Hardings Print Solutions has completed a £1.3 million investment programme with the installation of a Horizon iCE StitchLiner Mark IV bookletmaker and a Foliant Taurus 530 NG 4X4 laminator supplied by Intelligent Finishing Systems.
The latest additions follow the recent installation of an HP Indigo 120K Digital Press, which joins two existing HP Indigo presses at the commercial printer’s site in Feltham.
According to the company, the investment was driven by a need to increase throughput and reduce turnaround times across a production environment that processes between 50 and 60 jobs each day.
Steve Harding, chief executive officer, said: “We complete 50 to 60 jobs every day and we need to be able to deliver much faster. We never say no. Customers want things the next day and we needed to be able to meet that need more effectively.”
Mr Harding said the arrival of the new Indigo press created the need for finishing equipment capable of keeping pace with increased production volumes.
“We installed the new Indigo press but needed the finishing capabilities to support its speed and production. We liked the StitchLiner for its quick makereadies that would match the productivity required. We didn’t look at anything else because we knew how good it was. It is fast, efficient and we are now producing a lot more done in the day. There are no more bottlenecks.”
The Horizon iCE StitchLiner Mark IV is designed for high-volume booklet production and can produce up to 6,000 booklets per hour. The system incorporates Horizon’s cloud-based iCE LiNK workflow platform, which provides production monitoring, remote diagnostics and scheduled maintenance functions intended to improve uptime and efficiency.
Alongside the bookletmaking investment, Hardings has also added a Foliant Taurus 530 NG 4X4 double-sided laminator capable of processing up to 3,420 sheets per hour.
“We already have a single sided Taurus but needed double sided capabilities. The new addition was the natural choice. The team knew how to operate it, so it was easy to integrate into production,” Mr Harding added: “We are extremely happy with the systems, solutions, and support from IFS.”
