ever before.

Download C9DP Series Brochure >>

Production-level print shop in a box

C942dn LED Digital Color Printer
OKI C942dn

The OKI C942dn lets you do something very unique – broaden your printed offering with White toner. OKI’s most revolutionary five-color print system delivers the ultimate high-impact output by intelligently and accurately applying White toner under CMYK to produce brilliant color printed on dark media. This is a truly ground-breaking device for creative graphic artists and print shops that want to stand out.

Generate additional sources of revenue with the ability to print white and create breathtakingly unique printed output – everything from business cards to colored wedding invitations now become possible!

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Big time color output for a smaller price

OKI C931e Digital Envelope Printer
OKI C931e

The OKI C931e is the perfect solution when CMYK is all you need. Designed for printing on white and light colored substrates, the C931e delivers the same high quality output and media flexibility – but at an incredible value and low total cost of ownership.

With the ability to print Super-B (13″ x 19″) sheets and banners up to 52″ long, the C931e nicely complements existing production equipment by offering extended printing capabilities and lowest toner cost per square inch.

Learn More >>

Mid-State Litho, Inc. (MSL)
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
Ph: 810.238.7370
 www.midstatelitho.net

Are you a good equipment shopper?

  • Left to Right (Circa 2009):
    Yasuo Taketsugu (Horizon), Doug Barrett (MSL), & Eijiro Hori (Horizon)
  • Left to Right ( November 2019): Steven Barrett (MSL), Doug Barrett (MSL), Eijiro Hori (Horizon), & Mark Culley (MSL)

What is your normal approach when you are considering new equipment? Do you spend a couple weeks on the web researching the machine you are interested in? Or do you know what you want when you see it? You may contact your local sales rep and start asking the questions that matter the most to you and maybe you might set up a demonstration. Some might order it sight-unseen. I think most of our customers rely strongly on their dealers to help guide them in the R&D phase and we take that seriously. When you place your trust in us we want to make sure we do everything we can to help you make the most informed decisions you can.

I was compelled to write this because I, along with Mark Culley, and my son Steven Barrett, have all just returned from Kyoto, Japan where the first ever Think Smart Factory Show was held. Not only did we attend the show but we also toured the Horizon Factory, the Fujifilm Ink Jet Assembly Plant, and also the Konica Minolta Research and Development Campus, where we had an in depth demo of the KM-1.

  • MSL Smart Factory 2019
  • Doug & Mark
  • Jack, Doug, Kihm, & Steve
  • Konica Minolta KM-1

Why would we bare the expense and time to attend something like this? There is only one reason and that reason is knowledge. Knowledge makes us better sales reps and adds to our pulse on the industry that we bring to you as your local equipment distributor. MSL has always spent a great deal of time and money to keep our technicians and all of our sales representatives trained and up to speed with what our industry is doing.

 We spend as much money on training our sales people as we do our service techs. We attend every trade show in the US from start to finish. We attend Drupa in Dusseldorf, Germany every 4 years, DScoop, and any other events that we feel will add to our understanding of this industry. We also belong to 3 different peer groups that are also important sources of information – The American Dealer Group, BindRite Dealers Association, and Detroit Printing House Craftsmen. 

The American Dealer Group is where we get to rub elbows with about 25 other dealers from all over North America.  These are all dealers very similar to our organization.  We meet twice a year and discuss everything from service and sales compensation to what products work and which ones don’t. This is a great resource because we review real feedback from actual in-the-field experiences through multiple dealers.

 I am trying to drive home the fact that we are always shopping our product line. We not only make sure that the products work by getting feedback from other dealers, we are also attending shows worldwide to make sure what we are selling is also relevant to the industry and our customers. We have walked away from products that weren’t to our performance or quality standards or if there are issues with the vendor or support. Not having the proper product and support from any given vendor is a recipe for disaster. We have had complicated installations but we learn from them and we work tirelessly to eliminate the potential future problems. As a result, we strive to ensure that every installation is smooth and productive for the customer, in the least amount of time.

It is our responsibility to make sure products we represent work as the manufacturer intended. We spend a great deal of time and money making sure we understand our industry and where it is headed. Take comfort when working with us on equipment that we really do have your best interest at heart and in mind. We have hand-picked the equipment we sell, we know what works, and we only place it where it will make you, our customers, profitable.

Doug Barrett
MSL Account Executive

Next Stop…Dusseldorf 2020

See you in Dusseldorf in the spring of next year. Visit Drupa with us, it is the most important Graphics show in the world. This is where you see the future of our industry, and I have to admit the food and beer are also worth the trip!

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
Ph: 810.238.7370
www.midstatelitho.net

OKI C931DPe: The most affordable digital printer

Introducing the OKI C931DPe!

Sometimes “simple” is all you need. Now you can print envelopes, letterhead, business cards and much more in-house. OKI’s Award Winning Digital Envelope Solutions give you high definition color output on a variety of different medias, that is waterproof and laser safe. The Multi-Media Input Feeder is easy to set up and load. With a straight-through paper path, it’s easier to run thicker stocks and prints are delivered straight up for immediate quality control.

The OKI C931DPe offers the same four-color digital envelope printing, but at a lower cost. OKI has simplified the envelope printing process when a conveyor is not needed. Don’t wait any longer to join thousands of print shops already working with OKI Digital Envelope Printers.

OKI C931DPe & Envelope Feeder
OKI C931DPe + Envelope Feeder

OKI’s C9 Envelope Feeder simplifies job setup, while delivery both high levels of production and reliability. It’s flexibility allows it to handle the broadest range of sizes and printing applications, from envelopes to double-sided brochures – all with no slow-down and in a single pass!

Start printing full-color envelopes in-house! View our product page below for additional product information!

View Product Page >>
Watch Product Video >>

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
PH: 810.238.7370
www.midstatelitho.net

Think Smart Factory 2019

November 11th – 13th, 2019, the first Think Smart Factory will take place in Kyoto, Japan. The target group of international event are future-oriented print service providers who want to fully automate their processes.

Kyoto, Japan – A consortium of industry partners are coming together this November to demonstrate technology in a very special format. The Think Smart Factory 2019 will be held in Kyoto, Japan and it stands to be a very unique glimpse at a future that’s coming together right now at a future-defining moment for our industry.

 The collaborate expo stands to turn things over by integrating every manufacture in a way to best demonstrate the interconnectedness and integration that these partners have been working for decades to create. Technologies of all kinds are coming together for the industry’s first attempt at a complete Smart Factory.

The special expo will be broken into common industry departments such as futuristic workflow controlled inkjet printing direct to roll. There will be a special sheet processing zone for demonstrating a new future of job ticketing and work processing. Rolls can be finished directly to saddle stitched books. There will also be a Smart Stitching Zone, Smart Binding Zone, Smart Folding Zone, and even a shipping zone.

Attendees will be treated to fully integrated applications showcasing uses of robot arms and automated vehicles. Arms can load binders at peak efficiency while smart AVG (Automated Guided Vehicles) transport finished work to the shipping zone.

This exhibition stands to demonstrate a new wave of technology and special processes that are more or less available today. Those attending will see the effort of thousands of engineers coming together in a way that’s never been seen before. Look forward to reporting direct from the event!

Mid-State Litho
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Standard Finishing Systems PRINT 19

Let’s Talk Finishing at PRINT 19 In Chicago!

Let’s talk finishing at PRINT 19!

MSL will be in Standard Horizon’s Booth #810 to demonstrate the largest display of finishing on the show floor.

Standard Horizon’s comprehensive lineup will include perfect binding and trimming, saddlestitching, folding, slitting/creasing, die cutting, and bookletmaking.

Let’s talk about your current workflow. Let’s talk about evaluating new equipment for your business. Let’s talk about automation in your finishing process.

Meet us in Chicago and let’s talk finishing! Schedule your VIP Demo below!

VIP Demo Registration
Free PRINT 19 Attendee Badge

Mid-State Litho, Inc. 
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
PH: 810.238.7370
www.midstatelitho.net

Baumfolder Poly Bag Folding System

Need help folding your poly bags?

Check out the NEW Baumfolder Poly Bag Folding System!

If you are manually folding poly bags for customer returns and medical samples, we have the solution for you!

Baumfolder has developed a system to feed, fold, and convey Poly bags based on your customers required end size.

Baum Poly Bag Folding System Features Benefits:

  • Continuous feeding
  • Designed to select variable folds when ordered
  • Shingle conveyor holds 300 to 500 folded bags
  • Can achieve 40 to 50 bags per minute
  • Designed to have variable sizes when ordered
  • Requires low maintenance
  • Durable heavy-duty commercial construction
  • Maximize daily throughput

Check out Baum’s poly bag folding solution by clicking here and stop hand folding your poly bags. Want more information on this system or something similar? Just give us a call at 810.238.7370 and we will work with you to customize a solution that is right for your business. 

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net