Standard Finishing Systems Showcases Latest in Automation
In one of the largest booths on the PRINTING United Expo show floor, Standard Finishing Systems (Booth N1943) is maximizing its 4,000 sqft of space to showcase and demonstrate its lineup of finishing equipment, much of which with automation features that are in high demand in today’s printing industry.
Don Dubuque, Standard Finishing’s director of marketing, says the company made sure to prioritize its presence on the show floor with a variety of equipment spanning both Horizon and Hunkeler products.
“PRINTING United is the main show that we do,” Dubuque says. “We wanted to bring as much equipment as possible. For customers to be able to come to see the equipment run and see live demonstrations, it is a great opportunity for us to show all of our solutions.”
Dubuque adds that the demand from attendees to get up close looks at Standard’s equipment is high, as the company came into The Expo with 255 companies prescheduling VIP equipment demonstrations.
In the booth, attendees can see the latest automation features across Standard’s portfolio, including the Horizon BQ-500 perfect binder, along with the GF-500 gauze feeder and ESF-1000 end sheet feeder. Additionally, a robotic arm is on display, feeding book blocks from the HOF-400 sheet feeder into the BQ-270V perfect binder.
“Robotics is doing great for us,” Bob Flinn, Standard’s director of business development, says. “It has been part of a good percentage of the VIP demos.”
Standard is also highlighting the iCE LiNK information and diagnostics tool. This technology from Horizon provides a cloud-based digital workflow solution that not only provides real-time workflow insights, but also reveals historical data that users can leverage to track their progress. Michael Gullo, technical product manager – Horizon, adds that iCE LiNK is accessible remotely, so users can view their data from their devices, even when they are away from the shop floor.
With automation evident throughout the booth, Dubuque says that Standard is helping to answer an industry need that has been evident for years.
“Customers have been interested in automation even before the pandemic,” he says. “With the labor challenges, it has been a real positive.”
Cory Francer is an Analyst with NAPCO Research, where he leads the team’s coverage of the dynamic and growing packaging market. Cory also is the former editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions and is still an active contributor to its print magazines, blogs, and events. With a decade of experience as a professional journalist and editor, Cory brings an eye for storytelling to his packaging research, providing compelling insight into the industry's most pressing business issues. He is an active participant in many of the industry's associations and has played an essential role in the development of the annual Digital Packaging Summit. Cory can be reached at cfrancer@napco.com
