Lincolnshire-based DPS Digital has bought a second Foliant Taurus 530NG laminator from IFS to keep up with greetings card demand during the lockdown period.

The digital print house serves online retailers with a range of products produced on its HP and Xerox presses. It bought its first Foliant Taurus unit at the end of 2019 and followed with a second a year later to meet a rapid increase in demand driven by the pandemic restrictions.

Eddie Smith, DPS Digital production manager, explained: ‘We chose the first Foliant Taurus for a number of reasons. It was easy to use, quick and simple to set up and its production speed could be altered to match how the operator was working – particularly when multi-tasking. It also had a good price point. We looked at other systems but this best suited our needs.’

After the pandemic closed retail outlets, online ordering dramatically increased. Mr Smith added, ‘The lockdowns had a huge impact on our business. The demand for greetings cards tripled and we needed a second laminator to keep up with the work.

‘Because the first Foliant Taurus was a solid reliable machine that resulted in very little downtime, the decision to invest in a second was easy. Maintenance is also quick – just a wipe-down of the impression roller once a week.’

The Taurus 530NG supports B2+ formats, runs at up to 40m/min and features a rising pile back separation stream feeder and a suction paper feed. The unit at DPS Digital incorporates a 3000m film roll for more efficient and economical production.