Impressive sales from Australians and New Zealanders who’ve made the trip to Germany have reinforced the company’s strength across a wide range of printing technologies.
HP is the sole exhibitor at drupa with a full-size hall to itself that has been packed in the aisles since day one as crowds surge through to witness some amazingly innovative technologies. It is also where much of Currie Group’s drupa focus is centred as a line-up of new HP Indigo releases draw printers from Australia and New Zealand. Professing himself well pleased with the results so far, Phil Rennell, sales and marketing director, is keeping his powder dry in order to release numbers nearer the end of the show.
Bernie Robinson, managing director, on the other hand is claiming a stellar midway record for Horizon finishing equipment across in Hall 6. He has spent most of his time on the Japanese finishing equipment manufacturers’ stand and his enthusiasm for the new products and levels of automation is almost palpable.
It’s becoming obvious that more printers are taking advantage of automation for digital printing production in small to mid-size companies. Horizon moved early into this digital finishing space, especially for these printers, and the results are plain to see in the dominant market share it enjoys. This time around it is promoting fully automated production lines that include Hunkeler and Tecnau kit, depending on the application.
“We’ve had a lot of interest across the board but especially in the new SmartSlitters. We’ve sold three off the stand, “ said Robinson. “They are ideal for their flexibility and ability to change product sizes on the fly.”
Among the signed and declared intent to buy by local customers are a StitchLiner5500 along with a two-tower VAC line and AFC564 semi-automatic folder; two perfect binding lines, a BQ470 and a BQ280 one with PUR and the other with PUR and AEC gluing are the latest technology available, all geared towards being able to produce books down to ‘a run of one’ easily and with automatic adjustment.
Robinson made the point that at this drupa there are a lot fewer guillotines on show, mainly due to the influence of inline cut-sheet digital production with auto three-knife trimmers that eliminate the requirement for manual cutting. However, he has inked one sale for a Daeho guillotine.
Very pleased by the amount of sales generated at the mid-point of the show, he declared that Australians and New Zealanders “were here to buy.” He expects more by week’s end and combined with the HP Indigo digital press sales declares Currie Group is set for a very profitable drupa.