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Fast, versatile and with some nifty automation, this B2 folder has made life a whole lot easier for South Yorkshire Printers owner Chris Gray

What does the machine do?
This B2 folder has a user-friendly large icon-based colour touchscreen. Set-ups take only a minute and it can store up to 200 jobs in its on-board memory. It can also access 17 standard fold patterns (including roll fold, zig-zag fold and DL fold) and the advance rotary drum suction feed system means it can run at up to 42,000sph.

Why did you choose this particular machine?
We originally chose the folder because it was the most suitable machine for the type of work we were doing. It had a nice smallish footprint and we felt Horizon’s intelligent automation was really user-friendly. Then, when we were flooded last summer, GAE arranged a replacement at very short notice. This model is the same configuration – it has six buckle plates and a knife – but Horizon has automated the roller gap setting with a really smart ‘master calliper’ system; where before you had to insert various thicknesses of the job stock into individual callipers, now you just put a single piece into the master calliper and it automatically calculates and sets the lot.  

Did you look at any other similar machines?
We did look at what was available in the market place, but in the end we decided on the Horizon machine.

Why did you make the purchase?
We needed a replacement for our old Stahl. We wanted a faster machine that was easier to set up.

What features do you particularly like?
The touchscreen is very user friendly and it has a smaller footprint, which is great for giving us more room in the bindery. The cost was also a factor. Originally we also ordered a Horizon StitchLiner at the same time, which enabled us to argue for a better deal. After the flooding, I said I wanted exactly the same again and asked how soon I could have it.

Is there anything that you dislike?
No, nothing.

How fast is it?
42,000sph.

How reliable is it?
Fine – it hasn’t broken down.

What’s the quality like?
It is very good.

How easy is it to use?
Very easy. The Stahl before was a real manual thing to set up, which was hard work and it was slow. In comparison the new folder is quieter, smaller, faster and easy to operate. It is just better all round.

How much time or money has it saved?
It’s difficult to quantify, but it has made a big difference in the amount of work we now do and how fast we do it.

Would you say that it offers value for money?
Yes.

Were there any difficulties experienced during the installation or after?
No – it all went very smoothly. After the flood, GAE were the quickest people to help us out and that was the first bit of kit we managed to replace. We were sending a lot of stuff out as we had business interruption cover but the department was up and running as soon as it could have been.

What about the pre- and after-sale service?
I think GAE were good and fairly flexible when it came to helping out with the flooding.

Who do you think the machine is right for?
General commercial B2 outfits.

Under what circumstances would you buy another?
Another flood.

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CONCLUSION
User’s verdict    
Speed 4/5
Quality 4/5
Reliability 4/5
Value for money 4/5

Supplier’s Response     
Bryan Godwyn, joint managing director of GAE, says: “Although we have installed more than 100 automated Horizon B1 and B2 combination folders in the UK, there are still a lot of printers that don't appreciate just what a difference this investment can make. It's the perfect machine for busy commercial houses, like South Yorkshire Printers, because it can tackle everything that's thrown at it, regardless of complexity or run length. The simple and quick set-ups reduce wasted sheets during makeready, but our customers also use the AFC to check sheets as they're trimming the job on the guillotine, and store the job in the AFC's memory – so there's even greater savings of materials and time.”
Price from around £35,000
Contact GAE 020 8991 6645