This latest spend is part of the circa £20m re-equip the European book printing group unveiled for its UK arm last May, and follows last week’s news that the company had separately signed for an HP T410 high-speed inkjet web press and Timson T-fold for its CPI Antony Rowe site in Melksham, Wiltshire.
This Kolbus hardback book line includes a Kolbus DA270Casemaker, a Kolbus P312 Caseblocker and a Kolbus BF530 Casing-in line. The kit will be installed next month and is expected to come on stream in advance of the peak summer manufacturing period.
As well as boosting capacity, the new line will enhance the firm’s responsiveness to peaks in demand and follows a period of “sustained growth” in hardback books, according to CPI Books general manager Andy Watts.
“We are seeing sustained growth in the hardback market, with publishers showing an increasing interest in our jacket finishes and ways that we can add value to their books,” he said.
“There seems to be a dichotomy in the market: on the one hand, the mass market, more disposable format is increasingly becoming a battle between the e-book over the paperpack; while on the other, consumers recognise the importance and value of the physical book as an object to give and to treasure – and hardbacks are benefiting from this.”
CPI UK produces 160m books a year for a wide range of publishers, employing a range of conventional and digital platforms.
