In November of 2019, APT worked with a family-owned and operated commercial printing and direct mail company headquartered in South Plainfield, NJ: Westerleigh Concepts. After assessing their expansion plans, Westerleigh Concepts knew they needed a new printing press in their office to take them to the next level. APT sourced a machine from across the globe, shipped and installed the machine, then trained the team at Westerleigh Concepts to get the most out of their new investment.

About Westerleigh Concepts

Westerleigh Concepts, owned by Jim Glover, specializes in political printing and mailing. Their presses can fulfill orders of over 3 million pieces daily. With such large throughputs, it was important for Westerleigh Concepts to find the right technological solution to fill their current needs. In addition, they were looking to expand their production capabilities into new applications. They knew it was important to partner with a solution provider like APT that was experienced with the heavy logistics and engineering involved with delivering and installing an offset sheet-fed press.

Market Seasonality & Project Planning

Because springtime is their busy season, Westerleigh Concepts knew that they had a limited time in the fall and winter to find and install the offset printer to minimize the workflow interruption of working a new machine into their processes. APT knew that such a major project would have to be sourced and completed quickly to make sure everything was in place for the next busy season.

APT Consults to Sell the 2017 RMGT 928PF-LED UV

An example of the original Heidelberg CD74 press used in Westerleigh Concepts’ South Plainfield facility.

Westerleigh Concepts came to APT through an internet search for used printing presses. At the time Westerleigh Concepts was currently operating a pair of Heidelberg CD74 presses, 4-color workhorses that had a wide range of options to fit many different applications. While Mr. Glover wasn’t overly familiar with the RMGT brand or technology, they were intrigued by a specific machine APT was advertising: a 2017 RMGT 928PF-LED UV.

A 2017 RMGT 928PF-LED UV printing press like the one APT installed in South Plainfield, NJ

This 8-color 4/4 perfecting format press has an LED UV system that would have expanded the production options for Westerleigh Concepts’ customers, but expanding into a 8-color format wasn’t in their production roadmap yet.

Like with all their clients, APT took the time to have a few conversations with Mr. Glover and the team at Westerleigh Concepts, learning about their manufacturing environment and business model. Leveraging APT’s decades of experience, they helped Westerleigh Concepts realize that a more feature-rich format of press would help expand into new production capabilities.

It was only a few short weeks after that time that APT and Westerleigh Concepts entered into a contractual agreement for APT to sell, deliver and install this state-of-the-art printing technology from RMGT.

Shipping & Delivering a Dismantled 2017 RMGT 928PF-LED UV

There was only one problem: the 2017 RMGT 928PF-LED UV press was not just located across the pond in the UK, but it was also dismantled in a warehouse after being decommissioned from its previous location.

While buying a dismantled machine is common when buying used presses, it can be a complicated process for the buyer. APT Sales Executive Ike Covin explains:

We at APT always compare buying a used press to buying a used car.

There can be a lot of value to the buyer to make a good used purchase, but there are a lot of concerns with the previous owners.

Would you want to buy a used car that was torn apart in pieces in a warehouse? Would the brakes work? What about the engine? What kind of shape is the transmission in? How was that car maintained when it was still running?

You’d have the same kinds of questions when you’re purchasing a used printing press.

Fortunately for Westerleigh Concepts, APT has been doing this for a long time and is very experienced with handing dismantled used machinery. When we know we have to decommission a used press and store it, we have a very regimented and calculated process we follow to unsure the machine is dismantled properly and stored safely. This ensures that whoever purchases the machine can be completely confident in the machine’s ability to perform upon re-installation.

APT Installs the 2017 RMGT 928PF-LED UV in Plainfield & Trains the Staff

Westerleigh Concepts felt comfortable with APT’s process and experience, so APT shipped the machine from the UK to the Port of New York & New Jersey. Once the machine arrived to the port, APT loaded it onto their flatbed trucks and delivered it to South Plainfield, NJ. APT’s experienced machinery rigging crew was waiting to offload 50 tons of printing press parts and place them into the Westerleigh Concepts facility.

Just getting the parts into the building was only the start of the installation process. APT’s engineers then assembled the machine, leveled it for optimal performance, and secured it in place for safety. Then, APT engineers spent about two weeks setting the machine up after installation and bringing all the functions and software back online.

But that wasn’t the end of APT’s process. APT then provided training for the sheetfed press operators at Westerleigh Concepts, helping ease the transition for the completely new technology that came in their doors. Needless to say, Westerleigh Concepts’ professional team of operators picked up on everything very fast and now love their new RMGT 928PF-LED UV.

What Can APT Do for Your Printing Business?

APT is very proud to call Westerleigh Concepts our customer.

Helping choose a new printing press for a business, moving 50 tons of disassembled printing press parts over nearly 3500 miles of open ocean, installing that press in an efficient and safe way, and helping the buyer’s team learn how to expand their capabilities with their new investment is what APT does every day.

Browse our printing press machinery today to get started on expanding your printing production capabilities.