Second pressman

Second Pressman – Komori GL540

Department: Sheetfed Press
Reports To: Lead Press Operator / Pressroom Supervisor
Classification: Full-Time, Hourly
Equipment: Komori Lithrone GL540 5-Color Sheetfed Offset Press

Position Summary

The Second Pressman supports the Lead Press Operator in the safe, efficient, and consistent operation of the Komori GL540 5-color sheetfed press. This position is responsible for assisting with press setup, plate and blanket changes, ink and coating preparation, paper handling, quality control, wash-ups, preventative maintenance, and troubleshooting.

The Second Pressman is expected to actively participate in running the press—not simply provide material support. The goal of the position is to maintain production efficiency, minimize waste and downtime, ensure consistent print quality, and develop the technical skills necessary to operate the press independently when required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Press Setup & Makeready

• Assist the Lead Press Operator with daily press setup and makeready.

• Review job tickets, proofs, paper specifications, ink requirements, coatings, quantities, and finishing requirements before production.

• Load and remove printing plates accurately.

• Assist with blanket and packing changes.

• Prepare inks, coatings, wash solutions, and other pressroom materials.

• Stage paper and verify the correct stock, size, grain direction, quantity, and job identification.

• Set up and adjust feeder and delivery systems.

• Assist with registration, color, ink/water balance, and impression adjustments.

• Help achieve acceptable color and registration with minimum makeready sheets.

Press Operation

• Assist in operating the Komori GL540 throughout the production run.

• Monitor feeder operation and maintain consistent sheet feeding.

• Monitor delivery and properly handle completed loads.

• Maintain proper ink, fountain solution, coating, and consumable levels.

• Watch for marking, picking, scumming, doubling, slurring, registration movement, color variation, coating problems, and other print defects.

• Make routine press adjustments within the employee's level of training and responsibility.

• Communicate immediately with the Lead Press Operator when production or quality problems occur.

• Maintain an organized supply of paper, ink, plates, coatings, and other materials to minimize press downtime.

Quality Control

• Understand that both press operators are responsible for the quality of the finished product.

• Pull and inspect press sheets throughout the run.

• Compare production sheets against approved proofs, samples, and job specifications.

• Monitor registration, color consistency, density, dot reproduction, coating coverage, and overall appearance.

• Use densitometers, spectrophotometers, and other quality-control equipment as trained.

• Understand basic G7 principles, gray balance, density, TVI, and Delta E standards as applicable.

• Identify defects quickly and stop or slow production when necessary to prevent excessive waste.

• Ensure questionable product is identified and segregated rather than continuing through production.

Waste & Productivity

The Second Pressman shares responsibility with the Lead Press Operator for controlling pressroom waste and maintaining production efficiency.

• Minimize makeready sheets.

• Reduce unnecessary paper, ink, coating, and chemical waste.

• Help maintain established press speeds once acceptable quality is achieved.

• Keep feeder and delivery operations running efficiently.

• Anticipate upcoming press needs rather than waiting for the press to stop.

• Assist with rapid job changeovers.

• Accurately record waste, production counts, downtime, and other required job information.

• Immediately communicate mechanical or production issues that may create excessive downtime or waste.

Maintenance & Housekeeping

• Perform daily and scheduled operator-level preventative maintenance.

• Clean blankets, impression cylinders, rollers, pans, guards, and press components as required.

• Assist with roller and blanket inspection and replacement.

• Lubricate designated components according to the manufacturer's maintenance schedule.

• Monitor the press for abnormal sounds, vibration, leaks, wear, or other mechanical concerns.

• Report maintenance problems before they result in equipment failure whenever possible.

• Maintain a clean press, work area, and surrounding floor.

• Keep tools, chemicals, press supplies, and replacement parts properly stored.

• Participate in scheduled press cleaning and preventative maintenance.

Safety

• Follow all company safety policies and press-specific procedures.

• Follow lockout/tagout requirements.

• Never bypass press guards, interlocks, or other safety devices.

• Properly handle inks, solvents, coatings, chemicals, plates, and pressroom supplies.

• Wear required personal protective equipment.

• Maintain clean and unobstructed work areas around the press.

• Immediately report unsafe conditions, injuries, equipment damage, and near misses.

• Assist in creating a pressroom culture where production speed never takes priority over employee safety.

Performance Expectations

Performance will be evaluated using measurable production results, including:

• Safety: Zero preventable safety incidents and consistent compliance with safety procedures.

• Quality: Jobs produced to approved customer and company quality standards.

• Waste: Consistent improvement toward company-established sheetfed waste targets.

• Makeready: Efficient setups with minimal unnecessary time and material.

• Productivity: Maintain expected press speeds and minimize avoidable downtime.

• On-Time Delivery: Support the company's goal of 98%+ on-time production.

• Rework: Minimize preventable reprints and production errors.

• Maintenance: Complete assigned preventative maintenance on schedule.

• Job Accuracy: Correct stock, plates, ink, coating, quantities, and job specifications.

• Housekeeping: Maintain a clean, safe, organized press and work area.

Knowledge and Skills

The ideal Second Pressman should have or develop working knowledge of:

• Sheetfed offset lithographic printing.

• Komori sheetfed press operation.

• Feeder and delivery systems.

• Printing plates and plate installation.

• Ink and water balance.

• Registration and color control.

• Conventional and aqueous coatings.

• Paper characteristics, grain direction, caliper, coatings, and printing behavior.

• Press blankets and packing.

• Basic color measurement and densitometry.

• Press troubleshooting.

• Preventative maintenance.

• Safe handling of pressroom chemicals.

Qualifications

• Previous sheetfed offset press experience preferred.

• Experience on Komori equipment strongly preferred.

• Mechanical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot production problems.

• Ability to read and understand job tickets, proofs, production instructions, and measurements.

• Strong attention to detail and quality.

• Ability to work effectively as part of a two-person press crew.

• Dependable attendance and punctuality.

• Willingness to learn advanced press operation and color-management techniques.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods.

• Ability to bend, reach, climb, push, pull, and perform repetitive movements.

• Ability to safely lift and handle pressroom materials within company-established lifting requirements.

• Ability to work around moving machinery, paper dust, inks, coatings, solvents, and normal pressroom noise.

• Ability to distinguish color differences necessary for commercial printing.

Development Expectations

The Second Pressman position should be considered a developmental position toward becoming a qualified Lead Press Operator.

The employee should progressively demonstrate the ability to:

1. Independently load paper and set the feeder.

2. Install plates correctly.

3. Perform blanket changes and packing adjustments.

4. Perform complete press wash-ups and job changeovers.

5. Establish basic ink/water balance.

6. Identify common print defects and their causes.

7. Make basic registration and color corrections.

8. Read and use pressroom color-measurement equipment.

9. Complete routine preventative maintenance.

10. Set up and run straightforward jobs with limited supervision.

11. Troubleshoot feeder, delivery, registration, color, and print-quality problems.

12. Eventually operate the Komori GL540 independently for standard production work.

Accountability

The Second Pressman is expected to take ownership of Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and Equipment Care alongside the Lead Press Operator.

The position is not limited to feeding the press or moving materials. A successful Second Pressman understands the entire printing process, anticipates what the Lead Press Operator will need next, identifies problems before they create significant waste or downtime, and continually develops toward becoming a fully qualified Komori GL540 Lead Press Operator.

Employment Type: Full Time
Salary: $18 - $21 Hourly
Bonus/Commission: No