The second Stahlfolder KH 82, which features multiple folders, is due to be installed in January at the £17.6m-turnover firm and will run on a three-shift system.
Managing director Kirk Galloway said: “We felt it was necessary to further streamline our folding area with an additional folder - one particularly suited to handling lighter weight paper stocks used in the contract magazine market. The Stahl is ideal for this and best suited our requirements.
“Our core business is paginated work which is folded in 16pp, 8pp and 4pp sections. The additional Stahl will reduce the need to change machine formats thus positively contributing to improved factory workflow as well as providing extra folding capacity."
The company, which won its third PrintWeek Awards Company of the Year title last month, decided on the machine because of fast set-ups, high running speeds and lower investment costs, Galloway said.
The Stahlfolder KH 82 features a Tremat feeder, twin suction drum and adjustable side stops, which smooth the passage of work through the folder.
“The double-headed Tremat unit delivers each sheet into the lay precisely, minimising any mis-feeds which is particularly useful on lighter grammage paper stock," Galloway added.
"Adjustable side stops also help minimise any potential play during feeding which is again ideal for lighter weight paper stocks.
“The Palamides feeder, which we also bought, stacks in set quantities and the single-sheet facility helps to eliminate any potential marking.”
Buxton Press currently uses both Stahl and MBO folders and staff are already fully trained on both, allowing for quick bedding in come January.
Galloway said the additional flexibility provided by the extra Stahl will allow the company to take on increasing amounts of work.
Derbyshire-based 124-staff Buxton Press handles over 600 magazine titles and outputs more than 54 million publications a year.
Buxton’s existing KH 82 also had a Palamides stacker, which allows work to be offloaded in set quantities or by single-sheet facility.
The company also runs four Heidelberg XL 106 B1 long-perfectors each with CutStar, in eight- and 10-colour formats, three stitching lines and 10 B1 folders and three binding lines.
The kit was bought last year as part of a £15m spending spree that Galloway said would boost capacity by a third. He has since invested more money in the business.
