Around 25 of the machines are already installed in the UK and Tech-ni-fold’s New Jersey subsidiary is so confident of US sales that it has bulk ordered 55 of the £1,600 machines.
The Lutterworth-headquartered company has had to ramp up its manufacturing to accommodate the unexpected influx of orders.
Managing director Graham Harris, who set Creasestream up as an independent company from Tech-ni-fold to help establish its range of creasers, credits the machine's simple set-up and internet availability with the influx of sales.
He said he had noticed a new business in customers shopping around on the internet. He believes that its easy set-up and boxed shipping, which eliminates margins added to the base price of £1,600, has attracted customers from all over the world for its simplicity and low-cost.
Harris said: "We were surprised that it has been so popular. We were worried that people might not want a manual handle but it seems to have captured people’s imaginations and intrigued buyers."
The manual creaser was commercially launched at Drupa as a rotary solution for multiple folding. The manual system is suited to low volume digital work for copy shops, small digital printers and designers and can crease up to 1,200sph.
The machine is offered as standard with a double creaser but customers can replace one with a perforating system or double-up with four creasers to prepare perfect bound book covers.
Connect Print and Design managing director Tom Bird said: "The Creasestream Mini has completely transformed how I used to crease my order of services and wedding cards.
"It was a tedious task trying to align 280gsm card in position to apply 2 creases, now I can produce both accurately and simultaneously, with much better speed."
Currently Creasestream and Tech-ni-fold’s products are being sold direct through the company, its US partner Tech-ni-fold USA and a few resellers. But the success of the latest releases from the companies has led Harris to consider taking on external partnerships with distributors.
He said: "We have over 400 solutions that we sell all over the world. There is always scope for a partner and I would be interested in speaking to resellers."
