Cambridge University Press (CUP) examination-printing arm SecurePrint has produced and delivered the first of this years 19m exam papers using its IBM machines.


SecurePrint, which employs 30 of CUPs 385 staff, was set up in December specifically to produce GCSE and A Level papers.


The universitys Local Examination Syndicate, located in Birmingham, Coventry and Cambridge, previously printed exam papers using a combination of litho printing and Xerox DocuTechs.


SecurePrint chairman Stephen Bourne said: "Exam papers are ideally suited to modern digital print equipment. Some subjects have a very low take-up and require about 50 copies, while core subjects like maths can have run lengths in the thousands."


SecurePrint has signed a three-year lease deal with IBM, during which it will receive any upgrades automatically.


It has installed three IBM Infoprint 4000 IR3/4s with a combined capacity of 500m A4 pages a year. They are driven by Infoprint Manager software, which can split a job into three parts and print simultaneously.


The 4000s, which are capable of a resolution of 600dpi and can output 666 A4ppm, are linked to Hunkeler sheet-cutters and folders and, via a conveyor, to Muller Martini stitchers and trimmers.


Although SecurePrint accounts for less than 10% of CUPs print workforce, it is expected to produce over 20% of the divisions gross revenue.


Story by John Davies