Cambrian Printers installed a Horizon HT-30 three-side trimmer last month at its base in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, after signing a deal with Intelligent Finishing Systems.
Also last month parent firm Pensord took a Stahlfolder TH 82 folder from Heidelberg/Stahl to improve throughput by up to 50% thanks to its PFX feeder technology.
Managing director Darren Coxon didn't disclose kit costs but said both pieces were in addition to existing equipment. Cambrian runs KBA, Heidelberg and HP kit; Pensord is a Heidelberg house.
“This technology will give customers the shortest possible turnaround times but maintain quality and consistency,” he explained.
Established in 1860 Cambrian is a £7m-turnover, 62-staff business specialising in short-run colour work. Pensord based Blackwood, Caerphilly took over the company last year.
It produces periodicals, catalogues, thread-sewn hard- and soft-cover books on its Heidelberg and KBA B1 presses and HP Indigo kit.
Director Karl Gater said of the trimmer: “We wanted more efficiency in short-run book production. The Horizon joins a Muller Martini binder for short- and medium-volume book binding.”
He said 80% of work went through the binder and time was lost when setting up Cambrian's existing three-knife trimmer on very short-run work, creating bottlenecks.
“Now with the Horizon HT-30 we can trim books almost instantly with minimal set up and operator involvement. Short-run production is much more efficient.
“The Horizon HT-30 also provides short term back up in the event of breakdowns on our existing trimmer. It will help us ensure we are always able deliver on time.”
This kit allowed the team to check every book for trimming quality - essential in the short-run high-pagination market.
Gater added: “The investment was not about financial gains or payback. We wanted efficiency and peace of mind in ensuring business continuity in the event of other equipment failure.”
Before investing Cambrian visited IFS open houses and carried out tests on various perfect-bound books in the showroom.
The Horizon HT30 three-side trimmer features automated job setups and quick changeovers with the ability to store up to 40 different book jobs in memory.
It operates off-line to trim perfect-bound books at speeds up to 500 cycles per hour. A colour touchscreen allows all set-ups to be performed with full automation.
Of the TH82 PFX folder Gater said: “I am told by the Heidelberg team the ‘P’ stands for enhanced performance, productivity, and reliability. I would like to believe it stands for Prolific.”
Heidelberg UK commercial post-press manager Ian Trengrouse said: “The folder increases productivity from 50% to possibly 100% and more, with no compromise in quality.”
