Bindery A Big Attraction 
at Graph Expo

There is clearly pent-up demand in the marketplace, particularly for finishing equipment. Just ask David Spiel.

"The past couple of years we've had good shows with less overall traffic, but much more serious buyers," noted the president of Spiel Associates. "Consequently, you can spend more quality time with them rather than with people who are really not interested in buying anything."

This observation was shared by many of the exhibitors at the recent Graph Expo show, in Chicago. And with a visible increase in the number of in-plant managers walking the show floor, vendors were taking this market very seriously. This was a good thing, since many of those in-plants were there to buy. IPG talked to managers from Michigan Farm Bureau, Grand Rapids Community College, Iowa State University and other in-plants who all had plans to purchase bindery equipment after checking it out at the show. (In fact, ISU went out for bid on a score/perf machine machine after inspecting this equipment at Graph Expo.)

For the 491 exhibitors at Graph Expo 2011, this was a very good show. Attendance was up 7 percent over last year's event. The Graphic Arts Show Company reported a total of 20,451 participants (exhibitors and attendees), 66 percent of which (13,426 ) were verified attendees/buyers.

The bindery equipment at the show offered in-plants some great opportunities to expand their services and increase their efficiency. Spiel noted that Spiel Associates enjoyed tremendous feedback with its Rilecart B-599 double-loop wire binder, which produces "more wire at a greater rate than any other machine in the world, including the million-dollar wire binds," Spiel contended. "They take up to half a day to change over; the B-599 takes 40 minutes."

Twin spools allow for this quick changeover. The machine will automatically bind 4,000 books per hour. It binds double loop wire books with wire diameters from 5⁄16˝ to 1˝.

An Alternative Approach

For Standard Finishing Systems, it was a different kind of Graph Expo.

"This year, our booth revolved around solution sets, putting together combinations of equipment to help customers and prospects visualize how they can streamline their production workflows," said Mark Hunt, director of marketing. "It's been satisfying to see how customers react to this alternative approach."

For example, Standard was running 30˝-wide rolls that were printed on an HP T350 inkjet printer with its Hunkeler PF7 double plow folder and CS6 cutter/stacker. Standard alternated between HP T-350 and Kodak Prosper pre-printed rolls to cover the wide-web landscape. The Horizon BQ-470 perfect binder was shown in-line to the HT-80 three-knife trimmer, and among the new gear, an entry-level Horizon BQ-160 perfect binder with PUR adhesive capability was shown in-line with a new CRB-160 cover creaser.

Standard also unveiled the Horizon SF-100 sheet feeder, operating inline with the compact ColorWorks finisher. The system feeds pre-collated color (or black-and-white) output from any cut-sheet digital printer, creases and bleed trims each sheet, then stitches, folds, face trims and stacks for near-line bookletmaking with edge-to-edge color.

Graph Expo certainly was an exciting show for Duplo USA, which unveiled the DBMi high-volume collating and saddlestitch booklet-making system. The DBMi handles both long-run offset jobs and shorter digital runs, with digital finishing solutions being the primary buzz term at McCormick Place. Also on display by Duplo was a small-format diecutting system. With a rated speed of 4,000 sph, it fits most digital applications, according to sales manager Wayne Reeves.

Muller Martini held one of the more unique press conferences, providing an in-the-round presentation for reporters on a rotating gallery stage. Among the products in a three-minute shotgun presentation:

• The Sigma digital book production system (in-line, near-line and off-line configurations, with up to 1,000 variable length, width and thickness books per hour).
• The Orbit three-knife trimmer (with an independent knife drive to ensure optimal trimming speed, regardless of machine speed).
• The Primera E140 digital saddle–stitcher (which runs at 14,000 cycles per hour and is fully automated for rapid setups and changeovers).

Werner Naegli, president of Muller Martini USA, said it has been a fruitful year for his company, with brisk activity in new, used and remanufactured machinery, along with equipment relocations. Though the volume of purchases in the market is below that of past years, he feels there are niches of real activity and real interest.

"We're building our digital initiatives and showing real solutions," Naegli explained.

Heidelberg USA continues to grow its substantial client base by emphasizing post-sales support. Dan Mauer, vice president of postpress product management, pointed out that Heidelberg's booth was teaming with activity.

"The sense I'm getting is that there's some optimism," he says. "It seems that everyone who comes in here is looking for a custom solution; consequently, we look to offer products that will enable printers to provide more value to their clients.

"We're working with customers in a more consultative way, as opposed to just selling them the box," he adds. "If you want to solve a problem, we'll help you get there."

One of the showcase items in the Heidelberg booth was the Polar 92XT Plus with Compucut and barcode scanner. Also prominent was a Ricoh Pro C901 Graphic Arts Edition digital color press equipped with Heidelberg's in-line bookletmaker and cover imposer.

On the Kama side, Heidelberg promoted the ProFold 74 folder/gluer and the ProCut automatic diecutter/foiler, both of which cater to short and long runs in the digital packaging realm, as well as specialty work.

Brandtjen & Kluge touted its EHG foil stamping, embossing and diecutting press, ideal for producing items including pocket folders, greeting cards, stationery, labels and packaging.

Spiral Binding/James Burn USA touted the redesign of its Alpha-Doc automatic punch, which now has three different speeds and can handle up to 48,000 sph. Also trumpeted was the high-speed Lhermite BB400 in-line Wire-O binder, with speeds up to 3,000 booklets per hour.

A slow and steady pace gave way to a doubling of visitors on the second day of the show (Monday), according to Andre Palko, president of Technifold USA. Among the newer items on the Technifold menu was its new spine creaser for saddle–stitchers. The spine creaser can be installed in 30 minutes or less using allen keys.

The Mailstream direct mail finishing system was the center of attention at the Rollem International booth. The in-line system trims, slits, scores, glues, tips-on, perforates and remoistens mail products ranging from self-reply remittances, folded products with tip-ons, and postcards with coupons, among others.

It was an eventful Graph Expo for Rollem, which had its Jetstream trimming, slitting, perforating and scoring system running at the Xerox booth in-line with an iGen4 color digital press, and at the MCS booth with that company's inkjet addressing unit.

Elsewhere on the Show Floor...

• Baum introduced its 20SST Stream Separator Transfer table, a mobile, independent drive, transfer table that has a belt-over-belt sheet control.

• GBC demonstrated its new Magnapunch 2.0 tabletop paper punch with proprietary edge detection technology that virtually eliminates mis-punches. Smart setup technology allows faster setups and changeovers for custom and odd-size applications.

• Gateway Bookbinding Systems showed its new KOILMATIC electric tabletop automatic coil inserter designed with the digital print market in mind. Requiring no tools or air, it can bind up to 450 books per hour, handling book thicknesses between 1⁄8˝ and 5⁄8˝.

• Hohner featured its redesigned HSB 10.000-S saddle binder. The single drive units of the feeding systems have been replaced by one central drive unit, and the carriage of the feeders has been redesigned to enhance the easy setting of different paper weights.

• The Aerocut air-feed slitter/cutter/creaser, for the on-demand digital printing environment, was being showcased by MBM Corp. The Aerocut can crease and trim products ranging from brochures and cards to CD jackets.

• Morgana Systems drew attention with its new DocuFold Pro automatic paper folder, with a powerful suction feeder and enclosed fold plates, fitted with anti-static brushes. Its low-pressure suction chamber controls curled paper before it enters the fold rollers. SmartScreen technology lets operators with minimum training produce a variety of folds.

• MBO America highlighted the Brograma BSR-550 diecutting unit, which has a capacity of 12,000 cycles per hour and is ideal for punching, cutting, perforating, scoring and embossing. Applications include packaging, digital, label and direct mail finishing.

• Neopost showcased the new DS-200/PS-200 mail inserting system. The modular system can insert a variety of mail with an operating speed of 4,800 envelopes per hour.

• W+D North America launched its BB700 intelligent envelope inserting system. It handles 16,000 envelopes per hour and features automated error handling, jam monitoring and short changeover times.

• Pitney Bowes unleashed the new Mailstream Wrapper productivity system, which can integrate into existing printing and mail finishing operations. The system can process variable page documents at speeds up to 26,000 pieces per hour.

• Kirk-Rudy unveiled a number of new products, including the 545T All-in-One tabber. The 545T holds 16˝ diameter rolls and runs in-line with most inkjets, binders and stitchers.

• The Saber X-15 paper cutter was promoted by Colter & Peterson. Available in four sizes (37˝, 45˝, 54˝ and 62˝), it features a 15˝ color touchscreen and boasts tool-less knife adjustment.

• The Challenge Machinery Co. displayed paper cutters from 15˝ to 61˝, along with three-knife trimmers, folders and other equipment.

• The MV-11 outsert system was among the new items promoted by Vijuk Equipment, along with the V-14 commercial/miniature folder. The machine features a third knife and 16 fold plates.