Finishing & Screen Printing
Paying a Visit to Courier Digital Solutions in North Chelmsford: Japanese Bookbinders Dive into the World of Digital Printing
Monday 14. October 2013 - Fifteen Japanese bookbinders took a trip to Courier Digital Solutions in North Chelmsford after their visit to Print '13 in Chicago for a breakfast seminar about the world of digital printing and live impressions of three complete production lines.
Courier Digital Solutions in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts (U.S.A.) is one of the world’s most modern production sites for the digital printing and finishing of books. It boasts three complete digital lines, each consisting of a HP T350 digital printing press and a SigmaLine from Muller Martini, as well as a SigmaBinder/Trimmer, an Acoro A7 perfect binder and a Diamant MC 35 Digital bookline, all from Muller Martini, for the production of softcover and hardcover books. The 15 Japanese bookbinders were sure not to miss out on a visit to Courier Digital Solutions, while they were in the U.S. for Print ’13 in Chicago.
First, Joseph L. Brennan, Vice President Engineering at Courier Corporation, outlined the key advantages of their digital book manufacturing operation, before giving them the opportunity to witness the machines producing books live on their manufacturing floor. Earlier in the week, they were initiated into the secrets of the digital book market during a breakfast seminar led by Andy Fetherman, Director of Digital Solutions at Muller Martini North America.
All three SigmaLine modules at Courier Digital Solutions in North Chelmsford have the same configuration: SigmaFolder (the world’s only web-based, variable-size signature folder and an important link between the printing press and the print finishing process), SigmaCollator (which gathers the folded signatures into book blocks), SigmaControl (which controls the entire system) and the Connex data and process management system (which ensures seamless interaction of all components). “We have highly productive equipment here for the digital production of books in smaller print runs,” said Joe Brennan. “This capability allows our customers to be able to reduce their inventory and storage costs as well as greatly reduce title obsolescence. I’m absolutely certain that we’ll see continued development of this technology which will make it even more productive.”
Yasuyoshi Miyazaki, Managing Director of Muller Martini Japan, was delighted with how the visit went: “For our customers, it was a one-off opportunity to take a look behind the scenes at one of the world’s leading digital printing companies. They gained an excellent overview of how great the potential of digital printing is, what investments are the right ones and how good the quality of digitally printed books is today.”