Now live on Printed Easy’s site for quotations, the service will support “full custom size options” across all quantities, from 85x85mm to A3 portrait, with a maximum fore edge dimension of 314mm for books less than 315mm high.
Jon Lancaster, the firm’s managing director, said: “I’m happy to announce that our hardback book offering has gone live.
“It’s been a long eight weeks developing all the software to bring something to the internet that is at the usual Printed Easy standard.”
The service allows customers a considerable degree of customisation, including the choice of plain or printed endpapers on one or both sides; 71 colours for endpapers with 25 embossing options through Papago or Colorplan stocks; 32 ribbon colours and 48 headband colours; and five choices of laminate for outer covers and dust jackets.
Books will be available glued or thread sewn across all sizes, with 2,500 micron greyboard offered as standard for covers, with 2,000 and 3,000 micron also available.
Lancaster said there would be a standard five-working-day turnaround on jobs under £2,500 in value, with next-day dispatch available for orders up to £2,000 with an 80% surcharge.
The service will go live for orders on 27 August.
Printed Easy, which employs 57, took delivery of a substantial finishing kit investment to add hardbound books to its product list.
The firm’s £850,000 spend included a Horizon iCE Binder BQ-500 perfect binder with gauze option for casebound books, Horizon HT-1000 dynamic three-knife-trimmer, and Horizon ESF-1000 End Sheet Feeder, all from Intelligent Finishing Systems.
The new setup also includes a Schmedt PräziCase Pro paper over board case-making machine, PräLeg casing-in machine, PräForm Pro book press with multiclamp for speed, and tabletop gluer, ribbon and headband gluer also from Schmedt.
A Smyth DX-80 thread sewing machine is set to arrive at the business in Q4.
Printed Easy prints digital and litho, with a B1 Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 with coater sitting alongside three HP Indigo B2 sheetfed presses and a seven-colour HP Indigo 7900 for heavier substrates.
