Stephen Austin enhances production with Horizon Ice StitchLiner Mark V

Print Solutions

Stephen Austin has increased efficiency, capacity, and reliability following investment in a Horizon Ice StitchLiner Mark V next generation saddlestitching system from IFS. 

Established in 1768 as a publishing business, for the past 70 years the Hertford operation has specialised in providing world class security printing, packaging and distribution services. It holds a royal warrant from the King and produces and distributes more than 100 million assessments to over 160 countries every year. It delivers the highest standards of security, quality and accuracy to protect the integrity and credibility of examinations for worldwide awarding organisations, governments and ministries of education. 

To improve automation and enable it to continue to meet, and exceed, customer expectations the operation invested in two Canon presses earlier in the year – a VarioPrint iX3200 and a ColorStream 8160. The Horizon Ice StitchLiner Mark V was then chosen to support production. 

Operations director Kevin Strachan said, ‘We identified the need to invest in new equipment to increase efficiency, capacity, and reliability across our operations. The existing machinery was reaching the end of its optimal lifecycle, and we wanted to ensure we remained competitive, sustainable, and able to meet growing customer demand.’

He became aware of the StitchLiner through a combination of industry research, attending trade shows, and discussions with Canon.  ‘We assessed several systems from other leading suppliers to ensure we made a well informed decision,’ he explained. ‘Ultimately, this solution stood out due to its proven track record, local service availability, and alignment with our long term business strategy. It best met our technical, operational, and performance requirements. We were impressed with the automatic stitch detection, and the speed that this machine could process booklets from a reel. It offered the right combination of advanced technology, ease of integration, and strong after sales support. 

‘We were particularly impressed by its reliability, energy efficiency, and the level of automation it offers. It is designed to deliver consistent output, reduce downtime, and improve product quality – all key factors for us. The supplier’s reputation and case studies also played an important role.’ 

He expects the investment will improve productivity, enhance consistency, and reduce waste. He added, ‘It will also allow us to take on more complex or higher volume projects and support our growth plans over the coming years. While the system increases efficiency, it also opens up opportunities for new product lines and market segments, which could lead to additional roles in production, quality control, and support functions.’

 Left to right: Simon Cox, sales manager, IFS, Rory Fowler, CEO, Stephen Austin, Kevin Strachan, operations director, Stephen Austin, and Tim Clifton, technical director, IFS.