German book printer Friedrich Pustet has invested in an HP PageWide Web Press T490 as part of a strategy to expand its digital book production capabilities and increase flexibility for publishers.
The new press complements the company’s existing offset printing operation and marks a further step in the development of its production capabilities. While Pustet has previously used digital printing systems primarily for shorter runs, the installation of the HP PageWide T490 enables it to handle significantly larger production volumes using high-speed inkjet technology.
According to the company, the investment will help it respond more effectively to changing market demands, including growing requirements for shorter lead times and more flexible book production.
Jakob Pustet, seventh-generation member of the management team, said: “We do not see digital printing as a replacement, but as a meaningful complement to our offset business. The combination of both technologies gives us the necessary flexibility to meet the diverse demands of the book market.”
The new production line has been designed to create a continuous workflow linking printing and finishing. Unlike traditional offset production, where finishing typically begins only after an entire print run has been completed, the digital setup allows printing and finishing processes to be integrated.
Pustet says this removes a number of labour-intensive production stages, including the separate collation of individual book blocks, helping to reduce turnaround times and operating costs.
The company also believes the system will provide benefits for publishers by making shorter print runs more economical. This could help reduce warehousing requirements and minimise waste from unsold stock by enabling production to be more closely aligned with demand.
In Performance mode, the HP PageWide Web Press T490 can operate at speeds of up to 305 metres per minute with a print width of up to 1060mm.
Alongside the HP press, Pustet has invested in a SigmaLine finishing system from Müller Martini and a Pluton palletiser from Solema. The combination provides an automated inline finishing workflow that links printing directly with book block production.
Florian Hetzenecker, plant manager at Friedrich Pustet, said: “The system installation went smoothly – everything worked very well. The different teams worked hand in hand, and we are very proud. This investment is the first step in making our book production flexible and future-proof in the long term.”
Pustet is scheduled to produce the first digitally printed book from the new production line at its Regensburg facility on 15 June.
