Finishing & Screen Printing

State-of-the-Art Machine Lineup from Muller Martini in Riga

Thursday 31. October 2013 - MMServices Provides Livonia With a High Level of Production Reliability

Flexibility at all times, flawless product quality and punctual delivery – those are the expectations of Livonia Print’s customers. The printing company, which is located in the Latvian capital of Riga, expects the same of its bookbinding systems, which is why it has used hardcover and softcover systems from Muller Martini since it being established. Managing Director Trond Erik Isaksen regards optimal service support as particularly important.
“Machines from Muller Martini have a very robust design, which guarantees the reliability of the equipment and the high quality of the end products,” says Isaksen, Managing Director of Livonia Print. “In addition, the short setup times provide us with the flexibility, which is necessary today to react at short notice to changes at any time and to process a very wide range of products.”
Impressed by Muller Martini
Livonia Print, which was established by Isaksen in 2007, now employs some 300 people in three shifts. Isaksen, a Norwegian by birth, has put his trust in equipment from Muller Martini from the very outset.
The company’s success story began with an Acoro A5 perfect binder (with a 16-station gathering machine, CrissCross, a Merit S three-knife trimmer and a CB 12 book stacker), a Diamant 30 bookline and a Ventura book sewing machine with a BDM Compact 45 book casemaker and a casemaker from Hoerauf. A VenturaConnect integrated book sewing system with two Venturas and a 1571 gathering machine followed only one year later. In 2011, Livonia Print added extensive hardcover production equipment in the form of a Diamant MC 60 bookline, a BDM Compact 60 book casemaker, a Vesta jacketing machine and a second Connect system equipped with a Ventura and a 3693 gathering machine. In 2012 the Connect system with the 3693 gathering machine was extended to include an additional Ventura MC and the older Venturas were replaced by two new Ventura MCs in the Connect line with the 1571 gathering machine. They were joined by a third Ventura MC book sewing machine in September 2012. At drupa 2012, Livonia Print decided to invest in the latest Alegro perfect binder with a 16-station gathering machine, an endsheet feeder, a Solit three-knife trimmer and a CB 18 book stacker. This year, Isaksen ordered a further Diamant 60 MC Hybrid Tandem bookline to add to the company’s machine lineup.
Machines Used Almost Continuously
“Flawless quality of the products is vital to us, and they must be delivered punctually to the customer,” stresses Isaksen. Livonia Print produces around the clock, seven days a week. Usage of the systems is correspondingly high, and the tight deadlines mean that the company cannot afford production interruptions caused by machine failures. Muller Martini’s wide range of service options, which are standardized under the MMServices label, ensure the necessary flexibility and reliability of the extensive machine lineup.
“With such high usage, a great deal of flexibility is needed when it comes to servicing,” emphasizes Mariusz Mitura, MMServices Project Manager at Muller Martini Poland. “We provide customers with appropriate support and have tailored our service package precisely to the needs of Livonia Print.”
“Preventive Maintenance Lets Us Avoid Uncontrollable Follow-Up Costs”
Preventive equipment maintenance is particularly important in order to avoid unforeseeable failures. It is governed by a service agreement between Livonia Print and Muller Martini and includes twice yearly inspection of each production line at a time that can be planned ahead. The comprehensive analysis involving extensive function controls and subsequent performance of the recommended repairs guarantees maximum production reliability and availability of the equipment.
“With preventive servicing that can be planned ahead, we aim to keep our machines in good condition, to guarantee our short delivery times and reliability and, ultimately, to also keep our operating costs low,” explains Isaksen. “Preventing machine failures lets us avoid uncontrollable follow-up costs.”
Mitura adds: “MMServices puts great emphasis on prevention, but of course our service experts are always available if an unforeseeable problem arises.”
Strong Partnership for the Future Too
Livonia Print is today the largest bookbindery in the Nordic countries and has over 200 regular customers, predominantly from the three Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
Isaksen has even greater visions of an expanded product range and maximum customer satisfaction, and wants to continue on that path with Muller Martini: “Muller Martini has provided us with excellent support right from the start and has become a strong partner of ours. We want to continue to build on that.”