17 April 2014

Printondemand-worldwide becomes first UK user of Horizon trimming unit

Peterborough-based publisher services company Printondemand-worldwide has installed the UK's first Horizon HT-1000V variable trimmer from Intelligent Finishing Systems. The introduction of this machine forms part of a £250,000 investment in integrated workflow, and continues the company's efforts to make its production as lean and of as high a quality as possible.

Printondemand-worldwide, whose clients include Cambridge University Press, Osprey and Taylor & Francis, can produce over 5,000 books and journals per day, but are looking to triple that capacity through this new investment. The Horizon HT-1000V variable three-knife trimmer eliminates make-ready on trimming for high quality variable-length runs, incorporating books and journals up to 65mm thick and having a capacity for producing 1,000 units per hour.  

Job set-up is automated via a barcode at the trimmer entrance but can also be effected from the user interface, which allows precise adjustments.  There is a memory storage capacity of 200 jobs for repeated or customised applications.  The Printondemand-worldwide production team were impressed when the Horizon was immediately put through its paces to deal with trimming 150 copies of a 45mm-spine book, a job which had to be turned round at short notice. The machine sailed through the work - which would previously have taken an hour - in 20 minutes.

Andy Cork, the MD of Printondemand-worldwide commented:

'We first saw it at Drupa 2012. It was miles ahead of the competition. It was the first one we saw that appeared to be the real deal. We are trying to offer a complete solution for our customers. We are working towards the production workflow of next-day delivery for runs of one rather than the 24/48 hour service at present. We are expanding into a new 7,000 square-foot unit, making our plant a total of 24,000 square feet, to support our Great British Book Shop virtual warehouse online retail venture.'

About Printondemand-worldwide

Based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, Printondemand-worldwide has been trading for nearly two decades, making it one of the UK's longest-established digital book and journal printers. Printondemand-worldwide offers a comprehensive range of publisher services, including short and long-run digital printing in mono and colour, a suite of POD services including a comprehensive retail/wholesale model (BookVault), ebook conversion and distribution (E-Vault), and - most recently - a consumer on-line platform, The Great British Book Shop.  The company unveiled its new services to handle journals and training materials, Training Vault and Journal Vault, at The London Book Fair last week.  Printondemand-worldwide places environmental responsibility at the heart of its activities, only uses FSC® and PEFC approved products, and has won many awards which reflect this philosophy.

For further information please contact: Kathy Allen, Marketing Manager: 01733 404823 or [email protected]