The device was installed on 21 January and replaced a DA 260 that had been running at the Stockport site for eight years. It will enable Deanprint to increase its productivity and reduce turnaround times, largely thanks to an inline board cutter that means guillotining no longer needs to be outsourced.

The DA 270 will produce a wide range of jobs, including small- and large-format books, three-part hardback cover cases, wire-bound covers, commercial three-part cases and press-bound two-part cases.

Production director Kevin Lee said: “Our new Kolbus allows us more efficient production and better costings for clients on larger runs. On some jobs, it has enabled us to cut production time in half.

“For years now, we have renewed a major piece of equipment each year and, with the Kolbus, I think we are coming to the end of that cycle for now, although this is not a promise.

“Moving forward, I hope we can continue our progression and development as a business and just maintain a steady trend of growth and investment without overstretching ourselves.”

Kolbus’ DA 270 can run at speeds up to 65 cycles/min on cases up to 670x390mm in size, cloth up to 708x428mm and boards up to 328mm wide, 390mm high and 4mm thick.

It follows on the heels of an MBO K80 B1 combination folder that was installed in October at the 129-year-old firm’s 4,645sqm base, which houses 106 pieces of finishing kit, according to Lee, which also includes a recently-installed Rilecart B-535 wire-binding machine.

The 42-staff firm largely operates as a trade finisher but it also runs two Heidelberg Speedmaster presses for the production of its own book-related products.