The DigiBook 450 is the top-of-the-range PUR system from Morgana while the AutoCreaser Pro 50 speeds up production of short-run work at the company in Bordon, Hampshire.
Following a steady increase in higher-pagination work the litho and digital print producer was placing more perfect binding with external suppliers.
But with a one-and-a-half-hour drive to the nearest provider, the process was beginning to have an impact on speed of turnaround for urgent jobs.
Managing director Vince Scardarella said: “We were being asked to do more and more PUR binding and where we are, locality-wise, there weren't any really good suppliers.
“So we were spending a lot of time transporting jobs, which was affecting turnaround times and efficiency. We found doing a perfect-bound job was costing us 24 hours.
“This could make the difference between doing the job and not, and now we are able to do work that we couldn't before.
“For example, a client wanted a few A4 colour presentation brochures of 60 pages in quick time. Before we bought this kit, we wouldn't have been able to do the job.”
Scardarella, whose 16 staff company makes a turnover of £2m, paid around £90,000 for the binding and creasing kit, additions to the existing plant list.
His 33-year-old company uses two Canon imagePress production machines, along with a five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74 B2-format litho press.
Colourgraphic Arts produces a wide range of commercial colour print, including books, periodicals, promotional and brochure work.
Scardarella added: “We are focused on bringing as many processes in-house as we can, so it just made sense for us to make PUR our next investment.”
Production manager Dronz Arigho said: “We were able to review the full Morgana range of PUR binders at the company’s Milton Keynes showroom, including the 200 and the 300.
“But our business focus is always on best quality and speed of service, so it made sense for us to go for the top of the range.
“The DigiBook 450 gives a production speed of up to 450bph. This comes into its own when we are finishing the longer-run litho printed work.”
Like the DigiBook 450, the Morgana AutoCreaser Pro 50 is also an additional piece of kit. The company continues to use a cylinder press for its longer run cutting and creasing requirements.
But much of the shorter-run work doesn’t warrant the set-up time needed on that machine, said Scardarella.
“Where we have a digitally printed run of 50 sheets that needs creasing the AutoCreaser is the perfect solution. We can run the job in the time it would take the cylinder press to make ready.
“We often work with thicker materials when producing high-quality products – substrates such as 170gsm coated stock definitely need creasing before further finishing stages are carried out. A dedicated creaser is important to producing a top-quality job.”
