PrintWeek reported at the start of the year that Ipswich-based Bravo had bought Alphaprint when it was approached to do so in December 2018. Alphaprint’s Colchester base is a 40-minute drive from Five Castles in Ipswich.
The new Horizon was delivered to Five Castles in March as a trade for a StitchLiner 5500 in a deal with regular supplier Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS).
James Burnett, who oversees despatch at Five Castles, said: “We went to the IFS showroom in Hamburg and we were very impressed with the service and tour.
“Our new StitchLiner will work on jobs centred around short runs, digital work and landscape brochures.”
The new machine joins a book production line featuring a Horizon BQ-470PUR four-clamp binder with Meler premelter, a Perfecta 92 guillotine for book trimming and a Horizon CRF-362 folder-creaser.
The Horizon StitchLiner MK III runs at a maximum speed of 6,000bph and up to 12,000bph with two-up production. It is also capable of producing A4 landscape booklets at speeds of up to 5,300bph.
Five Castles Press currently employs 30 members of staff.
