These were some of the points raised at a technical debate, A Reel Sheet, which was held in response to the increasing number of UK print firms using long-perfector printing presses with inline sheeters such as the  Heidelberg CutStar (pictured).

Around 90 industry figures attended, including a panel comprising representatives from KBA, Buxton Press, Stora Enso, Apollo, Heidelberg and S&G.

S&G group managing director Andrew Jones said his firm had been using Heidelberg CutStar equipment, with the main driver being the need reduce costs per page.

The cost reduction had been achieved through the use of lower grammage papers, a reduction in the variety of paper stocks and lower paper costs.

Heidelberg UK sales director Jim Todd said the main benefit of inline sheeters was their productivity.

Heidelberg are set to make five more installations in the UK, and Todd said the next development would be in the B2 press market.
Buxton Press production director Kirk Galloway said the move towards the use of inline sheeters had been mainly driven by publishers looking to cut costs.

He added that printers needed to be more efficient at putting ink on paper, and that Buxton had moved to using inline sheeters to gain more business by becoming more competitive.

A Reel Sheet was held by the Freemen of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers at Stationers Hall in London on 12 September.