The deal will see the Tri-creaser sold, as an option, into high-speed web applications for the first time. "It's a lucrative contract for us as it could see a substantial increase in our turnover," said Tech-ni-fold managing director Graham Harris.

The Tri-creaser variant, larger and much heavier in design and build than its sheetfed counterpart, is placed before the plough folder on a web press. "It's the best system that Scheffer said it had ever seen," said Harris.

Heavier stocks, over-drying and the use of recycled or cheaper paper mean that cracking is becoming more of an issue in the web market. Scheffer hopes to sell 24 systems by the end of the year.

According to Harris the new inline solution offers an 85-90% improvement on reducing cracking and crow-footing in web production. He said the system, also retro-fittable, should only cost between 4,000-9,000 to supply, depending on specification.

Tech-ni-fold initially began work on a Tri-creaser for web applications more than three years ago, but initially it didn't have much success.

"After two years of flogging a dead horse I thought enough was enough," said Harris. "I knew the idea would work I just wanted to hand it over to somebody who could make it work."

Scheffer had already hinted at an interest in the Tri-creaser at various shows. Harris then worked closely with its engineers, passing on the lessons he'd learned.

Initial trials were conducted at Color Dynamics in Dallas, and went so well that the US firm was Scheffer's first customer.

Harris is in talks with other manufacturers from a host of specialities looking to add the Tri-creaser to their products. The Whetstone, Leicestershire-based firm now has 72 versions of the Tri-creaser and has also added a prototype to one of Poole-based Southernprint's perfect binders.

Story by Darryl Danielli