Western Australia’s Print Finishing Line is embracing the book printing sector’s new horizon – the move towards shorter runs – with the installation of the state’s first Horizon BQ-280 PUR single clamp perfect binder, which is set to clear up small job finishing bottlenecks for the trade finisher.
Print Finishing Line, a trade finishing division of iconic Perth printing company, Pilpel Print, decided on the new Horizon perfect binder after the machine’s local distributor, Currie Group, featured it on its stand at PacPrint earlier this year.
For Chris Duncan, manager of Print Finishing Line, the new installation – completed in early August – will allow the company to keep pace with the local industry as it moves away from long book runs in preference for shorter runs, often from digital print sources.
“The book market itself is declining, and with the e-books and all of those new formats, the long run magazine work is disappearing at a rapid rate,” said Duncan. “The digital market has hit like a tornado, it’s coming in everywhere. They’re going towards the digital side of things, the short run jobs. We’ve got to be ready for that. We’ve got to move with the times.”
- Chris Duncan (L) and June Peacock from Print Finishing Line.
In its new setting, the Horizon BQ-280 PUR is complementing Print Finishing Line’s existing perfect binding capacity, which is served by a high capacity Wohlenberg binder and an existing Horizon BQ-440, which was installed way back in 1989.
The new addition will enable Print Finishing Line to avoid bottlenecks that build up when small jobs are run through the higher capacity machines. According to Duncan, it is also a more cost-effective option.
“It’s obviously a lot cheaper to bind that way than to go onto the big machine. With this way it keeps the costs down,” he said. “It’s important that we offer all the services that our clients require. Having big long run machinery, we also need to complement that with the smaller run work. It’s just another service that they require, and we’re keeping our clients’ services up with this new machine.”
Not only is the Horizon set to clear up bottlenecks, but its roller-based gluing system is proving a reliable finishing partner. The BQ-280 dual glue application drums enables the production of one to one variable thickness books with a high level of quality control – a feature that Duncan says is more reliable than alternative glue application methods.
“The Horizon has a roller fed system, I don’t believe the technology on the jet system for gluing is good enough yet,” he said.
According to Currie Group’s Western Australia manager Adrian Dixon, who oversaw the sale and installation of the Horizon machine, the new unit will not only allow Print Finishing Line to meet tighter deadlines with its simple operation and automated set-up, but it will also help free up the company’s other finishing equipment to continue uninterrupted on long runs.
“The Horizon will allow them to complete their shorter run books quickly while the Wohlenberg is busy producing the larger volumes. This is for same day or quick turnaround finishing,” said Dixon. “Finishing houses and large commercial printers are purchasing independent digital finishing equipment so they don’t have to wait for a gap on their primary finishing lines.
For Dixon, Print Finishing Line’s adoption of the new Horizon perfect binder sees the company set itself up for the future of print in Australia.
“The trend is that the digital section becomes self-sufficient from the other departments,” said Dixon. “And, of course, the new BQ-280 will help Print Finishing Line meet its deadlines.”