Replacing Multi 1250 for envelope printing

Our 1250 is about to bite the dust (after 42 years) and we will need a new machine to print envelopes.
1 color, from invitation size to 6x9, but mostly #10.
Runs are from 1000 to 10,000 (mostly 1000) and we don't do more than 300K a year.
All lines, text and some simple logos.
I'm not sure yet if my bosses will go for something used. They like new.

This is what I've been looking into:

- Rena Mach 5 - I don't need full color and I've read some bad things about service
- Xante Illumina - See above (and insert "very" before bad things), and I've heard that supplies are really expensive
- Heidelberg QM 46-2 - They don't make the 46-1 anymore. I don't need two colors and can't spend 55K on something I don't need.
- Ricoh HQ 7000 (or 9000) - this is what I'm leaning towards right now.
It could be that the sales guy charmed me though.

Any thoughts?

 

Pretty much anything will work for ya, but you sound like your leaning towards a digital machine so good luck they all suck to some degree

 

get a ryobi 3302 and a c9000 envelope feeder will run forever. and you wont have digital techs living in your shop
you could get both used for price of digital crap

 

Are you looking into digital or offset press? What kind of budget is available? Low cost and dependable; small format offset, 5000-7500 per hour, ABD 360cd with a Press Specialties envelope feeder C393 and receiving conveyor with a T-51 second color unit for two color one pass and holds tight registration. Easy conversion from sheetfed minimum 3 x 5 to maximum 11 x 17 portrait to envelope feeder. Continuous top load, bottom feed and register table. Return envelpoes to catalog. Should run $2000 - $5000.

 

Maybe these comments will help in the process of elimination, sorry thats all I can offer. I have a bone to pick with Xante. They sold me a film output device that was supposed to handle screens, but does not, needless to say I didn't appreciate shelling out 10 grand on something that did not work. I think the Heidy is overkill, good machine but expensive to operate as well as own.

 

You should have asked around before dropping that kind of money on a machine, I could have told you anything with the Xante name on it is complete garbage

 

I hear ya ziggy, wish I'd have joined this forum before hand, but now all I can do is deal with this POS and warn others.

 

lol xante shmante, same as oki and all the other overpriced crap. my opinion go with litho get either a 3302 or equivelent or a 9810 ab dick these machines love envelopes

 

Agree 100% on the 3302, have run millions of envelopes through mine over the years. I would suggest an Astro AMC-2000 envelope feeder though. Many years ago we tried several different ones, but this is the one that lasted. If maintained the 3302 will run forever, would not shy away from a used one if it passes inspection.

 

I think the Heidy is overkill, good machine but expensive to operate as well as own.

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