Eight Group makes ‘first-of-a-kind’ production investment

Nottingham-based print specialist Eight Group has made a “first-of-a-kind” investment at its production facilities at Glaisdale Parkway.

The comany has added Konica Minolta’s flagship AccurioJet KM-1e digital B2 inkjet production print press as part of a £1.2m investment in enhancing its production facilities at its HQ.

Eight Group says the new printing press will help it make savings of around £125,000 a year in outsourcing costs. The company has also invested in an additional Konica Minolta AccurioPress C12000e production printer, along with AccurioPro Flux Premium and AccurioPro Dashboard print management software.

Eight Group says the investment will help it explore new areas of business beyond its core direct mail offering to offer personalised packaging, retail printing and broader commercial print options to new and existing customers and markets.

Lance Hill, CEO of Eight Group, said: “This is a considerable enhancement for our business and a UK first for Konica Minolta. This AccurioJet digital press enables us to produce exceptional quality, short-run, large format work in-house, that we previously outsourced to subcontractors. We have greater control of production whilst keeping more revenue in-house, better utilisation of our equipment, and enhanced speed to market, along with top-quality results across a wide range of materials. We now have an entire digital print line powered by Konica Minolta.”

Eight Group is known for its commitment to social and environmental responsibility as a certified B Corp company, so also chose the AccurioJet for its sustainability features.

Jon Hiscock, head of production and industrial print at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK), added: “We’re proud to partner with Eight Group on this important step forward. Their investment reflects true partnership with a clear understanding of evolving customer needs and future market dynamics. By co-creating a tailored, scalable solution with Eight Group we’re not just delivering exceptional print quality and efficiency – we’re helping them to future-proof their business. It’s this shared vision, built on trust and a deep understanding of challenges and aspirations, that drives true innovation.”