CMYUK disrupts automated finishing with feeder-stacker

Print Solutions

CMYUK has announced that the Jwei SG1625 automated feeder-stacker is now installed and available for demonstration in its showroom, giving UK print and packaging businesses the opportunity to see pallet to pallet finishing automation in action – at a disruptive price point, at over 60% lower than comparable premium brand automated feeder-stacker systems.

With demand rising for bespoke packaging, fast turn promotional campaigns and free standing point of sale display units, many businesses running high output digital print platforms are being held back by finishing. Manual handling and labour heavy workflows can choke throughput, stretch lead times and limit the profitability of short-run packaging work.

Traditional packaging production remains dominant on long, repeat runs, where analogue workflows excel. But the market is shifting. Brands increasingly want short run, customised packaging and displays, and they want them quickly.

For many producers, analogue short run finishing is simply not viable. Each job requires a new die to be manufactured, which can take hours or days. The die then needs precise mounting on a platen press, followed by test sheets and fine tuning to achieve accurate cut and crease lines. For short runs, set up time can outweigh production time – making fast turnaround difficult and costs hard to justify.

The Jwei SG1625 automated feeder stacker removes that friction by delivering a true pallet to pallet, feed finish stack workflow. Sheets are automatically lifted from a pallet and passed across a conveyorised flatbed for cutting and creasing, then automatically stacked ready for collection.

It is a concurrent system: while finished work is being stacked at the back end, new sheets are continuously fed at the front. This reduces manual touchpoints and supports higher throughput across materials including fluted board, card and other packaging substrates.

Steve Williams, chief sales officer at imageData Group, the first installed customer in the UK said, ‘It has taken a labour intensive process and made it virtually hands free, so we are saving about 80% of labour time to be able to produce the finished output.’

The new platform shares the features and functionality expected from top tier automated feeder-stacker systems, while adding a key performance advantage through its proprietary conveyor belt system.

On many flatbed systems, sheets are held together with tags or bridges during processing and off loading, which then need manual removal – slowing production and adding labour. Jwei’s conveyorised approach keeps sheets stable throughout cutting/creasing and stacking, enabling smooth waste separation and uninterrupted workflow – without the need for tags or manual intervention.

The system also includes a back scan facility – an underside camera system that reads registration marks printed on the reverse of the sheet. This aligns finishing with the printed artwork automatically, removing the need for manual checking or reloading, improving accuracy and productivity.

At £169,995, and over 60% more cost effective than comparable systems, the SG1625 significantly lowers the capital barrier to high level automated finishing. When combined with reduced labour, higher throughput and improved uptime, pallet to pallet automation becomes an attainable reality for far more businesses across the digital print and packaging ecosystem.

CMYUK is also offering a finance package to simplify investment. Customers can access the system with a deposit of £8500 plus full VAT, followed by six fixed monthly payments of £1558, then £3876 per month for the remaining 54 months.

Nick Reed, finishing business manager, said: ‘What makes this structure so attractive is the speed of return on investment. With significant savings on staff costs, plus workflow gains, this equipment pays for itself very quickly.’

While automated feeder-stacker systems have typically been priced out of reach for many businesses, the CMYUK showroom installation gives prospective customers a practical way to evaluate what disruptive cost automation can unlock – from faster turnaround and reduced manual handling to scalable production.

 A happy customer

image Data Group is a second generation family owned UK print and marketing services provider headquartered in Willoughby, East Yorkshire, with major production in Howden, and an additional operation in Brighton, East Sussex.

With more than 35 years in print innovation, the business specialises in data driven customer communications.  The group has continued to invest heavily in production capabilities in recent years, installing an EFI Nozomi 14000 SD single pass inkjet press in 2024, allowing it to significantly ramp up its output volume without compromising quality.

The drive to match front end printer speeds is why the group acquired the Jwei feeder-stacker solution from CMYUK, becoming the first customer in the UK to do so. As Steve Williams, chief sales officer, explained: ‘The Jwei provided industrial automation at scale and pace, which was critical when we needed to deliver to our clients’ schedules. The Nozomi has been a revelation for us, printing at five times as fast as traditional printing presses, so we needed the Jwei to keep pace in terms of finishing.’