Stephen Austin, which was established in 1768 in Hertford, England and delivers world class printing, packaging and distribution services for high stakes examinations, has recently invested in Canon’s ColorStream 8160 digital colour press and varioPRINT iX3200 digital inkjet press. These new investments have enabled the business to replace legacy print equipment and improve quality, productivity and flexibility for the next phase of its digital transformation journey. 



With over 70 years of expertise, Stephen Austin is trusted by awarding organisations, governments and Ministries of Education all over the world, distributing more than 100 million assessments to over 160 countries every year. The company also has a well established relationship with Canon, having first worked together over 15 years ago to ensure continuous innovation for its customer base.

Following years of steady growth, Stephen Austin recently purchased commercial printer Hertford Offset. The company now prioritises maintaining high standards of excellence and efficiency across both its commercial and secure printing operations. Canon’s cutting edge production and commercial print technology made it the obvious choice to support the next phase of its automation journey.

Canon’s varioPRINT iX3200 has essentially condensed four machines into one at Stephen Austin, revolutionising the commercial printing business experience. Its sheetfed inkjet technology offers ultra-fast production speeds of 9120 SRA3 duplex images per hour, high uptime (over 90%) with automated efficiencies, and minimal labour involvement. The investment has replaced existing end of life devices and, critically, brought with it improved performance and product range. This, in turn, allows Stephen Austin to absorb growing customer demand across the examination and commercial markets.
  
Further accelerating Stephen Austin’s digital transformation, Canon’s ColorStream 8160 is built with automation at its core, minimising the need for hands-on support to achieve high quality output - fast. With speeds of up to 200 metres per minute, high resolutions up to 1200 x 1200 dpi and low operational costs, this investment was an easy decision for the business.

With the varioPRINT iX3200 and ColorStream 8160, sustainability isn’t optional – it’s a priority at every stage of the product life cycle. With low power consumption and minimal waste, these devices align with Stephen Austin’s wider sustainability goals. Additionally, the water based polymer pigment inks of the varioPRINT iX3200 are engineered for superior de-inkability, for easier to recycle output.

Kevin Strachan, Operations Director at Stephen Austin & Hertford Offset, comments: “At the core of our business is delivering products and services that not only meet but exceed our customers’ expectations. Our most recent investments in Canon’s cutting edge printing technology will empower our automation led workflow and enable us to continue to provide the high-quality products and services our clients expect.”

Stuart Rising, Head of Graphic Arts at Canon UK & Ireland adds: “We highly value our long standing partnership with Stephen Austin and are excited to support this next phase of its digital transformation journey. At Canon, we prioritise delivering the best results for our customers by considering their specific needs. For Stephen Austin, this meant taking its high standards of quality, accuracy and productivity to the next level, offering ongoing innovation to future proof the business.”

For more information on Stephen Austin, please visit: https://stephenaustin.co.uk