Installed at the start of June, the Horizon BQ-470 EVA binder and the CRF-362 folder-creaser represent a circa £100,000 investment for the Yorkshire-based trade finisher.
The four-clamp BQ-470 EVA replaces a single-clamp BQ-270 and will enable LDC to increase turnaround speeds and run lengths of its perfect binding offering. The CRF-362 represents an expansion of the firm’s kit, performing work that until recently had been carried out using either a Heidelberg cylinder or one of two platens onsite.
“We knew Horizon’s equipment very well when it came to shopping around for new machines,” said owner Ian Bradley. “With the binder, we considered Heidelberg and Müller before coming back around to the Horizon, which allows us to do runs of anything from 10 to 10,000 books, when our maximum used to be 3,000-4,000.
“On the creaser, we considered machines from Duplo, but were able to roll the Horizon machine into a deal with the binder. There are seven of us here, but only three of us could do the creasing work on our cylinder or platens.
“Now, anyone can do it using our CRF-362 – set up is very easy and very quick. I think it has been a very good investment so far, and is a very good machine to have onsite to help make things easier, streamline and increase production, and help with bottlenecks.”
Costing around £80,000, the BQ-470 EVA binder is designed primarily for mid-range softback book production of products up to 65mm thick at speeds of 1,350cph. LDC will use it to offer faster turnarounds for both digital and litho produced work.
The CRF-362 folder/creaser can crease and fold in a single pass with up to 10 creases per sheet. Costing LDC around £20,000, it can run at speeds up to 5,000sph.
Leeds Die Cutting runs a variety of print finishing equipment on its 465sqm premises, including die cutting, Renz wiro-binding, automated punching and closing, guillotines and lamination.
According to Bradley, his £350,000-turnover firm will now look to further grow its automated wiro- and perfect binding capabilities, having grown year-on-year since its inception 10 years ago and doubling its turnover in the past two years.
