BINDERY matters
Jehovah’s Witnesses Gain Efficiencies
Wallkill, NY—The Watchtower Printing Center recently put a new 350,000-square-foot production facility into operation. Central to this new manufacturing system is a Muller Martini Corona/Diamant production line. Among the machinery recently put into operation is a fully automatic hardcover book line from Muller Martini. At the heart of the new system, on which 10 million hardcover books will be produced annually, are a Corona perfect binding line, a fully automatic buffer system and two Diamant book lines downstream. These technologies are complemented by two addressing and packaging/cartoning systems, followed by two Cohiba palletizers.
Polar Celebrates Centennial Year
HOFHEIM, GERMANY—Founded in 1906 as the “Adolf Mohr Maschinenfabrik,” the company better known as Polar is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Initially making a name for itself as a supplier of machinery to the wood processing industry, the development and construction of cutting machines for the graphics industry began after 1945. Polar has worked in close partnership with Heidelberg since 1949.
Over that period, Polar developed to become a global supplier of high-speed cutters. Even though it is often associated with Heidelberg, Polar has always maintained its independence as a family run company.
More than 120,000 high-speed Polar cutters have been sold in more than 170 countries around the world. Some of these machines have been in operation for more than 40 years. And about 2,000 high-speed cutters and 1,500 peripheral units are added every year.
“In our anniversary year, Polar is extremely well placed to meet the challenges of a renewed upturn in the economy,” says Alfred Henschel, managing director. “State-of-the-art technologies and an excellent sales network have brought us safely through the difficult economic periods with which we had been confronted in recent years.”
Fry Continues to Add Bindery Gear
MECHANICSBURG, PA—Fry Communications recently ordered a third new Muller Martini high-speed Tempo 22 saddle binder as part of its continued expansion.
Live production is planned for late spring 2006. The stitcher will reside in the newest of Fry’s buildings and will be the 16th saddlestitcher in production to support increasing customer demand.
“We experienced a tremendous year in 2005, and we are equipping to continue to further serve the need of our clients,” said Henry Fry, president.
This binder is a duplicate of the last two saddle binders installed at Fry in 2005. It features the latest productivity and ergonomic enhancements, as well as ink-jet imaging and selective binding capabilities. The ergonomic/automation enhancements relieve crew members from many repetitive motions, reduce fatigue and consequently reduce the related risk of injury.
Finishing Equipment Goes to Newspaper
GAITHERSBURG, MD—Ferag and Post-Newsweek Media’s Community Newspaper Group—and its printing division, Comprint Printing—have reached an agreement to implement Ferag postpress equipment for its new 90,000 cph Mitsubishi DiamondStar news-paper press.
The agreement, signed in January, calls for two Ferag UTR press gripper conveyor systems, each with 2:1 gripping capability.
The system will be provided with an intermediate pickup station to handle quarter-fold products.
Four newly developed Ferag SmartStack stackers are also part of the order. These new stackers are completely servo-driven units and offer easy format size adjustability, including stacking of quarter-folded products.
The installation is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2006.
Quick Cuts
Beiler Printing, located in Lancaster, PA, recently installed a Polar 78 X high-speed cutter from Heidelberg to update its bindery equipment. The shop services primarily local clients in the healthcare and agriculture industries.
Rapid Bind of Portland, OR, installed an OmniFold, the latest automatic folder/gluer from Kluge. Established in 1977, the bindery company chose to install a flip gate, bump-90, 18˝ and 33˝ top belts drives, and a 2 + 1 additional head hot melt glue system with controllers, for converting pocket folders, CD wallets and other specialty applications.
Indexx Inc., located in Greenville, SC, recently installed a Stitchmaster ST 90 from Heidelberg to expand its saddlestitching capabilities. Founded in 1994, Indexx Inc. is a general commercial printer housing 71 employees.
Neyenesch Printers of San Diego is now running a Kluge UniFold automatic folder/gluer. The new Kluge equipment includes a vertical buckle folder upgrade that eliminates crows feet or wrinkling on heavy stocks, TransTable III, and a 2 + 1 additional head hot melt glue system with controllers.
PV Communications, based in Loudonville, OH, has added a Polar 137 XT cutter. The new cutter streamlines postpress workflow in the all-Heidelberg shop. In operation for more than 25 years, PV Communications is a general commercial printer with 50 employees.
Bindtech Inc. of Nashville, TN, reports it has installed a new TecnoGraf CT-100 thin book casing-in line.
Victor Printing, Sharon, PA, has added a Moll Marathon folder/gluer, allowing the company to offer in-house pocket folder conversion.
Family owned and operated Fong & Fong Printers & Lithographers, in business in Sacramento, CA, since 1958, has upgraded its bindery equipment with the addition of a Stahlfolder TH 82 from Heidelberg to serve local and national clients.
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