PBL Print has added a Horizon SPF200L booklet maker to fleet of Horizon equipment that already includes a BQ470 four-clamp perfect binder, Stitchliner 6000 and an existing SPF200A booklet maker.
The new unit, supplied by IFS, is the first at the Chester le Street company that is able to produce short run A4 landscape products more effectively than on its Heidelberg Stitchmaster.
“The industry is generally heading towards smaller orders and the new landscape bookletmaker will help manage those more effectively and efficiently,” says managing director Eric Stevenson. He shares responsibility for the business with Chris Murley.
“We were completing A4 landscape jobs on a system more suited to longer runs but we wanted to be able to offer greater flexibility in terms of run lengths. The Horizon system is better suited to smaller quantities.”
The company counts health authorities within the NHS among its public sector customer base which it continued to supply during the Covid period. These order work through dedicated online sites. The company prints on two five-colour XL75s and both Heidelberg Versafire and Ricoh digital presses.
The finishing line can take sheets up to 640mm long. Settings can be downloaded in JDF format and used to set up the line. Fine adjustments can be made via a large colour touchscreen. The settings for 200 jobs can be stored in memory. Running speed is maximum of 4,500cph.
“It is running really well and doing exactly what we thought it would do,” says Stevenson. “We chose it to help with growth and we know it will help us achieves that.
“We didn’t look at any other suppliers because we have quite a lot of Horizon systems. Our team are used to operating them. They have the same easy set up so running a new addition did not require much training at all.”
