But affordable does not have to mean ‘one-trick pony’, as some may think. Admittedly, we regularly read about printers investing in something like a laminator and giving it an entirely new singular service for as little as £20,000. When Falkland Press director Andrew Lancaster went looking to upgrade the company’s finishing department, though, he got more than he had bargained for with the Petratto Metro.

He says: "We wanted a carton gluer, but the Metro was able to do this and much more, including bump and turn, taping heads and crash-locking. It gave us more versatility in the jobs we can produce, so now we can help more customers."

And while it may have been carton gluing that the company was initially looking for, it is one of the additional services that has already started to pay back the investment in the machine.

"For us, crash-locking was the biggest advantage," he adds. "Before, we would have had to send it out and because of the cost, we probably wouldn’t have got involved with it. Now it is a growing part of our business.

"Around the time we bought the Metro, we set up Printedeasy.com and we sell a lot of products online that the machine helps us with. We offer a creative portfolio of products with some as standard, knowing we can run it on the Petratto."

Already the company is seeing an increase in the amount of short-run packaging work, and Lancaster says it has also been "very useful for plugging gaps in production while adding value".

The machine was first launched in 2000, but, owing to its versatility as a highly modular machine, has been constantly upgraded over time. It features a long in-feed table, a short side lay-side register and a camera integrity system to read barcodes, as well as gatefold and pocketfold attachments. There is an optional perforation shaft for scoring and perforation. Other applications on the machine include a pile feeder, a short hopper feeder and die-cutting capabilities.

Additionally, glue can be placed in any XY direction, while double-sided adhesive tape can be applied to a variety of products including theatre bills, envelopes and advertising posters. There is also the ability to add fugitive glue.

Flexibility built in
Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS) managing director Bryan Godwyn, the machine’s UK supplier, believes that the versatility of the machine is its key selling point. "The core of the machine is a simple processing table with accurate registration and efficient conveying systems," he says. "However, the key feature is that virtually any process can be incorporated into it – from turning the sheet, perforation, slitting, cutting, enclosing, gluing and inserting – to allow automation of what previously could only be done by hand. The product can be fed through as many times as you require, in order to complete the maximum number of processes needed, which makes it much more flexible for more complex applications."

Because of this versatile nature, Godwyn adds that the machine will ultimately be attractive to a wide variety of printers. "Companies that are getting more involved in composition project completion (which means product packages that may include print, plastic cards, inserts, capacity folders or mailers) will benefit from the machine," he says.

"The Metro also allows commercial operations to develop their business through fulfilment of their client’s entire project, while packaging printers can get involved in short-run trial projects. Another thing worth noting is that existing specialist houses can get involved in complex packaging and mailing services."

Saving grace
Falkland Press says that the versatility of the machine has already saved the company a large amount of money, while increasing its competitiveness. "I like the fact that we can run various jobs, from non-capacity folders to crash-locking and straight-line gluing. It is incredibly versatile," says Lancaster.

"We were previously completing a lot of jobs by hand and now we can finish longer runs more cost-effectively. We have become a lot more competitive, too. For example, we can print 1,500 non-capacity folders in the morning and send them out in the afternoon," he adds.

Another bonus of the machine, in Lancaster’s opinion, is the fact that it has slotted into his company’s arsenal very easily. He says: "It was also quite easy to introduce into the operation. We are now more competitive on longer runs and have also been able improve our throughput in terms of scheduling and planning."

Although Falkland Press bought the machine from Petratto’s previous UK distributor Rye Gold, IFS took on the distributorship last year and debuted the machine at its Print Efficiently event in June.

For IFS’s Godwyn, it is a machine that almost any printer can find benefit in, particularly at such a cost-driven time, although he adds that it is ideal for finishing heavier, laminated and digitally-printed stocks without cracking or curling.

He also says that in an age of lean manufacturing, the efficiencies the kit offers are crucial. "It completes processes that normally require casual employees, so it allows for the more efficient and predictable completion of work, in a tighter timescale, with accuracy and reliability," he reveals.

Tip of the iceberg
The machine has already proved popular, with 17 installs in the UK. Godwyn believes that between six and 12 installations can be achieved per year. He believes that it is a machine that a lot of companies aren’t aware of, while clients who have already invested in them do not wish to help him make additional sales.

"Many customers who operate them are loathed to talk about the benefits, because the machine gives them a distinct advantage when quoting for projects," he says. "They are able to complete what otherwise would be a time-consuming part of the project with certainty and accuracy. It also helps them win projects on the back of this capability. And this finishing element is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the whole project enabling printers to offer the print as well creating a one-stop shop."

Obviously, Falkland Press is not a company that wishes to keep quiet about its Metro – perhaps because, with the versatility the machine offers, the printer is aware that a rival could buy it and do something completely different with it anyway.