Available as of last Friday (27 July), the new machine is priced at £25,000 and serves as a lower-cost, mid-range alternative to its higher-volume sibling, the 224, for shorter runs. An inline version is also due for all mid-range colour digital printers in the next couple of months.

First unveiled at Drupa 2016, the PSQ160-WH has automatic setup and carries out all aspects of the bookletmaking process: stapling, folding, trimming and square-backing.

“The 224 has traditionally been our high-end bookletmaker and we have launched this as the lower-cost derivative to enhance our range,” said Watkiss sales director Paul Attew.

“It is for digital printers who have noticed a growing desire for A4 landscape booklets. Any promotional brochure or booklet in A4 landscape gives the impression that it is a product of quality. They fold out into a wide format and are more distinctive than portrait.

“With the 160, we are offering something unique in that the machine offers all stages of the process in one box – there is no need to buy separate machines for each step. It’s a standalone unit which you can take printed work to and easily produce a complete booklet.”

According to Attew, the 160’s ability to create books out of up to 40 sheets – coming in at 160pp thick – is around 10 sheets ahead of its competitors. Fully validated by tests with Xerox, the machine was entirely manufactured in the UK by Watkiss.

It can process a wide media range with input sizes of 200x200mm to 370x620mm and stock weights from 60-400gsm. Booklet sizes can be produced from 120x78mm to 370x305mm, which encapsulates applications such as A4 landscape, DL size and CD booklets, and jobs are completed in a single pass.

The PSQ160-WH can also be fitted with an optional P2T side trimmer that trims the top and bottom of the book for full-bleed colour applications. It is designed to suit short runs of manuals, magazines, programmes, academic journals, financial reports and education materials.

The machine is being sold directly by Bedfordshire-based Watkiss and will be available to see at The Print Show, Birmingham, in September.