Tech-ni-fold's Graham Harris, the man behind the award-winning Tri-Creaser, has developed a prototype cover feeding attachment for stitching lines.



Codenamed the "Cova-Creaser", Harris claimed
it would cut printers' costs as they wouldn't need to outsource pre-creasing of covers.



"Every main printer will have one of these," said Harris. "Companies have been asking me if I could develop something. It will save thousands of pounds."



Harris is now in discussions with an unnamed
associate who developed the prototype for him, which would give his partner exclusive UK licensing rights. "He's somebody in the trade," said Harris.



The Cova-Creaser would be able to work on stocks up to 350gsm, and would be suitable for sheetfed, web or digital printing, claimed Harris. "We're talking about retro-fitting it onto existing machines," he said.



Three firms are taking the new device on trial, but Harris couldn't reveal their identities.



Harris has sold around 500 Tri-Creasers so far, and now has two agents selling the product in the US. "Every month is record breaking," he added.



The Tri-Creaser won two awards at the BBC Tomorrow's World Invention Fair this summer - first prize in the Engineering for Industry category and bronze medal for Invention of the Year.


Story by Gordon Carson.