This new equipment represents Heidelbergs profile as a complete solutions provider in small-format, whether for inplant and quick print or digital print environments, said Richard Bradley, Heidelberg UKs small-format marketing manager.
The new equipment comes from a variety of sources, with some inherited from Heidelbergs 1999 takeover of Kodaks digital imaging division and some newly developed by Heidelberg itself with partners Stahl and Polar. Central to the range is the new Bindexpert, an A3-A6 binder which, unusually, mills in addition to notching, meaning it can handle pre-folded sections. The Bindexpert can produce up to 150 books/hour, and has the capability for either hot or cold glues. Shown at Drupa as a prototype, the Bindexpert will be shipping in four months time, and will sell for around 10,000.
The Stitchexpert bookletmaker is an OEM rebadge from CP Bourg, but will be modified before the first production models ship to carrz eight stations and go inline to Heidelbergs Digipress. Although the Stitchexpert has a relatively small maximum book thickness of just 22 sheets of 80gsm SRA3 paper, it does have the ability to turn out stitched and foredge-trimmed books at the relatively high speed of 4,000 books/hour, and can also produce books down to CD format without modification. It will sell for around 30,000-35,000.
The digital finishing range is supported by the Polar 66 guillotine and the Stahl T34 automatic set-up buckle folder (both launched in 1997). Heidelberg has also announced a T40 buckle folder with easy-set rollers and fast manual set-up the absence of electronics means it will cost around 20% less than the T34, which has always been seen as slightly overpriced for its target market.
Story by Karen Charlesworth
