Sakurai Printing Machines: Complete History & All Models
The complete Sakurai story — Japan's specialist for Oliver series offset presses and SC series UV coaters, est. 1946. Every model, the India installed base, and the UV coater range that Sakurai is equally famous for.
Sakurai Graphic Systems is a unique Japanese manufacturer — equally known for their Oliver series offset presses and their SC series UV and aqueous coaters. In India, Sakurai is important on two fronts: their Oliver 252/266/272/275 offset presses serve the mid-market commercial print sector, and their SC series standalone UV coaters are found in hundreds of Indian print shops that want offline UV coating capability without inline press investment. Sakurai has maintained continuous manufacturing since 1946 and remains an independent, family-controlled company.
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colours | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver 252 / 252EP | 1975 – 2005 | B3 | 36 × 52cm | 10,000–12,000 s/hr | 1C–4C | Early Sakurai B3 press. Used in commercial print and in-plant. Moderate India presence. Good used market value. | Discontinued |
| Oliver 258 / 258SW ★ India commercial | 1985 – 2010 | B3 | 36.5 × 52cm | 13,000 s/hr | 2C–6C, coater option | Main Sakurai B3 press through the 1990s–2000s. Used in Indian commercial print for visiting cards, stationery, and brochures. SW = Standard Width. Used 258 4C: ₹15–40 lakh. | Discontinued |
| Oliver 266 / 266SD | 1988 – 2010 | Between B3 and B2 | 46 × 66cm | 13,000 s/hr | 2C–6C | Intermediate format — between B3 and B2. Less common in India than the 252/258 or 272/275. Some commercial printers who wanted between-format capability. | Discontinued |
- Oliver 272-4 (4C, 1995–2005): ₹25–60 lakh
- Oliver 275-4 (4C, 2000–2010): ₹35–80 lakh
- Oliver 275-5+L (5C + coater, 2002–2010): ₹55–120 lakh
| Model | Years | Format | Max Sheet | Max Speed | Colours | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver 272 / 272EP ★ Common India B2 | 1985 – 2008 | B2 | 52 × 72cm | 13,000 s/hr | 2C–6C, coater | Sakurai's B2 press — competed with Heidelberg SM 72 and Ryobi 750 in India. Significant India installed base in commercial and packaging. Good print quality for standard commercial work. Used Oliver 272 4C: ₹25–60 lakh. | Discontinued |
| Oliver 275 / 275EP ★★ Most important Sakurai in India | 1992 – present | B2+ | 53 × 75cm | 15,000 s/hr | 2C–8C, coater, UV option | The main Sakurai press in India's commercial and packaging market. Competes with Heidelberg SM/CD 74, Komori LS-40, and Ryobi 755. Known for good inking quality. The 275 5C+coater is popular for pharmaceutical packaging in India. Significant India installed base. Available as current model. New Oliver 275: ₹1.2–2.8 crore. Oliver range ↗ | Current |
| Oliver 478 / 478SD | 1995 – present | B2+ | 54 × 78cm | 15,000 s/hr | 4C–8C, UV, coater | Extended Oliver — slightly larger than 275. UV option. Packaging-focused. Some India installations for folding carton work. Oliver range ↗ | Current |
In India, Sakurai's SC series standalone UV and aqueous coaters are arguably better known than their Oliver offset presses. The reason: offline UV coating is an extremely common process in Indian commercial and packaging print — applied after offset printing on a separate pass through a coater. Sakurai SC coaters are the market standard for standalone UV coating in India, installed in hundreds of print shops from small commercial operations to large packaging converters. A Sakurai SC coater applied to sheets printed on any brand of press delivers high-gloss UV coating for brochures, visiting cards, packaging, and premium commercial print. The SC coater is one of the most reliable investments in the finishing portfolio for any Indian commercial printer. SC Series ↗
| Model | Years | Max Sheet | UV / Aqueous | Speed | Notes & India significance | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakurai SC-102 / SC-102AII ★★★ Most common in India | 1990 – present (multiple generations) | 72 × 102cm (B1) | UV + aqueous | Up to 6,000 sheets/hr | The most common Sakurai coater in India. B1 format offline UV/aqueous coater. Found in commercial print shops, packaging converters, and finishing trade houses across India. Widely used for UV gloss coating of brochures, packaging, and visiting cards printed on any offset press. Multiple generations with progressive improvements. New SC-102: ₹25–50 lakh. Used: ₹8–20 lakh. Official SC range ↗ | Current |
| Sakurai SC-74 / SC-74AII ★★ B2+ coater | 1993 – present | 53 × 74cm (B2+) | UV + aqueous | Up to 6,000 sheets/hr | B2+ format offline coater. Used alongside B2+ offset presses for inline or post-press UV coating. Very common in India's mid-size commercial and packaging print. Official ↗ | Current |
| Sakurai SC-52 | 1995 – present | 36.5 × 52cm (B3) | UV + aqueous | Up to 5,000 sheets/hr | B3 format standalone coater. Used with B3 offset presses for small commercial and visiting card UV coating. | Current |
Sakurai Graphic Systems Corporation, Osaka, Japan
For used Sakurai Oliver presses: Machinery dealers in Ulhasnagar, Kirti Nagar Delhi, and Chennai handle used Oliver presses. IndiaMART lists used Oliver presses regularly.
For SC coater service and parts: SC coaters are relatively simple machines — UV lamps, doctor blade, transfer rollers. UV lamps are available from Indian UV lamp suppliers (Narayan Lamps, UV Lamps India, and others). Blankets and rollers from Sakurai or generic suppliers. SC coaters are generally easier to maintain than offset presses — most experienced press engineers can service them.
Sakurai's India importance: If you are a commercial printer in India who doesn't yet have an SC coater — it is one of the highest-ROI finishing investments available. A Sakurai SC-74 or SC-102 offline coater opens up UV gloss coating as a premium service that can significantly increase per-job revenue. Investment: ₹15–50 lakh new. Payback: typically 12–24 months on active production.