BINDERY matters
Direct Mailer Installs 20 Inserters
SWEDESBORO, NJ—Direct Group (DG), a provider in the high-volume, time-sensitive segment of the direct mail industry, has purchased 20 new BÖWE Bell + Howell DemandWorks CMC-250S high-speed inserters. Each new machine inserts as many as six items into envelopes at speeds up to 18,000 hour.
The new inserters feature interchangeable shuttle and rotary feeders to accommodate the weight and order of items that need to be inserted into a package. All will accommodate envelopes up to "stretch," or 6x11˝. Some will also accommodate up to jumbo envelopes while still reaching speeds of 16,000 per hour.
These new inserters will help Direct Group break its own annual production record of 1.3 billion pieces produced and mailed in 2004.
Milestone Palletizer for Quebecor World
JONESBORO, AR—Gämmerler announced the sale of its 100th PR Robotic Palletizer to Quebecor World. The palletizer will be installed at the Quebecor plant here and was purchased in conjunction with the company's on-going Offset Retooling Project, a strategic program designed to upgrade Quebecor World's offset print production platform.
The PR 500 Robotic Palletizer that will be shipped to the Jonesboro plant palletizes both bundles and logs, and provides a highly flexible automation solution for a wide variety of production environments. Fully programmable, the it offers automatic pallet optimization and can store, change or copy pallet configurations. The system's gantry-style design is custom fit to each plant's specifications.
Pricing Study for Mailing Released
ALEXANDRIA, VA—The first-ever study of mailing service prices conducted by the industry's national association has been released. "The Pricing Study for Mailing Services Report-2005" has been released and is available from the Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association (MFSA).
The 120-page report includes the median prices and mid-range prices for the industry's 25 most common services, presented nationally, regionally, and by nine selected metropolitan statistical areas across the country. Prices are reported for jobs at five different quantity levels. The prices shown were in effect on January 1, 2005.
Commissioned by MFSA, the study was conducted by Industry Insights Inc., an independent research firm. The full report is available from MFSA at (800) 333-6272 for $995 (MFSA members, $495).
Savings Realized After Installation
CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA—At Holiday Printing, the company had been spending tens of thousands of dollars monthly in print finishing. That changed when the printer of software booklets, real estate brochures, pharmaceutical books and other projects installed a Muller Martini BravoPlus saddlestitcher several months ago.
"We outsourced over $30,000 a month in stitching and, when the trade binderies were busy, our customers were affected by the longer turnaround times," says Bob Schluter, president.
Since the BravoPlus installation, Holiday is outsourcing only $5,000 a month. Furthermore, Holiday is better able to keep close watch over its stitching needs both from a quality standpoint and in terms of scheduling.
"We control the job," continues Schluter. "Now, with the BravoPlus, we have cut two days off of the turnaround and delivery of our jobs."
Answers, Honors at Trade Show
ATLANTA—Brandtjen & Kluge participated in the 2005 Odyssey hosted jointly by the IADD and FSEA. The show format was unique in that in addition to companies existing on their own stand, there were various pieces of equipment operating in the centrally located "Tech Shop."
At various scheduled times, equipment in the Tech Shop was demonstrated to a set audience with a specific topic or process being narrated.
In the Tech Shop was a Kluge EHF Series press configured to foil stamp and emboss a 12x19˝ die. During the presentation, the audience was shown the best makeready techniques to ensure maximum coverage.
To coincide with the event, the show hosts organized an awards dinner where Henry Brandtjen Jr. received the FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award for 2005. Brandtjen received his award for his influential contribution to the foil stamping and embossing industry.
Quick Cuts
H&H Bindery, Brentwood, MD, has adopted the name Advanced Finishing Technologies. The company has also taken on John Streb as a junior partner, joining Mitchell Haven in ownership of the company. An 18-pocket Muller Martini Star perfect binding line with automatic cover feeder has been added to the company's 25,000-square-foot plant.
Big D Bindery in Dallas has installed a fully automatic F180 high-speed book sewing machine from Smyth Machinery.
As part of a $2.7 million expansion, Minneapolis-based Reflections has installed an IMG Brausse 1050SE diecutter and a Brausse PFG-720 folder/gluer.
In Clifton, NJ, E&M Bindery & Finishing has purchased a Muller Martini Bravo T saddlestitcher. E&M now operates three high-speed saddlestitching lines.
