In 2000, Chairman Cui Wenfeng started a print shop called Today First Printing for his wife to run. This was the forerunner of Shengda. It may be that there is some latent aptitude for printing in the people of Henan, but in just 10 years this small print shop grew into a model enterprise in commercial printing that is now influential worldwide.
It's said that outsiders often have a better grasp of the situation, and because Mr. Cui had not specialized in printing and was a newcomer in the industry, he had management ideas that were different from industry regulars. Under Cui's leadership, to generate printing that went beyond the ordinary boundaries, Shengda concentrated on short-run color printing.
From its founding, Shengda pursued rapid growth by deploying technological innovation. It was the first printing company in China to take orders online. The company also pioneered in providing free delivery by building a dedicated distribution system. In addition, it established more than 100 subsidiaries in Henan and Sichuan provinces as well as in Beijing and Shanghai.

Efficiency through advanced equipment

In a market environment where short-run jobs are increasing while the number of printed sheets is falling, selecting high-efficiency presses is critical. Large-format presses that emphasize efficiency have gradually become mainstream in the market, and customers' quality requirements have steadily grown more exacting.
As Cui explains: "High quality, high efficiency and low cost are deeply connected with state-of-the-art production equipment, so investing in Komori presses was completely natural. Shengda and Komori have built a cooperative tie-up over many years, and we have great trust in the Komori brand. Komori delivers advanced production technology, high efficiency and stable, outstanding print quality that meets user needs. In addition, Komori's strong service team solves problems in a very short time whenever there is an issue. We have completely relied on Komori since we invested in our first Lithrone G40. Shengda today runs two Lithrone G37s, six Lithrone G40s, one full-spec Lithrone GX40RP and three of the newest Lithrone G46s."
Cui has a very high opinion of the latest Lithrone G46. "The Lithrone G46," he says, "not only offers high speed and high print quality but also delivers peak performance to companies seeking high productivity. Thanks to its unique machine design, there is no better choice for gang-run printing."
As Komori's newest large-format printing press, the Lithrone G46, with its extraordinary productivity, is the successor to the 44-inch large-format Lithrone G44 offset press. With its 872 x 1,160 mm maximum sheet size, 0.04-0.8 mm sheet thickness range and 15,000 sheets per hour maximum printing speed, this press is capable of meeting a wide range of printing needs. As a full-size model, the Lithrone G46 can handle Chinese A4 x 16p impositions and can actually achieve twice the productivity of 92 cm presses that are common in the market. Printers who install a Lithrone G46 can greatly increase efficiency, boost revenues and secure profits, producing double the results with half the labor.

Small steps and great ambition

From left: Cui Wenfeng, Chairman, and Yoshiharu Komori, Chairman of Komori

"The outlook for the future will be two or three companies making nearly all products and managing by size. Production equipment secures the manufacturing capabilities of the company. For this reason, Shengda this year has again concluded a high-level strategic cooperation agreement with Komori, and the investment in machinery is more than 300 million yuan. As part of this agreement, Komori will renew and upgrade the presses and make every effort to meet Shengda's unique needs. In addition, at Shengda's request, Komori will from time to time invite Shengda's press chiefs to Japan for customized training. Komori will also regularly visit Shengda's plants and provide specialized training. This will ensure maximum value from the presses, greater stability and optimum print quality," Cui says.
For the long term, Shengda has set goals for each stage of its growth. When asked about its goals in the next stage, Chairman Cui says: "In the next two years, we are going to lay a solid foundation for the Yongcheng Plant and strive to make annual sales of 2 billion yuan. At the same time, I aim to make annual sales of 500 million yuan at the Chengdu Plant. Moreover, we will continue to build new plants in Beijing, Tianjin, Guangzhou and other locations."
Facing a market where competition is intensifying daily, the production facilities lineup has once again been fortified, bringing Shengda a step closer to realizing its great ambition of becoming the largest-scale printing company in China. The company is looking forward to an even better future.

* The Lithrone G46 is sold only in China.