Product category:
Print Finishing (Binding, Folding, Inserting, Stitching, etc.)
News Release from: Graphic Arts Equipment | Subject: Stitchliner saddlestitching system
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 29 February 2008
Saddlestitching Success Prompts Digital
Print Move
The success of the upgraded bindery at Chesterfield (UK) litho printing company Printability prompted the early development of quick turn-round colour digital printing.
Printability directors Dean Newman and Mark Wilcockson had targeted the installation of an Horizon Stitchliner to replace a Duplo line on run-of-the-mill in-house booklet work but realised that the fully-automated JDF-ready 5,500 books per hour saddlestitching line was better That is according to Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE) which supplied the Stitchline
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 30 Nov 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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JDF-Ready Stitcher Handles Short-Run Book Work
The development of the short to medium run saddle stitched books led to an investment in a Horizon Stitchliner system that has transformed operations at Rumbold Holland.
The company said that a benefit of the unique saddlestitching line is the way it collates individual sheets, plough folds, stitches and trims in one pass, which is claimed to eliminate the need to fold in to sections, or pre-trim.
The result is reduced lead times, almost no waste, improved productivity per shift and job integrity.
GAE added that with automated make-readies of less than a minute, it became clear that the Stitchliner would be suitable for ultra short-run work, too.
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Booklet Production's 4,500bph Throughput
One of Horizon's SPF200A stitch-fold-trim booklet production lines is helping automotive and educational booklet printer, Elanders Hindson move towards JDF connectability.
For Printability managing director Dean Newman that meant a planned move in to digital printing could be brought forward with by buying a Xerox digital press and the establishment of a dedicated division, Rubicon Digital.
Newman said: "We saw it first at Ipex 06 and we were pretty impressed.
Our Duplo wasn't heavy-duty enough and we wanted something that was closer to a Muller Martini in performance, rather than size, or cost." He explained: "We went to see it in operation at DW Print Finishing, one of our key suppliers, which really know the finishing business inside out.
They've always sung its praises and we only heard good things about it from whoever we asked, so we decided to take the plunge." And Newman continued: "We do a lot of sporting programmes in runs of 1,000 to 2,000 of about 56 pages and 72 pages, which used to take five or six hours to complete but the Stitchliner finishes the work within the hour.
We are sending a lot less work out now and the new system has reduced our outsourcing by 50 per cent and it's putting GBP3,000 on to our bottom line every month." Mark Wilcockson added: "Now we can produce booklets with up to 80 pages and set up is a lot quicker, whilst the two tower collators enable us to produce double the work.
And the great finish of the genuine saddlestitch also means we can confidently target the higher end of the market more actively." He said that Printability is already hitting targets and it has not needed to push the system., whilst the Stitchliner has given the company a boost.
And he explained: "We spent a good deal of time researching this investment but it has been one of the best decisions we have made.
I am delighted." Printability has two five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster presses, 38 employees and a turnover of GBP3.5 million.
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