The Birmingham-based trade printer installed a Heidelberg Prinect Business Manager MIS and Suprasetter A106 platesetter three months ago, and last month took it installed a second Renz Inline 500 punching and wire-binding line, with the older machine also upgraded.

According to owner Terry Mukadam, Alltrade was one of the first UK businesses to invest in an Inline 500 when it bought its first model 12 years ago.

The Heidelberg cost around £250,000, while the Renz spend was £185,000.

Owner Terry Mukadam said the Suprasetter and MIS switch would boost capacity for the 50-staff business, which he described as “probably the biggest retail calendar producer in the country”. 

He said sticking with Renz for the new binder had been an easy decision. 

“We’ve now got three automatic wire-binding lines and because it’s such a small window for the peak calendar season we really needed the extra capacity. 

“Because we were one of the first in the country with the Inline 500, it made it easier to stick with what we knew. I’ve got another wire-binder from Italian manufacturer Rilecart, but we prefer the Renz technology because it’s robust.

“We need the capacity for a short period. These days you can’t afford to say no or turn work down.”

The new Renz features 'Quick Size Adjustment' (QSA) for producing a range of formats, along with job memory storage of up to 50 jobs, and has been installed with a KAS calendar hanger system. It can punch material up to 4.5mm thick, bind up to 15mm thick and produce around 2,000 products per hour. 

The Suprasetter will align with Alltrade’s two Heidelberg Speedmasters; a B1 XL 106 and B2 CD 74, both machines have coaters.

Founded in 1969 by Mukadam’s father, Alltrade, which produces a wide range of trade print, diversified and started producing calendars around 13 years ago.