Flyer Press upgrades to Duplo 600i Booklet System

Flyer Press has replaced a Duplo System 5000 Booklet System with a new 600i model to boost its speed and reliability.

The Felixstowe, Suffolk-based business took delivery of the 600i Booklet System, which it bought direct from Duplo, around four weeks ago. The machine which it replaced was part exchanged.

The 600i is a fully automated stitching, folding and trimming device that uses ultrasonic technology combining the DSC-10/60i Collator Towers and the DBM-600 bookletmaker and trimmer.

It has more than 25 configurations that can combine suction, collators, sheet feeders and slit-cut-crease, squarefold and three-knife trimming operations.

The machine, which has job changeover times of less than a minute, can reach speeds of up to 5,200bph. It can handle a minimum booklet size of 90x75mm up to a maximum of 350x254mm and stock weights of 50-300gsm.

Flyer Press managing director Jon Trotter said: “We had pretty much worked our old machine into the ground regarding number of impressions. The new machine has increased our speed and reliability and has a quicker set-up. It has also cut down on waste and requires less operating time.”

The firm also runs a five-colour B3 Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 litho press and a Xerox Color C60 digital printer. Litho work makes up around 90% of the firm’s output and it is considering upgrading to a B2 press in the next couple of years.

In its bindery the company operates a Wohlenberg guillotine and a wide range of other Duplo finishing kit.

“We’ve stuck with Duplo over the years because they’ve given us good service and we’ve never had any problems with them, their equipment has always done what it says it’s going to do,” said Trotter.

Flyer Press, which has 12 staff and a turnover of around £380,000, is part of Flyer Group, which also encompasses publishing arm Flyer Online and franchising operation Flyer Franchising.

The company, which operates from two adjacent units – one of which is owned and one of which is leased - has its own distribution service that delivers magazines and leaflets printed in-house, as well as an internal design agency.

Flyer Press was established in 2005, primarily to print local magazine Felixstowe Flyer, but steadily increased its services and now produces a range of commercial print for both local and international clients including small to medium-sized businesses, charities and estate agents.