The DF-1300L can fold sheets up to 648mm in length, which is sufficient for formats such as a six-panel A4 tri-fold leaflet, or a 4pp A4 landscape brochure.

Duplo said that while the ‘long A3’ format first appeared in production digital presses around 10 years ago, it is now commonly finding its way into entry-level light-production presses.

This is enabling in-house marketing departments to create their own professional and creatively-different printed materials; an area Duplo is aiming to capitalise on with the new folder, which replaces the previous DF-1200 tabletop suction folder in the manufacturer’s portfolio.

Duplo International sales marketing strategist Peter Dyson told Printweek: “The DF-1200 was originally created to fill the gap between simple office folders that have friction feed – mainly aimed at doing basic letters, invoices and other general office folding – and the floor standing folder that you would find in a small commercial printer.

“The most significant difference over the previous model is that we are now offering the ability to fold longer sheets because this feature has become more affordable and possible to put into that kind of in-house print environment with the way that the development of entry-level production presses has gone.”

He added: “Once you go beyond A3, it opens up opportunities to be a lot more creative in the opportunities that you can do. As a marketing department you’re trying to present more creative options and formats rather than just a basic fold into a letter or fold in half.

“So this gives you the ability now to do things like an A4 landscape format or a six-page A4, which might still be a leaflet but it could for example be a booklet cover that’s got a fold out flap, or for a presentation.

“It’s particularly good for certain products that are that horizontal format, which is where the trend has been towards in adding the A4 landscape format to bookletmakers in recent years.”

The DF-1300L, which can fold up to 310 sheets/min, is commercially available immediately and Dyson said the machine is unique in the marketplace.

“Nobody offers this long format option – that’s the different part to the others which are in that particular sector,” he added.