Commissioned in early July, the multi-finisher can handle sheets up to 370x710mm and up to 400gsm, with speeds reaching up to 35 sheets/min on A3 brochures, and 12.2 sheets/min for 21-up business card jobs.

Mount Street’s team had not gone to Drupa in search of a multi-finisher, but came away from Duplo’s stand so impressed that it decided to invest, according to Alex Cain, director of the family-owned business.

He said that it had been a “game-changer” for the firm, automating digital finishing – about 15% of its total finishing work – and freeing up three guillotines for other work.

“Watching all the different applications coming out of the DC devices all barcode driven and at consistently high quality, it matches what we needed in our production room,” Cain said.

Speaking to Printweek, he added: “We’re not a typical printers: we do a lot of bespoke work with raised profile, embossing, foiling – you can’t put any of that through a slitter, so it’s really the digital work. We saw it at Drupa, and thought it might well be useful.

“It’s been great. We haven’t really used it to its full potential yet, but it’s ticking away every day and doing a nice job.”

The DC-648 is Mount Street’s first Duplo; installing the machine at its East Acton production site meant hoisting it up through the first-floor workshop’s loading window; a smooth process, according to Cain.

Mount Street’s specialty is die-stamp printing, with contingent lines of work in engraving and special adornment; the firm is squarely in the luxury market, and charges as much as £435 for a set of 50 engraved notecards with colour header and footer. 

With so much bespoke work, freeing up the guillotines from easily automated work has been a huge help, Cain said.

Using a fleet of around 12 1950s Waite & Saville die-stamping presses for bespoke work, the firm also runs a fleet of three Heidelberg Quickmasters and a Heidelberg GTO offset press.

“To do this type of work, you have to have passion. But it’s all we know.”

Mount Street, which has been running since 1981, has used its Waite & Saville fleet since its formation; nowadays the company employs around 33 staff, spread across the Mount Street showroom, refurbished in 2020, and the East Acton production facility.

The company enjoys a Royal Warrant for stationery, issued by King Charles III.