Newspaper printer Sharman and Co has added a Horizon AFV-566FKT folder from IFS to support production from the Peterborough operation’s two Xeikon 9800 digital presses and to expand applications.

Director Mark Sharman explained, ‘We had been producing all our work on a Tensor T-400BE newspaper printing press, but decided to offer much shorter print runs, and invested in our first Xeikon 9800 with a Tecnau newspaper finishing line. The recently-added second 9800 press prints to flat sheets, which will be finished on the Horizon folder. This adds to our overall digital capacity and enables us to produce a wider variety of newspaper products. The folder was chosen because it offered the best finishing flexibility for output from the Xeikon.’

Horizon was considered because of the exiting connection with IFS through Tecnau web equipment. Mr Sharman said, ‘Because our experience was of a complete inline solution we wanted something that could manage the applications we were producing today and hoping to produce in the future. It also needed to be quick to set up and easy to use. Our team needed to be confident in running it.

‘We liked the fact the system had an integrated cross-folder so that it was fully automated. The touch screen also helps with the ease of set up. It is ideal for the work we are doing now, and it will enable us to expand our applications as well.’