Finishing & Screen Printing

All change for Lavenham Press

Monday 26. August 2013 - The Lavenham Press is switching from buckle to combination folding and MBO to Heidelberg technology. Its new Stahlfolder KH 82 will be delivered next week to the only remaining industrial operation in picturesque Lavenham.

This company, housed in a 16th century building but equipped with 21st century machines in an adjacent modern production facility, handles a diverse range of work from rock band fanzines to publications for Royal Colleges and historical societies. Book, magazines and other signature work makes folding efficiency critical.
Until now it has operated with two MBOs and a Horizon model. One MBO will be taken out to make way for the new machine. The other MBO will be “mothballed” and the Horizon used as needed. The automation of the new folder means it will fly through the work coming off the company’s two B1 presses, a Speedmaster SM 102 and CD102.
“We undertook a very detailed evaluation of all folders in B1 format,” says Terence Dalton, managing director of Lavenham Press. “The stacker at the delivery was very convincing. It has a two level system which gives it the largest capacity. That leaves the operator (and it is a single operator machine) free to focus on other areas of the machine.”
The KH 82 combination folder was suited to the formats handled by the company; it was faster and had a reduced physical space. The buying decision took place only after Mr Dalton and commercial director Adrian Quantell had undertaken two user site visits. Mr Dalton was pleased to add to the Heidelberg portfolio, knowing that he gets sound advice and reliable service as well as robust technology.
“I am anticipating the output of the two folders will be handled by one but there will be no job losses. Our stitcher operator has retired and we have taken the opportunity to take on this new technology and redeploy people,” says Mr Dalton.
The company holds Investor in People status and believes its success lies in having good skilled staff and advanced technology, listening to customers, flexibility, good quality, efficient delivery, confidentiality and competitive pricing. It is a modern business with traditional values.