Healeys has replaced a vintage Horizon BQ470 with the latest Horizon BQ500. The investment completes a spend in the last year which has already included an Indigo 7K and Konica Minolta’s AccurioShine 3600 digital embellishment press.
The four-clamp perfect binder is due for delivery to the Ipswich printer in the August-September period. “The BQ470 is 17 years old and is still running well,” says managing director Philip Dodd. “It’s been a cracking piece of kit, but we needed to upgrade it.”
The company has been pushing towards higher value products, avoiding the melee for volume at low prices. It cultivates long term relationships with creative agencies, property companies and fine art markets. “We operate in the more creative space, offering something a little bit different, taking time to help with advice and guidance,” he says. “We have always had a desire to look after our customers.”
That is paying off. “May was excellent for us and now we are in June we are running flat out,” he adds.
The Indigo is a third generation of digital press for the business and follows on from investment in Kodak Nexpress and then Ricoh. Staff have taken quickly to the Indigo, Dodd reporting that operators like the press because it offers litho-like controls, rather the green button technology that is more common on other digital presses.
“The quality on the Indigo is excellent, particularly on uncoated papers. It has settled down well after a few of the settling in issues that you always get,” Dodd adds.
The new binder will join a StitchLiner MkIII that was installed five years ago and has proved highly reliable. It includes the ICE technology that enables Healeys to monitor the performance of the machine, to automate set ups and manage the maintenance programme to reduce down time.
However, it is a soft cover machine and where the printer needs case bound or sewn section work, it has to outsource these services. But in many cases not far.
Healeys has found space on an unused mezzanine to offer Hipwell Bookbinders, a craft binding operation aimed at design agencies, a home after the lease on its previous premises suffered a steep hike. “They can take on our sewing and short run case binding,” says Dodd. “And our marketing manager Jane Carter is helping with their marking and social media. It is nice to have them next door.”
