Uphotobooks is a joint venture between The Printed Word and binding specialist Unibind, which was launched in 2012. The company’s demand for lamination has grown in tandem with increasing online orders through the service.

The Foliant Gemini 400A, which has been recently installed at the Horsham-based firm’s premises, was bought from Intelligent Finishing Systems.

The entry-level 15m/min device is an automatic high-pressure laminating machine (feeder, laminator and separator) with an operating width of 380mm.

The Printed Word director David Pryer said: “We had a hand-fed laminator but were still needing to outsource some jobs which meant a minimum charge and turnaround times of up to two days.

“We looked at replacing the system we had around 18 months ago but the volumes were not there. As soon as the website drove increased demand, the time was right to make the investment.”

The business also looked at a range of other systems, including desktop hand-fed devices, but it chose the Gemini because it ran the right paperweight. It has also retained its existing hand-fed laminator as a back-up.

“As we have a couple of the UK’s only Unibind casemaking solutions that run 120gsm uncoated stock, we needed a system that could handle that paper weight. The Gemini did and it also has an extension capability that can cut and laminate six-page work,” said Pryer.

“It is going to be a quick-return investment for us. Not only have we been able to bring all our outsourced lamination in-house but we can now laminate business cards in-house too and that saves us sending work out. We can be more cost-effective and efficient with those orders.

“It was the right time for us to invest in a system that has helped us streamline production to meet increased volumes.”

The Printed Word, which has 15 staff and a turnover of £1.5m, also operates two black and white Xerox Nuveras, a Presstek 34, a Shinohara 52, a Xerox 1000 and a Xerox 800, two Unibind 350A casemakers, two Unibind BC10s, two Pitney Bowes envelope inserters, a Morgana Plockmatic 2000S bookletmaker and a Polar 78 guillotine.

The business produces corporate and promotional literature including brochures, annual reports, marketing material and business documentation as well as items including business cards, letterheads, posters and flyers. It also produces transactional print for the pensions industry.