Printmates team members wanted a bindery system that would quickly and easily handle the fiddly work produced on its digital presses. The answer was to invest in a Horizon CRF 362 creaser folder from Intelligent Finishing Systems.
Neil Martin, director of the Redhill operation, explains: “We have a lot of work being produced by our Xerox digital presses and we were using a Stahl folder to complete it. But the team wanted something that would be more flexible when handling short runs such as business cards. “Setting up can take some time and it was causing a jam in the bindery. They wanted a system that was quicker and easier.”
Martin looked around at what was on the market and went to visit a nearby printer who recommended Horizon. “I saw the systems they were running and then went to the IFS showroom,” he says.
“The Horizon CRF 362 creaser folder was quick and easy to run. The icon based touch screen means anyone can jump on and off it. It has a compact footprint as well, which is good as we don’t have loads of space.” Another benefit was the system’s ability to carefully handle digital print.
Comments Martin: “We were told that it would do away with cracking and it has. We don’t have to reprint work because of cracking. It has sorted out the job queuing too. It does exactly what is says on the tin.”
As for return on investment Martin says: “We didn’t really have an expectation but a member of staff left earlier in the year and we hadn’t got around to replacing them. With this new system I don’t think we will have to. It has freed up team members to work on other jobs. I would say it has saved us one person’s hours a day.”
The Horizon CRF-362 creases and folds in one pass a wide range of light and heavy weight stocks, coated or uncoated. Capable of up to ten crease lines on a sheet, it uses an impact scoring technology that eliminates or minimizes cracking of the stock or printed image. Set-up and changeovers – including fold pattern, creasing number, and up/down crease selection – are completed on the high resolution intuitive color touch screen.
