Alphaset’s 30% Lift in Perfect Binding
Investment in Horizon BQ470 PUR expected to achieve ROI in under a year
Return on investment in under a year and a 30% increase in perfect bound work. That is what Alphaset expects to achieve after investing in a Horizon BQ470 PUR four clamp perfect binder from Intelligent Finishing Systems.
The UK’s fastest-selling multi-clamp automated binder replaces a BQ270 installed three years ago by the Surbiton commercial digital print operation.
“We outgrew the single clamp binder,” comments Tim Sheppard, director: “We bought it when we had a couple of smaller run jobs that was perfect for the BQ270.”
But following recent expansion to the 40-strong employee team demand for perfect bound PUR work has grown significantly explains Tim: “We have just taken on a new salesman who has a great deal of experience in the PUR perfect binding sector. He is bringing in a lot of new business – we have already signed up 30 new customers.
“As a result we expect to see an increase in PUR work of up to 30% this year and return on investment in under a year.”
As for the effect on the operation the BQ470 is having he states: “It is making a big impact. It will allow us to take on a lot more book work and proactively quote for new business. It also means we can keep 100% in house now. Before, we would have had to send out any PUR and all the long runs.
And on the difference to productivity he says: “The single clamp binder had to be fed by hand so a 50 book run could take an hour and a half – now it takes 10 minutes. The output is a huge improvement. We have taken on 15,000 run job where the gluing alone would have taken 118 hours before so we would not have been able to do it.”
The investment will enable Alphaset to talk to a new customers, adds Mr Sheppard: “We are seeing a lot more interest in short run PUR books from schools who are requiring shorter runs but do need the strength PUR brings to the bind. This is where digital print and PUR make a strong business argument.”
Running alongside the BQ470 is a Horizon HT30 three side trimmer: “We had an HT80 but it needed an operator to run it,” explains Mr Sheppard. “The HT30 immediately completes the books coming off the perfect binder which ensures a smooth workflow and frees up an operator to run other jobs in the bindery.”
