Finishing Solutions Print Solutions
Optichrome Ltd can now offer faster turnaround times and say ‘yes’ to more work after bringing perfect binding in-house. The Woking operation’s enhanced operational flexibility follows investment in a Horizon BQ-270V single clamp perfect binder from Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS).
Optichrome celebrated 60 years in business last year and specialises in high quality litho, personalised digital print and mailing. It runs two, five colour, Heidelberg XL 105 and XL75 litho presses, and two Ricoh Pro C9210 digital colour presses.
Production manager Tony Clark explains the decision behind the latest investment: ‘We reviewed how much we were spending on perfect binding and believed, with the right machinery, we could keep a large percentage of it in-house, drastically reducing the turnaround times and save on transportation costs. There was also the potential to win more business as we would be more competitive and quicker.
‘We already had a Horizon SPF-200L bookletmaker which has proven to be a great investment, speeding up production and completing a larger variety of finished book sizes. It is well built and reliable. We tested the BQ-270 at the IFS showroom and then visited the Horizon factory in Germany. I was able to network and meet other printers who had experience of using the BQ-270 and the feedback was largely positive. We also researched what else was on the market. We believed for our budget and requirements the BQ-270 was the best system available.’
The Horizon BQ-270V single clamp perfect binder offers high quality perfect binding and on-demand production of variable thickness books. It includes an automated, sensor-activated digital caliper system which measures book block thickness and automatically transfers this data to the binder for quick, automated set up for books of different thicknesses. It features a large 10.4″ intelligent colour touchscreen, job programming, and a compact configuration.
As for the impact it has made since its installation, Tony said: ‘We have kept all small run perfect binding in-house and we are extremely impressed with how easy the machine is to operate and the quality of product we can produce.’
Pictured: IFS’s Martin Reeve with Optichrome production manager Tony Clark and the operation’s new Horizon BQ270V single clamp perfect binder.
