Set to be installed at the Birmingham-based mailing house in February 2024 and representing a total spend of £956,000, the brand-new JWR 20K features two die-cut units; one to create a window in the wrap and glue in glassine, and one for the flap, to replicate a window envelope.
With three rotary feeders, the machine has full intelligence, matching, selective insertion and also has a motorised print frame for a 220mm-wide Domino K600 UV printer and dryer to match CMS’ three other paper wrap machines and add capacity for none window paper wrap work, according to CMS managing director Mitesh Chouhan.
While the new line is additional for CMS, the business has taken out and scrapped a Kern 3500 inserter.
Chouhan told Printweek: “We’re at capacity at the moment – we’re fully booked until the new year on paper wrapping. We scrapped the Kern machine and decide to buy a JWR, which will enable us to replace the Kern and manufacture our envelopes on-the-go by paper wrapping and then having a die-cutter that will cut the shape of an envelope flap and also cut the window size, even for bespoke windows, and glue glassine in for the window.
“We have previously had a handful of clients that asked if we can paper wrap with a window and we’ve said no, but we said we had the technology to match the personalised letter to the outside personalised wrap. They still wanted windows though because they felt that was what got them the best results.
“We tried to steer them to window envelopes, but the only issue with window envelopes is that if you have full-colour bleed-to-edge, it has to be a flat sheet conversion and they’re very expensive and very slow – typically 35% more expensive and an extra week on the production time.
“So this enables us to take volume from the Kern, which typically has all window envelope work, and put it onto a paper wrap line, and produce the window envelope at the same time, which is faster and cheaper.”
The machine has been ordered, ready for its installation early next year, and Chouhan said CMC, which makes the motorised print frame, will work in collaboration with Domino to add the 220mm-wide printhead and dryer at the same time as CMC installs the paper wrap line.
“This will give us more capacity on the none window paper wrap side, and it will also make us quite unique in the marketplace because we will be able to put a window into the paper wrap and still have it full coloured all the way round bleed-to-edge because it has a rotary cutter on the machine and extraction to give you full bleed-to-edge,” he added.
“I’m hoping it will grow our paper wrap by another 30% or so in terms of our none window capacity, and still give us the option to add something unique by putting the window into the wrap.”
The JWR 20k is capable of processing up to 20,000 pieces per hour (DL, C6/C5) or 16,000 C4 pieces per hour. It can handle minimum formats from 80x100mm and maximum formats from 250x330mm, a maximum package thickness of 20mm, and 70-250gsm envelopes.
CMS’ other three CMC paper wrapping lines are all CMC Ones – the third of which it installed in late 2021 to join its two existing machines with stream feeders.
Scott Torrington, director and general manager at CMC Packaging Automation UK, also commented on the latest investment.
He told Printweek: “CMC Packaging Automation are proud and delighted with the decision made by Central Mailing Services to purchase another CMC mailing solution.
“This investment will further support the excellence that Mitesh and his team always provide their customers. Going above and beyond and never standing still, always looking forward, is a mantra that we at CMC Packaging Automation live by, as does the Central Mailing Services team.”
Last year, CMS brought B2 lamination in-house after taking on a D&K Europa fully automated laminator. This followed in a refurbished Duplo System 5000 DBM bookletmaker that was installed by the company in August 2022.
Operating two sites totalling just over 6,000sqm space, CMS runs printers from manufacturers including Konica Minolta, Xerox, and Nipson and is planning further investment in the region of £500,000 in a new printer, which it is currently in discussions for with several vendors.
The company employs just under 100 staff and achieved a turnover of around £16m in its last full financial year. With a record year for profit, according to Chouhan, the business is set to beat that in its current financial year, where it is also targeting turnover of around £17m, with a goal to reach £20m within the next three years while maintaining its percentage EBITDA.
