Courier to Bring Digital Printing to Book Plant in Kendallville, IN

NORTH CHELMSFORD, MA—Oct. 29, 2012—Courier Corp., one of America’s leading innovators in book manufacturing, content management and publishing, plans to provide complete end-to-end digital production capability at its flagship four-color plant in Kendallville, IN. The heart of the new production line will be a high-volume HP T410 color inkjet web press, Courier’s fourth HP digital press and its largest to date.

With three HP T350 presses already running at its plant in North Chelmsford, MA, Courier opted for the greater capacity and flexibility of the T410, with its 42˝ web width, to serve an even larger customer base across a full range of run lengths at the Indiana plant. Other key components include HP’s new Indigo 10000 digital press for book covers, a Muller Martini binding line and extensive warehousing and distribution facilities.

The new equipment is scheduled to be installed over the winter for ramp-up next spring at a cost of approximately $13 million. That will bring Courier’s total investment in digital production to $40 million.

“Bringing digital capability to Kendallville makes excellent sense for our customers and for our company,” said Courier Chairman and CEO James F. Conway III. “It’s a logical next step given the success of our Courier Digital Solutions business in Massachusetts, which is currently installing its own HP Indigo 10000 press as one of seven worldwide beta sites.

“Today many publishers are moving to multi-print strategies to maximize the lifespan of every title and capture short-term opportunities, while reducing inventory and obsolescence costs. By leveraging Courier Digital Solutions’ expertise at our Kendallville plant, we can make that process a lot easier.

“Through this initiative, customers who already rely on Courier Kendallville for outstanding quality in four-color offset will gain access to offset-quality digital production for shorter runs right in the same facility. They’ll also gain a full set of complementary capabilities including content management, seamless customization and a direct-ship option from a convenient geographic hub,” added Conway.

“At the same time, this is a great opportunity for the 600 people in our Kendallville workforce, not to mention the many civic and industry partners, including the City of Kendallville, who have been at our side as we have grown the plant into a market leader in offset book production,” he continued.

“With this new capability, the plant will now have the opportunity to make a comparable name for itself in digital content delivery. From short runs of customized college textbooks to long runs of four-color books for readers everywhere, this 500,000-square-foot facility will be able to handle all aspects of the demand curve, helped by our industry-leading experience in four-color offset and digital, and by our close relationship with HP.”

A new standard in digital book production

“As one of the first major companies to invest in HP inkjet web presses for book production, Courier has built a very successful digital business, driving the transformation of the publishing industry in North America and extending the benefits of HP technology to an ever-expanding circle of publishers, authors, teachers, students and consumers,” said Aurelio Maruggi, vice president and general manager, Inkjet High-speed Production Solutions, HP. “With these additional investments in the HP T410 and HP Indigo 10000 presses, Courier will be able to offer complete variable content printing at full press speed with uncompromising quality, extraordinary flexibility, and the robust performance needed to maintain a competitive edge.”

“Courier is already widely recognized as a leader in customized four-color book production using digital inkjet technology,” commented Conway. “Bringing digital capability to our Kendallville plant will help us stay ahead of the competition. Even more to the point, it will do the same for our customers—helping them succeed by delivering top-quality content faster than ever.”

About Courier
Courier Corp. is America’s third largest book manufacturer and a leader in content management and customization in new and traditional media. It also publishes books under three brands offering award-winning content and more than 10,000 titles. Founded in 1824, the company is headquartered in North Chelmsford, MA.

Source: Courier.