Muller Martini Panorama, 2011, Winter by Polygraphimport Webman

The magazine for Muller Martini customers

Winter 2011

A printed product on the rise: Advertisement magazines are extremely successful in Germany due to their local focus

Editorial

No need to fear micro-zoning or ultra-short runs

Dragan Volic, Director of Marketing and Sales for Muller Martini Print Finishing Systems AG, Zofingen, Switzerland

E What do the individual zones of an advertising paper with 100 households and a digitally-printed university textbook with a circulation of 150 copies have in common? Both products feature short print runs customized to their target groups and are therefore very much in line with current trends. In many areas of the graphic arts industry, quantities continue to fall steadily and the print jobs are becoming more and more detailed. Five years ago, the “Schaumburger Wochenblatt” with a print run of 77,000 copies had 50 zones; today it has twice as many. “This helps our customers to avoid distribution losses while making production more cost-effective,” says André Schäffer, Managing Director of Oppermann Druck- und Verlags-GmbH & Co., which specializes in advertising papers (see article on page 4 of this issue of “Panorama”). More and more book publishers seek to orient their production towards a given target group and thereby avoid unnecessary stock levels or over-production. “Why put knowledge to waste?,” China Translation & Printing Service Ltd. (CTPS) in Dongguan, China asks rhetorically on the front page of its company brochure, which informs clients about the many possibilities offered by its new digital book production system, SigmaLine from Muller Martini (see page 21).

Just as there is an unmistakable trend among publishing houses towards smaller print runs, the graphic arts industry – and thus also machine manufacturers like us – also faces great challenges. Companies can quickly find themselves in the difficult position of not being able to provide the necessary services whenever there is a higher rate of short print runs or an increase in the number of title splits. A larger number of partial jobs are no longer manageable for companies with traditional machines, even if their total volume remains unchanged. Concepts for innovative solutions are necessary in order to ensure that this does not happen. Instead of having just one distribution zone, our mailroom customers should be able to publish their products for five zones with 1000 households each, or even 50 distribution zones with 100 households each – and all this without losing time or reducing output. The same is true for book production. In this area, reducing print run sizes in the thousands down to print runs in the hundreds is already commonplace and can hardly be achieved on traditional machines. As one customer put it succinctly during a tour of his printing house: “We are no longer talking about printing presses, but rather machines in which you just have to exchange the plates.” Digital print production provides a solution – but only if it is integrated into a highly-automated system that

combines prepress, digital printing and finishing. Our AlphaLiner and ProLiner inserting systems are extremely flexible in mailroom production. The modular construction of our machines means that they can be adapted to changing market requirements, which offers our customers a high level of investment protection. One very important aspect is the integrated workflow system MPC, which enables an efficient microzoning system. A tool for optimizing insert production ensures that changeovers are minimized. What the optimization of zone transitions is for the mailroom, so is the smooth job changeover in digital book and magazine production, facilitated by the Connex workflow system. Our completely integrated digital system, SigmaLine, is not limited to just softcover production, it is also ideal for the fully-automated production of a variety of products – in combination with Diamant MC Digital bookline for hardcover production as well as with Primera Digital for saddle-stitched products. Printed media is even making a comeback due to short print run production that is more cost-effective thanks to digital inline systems. For example, Rotolito Lombarda now prints more technical manuals than ever before (see page 18). “It has become evident that many users prefer holding a printed reference in their hands to the tedious job of clicking from one product website to the next,” says Rotolito’s Managing Director, Giuseppe Bracchi. Could there be a bigger compliment for printed products?

Yours sincerely

Dragan Volic, Director of Marketing and Sales for Muller Martini Print Finishing Systems AG, Zofingen, Switzerland Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Contents

Imprint

Volume 26 Muller Martini “Panorama” Editor Dr. Markus Angst markus.angst@ch.mullermartini.com Publisher Muller Martini Marketing AG Untere Brühlstrasse 13 CH-4800 Zofingen, Switzerland Telephone +41 62 745 45 75 Fax +41 62 751 55 50 www.mullermartini.com

7 With its two ProLiners and CoLiners, the Axel Springer Print ing House in Spandau is perfectly equipped for fluctuating insert volumes.

26 Unbridled growth – the Chinese graphic arts industry has been booming for several years, and will continue to grow.

42 Successful upgrades – Precision Colour Printing (PCP) has signi ficantly increased the productivity of its three saddle stitcher lines.

Publication frequency Appears three times a year in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish editions. Reproduction with reference to source is permitted. Printed in Switzerland.

Sales and Service Muller Martini Ltd. Ridgeway Industrial Estate Iver, Buckinghamshire SLO 9JQ Phone Iver 0845 345 3588 Telefax 65 56 58 (Std Code 01753) info@gb.mullermartini.com www.mullermartini.co.uk Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Forum Advertisement magazines – the explanation for their success lies in the local market place

Newspaper Mailroom Systems The Axel Springer Printing House in Spandau – two ProLiners with CoLiners

Press Delivery Systems Partnership – Muller Martini and RIMA-SYSTEM join forces

Saddle Stitching Systems Baumann Druck in Kulmbach – the world’s first Primera C160 Log & Print in Vinhedo – two Tempo 22 units are ideal for short time slots Paarl Media Group, South Africa – a joint debut for the Primera C130 and Ventura MC Greca in Porto – falling unit costs increase competitiveness

10 12 14 16

Digital Solutions Rotolito in Milan – ready for digital printing to really take off CTPS in Dongguan – the first SigmaLine to be commissioned in Asia

18 21

News

BRIC Series China – economic growth provides great potential in print finishing

Printing Presses FNMT in Madrid – three reasons for choosing Concepta: price, performance and quality Optys in Dolní Životice – the inauguration of the 100th Concepta gives cause for celebration

30 32

Softcover Production Webcom in Toronto – Book ForwardTM program featuring Acoro and Bolero Felipe Mendez in Madrid – new ideas for PUR production in Spain

34 36

Special Product Image brochures – creative printed products need creative minds

Hardcover Production Kind Fahd Complex in Medina – Diamant MC provides the highest quality for the Qur’an

Services PCP in Telford – higher net outputs after upgrading saddle stitchers

Forum

“We are a local market place” While many daily newspapers in Western industrialized nations are losing ground, in Germany, there is a type of newspaper with increasingly large print runs. The key to the success of most free weekly advertisement papers is offering an attractive platform for advertising customers thanks to strong local focus.

E According to the figures of the Association of German Advertisers (BVDA), the aggregate print runs of all advertisement papers currently published in Germany amounts to 92.3 million copies. This constitutes an increase of 1.1 million compared to the previous year and 60 million more than three decades ago. The number of papers published has also increased in the last twelve months, from 1,384 to 1,407. Complete coverage Görge Timmer, Managing Director of Berliner Wochenblatt Verlag, a subsidiary of Axel Springer Verlag, attributes the unbridled rise of these free weekly papers to one main reason: “Advertisement papers are extremely effective push media. They are delivered to households free of charge. If they are also produced in a high quality and 4

have relevant contents, they will attract readers – it is as simple as that.” Also, wherever there are interested readers, there are also attractive advertising customers. “We are a local market place,” says Bodo Krause, Publishing Director at Berliner Wochenblatt Verlag GmbH. According to André Schäffer, Managing Director of Oppermann Druck- und Verlags-GmbH & Co. in Rodenberg, Germany, the key to the success of advertising magazines can be found in the high coverage of households: “Many of our advertising customers want to have complete coverage.” Press products, not junk mail Advertisement papers are able to cover almost 100 % of households because they are considered as press products and therefore are allowed to be inserted into

mailboxes that have a ‘no junk mail’ sticker. “Several market researchers have confirmed the fact,” comments Bodo Krause, “that the advertisement paper ‘Berliner Woche’ is welcome in most households that normally reject junk mail.” Oppermann Druck- und Verlags-GmbH & Co., which has encountered fewer ‘no junk mail’ stickers in rural areas, has also had only positive experience, says production manager and authorized representative Werner Rohrsen: “Recently, a community located just outside our delivery area petitioned to have our paper delivered to them by collecting signatures. Naturally we fulfilled their request.” Editing skills... This pertains to journalistic content, which according to the BVDA makes up between Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

30 to 40 percent of the page volume of German advertisement papers. Complete delivery coverage accounts for “only” half of the success of this type of papers. Equally important is a high level of editing skills (in addition to knowledge of the local market). The “Berliner Woche”, a 32-page paper published in tabloid format, with 33 different local issues, as well as the various papers printed by Oppermann, “Schaumburger Wochenblatt”, “Lippe aktuell”, “Wunstorfer Stadtanzeiger” and “Deister aktuell”, which are issued in the Berlin format and range from four to 48 pages, concentrate exclusively on local events. “Our regional and sports reporting is much more extensive and better than what the daily newspapers have – also, we do not have any local competition from online news sources,” says André Schäffer. …ensures high quality In order to meet the high demands of a serious local paper in terms of content, Görge Timmer says that an equally high level of journalistic skills and quality is necessary. “The importance of the journalistic aspect has increased in recent years. To attribute merely a decorative function to it would be seeing it too narrowly. In addition to extensive advertising for local businesses, readers also want to have reports on local issues and services, in order to be more up to date on what is going on in their area.” This is an aspect that André Schäffer also attributes great importance to: “We must offer more today to keep our readers loyal to our paper.” That is why both Berliner Wochenblatt Verlag GmbH as well as Oppermann have invested in new journalistic resources for their papers. “Ten years ago, we had 18 different local issues, now the number is 33. Naturally, we have increased our manpower accordingly,” says Bodo Krause. Numerous Local Advertising Customers Describing the high level of credibility and reader loyalty, Görge Timmer comments: “A sense of familiarity is also created by reporting on current service issues and the top regional stories that affect our readers.” The publishers have thus established a basis for their economic success: “We do not only sell editorial content, but advertizing space as well,” André Schäffer and Werner Rohrsen openly admit. Just like the issues covered in the editorial section, many advertising customers alMuller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

so have a regional background. “We feature advertisements from pizza deliveries to international chains,” says André Schäffer. “Given the current economic situation, comparable advertising has become much more important.” According to Görge Timmer and Bodo Krause, it is the same in Berlin: “We want to present a wide range of local offers. This includes both the small retail shops as well as the local branches of national chains.” Reduced Distribution Losses More and more small and medium-sized companies from the area where the paper is published advertise in the paper. Advertisement papers are particularly attractive to these companies as they are distributed precisely in their catchment areas. As a result, distribution losses are reduced and cost-effectiveness improves.

According to BVDA figures, roughly a third of the advertising revenues of advertisement papers in Germany come from inserts. This is also the case with “Berliner Woche”, the weekly paper with the highest circulation in Berlin at 1.53 million copies. For the weekly, inserts have been an important source of revenue for years. “Currently, however, this trend appears to be declining,” says Bodo Krause, “probably due to the significantly higher prices for paper. At present, we do not plan to significantly increase the amount of inserts in the foreseeable future.” Opperman prints roughly 440 million inserts per year in addition to producing its own four papers with print runs totaling 270,000 copies and also 65 additional papers for external customers with a complete circulation of over 3 million copies. “We predict stagnation at this high level,”

1 Görge Timmer (left), Managing Director of Berliner Wochenblatt Verlag GmbH, and Publishing Director Bodo Krause: “We want to present a wide range of local offers. This includes both the small retail shops as well as the local branches of national chains.” 2 At 1.53 million copies, the “Berliner Woche”, produced as 33 different local issues, is the weekly paper with the highest circulation in Berlin. 3 André Schäffer (left), Managing Director of Oppermann Druck- und Verlags-GmbH & Co., and Production Director and authorized representative Werner Rohrsen: “We do not only sell editorial content, but advertising space as well.”

3 5

Forum

Print Run Figures for German Advertisement Papers 100 Mio. Print Runs

1600 Number of Papers Published

1400

80 1200 70 1000

60 50

800

600

30 400 20 200

10 0

0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Despite a slight decrease last year, both print runs for and the number of German advertisement papers have experienced continual growth since 2005.

comments André Schäffer. “It is the margins and not the print run sizes that are the problem, for we are in a very competitive market.” Detailed Zoning Given the fact that advertising customers have modern geomarketing data, which, according to Werner Rohrsen is a must today, and the desire to advertise in as target-

Oppermann Druck- und Verlags-GmbH & Co., located in Rodenberg, Germany, not only produces four papers of their own, but also 65 additional papers for external customers.

ed a manner as possible while avoiding distribution losses, a correspondingly detailed zoning is necessary. “For years now, we have offered our customers a very high level of flexibility with regard to the distribution of inserts,” says Bodo Krause. “Our complete circulation of 1.53 million copies is divided into roughly 1500 allocation units, which can be produced individually or in any combination imaginable.” The growing importance of zoning can be seen in the example of the Schaumburger Wochenblatt, which has a print run of 77,000 copies. In 2006, the paper had 50 zones, today it has twice as many – with some as detailed as a few streets with just 100 to 150 households. High Level of Flexibility in the Mailroom Zoning, on the other hand, entails complex production processes and that, in turn, means highly automated machines and a high level of flexibility in the mailroom. Oppermann Druck- und Verlags-GmbH & Co. relies on two SLS3000 insertion systems from Muller Martini (see «Panorama» 3/06)

at its plant in Rodenberg, Germany. Since the beginning of this year, the “Berliner Woche” has been produced on two ProLiner inserting systems with CoLiner pre-gathering units (see article on page 7 of this issue). Both inserting systems are used to produce a wide range of inserts – from single page inserts to stitched leaflets. “We see the mailroom as a complex process chain, in which the given amount of inserts must be processed in a specific time frame, from the production of the inserts to logistics of the individual delivery persons, until the product ultimately reaches each household,” says Görge Timmer. 

www.berlinerwoche.de www.oppermann-druck.de www.bvda.de

Impressive Numbers for Advertisement Papers in Germany E The aggregate print runs of all advertisement papers produced in Germany in 2011 amount to 92.3 million copies. This is compared to 2 million in 1964, 9 million in 1970 and 32 million in 1980. E 1407 papers are currently issued throughout Germany. This is compared to 170 in 1964, 335 in 1970 and 750 in 1980.

E 51 percent of the papers come out on Wednesdays, 34 percent on weekends E The aggregate advertising revenues of all advertisement papers amounted to 2 billion Euros in 2010 (2.3 percent more than in 2009). E 41 million Germans (which corresponds to 85 percent of all Germans above the age of 14) regularly read an advertisement paper.

E 2 out of 3 readers of advertisement papers read almost every page of their local advertisement paper. E 75 percent of readers say that advertisement papers are an important source of information for making purchasing decisions. E Editorials and other journalistic content make up 30 to 40 percent of the content. Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Newspaper Mailroom Systems

“We are ideally equipped to deal with fluctuations in insert volumes” In addition to nine NewsLiners, the Axel Springer printing house in Berlin-Spandau commissioned two further ProLiner newspaper inserting systems with CoLiner pre-gathering units from Muller Martini. They are used to produce weekly newspapers with 46 part editions in all, a total circulation of 2.9 million copies and up to 15 inserts per title.

Claus Pengel (left), plant manager of the Axel Springer printing house in Berlin-Spandau: “ProLiner with CoLiner is an ideal solution. It saves space and can be easily expanded.” Right: Roland Prieske, branch manager of Muller Martini Germany.

E The volumes are impressive: Approx. 650 million inserts are placed yearly into a wide range of newspaper titles at the Axel Springer printing house in Berlin-Spandau. Half are inserted in nine daily and five Sunday newspapers using nine NewsLiners, while the other half are inserted in two weeklies with 46 part editions in all using two ProLiner/CoLiners. “Although the number of inserts in daily newspapers has declined, there has been an upwards trend for inserts in weekly newspapers for years,” says Claus Pengel, plant manager of the Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Axel Springer printing house in BerlinSpandau. Getting the most out of the printing presses The up to 33 part editions of Berliner Wochenblatt, which are published in the Nordic tabloid format for the Berlin area, have a total circulation of 1.53 million copies and are divided into around 1500 different allocation units (see also article on page 4 of this issue). In addition, the weekend supplement of Berliner Morgenpost has a

circulation of 1.35 million copies with 13 split run editions. Printing and print finishing of Berliner Woche were relocated from an external printing plant to Berlin-Spandau at the beginning of this year. “That enables us to improve our capacity utilization and increase the economic attractiveness of our printing house,” explains Pengel. With nine NewsLiners, the Spandau printing house already had large inserting capacities in its vast mailroom, which boasts the dimensions of a soccer field. Yet the inserting systems of Muller Martini, which are all equipped with a main section feeder, two pre-printed section feeders, three insert feeders and a card feeder, were coming up against their limits because of the additional printing of advertisement newspapers. Up to 15 inserts “The production of daily newspapers and advertising newspapers partially overlaps,” says Pengel. “We produce advertising newspapers nonstop on Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday for up to 36 hours. 7

Newspaper Mailroom Systems

Ideal for the Nordic tabloid format: the CombiStack stack former.

Bottom sheets labeled using Inkjet Advertising journals are rolled up in the Spandau printing house from the printing presses to PrintRoll systems, and then transferred cyclically via two existing twin unwind stations in a shingle stream from the Newsveyor conveyors and feeders to the ProLiner. Both newspaper inserting systems have three CombiStack stack formers with integrated infeed for bottom sheets, which are labeled with the distribution information (top sheet number, stack number and insert identifier) using Inkjet. The CombiStack enables the optimal processing of thin jackets (16 to 32 pages) with a high insert volume right through to strapping. . Process reliability is supported by the expansion of the existing Muller Martini Mailroom Production Control (MPC). It enables full control and monitoring of the workflow in the mailroom.

Over 300 million inserts are placed into weekly newspapers at the Berlin-Spandau printing house using ProLiner/CoLiner.

Moreover, the weekly newspapers each have an average of six to ten inserts – at peak times, this can reach fifteen – ranging from flyers to pre-printed sections for large shopping malls.” That is why Axel Springer decided on additional inserting capacity in the form of two ProLiners, each with twelve stations. They are each coupled with a CoLiner pregathering unit with six stations and with three CombiStacks per line. The CombiStack is an innovative stack former without layers and with integrated addressing and tying. “That makes us ideally equipped to deal with fluctuations in insert volumes,” says Pengel. “We have integrated processes from the printing presses through the buffers, inserting lines, stackers and ramps to the trucks. Those processes are carried out nonstop, independently of the newspaper production.” Space-saving solution The plant manager of the Spandau printing house views the combination of an inserting machine and a pre-gathering unit as “the ideal solution”. “It saves space and can be easily expanded,” he says. The Pro-

Liner and CoLiner are needed for 90 percent of production. However, even during the remaining inserting processes, the CoLiner is usually kept switched on “for learning purposes, to get employees used to the optimal interplay between the two machines,” as Pengel explains. According to Pengel, experiences in the first months of operation have been extremely positive: “The net output in the inserting process is between 25,000 and 28,000 copies, which meets the target. Per line and shift, one machine operator can operate the whole system. The CombiStack is optimal for the Nordic tabloid format. And the extension of the Mailroom Production Control System optimizes feeder allocation, which provides us with an optimal time sequence in feeder allocation with brochures.” 

www.axelspringer.de Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Press Delivery Systems

Muller Martini and RIMA-SYSTEM Seal Close Partnership In order to provide their customers with optimized production processes for press delivery systems and offer a comprehensive support service, the two system manufacturers, Muller Martini and RIMA-SYSTEM will be working together in the future. E Now, more than ever before, price competition and surplus capacities in the market due to increasingly efficient press delivery systems require the graphic arts industry to confront high cost pressure with flexible systems and intelligent automation of production systems. This is particularly true for press delivery systems, which are an important interface between printing and finishing. High availability is an important factor alongside process intelligence and reliability when it comes to cost-optimized finishing. To achieve this, leading edge technology as

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

well as optimum service support are required. For this reason, the two finishing specialists, RIMA-SYSTEM and Muller Martini have entered into a cooperative agreement, which will enable them to use shared synergies and offer their customers perfect, customized solutions. Bruno Müller, CEO of Muller Martini, said that “for web printers in particular, it is important in today's environment to be able to use the right technology for their production facilities. The cooperation with RIMA-SYSTEM allows our customers to choose their ideal and individual solution from the extensive product line offered by the two market leaders. This means users can benefit from the most efficient solution in each case – e.g. a Newsveyor conveyor system from Muller Martini paired with a compensating stacker and palletizing robot from RIMA-SYSTEM.” The two partners have coordinated and streamlined their joint product lines in accordance with current requirements. This optimized product line includes the areas of conveying, cutting, stack production, bundle production and roll production as well as palletizing and will be supplemented with a professional range of services with comprehensive service being provid-

ed by the Muller Martini national companies and the RIMA-SYSTEM project centers. “Together, we are creating investment security and the basis for maximum availability of printing presses and print finishing systems,” said Bruno Müller and Dr. Axel B. Tübke, CEO of RIMA-SYSTEM, with confidence. “With the partnership between Muller Martini and RIMA-SYSTEM, our customers will benefit from the best technology, a global sales and service network with extensive system knowledge and the stability of two financially strong manufacturers.”  www.mullermartini.com www.rima-system.com

A strong team seals the close partnership between Muller Martini and RIMA-SYSTEM with a handshake (from left to right): Felix Stirnimann (Member of the Executive Board Müller Martini), Bruno Müller (CEO Müller Martini), Horst Steinhart (President RIMASYSTEM), Dr. Axel B. Tübke (President RIMA-SYSTEM), Dr. Christian Tübke (Member of the Board RIMA-SYSTEM), Daniel Langenegger (Member of the Executive Board Müller Martini) and Klaus Kalthoff (Executive Vice President RIMA-SYSTEM).

Stitching Systems

“The finishing factor will gain more importance”

The world’s first Primera C160 saddle stitcher from Muller Martini, enhanced with an inserting system, provides Baumann Druck in Kulmbach, Germany with an ideal combination of high flexibility and cost-effectiveness. E The majority of products printed by Baumann Druck are advertisement inserts for businesses operating in Germany. These inserts, ranging from 4 to 64 pages, are produced inline, often stitched or glued directly in the printing press. These inserts, either included in daily and advertisement newspapers or distributed directly, have continued to grow in recent years – even in the economic downturn of 2009. This had a positive effect on Baumann Druck. According to Jörg Schild-Müller, the company’s volume nearly doubled between 2004 and 2009. “Inserts are and will remain in the foreseeable future an indispensible advertising product directed at 10

providing potential customers with incentives to buy products,” says Baumann Druck’s Managing Director with confidence. Margins under Pressure Quantities do not pose any problems to the printers. However, the effects on pricing are a completely different story. “Our margins have come under intense pressure in recent years,” says Schild-Müller. It is therefore all the more important to have a seamless inline production. “In our industry,” the managing director emphasizes, “a company can only survive in the long term by maintaining high productivi-

ty, that is, high automation and optimal logistics.” In order to guarantee this level of productivity and respond flexibly to its customers’ needs, Baumann Druck, a web offset printing house that processes roughly 50,000 tons of paper per year, put an additional 64-page printing press into operation this autumn, replacing two 16-page machines. For its finishing needs, the company decided to enhance an existing line from a different manufacturer and replace a Solo inserting machine from Muller Martini that has been in operation for several years. For this, they chose a new Primera C160 saddle stitcher with eight feeders, Perfetto Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Primera 160 Saddle Stitcher: A Powerful Allrounder The new Primera 160 saddle stitcher, unveiled to the public for the first time by Muller Martini at IPEX 2010, offers a high level of production reliability thanks to a comprehensive process monitoring system. Exhibiting an impressive production speed of 16,000 cycles per hour for all run sizes and a wide range of sizes (even A3 and bigger), it is proving itself to be a powerful all-rounder. Thanks to its ergonomic design and modern control concept, it is very user friendly and can be set up quickly. The clearly laid out setup wizard significantly reduces setup time with just seven steps. There are two versions of the new

1 Jörg Schild-Müller (right), Managing Director of Baumann Druck: “We wanted a system that we could run either inline – saddle stitcher and inserting machine – or separately depending on the job.” Center: Machine operator Klaus Heinlein, left Thomas Schmidt, Sales Manager at Muller Martini Germany. 2 With the Primera C160 saddle stitcher Baumann Druck seeks to expand in the magazine and catalog market. 3 Streamfeeders allow for the signatures to be automatically forwarded to the next feeder, greatly contributing to the high net output of Baumann Druck’s Primera C160 saddle stitcher.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

saddle stitcher available: the C160 and E160. E The feeder, gathering chain, stitching machine and three-knife trimmer are all synchronized automatically on the Primera C160. The optimum coupling position can be calculated and the assemblies can then be automatically coupled in the correct duty cycle on the basis of the size details entered. E The Primera E160 features the fully automated Amrys size setup solution (Automatic Make Ready System). The feeder, stitching machine, three-knife trimmer and stacker are quickly and au-

stacker, inserting machine, film wrapper, inkjet addressing with changeable inline/ offline mode. Magazine Inserts “We wanted a system that we could run either inline – saddle stitcher and inserting machine – or separately depending on the job,” comments Schild-Müller. “Our objective is to be able to cover the product range of a typical magazine stand: gathering, inserting, attaching CDs, laminating giveaways onto the cover, wrapping individual copies, addressing. For the finishing factor will gain more importance.” It is important to note that Baumann Druck GmbH & Co.

tomatically set to the required size and synchronized, which means the saddle stitcher is set up and ready to produce the new job in the shortest time possible. To allow reliable and efficient production at speeds of up to 16,000 cycles per hour, the Primera 160 comes equipped with a compact gathering chain – well known from the high speed saddle stitcher systems. A narrow profile improves signature stability during transport.

KG, which is part of the Oberfranken Media Group and employs a team of roughly 130 at their plant in Kulmbach, Germany, generates a large part of their turnover from magazines and catalogs in addition to advertisement inserts produced in batch sizes up to several million copies. “We must continue to grow more in this market segment,” says Jörg Schild-Müller, explaining the main reason behind his company’s investment in the Primera C160 featuring an inserting machine. Almost all magazines printed by Baumann also include inserts – between one and three copies per issue. An Ideal Combination “We see ourselves as a solutions-oriented partner that gives our customers considerable impetus for communication when it comes to developing and implementing printed products,” explains Baumann Druck’s Sales Manager and Authorized Agent Dirk Seidler. “The new Primera is the perfect solution as it allows us to achieve an optimal combination of great flexibility and efficiency from a single source.” 

www.mediengruppe-oberfranken.de 11

Saddle Stitching Systems

Log & Print: Two Speedy Tempo 22 Models Make Their Mark On Short Time Slots Two Tempo 22 high-performance stitching machines are in use at Log & Print Grafica e Logistica S.A. in Vinhedo near São Paulo, where they are helping to deliver maximum productivity in the manufacture of time-critical periodicals and magazines. In Brazil, this particular market segment is exposed to considerable competitive pressure, and companies need to guarantee good production speeds and complete reliability in all areas of production.

E Long-standing Muller Martini customer Log & Print, which emerged out of Globo Cochrane, is one of Brazil’s top five magazine and commercial products printers. The company's plant, which is in Vinhedo, 75 kilometers outside thriving São Paulo, covers an area of some 16,000 m2 and is among the largest, most state-of-

the-art printing and print finishing centers in the whole of Latin America. 12 Hours for 420,000 Copies The Log & Print Group at Vinhedo site is employing in excess of 700 people. Six large-scale commercial web presses, two sheet-fed offset machines and an ultra-

modern print finishing environment combine to deliver rapid processing times and seamless logistics. Some 85 % of production capacity is dedicated to items for publishing houses (periodicals, magazines, books). The remaining 15 % is used to service a diverse range of commercial products orders. Log

1 12

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

1 Close partnership: Michel Rodrigo Texeira (left), Head of Print Finishing at Log & Print, and Renato Dias, Sales Manager at Muller Martini Brazil, standing in front of the two Tempo 22 high-performance stitching machines in Vinhedo.

2 Twice the reliability: The two Tempo 22 machines combine to deliver rapid processing times and excellent production reliability.

3 Some 85 % of production capacity at Log & Print is dedicated to items for publishing houses, such as periodicals and magazines.

& Print produces over 40 different periodicals. Among the titles is “Epoca”, one of Brazil's leading news magazines, which has a weekly print run of 420,000 copies. The production window for this particular publication is very tight at just 12 hours: Work gets underway at 6 PM on Friday and must be completed by 6 AM on Saturday.

zilian arm of Muller Martini, which is professional in every way.”

cause they are the successor model to the Tempo 20, which has served us particularly well since 2001. The Tempo 22 is even faster and more flexible and, thanks to the high level of automation, is even easier to use.” The Tempo 22 from Muller Martini provides Log & Print with first-class backup options and also ensures that the company is “fit for the future” and able to maintain and consolidate its position in the tough magazines market. In addition, says Michel Rodrigo Texeira: “Our staff are completely familiar with Muller Martini’s stitching machines, which meant that they were up to speed on this latest generation of machinery after just one week of training.” 

“A Perfect Relationship” With such a tight time-frame, the printing presses and finishing environment are equally important. Industrial Director Rodney Paloni Casadei and Head of Print Finishing Michel Rodrigo Texeira are both extremely happy with the latest investment in Muller Martini systems: “Over the years, Log & Print and Muller Martini have built up a perfect relationship. That goes not only for communication with the manufacturing plant in Switzerland but also for the BraMuller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

The Tempo Duo: Reliability is the Key The two stitching lines are identical, boasting seven of each of the following: pile feeders, cover feeders, stream feeders, Robusto stackers, film wrappers and shrink tunnels. According to Rodney Paloni Casadei, the company’s fantastic experiences with the eight stitching machines, of various types, and two modular binder perfect binders purchased from Muller Martini over the last 18 years, were a deciding factor in its decision to opt for a high-speed stitching machine once more: “In view of the immense competitive pressure we face, we didn’t want to take any risks when purchasing our new stitching machines. We opted for the Tempo 22 machines be-

www.logprint.com.br 13

Saddle Stitching Systems

Paarl Media Group: A Debut for the Primera C130 and Ventura MC Systems Two Muller Martini finishing systems made their South African debut recently, when Paarl Media Paarl invested in two Primera C130 saddle stitchers and a Ventura MC thread sewing machine.

E The 2010 football world cup represented a key driver for the South African economy, and the effects have been felt in the printing industry too. Even though the home-grown national team was not able to claim the title of world champion, there has been a noticeable increase in corporate willingness to invest, with the Paarl Media Group leading the way in the country’s graphics industry. The two Primera C130 saddle stitchers and the new Ventura MC thread sewing machine were commissioned in quick suc-

cession, making their South African debut at the premises of book, magazine and commercial work production specialist Paarl Media Paarl. These recent investments highlight the close partnership that exists between Muller Martini and the Paarl Media Group, which has been relying on Muller Martini solutions for a number of years at several of its eleven sites. Plenty of Finishing Work Available Paarl Media Paarl may not be the largest, but is certainly one of the most important

sites within the Paarl Media Group production network. Equipped with three sixcolor, eight-color, and ten-color sheet-fed offset machines (hybrid machines for letterpress printing, combining the benefits of sheet-fed and web offset printing) and an eight-page heatset roller for printing commercial work, the team headed up by Managing Director Tobie Louw focuses on specialized niche markets requiring top quality and enhanced customer service. 50 % of all production is on sheet-fed offset machines, in small and medium

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Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

1 From left: Managing Director Tobie Louw, Jason Gould (from the local Muller Martini distributor Thunderbolt Solutions), Production Manager Thys de Jager and Bookbinding Manager Kurt Jacobs celebrate the successful South African debut of the two Primera C130 saddle stitchers.

2 At Paarl, the two new Primera C130 saddle stitchers are used to produce a wide range of products. 3 The new Ventura MC thread sewing machine at Paarl Media Paarl also celebrated a successful South African debut.

runs, and includes magazines, covers and commercial work orders (leaflets/brochures/flyers); 30 % of production is on letter presses, supplying publishers across the whole of Africa; and 20 % of production is represented by large commercial work and mailing jobs. In a similar approach to that used for printing machines, the finishing machines are also equipped with highly automated systems. Short Setup Times and Easy Operation After several years of successful production using two PrimaPlus units, the company recently decided to switch to the latest Muller Martini saddle stitcher generation by commissioning the two Primera C130 systems. Tobie Louw and Production Managers Thys de Jager and Kurt Jacobs are certain that this investment equates to technical progress. Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

“We always work with production machinery that represents the technical state of the art and we are proud to be the first company in our country to use this technology. Thanks to the excellent product support we received from Muller Martini and the local distributor Thunderbolt Solutions, the two Primera systems are running very smoothly. These systems cover a wide range of sizes, and page counts of between eight and 112 pages; they stand out from the preceding generation thanks to their improved performance, reduced setup times, enhanced design and easier operation concept.” The Ventura MC for Thread Sewing Tobie Louw’s praise applies not only to the two Primera systems, but also to the recently commissioned Ventura MC thread sewing machine: “We are the only book

printer within the Paarl Media Group so we have to ensure our finishing processes are modernized and designed to be as efficient as possible using our own strategies. By opting for the Ventura MC, we have made another investment in a modern, high-tech solution, which will make our book printing segment even stronger.” The Ventura MC thread sewing machine represents the state of the art when it comes to manufacturing high-quality, sophisticated book blocks for hardcover and softcover production. The system impresses with a large size range and the option to use it for two-up production. With the Ventura MC, a huge variety of signature types can be produced at optimum speed, and in top stitching quality. 

www.paarlmedia.co.za 15

Saddle Stitching systems

“Declining per-piece costs increase our competitiveness” “In economically difficult times, we need fully automatic systems to decrease our per-piece costs,” says José Pinto, owner of Greca Artes Gráficas in the Portuguese port city of Porto. Thus, for the first time in the company’s 15 year history, he chose two solutions from Muller Martini.

E In the midst of Portugal’s largest financial crisis, José Pinto not only invested in a new Presto E90 saddle stitching system but at the same time also in a new Pantera perfect binder (see box). The co-founder and now sole owner of Greca Artes Gráficas, a printing house and bookbindery, has a simple explanation for his anti-cyclical behavior. “In economically difficult times, the cost-reduction factor really starts to take on importance. I can reduce per-piece costs with fully automated systems. In this way I increase my productivity and become much more competitive on the market. 16

Thus I consider our investments an excellent opportunity to meet customer requirements even faster.” Delivery in record time Talking about being fast: That’s Pinto’s approach not only when it comes to meeting customer requirements but also for investments. Once he has decided on a new machine, it should be running today rather than tomorrow. The fact that no other manufacturer except for Muller Martini could deliver and install a new saddle stitcher so speedily was a major reason why José Pintos selected Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

the Presto E90, which just went into operation last February. However, certain technical aspects naturally also favored Muller Martini when it came to the initial commissioning of a system. For example, the short job changeover times thanks to a high degree of automation. “On the one hand, we have may

1 José Pinto (right), owner of Greca Artes Gráficas: “I consider our investments as an excellent opportunity for meeting our customers’ requirements even faster.” Left: Bruno Martins, Sales Manager at Muller Martini Ibérica. 2 With the Presto E90 saddle stitching system, Greca Artes Gráficas chose a solution from Muller Martini for the first time.

short runs of around 500 copies,” explains José Pinto. “Now we can react much more flexibly and even slip in an order on short notice every now and then. On the other hand, we sometimes also have considerably larger print runs, and there the Presto E90 is clearly more capable than the simpler model we used before.” “First-class products” Besides several periodicals, the 40 employees at Greca Artes Gráficas primarily print commercial items for customers throughout Portugal on its four sheet-fed presses. That these have quite varied formats was a further point in favor of the highly automated Presto E90 for José Pinto. And it still is. That’s because after reviewing the first operating months, the company president recalls nothing but positive experiences. “Our new saddle

stitcher is simple to operate, runs totally reliably and ensures first-class products.” 

www.greca.pt

“Local presence has many advantages” Greca Artes Gráficas is increasingly printing and binding softcover products, primarily for the fashion, textile, ceramics and furniture industries. Thus, only three months after the Presto E90 saddle stitcher arrived, the company also put a Pantera perfect binder from Muller Martini into operation as a supplement to a smaller machine. “Muller Martini is the only manufacturer of print finishing systems with a branch office in Portugal,” notes company owner

José Pinto. “This has many advantages in terms of consulting and service for us, and that’s why it was an easy decision to go with the Pantera.” This investment has also already produced positive results – this year Greca has acquired several new customers, not only in the softcover sector but also for saddle stitching. On the Pantera line, Greca also makes book blocks for its book sewing machine. Hardcover books are completed by a partner operation.

Greca Artes Gráficas does the printing and binding of all types of softcover products for the fashion, textile, ceramics and furniture industries.

Only three months after the Presto E90 saddle stitcher arrived, Greca also put a Pantera perfect binder from Muller Martini into operation.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Digital Solutions

“We are ready for digital printing to really take off” With a new SigmaLine digital book production system with a Pantera perfect binder and two new Corona C15 perfect binding lines from Muller Martini, Rotolito Lombarda S.p.A. in Milan is now in an ideal position to process its entire range of print runs on site.

E “Our clients do not yet have a solid understanding of what digital printing is,” says Giuseppe Bracchi. The managing director of Rotolito Lombarda is convinced that “this, however, will drastically change in the years to come. By investing in SigmaLine, we have opened up the possibilities for our clients to order smaller quantities, enabling them to reduce their storage 18

costs. As pioneers in Italy, we are ready for digital printing to really take off.” This modern company can now benefit from the many advantages of SigmaLine in terms of the speed and reliability of processing orders. “Thanks to this advanced technology,” says Giuseppe Bracchi, “we are able to complete orders in small print runs with short turnaround times and at

low costs. In a nutshell, digital printing provides Rotolito Lombarda with new opportunities and applications in our on-demand business segment.” The many visitors to Rotolito Lombarda’s Open House held in last December at the company’s new production site, inaugurated only a few months before, were able to see this for themselves. “Many of Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

1 At the Rotolito Lombarda Open House, many customers were impressed by the range of options offered by the SigmaLine digital book production system. 2 Giuseppe Bracchi, Managing Director of Rotolito Lombarda (left): “We are now able to manufacture our entire range of print runs for our customers on site using the most advanced system.” Right: Bernd Volken, Managing Director of Muller Martini Italy.

our customers were surprised by the diverse possibilities offered by digital solutions,” says Giuseppe Bracchi. Printed manuals are making a comeback In fact, digitally-printed books only make up a fraction of the impressive softcover volume for Rotolito Lombarda, the only ItalMuller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

ian company with a fully-integrated, industrial high-speed total solution for digital book production. Using the HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press and the SigmaLine, combined with a Pantera perfect binder as a global first, a wide range of products can be printed and processed, including mostly textbooks, technical manuals and novels. The latter are often printed as sample copies before the main print run is carried out using offset printing. Giuseppe Bracchi has observed that technical manuals in particular are making a comeback. “To begin with, it has become evident that many users prefer holding a printed reference in their hands to the tedious job of clicking from one product website to the next. Secondly, these technical manuals can be quickly updated thanks to the digital printing process.” The digital print runs in the lowest business segment usually have 100 to 200 copies, but they can increase up to 3000 copies. “That is our absolute limit,” says

Giuseppe Bracchi. “For any print runs above that, we use offset printing.” “Digital printing means printing immediately, and immediately means inline production” Giuseppe Bracchi has long since been convinced that the future of printing will be digital, especially when the limitations on paper disappear. “Digital printing also means printing immediately, and printing immediately means inline production. The customer arrives during the day and wants to have his books that same evening.” As the only fully-integrated, total industrial solution for digital book production, SigmaLine from Muller Martini was the logical choice for Rotolito Lombarda. Furthermore, the managing director says the company’s SigmaLine, which was commissioned last December, is very easy to operate: “The controls remind me of my home computer – I create something on the screen, press a button and the printer 19

Digital Solutions

3 The runs printed on the HP T300 and processed on the SigmaLine range between 100 and 3,000 copies. 4 The SigmaLine is easy to operate – almost like a home computer. 5 As a first of its kind in the world, the Pantera perfect binder was combined with the SigmaLine for Rotolito Lombarda. 6 Rotolito Lombarda uses the two Corona C15 to produce a wide range of catalogs, magazines, and books with print runs of over a million copies.

prints the selected pages. OK, using Pantera also requires some bookbinding expertise…” Plus two new Corona C15 lines Of course, this is also the case with Rotolito Lombarda’s most recent investment – two complete Corona C15 perfect binding lines with Orbit three-knife trimmers, Uno count stacker and Pluton palettizer in addition to Frontero face trimmers for costeffective production of brochures with flaps in a single procedure. Rotolito Lombarda uses the two Corona C15 to produce a wide range of catalogs, magazines and 20

books with print runs well over a million copies for customers in over 20 countries worldwide. Rotolito Lombarda and its 370 employees have relied on Muller Martini systems since it was founded by Paolo Bandecchi in 1976. According to Giuseppe Bracchi, with SigmaLine on one side of the range of print runs and Corona on the other, the company is in an excellent position. “We are now able to manufacture our entire range of print runs for our customers on site using the most advanced system.”  www.rotolitolombarda.com Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Digital Solutions

“Why put knowledge to waste?” China Translation & Printing Service Ltd. (CTPS) in Dongguan is the first graphic arts business in Asia to install a complete SigmaLine book production system from Muller Martini. CTPS is now able to cost-effectively produce softcover books, even in smaller print runs.

Gladys S. M. Lee (second from right), Deputy General Manager/System Director CTPS, and John D. Currie (second from left), Global Business Director CTPS: “Seeing is believing”. Left Finn Nielsen, Managing Director Muller Martini Hong Kong, right Paul Ho, Sales Manager Muller Martini Hong Kong.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Digital Solutions

E “Why put knowledge to waste?” With this rhetorical question on the title page of the company’s most recent brochure, which informs clients of the manifold possibilities of digital book production, CTPS has hit the nail on the head. CTPS as a trend setter Until recently, the minimum limit for softcover books produced in an offset printing process and with various binding methods was 1000 copies per print run. “With our new SigmaLine, our objective is to have significantly smaller print runs,” underlined Gladys S. M. Lee, Deputy General Manager/System Director. For John D. Currie, Global Business Director, there have been clear signals from CTPS clients for some time now “that they would like to avoid unnecessary stock levels and therefore seek to enhance short-run production. With SigmaLine, we are able to respond to this trend and we expect this market segment to grow in the coming years.” According to John D. Currie, CTPS considers itself to be a trend setter in the graphic arts industry: “We have a young CEO and continue to come up with surprising and new ideas.” 22

“Seeing is believing” Naturally, before investing in SigmaLine, Gladys S. M. Lee and John D. Currie, wanted to see the digital book production system from Muller Martini live in action. Therefore, the two of them traveled to Europe to observe how SigmaLine works in production. There is an old Chinese saying, explained Gladys S. M. Lee: “‘Seeing is believing,’ and what we saw in Europe definitely convinced us.” Premiere with 150 guests The roughly 150 guests, all of whom were invited by CTPS, Muller Martini and HP to the Asian premiere of SigmaLine in Dongguan last spring, were also convinced. According to Finn Nielsen, the throng of visitors from China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Australia and many other South-East Asian countries could barely believe their eyes. “This was the first time they had witnessed an in-line solution for the production of digitally printed books live in action,” says the Managing Director of Muller Martini Hong Kong. The visitors were able to see in detail how the SigmaLine works while it produced a sample of the ‘Greater China Newsletter’, as published by Muller Martini

Hong Kong. The newsletter was first printed and finished in-line and then subsequently displayed at the Print China convention – also held in Dongguan – where it attracted a great deal of interest from the audience. Hardcover: Ventura and Diamant For its hardcover book production, CTPS, founded in 1964 in Dongguan and currently using 26 printing presses to print roughly 12,000 tons of paper each year, is implementing several Ventura thread sewing machines as well as two Diamant booklines from Muller Martini. 

www.ctps.com.hk Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

“Connex tipped the scales” HP T300 digital printing machine, SigmaFolder, SigmaCollator, SigmaBuffer, SigmaBinder, SigmaTower, SigmaTrimmer and SigmaControl – CTPS decided on a complete, digital book production system for its nearly 50,000 m2 plant in Dongguan, where a staff of roughly 1000 are employed. According to John D. Currie, the system’s centerpiece is the digital workflow system Connex. “The Connex system, which is just as easy to operate as the entire SigmaLine, was the USP that tipped the scales in favor of choosing a solution from Muller Martini,” says the Global Business Director of China Translation & Printing Service Ltd. Connex guarantees a seamless interaction of all units. Connex communicates with all the machines involved: it ensures high levels of safety and transparency during production, generates job data for all systems and facilitates the sorting, grouping and planning of orders. These are indispensable assets, particularly given the trend toward increasingly short runs.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

1 Simple to operate: the new SigmaLine at CTPS (in the photo machine operator Yang Fei). 2+3 Roughly 150 guests traveled to ongguan for the Asian premiere of D SigmaLine at the plant of China Translation & Printing Service Ltd.

News from Muller Martini British Industries, Kuwait: the ideal combined solution for newspapers and magazines

Reyad M. Abu Daqer (right), Board Member and General Manager at British Industries Printing & Packaging Co., discusses the advantages of the Preciso high-performance rotary trimmer with Felix Stirnimann, Member of the Board of Muller Martini.

In order to ensure optimum finishing processes for a wide range of printed products, British Industries Printing & Packaging Co. in Shuwaikh, Kuwait chose a combined finishing system from Muller Martini in addition to a completely new printing press. The company currently focuses

its efforts on commercial products such as annual reports, brochures and calendars, printed on several web offset printing presses with four to ten colors. The company, founded in 1993, is now expanding and diversifying their range of products to include high-quality newspapers, magazines as well as other head set and cold set products. That is why British Industries has invested in a hybrid-rotation CROMOMAN printing press from man roland. For its finishing needs, the company decided on a solution from Muller Martini that combines a press delivery system with a newspaper dispatch solution. It consists of two NewsGrip A lines which ensure the quiet and secure transport of products, a Preciso high-performance rotary trimmer for reliable and precise three-sided trimming at maximum press speeds as well as two packaging lines with a Listo stacker and an Orgapack strapping machine for perfect packages.

IGAS 2011 in Tokyo: Muller Martini presents new ideas for digital solutions Muller Martini impressed the numerous visitors to its booth at the IGAS (International Graphic Arts Show) 2011 in Tokyo, Japan with diverse and innovative ideas for digital solutions. The range of products on display included the new, flexible solutions of the SigmaLine digital book production system as well as the innovative applications of the Primera Digital saddle stitcher and the Diamant MC Digital hardcover line. A large number of participants visited the “International Gallery of Digitally-Produced Books”, which showcased examples of especially attractive and highquality products that were produced with the SigmaLine in ten different countries. The collection covered both softcover and hardcover books, including a few photo books. The live demonstrations of the Primera E140J and Presto E90 saddle stitchers, which were presented in Japan for the first time ever, also sparked the interest of many visitors. During the demonstration, a 48-page A4-size notebook was produced, all within the

The live demonstrations of the Primera E140J and Presto E90 saddle stitchers, which were presented in Japan for the first time ever, sparked the interest of many visitors.

shortest of setup times. As part of the “Support East-Japan” program sponsored by Muller Martini, many of the books produced at the trade fair were distributed to schools in Japan that have been affected by the tsunami.

LabelExpo 2011 in Brussels: A Record Number of Visitors to Muller Martini Booth Muller Martini attracted more visitors than ever before to its booth at LabelExpo 2011, the world’s largest trade fair for the labels industry, in Brussels, Belgium. The VSOP printing unit, which was used to showcase stepless, variable size offset printing and its applications, was received with great interest. This year’s LabelExpo made it absolutely clear that package printing is a steadily growing market. Muller Martini also benefited from the great interest displayed by trade fair visitors. “Our booth was very well attended on all four days and we were able to make a lot of new contacts,” said Andreas Hitzler, head of marketing and sales at Muller Martini Printing Presses GmbH. “The VSOP printing unit used to showcase step-

less, variable size offset printing and its applications was very well received by the trade fair visitors.” The expert presentation given by Bernd Schopferer titled “Web Offset Printing with EB Drying” in the Package Printing Zone was also well attended. The product and marketing manager of Muller Martini Printing Presses GmbH demonstrated the many benefits of electron-beam hardening (EB drying) for package printing. “EB drying is especially well-suited for foodstuff packaging, as the ink film is immediately hardened all the way through,” said Schopferer. The result is a high-quality, low-odor and low-migration print product, manufactured under reliable production conditions, without the use of photoinitiators or the emission of pollutants.”

Muller Martini presented the many advantages offered by its VSOP web offset printing press during the LabelExpo 2011 in Brussels, Belgium.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Muller Martini presented a wide range of innovative technologies at is booth at the Graph Expo.

Graph Expo in Chicago: Solutions for traditional and digital printing technologies Visitors to the Graph Expo in Chicago were able to see live demonstrations of innovative technologies for both traditional and digital printing production at Muller Martini's trade booth. Keeping with the trade fair’s motto, “Embrace Technology”, Muller Martini presented a wide range of solutions, which can help printing houses and book binders to hold their ground in a competitive market.

In response to the increasing demand from book binders to the printing houses they work with for digital alternatives, Muller Martini offers a wide range of solutions for both traditional and digital production that maintain a high level of quality without time loss. The live demonstrations covered, in particular, the digital book production system SigmaLine, the Orbit Three-Knife Trimmer, Primera Digital and the

SigmaTrimmer, the only fully-automated three-knife trimmer on the market, designed to impress with the shortest Make Ready, making it an ideal choice for the production of single copies. “We’re pleased that our ‘Connect with MM Digital’ theme was right on target,” commented Werner Naegeli, President of Muller Martini USA. “As we noted at last year’s Graph Expo, visitors to our booth are expressing

more and more interest in digital solutions that can complement their traditional bindery business. Both manufacturing solutions will continue to be relevant. And Muller Martini will continue to provide the industry with the type of technology that satisfies the evolving demands of customers—while helping to grow business.”

Switzerland’s first Primera E160 generates higher added value

Warners’ new Primera C130 saddle stitcher running at full speed in record time

Following the commissioning of the first Primera E160 in Switzerland, Stämpfli Publications Ltd., based in Bern, is now once again able to wire-stitch all printed material on site. This has resulted in quicker production processes and higher added value. “Increased productivity, no more need for outsourcing, leaner production as a result, and the entire value creation chain covered in-house.” These are the four key advantages anticipated by Markus Gerber, Head of Logistics and Production at Stämpfli Publications Ltd., as he explains the decision by the long-established printing business in Bern to invest in the new E160 saddle stitching system. According to Markus Gerber, the installation of a new Rotoman system produced encouraging results, with Stämp-

After installation was completed in record time (start of installation on August 1 and acceptance by customer on August 19), the new Primera C130 saddle stitcher at Warners (Midlands) plc in the English town of Bourne was running at full speed within just as short a time. In the first three weeks of operation, it stitched no fewer than 1.5 million products at an average speed of over 9000 copies per hour. It performed a two-sheet job of 200,000 copies with a net output of 12,740 copies per hour, which is bordering on the maximum possible mechanical speed. Warners specializes in magazine, brochure and catalog printing. In addition to the new Primera C130, the family-run business, which has been trading for 85 years, also uses three other

Sealing the deal for Switzerland’s first E160 saddle stitcher: Peter Stämpfli (left), CEO of Stämpfli Publications Ltd., and Bruno Müller, CEO of Muller Martini.

fli Publications Ltd. experiencing considerable growth in volume in its saddle stitching business over the past few months. However, it also meant that the company had to outsource some of the stitching jobs for several of the magazines the company specializes in.

Warners’ new Primera C130 saddle stitcher performed a two-sheet job of 200,000 copies with a net output of 12,740 copies per hour.

Muller Martini saddle stitchers: two PrimaPlus saddle stitchers connected to a tandem system (installed in 2004) and a Prima (installed in 1989). Warners produces softcover products using a Müller Martini Corona C13 perfect binder, which also frequently runs at maximum speed.

IFRA Expo in Vienna: Growing interest in increased added value for newspaper products Utilizing the mailroom as a center for added value in a more focused manner with rewarding investments – Muller Martini showed numerous newspaper publishers just how this can be done at the popular IFRA Expo 2011 in Vienna. The three-day trade fair reflected the growing interest of publishing houses in increasing added value for their newspaper products. Muller Martini demonMuller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

strated at its booth how the mailroom can be used in a focused manner as a center for added value with rewarding investments that can be implemented step by step given increasing market requirements. The focus of the demonstrations, under the motto “Grow with us.”, was high-output advertising journal production with the ProLiner inserting system, NewsStitch for integrated

stitching, News Trim for integrated trimming and the ValueLiner gluer for adding cards. The booth visitors were particularly impressed by a demonstration from the Axel Springer Printing House in Spandau (see page 7). The semi-commercial print samples with heatset glossy covers attracted particular interest at Muller Martini’s booth at the IFRA Expo.

The solutions for increased added value in the mailroom presented by Muller Martini at the IFRA Expo in Vienna sparked great interest among newspaper publishers.

“Panorama” Interview Series BRIC Countries

Brazil, Russia, India and China are commonly referred to as the BRIC countries. According to prominent economists, the four emerging markets can overtake

the seven most important industrial nations (G7) in two decades. Parallel to a healthy economy and a high level of dynamic economic growth, the graphic

Interview with Wan Jie and Finn Nielsen

“Finishing is becoming increasingly important” Unbridled growth – the Chinese graphic arts industry has been booming for several years. Both the Chairman of the Board of Artron, Wan Jie, and the Managing Director of Muller Martini Hong Kong, Finn Nielsen are in absolute agreement that the industry will continue to grow at a similar rate.

Wan Jie (left) and Finn Nielsen, two experts in the graphic arts industry in China talking shop.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

arts industry is flourishing in all four countries – for “Panorama”, the aim of an interview series is to take a look behind the scenes at printing houses

and finishing businesses in the BRIC countries.

E “Panorama”: Despite the global economic crisis and the resulting stagnancy in most Western industrial nations, the Chinese graphic arts industry reports unbridled growth. To what do you attribute this welcome development? Wan Jie, founder, co-owner and Chairman of the Board of Artron Enterprises (Group) Limited, Shenzhen: The key to success in the graphic arts industry is China’s increasing urbanization. More and more Chinese are moving from rural areas to major cities. There they can find wellpaid jobs and have more money for recreation, hobbies and shopping. This new reader base has therefore become an important target group for advertisements in lifestyle magazines.

on culture in addition to education. Artron is a typical example of how other printed products in addition to consumer magazines can contribute to the considerable growth of the Chinese graphic arts industry. If you consider that ten times fewer books are read in China than in Europe and the United States, you can only imagine the huge potential that lies in the local book industry.

You mentioned magazines; how has their growth developed in recent years? Wan Jie: Numerous new special interest titles on the subjects of home, cooking, garden, business, fashion, golf, sailing and many more have hit the market. Print runs continue to increase. Finn Nielsen, Managing Director MMHK: As the Chinese economy is growing at an annual rate of over 10 percent, naturally consumers’ purchasing power has also gone up. Accordingly, there is fierce competition among advertisers for their attention. This is particularly true for women as a target group. That is why there are more and more women’s magazines published in China. Mr. Wan, your publishing house, Artron, has made a name for itself even outside China as a publisher of renowned hardcover books. How would you describe the book market in your country? Wan Jie: China’s social changes and opening up to the West has sparked a renewed widespread interest in the eventful history of our country. We consider this market to be at least as big as for art books; many Chinese have begun to place more importance

What can you tell us about the diversification of the Chinese printing houses? Are there more and more magazine publishers entering this attractive magazine market? Finn Nielsen: Yes, we have observed a clear tendency in this area. Newspaper publishers either issue magazines themselves, form joint ventures with partners or print for other publishers. The magazines produced by the newspaper publishers are printed without exception on newspaper presses. Are such products also issued as inserts in the daily newspapers? Finn Nielsen: No, they are almost exclusively distributed as stand-alone products. The inserts business practically does not exist (yet) in China, and accordingly, there is not a single inserting machine in the entire country. Keyword newspapers: Much of the daily press in Western countries is losing readers. What is the situation in China? Finn Nielsen: It is considerably better. Newspaper run sizes are increasing annually by six to seven percent. This is due to two main reasons. Firstly, we admittedly started with relatively small print runs. Secondly, today many papers are considerably open, voice constructive criticism here and there, contain tabloid articles and thus feature interesting contents. Looking into the future, do you expect the graphic arts industry in China to re-

“As the Chinese economy is growing at an annual rate of over 10 percent, naturally consumers’ purchasing power has also gone up. Accordingly, there is fierce competition among advertisers for their attention.” Finn Nielsen port similar growth over the next few years? Wan Jie: Yes. Just as in recent years, the graphic arts industry in China will continue to experience unbridled growth in the foreseeable future. Our company is even performing significantly above this trend. In the first seven months of this year, Artron’s growth amounted to 40 percent. Our objective is to increase annual turnover by 25 percent. Competition in China is becoming considerably fiercer; however we are in an excellent position with our range of products. What is the situation of the Chinese graphic arts industry in relation to exports? Wan Jie: Here as well, I need to make a distinction between the industry in general and our company in particular. As a rule, China is quite successful in the mass market of books, and exports remain at a high level. However, we at Artron do not primarily measure our company’s success with (increasing) export figures. Our company’s overall growth is more important to us, and we ensure this growth by refining our highquality, elaborately produced books with numerous attractive components. What is the situation with regard to the production machinery of medium to large-sized Chinese printing houses and finishing companies? Wan Jie: Just like industrialized Western nations, we place more emphasis on labor

“I expect a manufacturer to supply not only a machine but a complete solution to and in-depth know-how for the production processes.” Wan Jie Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Interview with Wan Jie and Finn Nielsen

Finn Nielsen: “Our specialists ensure the high availability of your system” “Panorama”: Mr. Nielsen, despite the global economic crisis, the graphic arts industry has been enjoying consistent growth in your country for years now. What does this mean for Muller Martini China? Finn Nielsen, Managing Director of Muller Martini Hong Kong (grinning): It means that my staff and I are very busy every day and that our strategy is squarely in line with the Muller Martini slogan from the drupa 2008 “Grow with us.” Of course, given our successful sales efforts we have a great responsibility to our clients – most importantly whenever we install a new type of machine in China for the first time. In your eyes, what’s the reason for Muller Martini’s huge success in China? Apart from the reputation of the Muller Martini brand name, our local branch has

been an important cornerstone of our success. The local graphic arts companies particularly appreciate the teamwork between the clients, our local branch and the various Muller Martini divisions. Thanks to this ideal cooperation, we always find the right solution for our clients. With a population of 1.4 billion and a surface area of 9.5 million square kilometers, China is a huge country. How do you guarantee a high level of customer service and timely delivery of spare parts for such a wide-spread customer base? To be fair, it should be said that there are three important centers in the printing industry in China: E Beijing (a cultural center where roughly 80 percent of all Chinese publishing houses are based),

E Shanghai (commercial printing), E Shenzhen (export trade). Muller Martini has staff located in all three cities. We are therefore able to quickly provide our clients with support from our highly-skilled personnel whenever a problem arises – whether it is regarding spare parts or training. In recent years, the service aspect has become increasingly important. Many of our clients have limited capacities for the maintenance of their machines. That is why our specialists are particularly in demand to ensure the high availability of the systems.

“If you consider that ten times fewer books are read in China than in Europe and the United States, you can only imagine the huge potential that lies in the local book industry.” Wan Jie Wan Jie proudly presents the model of the company’s new, soon-to-be-built headquarters in Shenzhen.

A Chinese woman at a newsstand – women’s magazines have gained enormous popularity.

costs, greater productivity and shorter time slots. Consequently, automated production sequences are becoming increasingly important. To us, modern production systems that lead to improved book quality are a matter of image, as we advertise our products with the name of our suppliers.

newspaper insert system – there is not a single card gluer in operation in all of China. However, as labor costs increase, so does the pressure to implement a higher level of automation in this country.

Finn Nielsen: I believe the print finishing industry has great potential. Many tasks in finishing are still done by hand. For example – and you can see the analogy to the 28

Then would you say that print finishing will continue to gain importance in the coming years? Wan Jie: Absolutely. Many companies today still make high printing quality their number one priority. However, finishing,

and in particular excellent binding quality of the books, is also becoming increasingly important. That is why I expect a manufacturer to supply not only a machine but a complete solution to and in-depth knowhow for the production processes. How difficult is it to find skilled operators for the machines? Wan Jie: For a company that has so high expectations regarding the quality of its printing products as Artron, it is, on the one Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

“Chinese Newspaper run sizes are increasing annually by six to seven percent.” Finn Nielsen

There is a clear strategy behind this: the electronic version is intended to promote sales of printed books. Furthermore, I am sure that in the areas of culture, art and history there will be printed books for a long time to come.

Wan Jie: Yes, I am optimistic. To come back to your previous question, I am convinced that the Internet will lead many more people back to printed books. Here in China, books will face some pricing pressure as well. However, I believe printed books have huge potential. 

Would you say that you have a lot of confidence in the future of the Chinese print industry?

hand, difficult to find well-trained personnel. On the other hand, our reputation in the industry tends to attract experts in our field. What is extremely important is to have a strong partnership with the manufacturers of our machines. They need to ensure that our staff is well-trained and has the best possible understanding of the production processes. This is all the more important as the demand for manual work is decreasing, while the demand for technological expertise is increasing. A worldwide trend toward digital printing has developed in the graphic arts industry. Is this also the case in China? Finn Nielsen: There is much discussion on this topic, and the printing houses have clearly demonstrated their interest. However, as mentioned at the beginning of the interview, we find ourselves in a rapidly growing market with a steadily increasing reader base. That is why we have not (yet) seen much printing with small print runs, which is, of course, not conducive to digital printing. How strong is the competition from electronic media (for example e-books) in China today? Wan Jie: One thing is clear: IT plays an important role in our lives today, IT is the endall and be-all for every company, and IT is also crucial for Muller Martini machines. In a nutshell, IT is everywhere, and we won’t be able to stop the process of digitalization. For this reason and also given the fact that the iPad is very widespread in Chinese cities, we now offer two versions of our art books – a print version and an iPad version. Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Wan Jie – Art is his life Wan Jie is founder, co-owner and Chairman of the Board of Artron Enterprises (Group) Limited. Founded in 1993 and employing a staff of over 2800, the company has its headquarters in Shenzhen and plants in Beijing and Shanghai. Artron is – nomen est omen – China’s leading manufacturer of high-quality art books. “Even as a child I was interested in art and used to paint a lot,” Wan Jie tells “Panorama”. “My childhood dream became my business model, and I made my passion into my career.” For the production of its art books with print runs between 100 and 100,000 copies, Artron has relied on various systems from Muller Martini in all three of its plants for several years. However, Artron is not only a producer of

books; it also maintains its own database of Chinese artists. “Over the years, we have become an important part of the Chinese art market,” says Wan Jie proudly. In addition to books with cultural relevance, Artron, which has its own bookstore at its headquarters in Shenzhen, also prints elaborately produced books on other subjects including cooking and sports. Artron was also a partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for printing several high gloss brochures for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics.

His childhood dream became his business model: Wan Jie, founder, co-owner and Chairman of the Board of Artron.

Artron has received numerous awards for its art books.

Printing Presses

“We chose Concepta for three reasons: price, performance and quality” Since commissioning two new Concepta web offset printing presses from Muller Martini, the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre – Real Casa de la Moneda in the Spanish capital, Madrid, has significantly increased its productivity.

From right: Guillermo Peña García (Chief Coordinator of the department for postage stamps at FNMT), Ángel Nieto (Director of the department of postage stamps and official stamped documents at FNMT), Rosa Gomez (Marketing Director of Muller Martini Ibérica) and Salvador Costa (Product Manager for printing presses of Muller Martini Ibérica).

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Thanks to the two Concepta printing presses, the department of postage stamps and official stamped documents at FNMT-RCM has significantly increased its productivity.

E Postage stamps, bank notes, credit cards, passports, identification documents, driver’s licenses, revenue stamps, lottery tickets – the many divisions of the Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre – Real Casa de la Moneda (FNMT-RCM) keeps a long list of security printing products. Both public and private clients As a company mandated by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Finance, the FNMT-RCM prints a wide range of security products in addition to postage stamps. This traditional company, which was founded over 100 years ago and employs a staff of roughly 1700 in all areas of business, has long since provided solutions not only for public and semi-public authorities but also for private companies. Roll/Roll and Roll/Signature To complete the printing orders in the department responsible for postage stamps and other official stamped documents, the FNMT-RCM operates on three shifts and uses no fewer than nine printing presses – including two Concepta machines from Muller Martini. Both machines have eight printing units and feature an automatic unwind and rewind unit. One machine features two numbering presses and two diecutting units and can be used for roll/roll and roll/signature methods for producing self-adhesive postage stamps, lottery tickets and labels among other products, while Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

the other uses the roll/roll method primarily for lottery products. “Price, performance and quality” Ángel Nieto, director of the department for postage stamps and official stamped documents, uses three simple words to explain why the company invested in web offset printing press from Muller Martini

for the first time: “Price, performance and quality.” According to him, the company’s productivity has significantly increased since commissioning the two Concepta machines, for two reasons: “Firstly, our setup times have been reduced thanks to the Make Ready System. And secondly, the automatic flying splicers have accelerated our workflow.” The director of FNMT-RCM adds another, third advantage: “The two new Concepta machines have undoubtedly improved the quality of our printed products.” 

www.fnmt.es

Concepta – efficient and versatile The key benefits of the Concepta web offset printing press are excellent printing quality, convenient operation and easy accessibility. It also proves highly efficient for small print runs. The large format area ranging from 14 to 281/3 inches facilitates completion of a wide range of orders. The Concepta printing press, which can be expanded to up to 12 printing units, is ideal for a large number of products (mailings, promotional materials, forms, security printing, entrance tickets, lottery tickets, and labels) and impresses with an efficient inking system, innovative ink zone control, short setup times thanks to the Make Ready System, and a flexible modular system. Concepta prints on various substrates such as paper (including coated

and laminated paper), paper-like materials as well as plastic film and aluminum foil. The printing press offers almost unlimited possibilities thanks module changes not requiring use of any tool and the integration of special units into Inline-Finishing. Concepta controls can be integrated into the workflow of the printing house by means of the CIP standard. The Make Ready System uses the downloaded data to automatically set up the machine. The printing unit is equipped with an efficient inking system featuring three applicator rollers and temperature-controlled vibrator rollers, ensuring uniform ink coverage for the entire speed range.

Printing presses

Festive celebration at Optys for the dedication of the 100th Concepta The fact that Optys spol. s.r.o. put the 100th Concepta web-offset press into operation in its new, ultra-modern production facility in Dolní Životice near Opava was cause for celebration. The Czech printer and Muller Martini did so in a special way. The two long-standing partners invited approximately 80 guests to a joint open house, where they watched two live demonstrations and a number of technical presentations.

E As the market leader in the Czech Republic when it comes to producing forms, Optys broadened its horizons a decade ago to break into mailshot and security printing – two business segments that have become increasingly significant in recent years. It was for this reason that the company, founded in 1992 and employing 400 staff, opened a completely new production facility a few months ago, located in the countryside around 15 kilometers from the company headquarters in Opava. There it has also put a new, nine-color Concepta into operation to accompany a Pronto in Opava and a Concept at the branch in Prague. The new addition is the third Muller Martini web printing press being operated by the company. 32

200 types of forms, 80 patents The new Concepta will be used primarily to print (personalized) mailshots and for security printing (vouchers and tickets for public transportation). At the moment this business unit accounts for 20 percent of Optys’ sales volume, and the amount is increasing. Roughly 40 percent comes from classic forms printing and the production of multicopy forms. “We print around 200 different types of form and own roughly 80 patents for this,” says Jan Vicha, an engineer as well as the founder, co-owner and CEO, not without pride. “All-in-one printing press” For instance, Optys – which has its own sales and marketing network as well as its

own logistics and despatch for its customers in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Ukraine, Poland and Russia – patented a self-made hot-stamping station for the application of holograms. The owner of the innovative company chose the Concepta because of its high printing quality and variable product portfolio. “We’ve been using various printing techniques at Optys for years, and we now have something like an ‘all-in-one printing press’ with the Concepta.” 

www.optys.cz Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

3 1 The 80 visitors to the open house at Optys were visibly impressed by the numerous application possibilities of the Concepta in terms of mailshot and security printing. 2 Besides mailshots, vouchers and tickets, Optys prints around 200 different types of forms. 3 At the open house, Optys CEO Jan Vícha assures himself of the high quality of the vouchers printed there with their various safety features such as iridescent printing, fluorescent inks, thermochromes and glowing UV inks.

Successful open house with demonstrations and technical presentations The 80 visitors to the joint open house conducted by Optys and Muller Martini were able to enjoy two live demonstrations – the production of a voucher with a range of security features such as iridescent printing, fluorescent ink, thermochromic and UV-fluorescent ink, as well as a five-color mailshot featuring spot varnish and an integrated card. The production demonstrations, which were first explained on a big screen at the start of the event, were met with a great deal of interest by the guests from numerous countries, as were the two technical presentations given by Dr Andreas Hitzler, Head of Marketing and Sales at Muller Martini Printing Presses GmbH, on the subject of mailshot and security printing. The visitors to the open house were visibly impressed. Tomáš Smicˇka, CEO Aledeto, Krnov (Czech Republic): “Lubos Kunze, President of Muller Martini in the Czech Republic, had already told me a great deal about the Concepta system. But now I’ve had the opportunity to see it in use live for the first time, Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

and I was impressed by the wide range of application options it has to offer.”

latest machines in action under real production conditions at a customer’s premises.”

Vasile Tirsolea, Owner of Elixir Press, Bucharest (Romania): “Not long ago I visited the Muller Martini Training Center in Maulburg where we conducted mailshot tests for a number of our own products. During the open house at Optys, I was particularly interested in the topic of security printing because I had never seen this form of printing before.”

René Meyer, Sales Manager at Druckerei Baumer, Islikon (Switzerland): “I was quite impressed with the Concepta, which is a really cool printing press, and with its numerous possibilities in security printing and its short changeover times.”

Folker Neetzow, Corporate Officer, Koopmandruck, Stuhr (Germany): “To have the chance to examine security printing in actual operating conditions and see in person everything it is possible to do in this field made it worthwhile to travel from Northern Germany to the Czech Republic.” Franz Kutil, Head of Printing at Dataform Print, Grossebersdorf (Austria): “It’s true that our company is already an active player in this sector, so I know quite a lot already. Even so, it’s always an experience to see the

From right to left: Jan Vícha (CEO, Optys), Roland Henn (CEO, Muller Martini Austria) and Lubos Kunze (CEO, Muller Martini Czech Republic) in front of the new Concepta in Dolní Životice near Opava.

Softcover Production

BookFWD – with Acoro and Bolero In addition to three digital printing presses, both the Acoro A5 and the Bolero B9 perfect binders play an important role in the relaunched BookFWDTM Program of Webcom, based in Toronto, Canada. Some 250 visitors to the two-day Open House event, under the slogan “Game Changers 2011”, witnessed just how efficiently the interaction between printing and processing can run.

E “Game Changers 2011 is certainly setting a milestone in terms of the planning and development of a completely new publishing program,” Webcom president and CEO Mike Collinge told his Open House guests. “It is enabling our customers to increase savings throughout the entire supply chain – to an extent that has never been seen before in our industry.” Lowering Costs for Our Clients Together, the two new HP T300 digital printing machines (for signatures) – the

first machines of their kind to be installed in Canada – and Indigo 7000 (for book jackets) along with the Acoro A5 and Bolero B9 perfect binders from Muller Martini, both of which were put into operation this year, have contributed to making Webcom’s production processes more efficient. The Acoro A5 is equipped with a 12-station gathering machine, PUR, Merit S three-knife trimmer and Uno counter stacker, while the Bolero B9 – the first of its kind in Canada just like the T300 – features a 24-station gathering machine, stream

feeder, PUR/VPN nozzle, Orbit three-knife trimmer, CB-18 counter stacker and Pluton palettizer. “The new production systems and our BookFWD Program are changing the face of our company and reduce the costs for our customers,” says Cris Vortisch, Webcom’s Director of Sales. Faster Job Changeover Times According to Mike Collinge, there were two main factors that tipped the scales in favor of investing in the two Muller Martini sys-

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Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

1 Webcom President and CEO Mike Collinge (middle), Bernhard Schmid (right), Member of the Board of Directors of Muller Martini, and Gary Hughes, Managing Director of Muller Martini Canada, in front of the new Bolero at Webcom in Toronto.

2+3 The two Muller Martini perfect binders Acoro A5 and Bolero B9 (the first of their kind in Canada) were put into operation at Webcom this year.

tems that can process signatures either in three digital printing machines or five web offset machines: “Faster job changeover times and a high level of process automation with the Connex workflow system lead to considerably lower production costs. In addition, thanks to PUR we have a substantially higher binding quality.” Gary Hughes, Managing Director of Muller Martini Canada, demonstrated the advantages of the first Bolero machines in Canada to the interested visitors at the Open House event. The new perfect binder line is integrated into the MMServices Module MMRemote. This enables efficient and fast online management of trouble-

shooting and contributes greatly to the reduction of downtime costs.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

4 Gary Hughes, Managing Director of Muller Martini Canada, demonstrated the advantages of the Bolero live to the 250 visitors of the Open House at Webcom.

An Important Step toward the Future Founded in 1975, Webcom, with its 225 employees, produces exclusively books in a volume of around 30 million books per year. Of these 30 million books, two thirds go to the Canadian market and the remaining third are distributed in America. Roughly 70 percent of the books are still produced in offset printing. “However,” says Mike Collinge, “digital printing is on the rise.” The company made a name for itself in 1988, 13 years after it was founded, when it became the first North American book-

binder to introduce the Otabind binding method. Otabind is still an important part of Webcom’s product range due to the excellent lay-flat characteristics of the books it produces. “With the BookFWD program,” says Mike Collinge, “we are now making another great step into the future.” 

www.webcomlink.com 35

Softcover Production

New Momentum for PUR Encuadernación Felipe Méndez in Madrid has been relying on Muller Martini perfect binders for many years. With the new Bolero perfect binder, it is now bringing new momentum to PUR production that has so far not been very widespread in Spain.

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Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

E The family business, founded in 1946 – the same year as Muller Martini, has gained an excellent reputation among many clients over the years, which Alfonso Méndez attributes to straightforward adherence to the company’s motto. “It is precisely in difficult times that our clients know they can count on our reliability and commitment. Agreed delivery times and prices are kept – without compromising on the quality that sets us apart,” says the sales and marketing director. Frequent Changeovers Nonetheless, even high quality products, such as perfect-bound museum guides, must be produced cost-effectively nowadays. This is important now, more than ever, with circulation volumes showing a declining tendency. “Our production rates range from a few hundred to several thousand copies,” says Alfonso Méndez, “however, most circulation volumes run between 2000 and 5000 copies.” Consequence: The perfect binder lines must be changed over frequently. According to the grandson of the company founder, this is one of the three main reasons why Encuadernación Felipe Méndez chose the new Bolero line featuring a 16-station gathering machine, automatic Asir 3 signature recognition, book block feeder, Universo stacking apparatus, Orbit three-blade trimmer, Easy Fly front trimmer for brochures with flaps and CB 18 counter stacker. The machine operators learned to manage the new line quickly thanks to the intuitive menu navigation on the touch screen, which contributed significantly to the production increase. The second advantage provided by the new Bolero line, which replaces a star bindMuller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

1 General Manager Felipe Méndez (left) as well as Sales and Marketing Director Alfonso Méndez (second from left) represent the second and third generation of the Méndez family to run Encuadernación Felipe Méndez. Second from right: Shinsaku Motomura (President), right: Tadashi Morikawa, Sales Manager Muller Martini Japan. 2 Encuadernación Felipe Méndez uses the Bolero perfect binding machine to produce a wide range of books, brochures, magazines and manuals. 3 The machine operators learned to manage the Bolero line quickly thanks to the intuitive menu navigation on the touch screen.

er and can now be used in addition to a standard binding machine, is the wide range of formats and products it can produce. “Thanks to our new flexible line, we can now produce a wide range of books, brochures, magazines and manuals – also as two-ups – with a greater productivity and versatility at a lower cost. This also benefits our customers,” says Alfonso Méndez. The third advantage lies in the fact that Encuadernación Felipe Méndez was the first book binder in Spain to offer PUR technology, starting in 2009. For its recently purchased Bolero line, the company chose a VPN nozzle, which ensures exact and minimal glue application. “Despite its environmental and technological advantages, PUR is not very well known in Spain yet,” says Alfonso Méndez. “However, we are surprised by how much positive feedback we have received from our clients since we

have been able to offer them PUR production processes.” Perfect book spines The company that has 80 employees and specializes in softcover and hardcover products receives a lot of positive feedback. It was the first company to be FSC and PEFC certified in Spain, also regarding the quality of their cutting and book spines. “The book spines produced with Bolero are excellent,” emphasized Alfonso Méndez. “The perfect binding line is very precise in pressing and the book block’s position in the jacket is ideal, as recently confirmed by our clients in an opinion survey on our website.” 

www.encmendez.com 37

Special Product

“For special products, the bookbinder should come to the table” In order to ensure that an image brochure stands out from the run of the mill, you need more than just creative minds – a high level of expertise in bookbinding is also required. The most original print products are created when the advertiser, printer and bookbinder sit down at the same table at an early stage.

E “Unfortunately,” Beat Steiner openly admits, “this is normally not the case.” Precisely for high-quality products, the managing director of Grollimund Bookbinders in Reinach in the Swiss Canton of BaselCountry would “welcome the idea of everyone involved in the production process – marketing agencies, printers, bookbinders – gathering together at an early stage to exchange ideas.” Moving Away from Traditional Elements And what constitutes an attractive image publication for Beat Steiner? “It shouldn’t look like a normal magazine but stand out

2 38

and present itself as something special.” For example, business reports, which, according to Steiner, are increasingly becoming more like image brochures, tend to be moving away from traditional elements such as sluggish texts on the previous fiscal year or the classic photos of the board of directors and the company’s headquarters. In order to ensure they are not set aside without being read, such reports today feature attractive contents such as stories, many pictures and more personalization, as well as haptic refinements like flaps, embossments, and high-grade coated or uncoated paper. “Having a design that is as conspicuous as possible has become much more im portant in recent years,” underlined Beat Steiner. “Partly because advertisers have acquired a taste for this, and partly because new materials have become available.” And also because print products must increasingly stand up to the competition presented by electronic media. Fast Changeover Times... While the effort put into creating image brochures is increasing, print runs are becoming smaller. “A lot of copies ended up in storage,” says Best Steiner knowingly. Today, the number of printed and bound copies is calculated more precisely, presenting a great challenge to the machines

in particular.Print runs that are getting increasingly smaller require fast changeover times from one job to the next, in order to keep ever-sinking margins from coming under even more pricing pressure from foreign competitors. Apart from a quick Make Ready system consisting of a complete perfect binder line with a gathering machine, binder, threeknife trimmer and stacker, this also requires cost-effective inline systems for various processes. In this way, Grollimund Bookbinders produces brochures with flaps, which Beat Steiner says are becoming more and more popular, in one single step – in the past it took two – thanks to the Bolero perfect binder with a Frontero front trimmer from Muller Martini.  www.grolli.ch

1 Precisely for high-quality products, everyone involved in the production process – marketing agencies, printers, bookbinders – should gather together at an early stage to exchange ideas. 2 Beat Steiner (right), Managing Director of Grollimund Bookbinders, and Richard Hofer, Director of Sales for Muller Martini Switzerland, in front of the Bolero perfect binder at Grollimund.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Hardcover Production

Diamant MC and Ventura MC – the Ideal Solution for an Aspiring Book Publisher

From left to right: Roland Henn (Managing Director of Muller Martini Austria), Jurij Jefimowitsch Wikhalevsky (General Manager of Uljanovskij Dom Petschati), Bernhard Schmid (Muller Martini Corporate Management), Michael Masinovsky (Managing Director of Muller Martini Russia), Wolfgang Henn (Managing Director of OD Systeme Handels- & Vertriebs GmbH, Vienna, Austria).

The dynamic printing house Uljanovskij Dom Petschati in Uljanowsk, Russia automated their book production with a new hardcover system, the bookline Diamant MC 60, Collibri back-gluing machine, Merit S three-knife trimmer and Ventura MC book sewing machine from Muller Martini.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

E In addition to newspapers, advertising/ stationary printing, labels and packaging, the company prints around 8 million books every month. The printing house was founded in 1945 and has its own publishing company as well as a chain of bookstores. With the publishing boom in Russia in the 90’s, the production of books became the main business for this aroundthe-clock producing printing house. The number of printed books is increasing year after year as well as the number of employees, from 256 in 1991 to 1400 today. The Optimal Solution The company’s soaring success led to increased calls for a more modern production line. “We wanted a system that could produce high-quality books with minimal effort,” explains General Manager Jefimowitsch Wikhalevsky. After a detailed evaluation the final choice was the bookline Diamant MC 60 with the Collibri back-gluing machine and the three-knife trimmer Merit S as well as the book sewing machine Ventura MC.

“The solution offered by Muller Martini meets all our requirements” Jefimowitsch Wikhalevsky gladly points out. Innovative Motion Control Because the average run of hardcover books is about 4000 copies, the bookline needs to be changed over frequently. That is where the innovative Motion Control of the Diamant MC 60 shows its advantages: The intelligent, mechatronic machine concept optimizes product-related motion sequence of individual process steps. It increases flexibility and quality while reducing change-over times. Therefore, Motion Control reduces operating costs and increases production reliability. 

Hardcover Production

The World's Largest Qur’an Printer Now Trusts in Two New Booklines from Muller Martini With an annual printed total of 10 million copies, the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an is the world’s largest printer of the Qur’an. Starting this autumn, the holy Islamic text will be produced in the Saudi Arabian city of Medina on two Diamant MC 60 booklines from Muller Martini. E “At our company, our keyword is unique,” says Dr. Mohammad Salim Al-Oufi, General Secretary at King Fahd Complex. “We strive to be unique when it comes to our books, so this is why we set high quality standards at all production levels. Each individual copy of the Qur'an is checked manually before it is delivered. Our client, the Ministry for Islamic Affairs, expects zero errors‚ so we must fulfill this require40

ment. It is for this reason that we also want to be unique when it comes to our production systems.” “The Diamant System is Exactly What We Need” King Fahd Complex has invested in two Diamant MC 60 booklines with the aim of enhancing the quality and productivity of its book production processes. This invest-

ment by the graphics company, which has its headquarters in Medina, a destination for many pilgrims, represents the company's first purchase of a Muller Martini finishing solution in its 27-year history. Dr. AlOufi explains the decision, saying: “We are certain that the Diamant is exactly what we need. Our technicians spoke in favor of the Diamant system following a detailed evaluation. We were also very impressed by the Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

1 One of the specialties produced by King Fahd Complex on the Diamant MC 60 is a pocket-sized edition of the Qur’an. 2 King Fahd Complex uses the two identical Diamant MC 60 booklines to produce 10 million copies of the Qur’an.

3 Dr. Mohammad Al-Oufi (right), General Secretary at King Fahd Complex, and Bernhard Schmid (left), member of the Muller Martini corporate management, sealed the deal for the purchase of two Diamant MC 60 booklines. Center: René Thüler, Muller Martini Sales Manager for the Middle East. 4 From left: Eng. Khaled M. Ahmed (Main tenance Dept. Manager), Jawad Mustapha Hachicho (General Manager of Muller Martini’s representation in Saudi Arabia, Yousef Al Sanad Trading Est.), Mohammed M. Al-Maimani (Bookbinding Unit Manager), Saleh Al-Hussain (Public Relations Manager), Eng. Hani A. Bidaoui (Machines Maintenance Unit Manager) and Talal Abdullah Al-Johani (Final Binding Section Manager) in front of the new Diamant MC 60 at King Fahd Complex in Medina.

3 translations of the Qur'an are also produced in 58 different languages. The company also prints a whole host of other books relating to religious topics and a magazine that is published every six months..

professional manner in which Muller Martini helped us to set up the Diamant project. We hope that this marks the start of a long and successful partnership with Muller Martini.” The two new booklines really are ideal for the needs of King Fahd Complex as the original edition of the Qur'an is not only printed in a range of different sizes (from pocket-size to oversized editions), but the Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

Motion Control Technology Guarantees Excellent Book Quality The range of sizes requires both booklines at King Fahd Complex to be changed over frequently, and it's the flexibility to enable these changeovers that is the real strength of the new Diamant MC. Thanks to the innovative motion control concept, the Diamant MC provides the level of freedom required for optimum book production. The intelligent, mechatronic machine concept optimizes product movement during the individual process steps, meaning flexibility and quality are increased, while changeover times are reduced. The motion control technology reduces operating costs and works in combination with various quality checks to ensure that the very best book quality is guaranteed, right from the start of production, whether its traditional hardcover products or books

with integral, full flap or plastic covers that are being produced. Two Identical Lines Both Muller Martini booklines at the King Fahd Complex, which employs a team of 1500 people, feature the same configuration: In addition to the Diamant casing-in line, both machines comprise a Collibri gluing-off machine, a Ribbon bookmark ribboning machine, a Merit S three-knife trimmer and a BLSD 650 book stacker. Following a short test phase after both booklines had been installed in the shortest possible time and the 14 machine operators, technicians and electricians from King Fahd Complex had completed a oneweek training at Muller Martini’s Hardcover Forum in Bad Mergentheim, book production on both Diamant MC lines has been running at full capacity since the end of October. 

www.qurancomplex.org 41

Services

“Since upgrading we have significantly increased our net output” Precision Colour Printing (PCP) Ltd. in Telford, England has upgraded its three saddles stitchers from Muller Martini, thereby significantly increasing productivity in finishing.

E “Finishing is,” says Alex Evans, Managing Director at PCP, “always the last step in a long production chain. We often have to make up time that we lose during previous steps. As a result, we rely on the high availability of our systems.” Comprehensive audit of three lines Therefore, PCP’s three somewhat older saddle stitching machines PrimaPlus, Prima S and 321 were completely overhauled. “Muller Martini’s experience, know-how and detailed machine knowledge made us the obvious partner for PCP to assist them with this complex project,” says Reto Hofer, Technical Manager of Muller Martini England. According to Andrew Millington, the objective was to fully inspect all three saddle stitching lines, in order to “improve our productivity by means of increased production speeds and reduced downtimes.” PCP’s Project Manager says that one objective has undoubtedly already been fulfilled: “It is, of course, difficult to exactly quantify the increase in output in percentages. There is, however, no doubt that we have made significant progress with regard 42

to changeover times and availability, and, as a result, we have increased our net output.” Little money for plenty of output According to Warren Irving, Works and Technical Director at PCP, this aspect has become the most important given the current economic situation in the graphic arts industry. “The increased pricing pressure in our industry compels us to maximize the productivity of our current systems at the lowest possible cost, before we can consider replacing any our current machines. To put it simply: with retrofits, we get considerably higher output from our machines for relatively little money.” Retrofits, upgrades and integration of workflow systems constitute one possi bility for increasing the productivity of existing machines. A second possibility is expanding a given system with new peripheral machines. “We see this happen all the time,” says Andrew Millington. “Expanding existing lines with additional functions presents an interesting option. However, it is always a question of the return on investment.”

What is important is sound training… For Andrew Millington, this question is significantly easier to answer in terms of the third option for increasing productivity, namely the consistent professional and continuing training of the operating staff. “The machine operator is the key figure in the chain of production. Our production goals and a higher availability of the machines cannot be attained without excellently trained staff.” PCP, with over 200 employees, produces newspapers, inserts and magazines at its plant in the heart of England, where it also operates a Bolero perfect binder and two bundle stackers, AvantiPlus und Vivo, in addition to the three saddle stitchers from Muller Martini. The company places great importance on sound training for its machine operators either at the training center of the machine manufacturers or on site. This is true for both new installations and existing machines. …and ongoing dialogue This entails clear expectations on the system suppliers, says Alex Evans: “Machine manufacturers must play more of an active Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

role and maintain ongoing dialogue with us. They must be able to understand the market and keep us up to date whenever there is any important new information on production processes. They should know that this has an enormous influence on our productivity and the lifetimes of our machines.” In any case, as Alex Evans sees it, system suppliers have a strong obligation to serve their clients, not only in terms of training: “With all the modern technology

in the market, the number of service interventions has increased considerably. We expect the manufacturers of our machines to be up to date in terms of technology and service, and to provide telephone support around the clock, 365 days a year.” 

1 From left: Andrew Millington (Projects Manager), Russell Sidaway (Bindery Supervisor), Phillip Harper-Pittam (Bolero #1 Operator) and Reto Hofer, (Technical Manager Muller Martini England, in front of the Bolero perfect binder at Precision Colour Printing Ltd. in Telford. 2–4 PCP had its three saddle stitchers PrimaPlus, Prima S and 321 overhauled by Muller Martini service technicians.

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Muller Martini’s service package comprises seven modules under the new MMServices label.

Startup Experienced specialists plan and manage projects – not only for new investments, but also when businesses are restructured or expanded. Service professionals ensure that commissioning is executed rapidly and that process reliability is maintained from the very beginning.

Repair Because even the best equipment can fail once in a while, highly qualified service engineers are on hand quickly to provide expert assistance – by phone, remote service or on site. Original spare parts ensure uninterrupted, high-quality production.

Remote Because it is often true that with printing presses and in finishing (as one of the very last production steps) every minute counts, Muller Martini has a direct line to its customers at all times. Customers can choose from three flexible modules that can be combined and expanded according to their individ-

Uptodate Regular updates prolong the life span of the machines and ensure that they deliver a high performance for many years. Because all Muller Martini equipment has a modular design, it can be retrofitted or expanded in line with new business models or market changes. A retrofit quickly pays for itself.

Inspect The Muller Martini preventive inspection service keeps equipment in top condition, provides optimum security for continuous production flow and also reduces operating costs. Experts analyze the systems and report problem areas and (improvement) potential to the customer.

Improve Added value through training – experienced Muller Martini experts can provide operating personnel with a host of tips and tricks as well as in-depth training. Customized training courses prepare machine operators perfectly for handling new equipment and keep them up to date with regard to developments and new features.

Muller Martini Panorama Winter 2011

ual requirements: MMHelp (24/7 support), MMRemote Access (online analysis, 24/7 support*), MMRemote Online (telephone conferencing, webcam, online analysis, 24/7 support*). *In the event of detailed questions, please contact your local Muller Martini representative.

Select Production machinery must be serviced and inspected continuously to ensure efficient life cycle management. With a service contract based on calculable costs determined by annual price fixing, customers benefit immediately from the comprehensive, expert Muller Martini service program. MM

Grow with Digital Solutions.

SigmaLine: in one operation from the roll to the finished printing product

The more efficient digital printing systems become, the more challenging the finishing process will be. Muller Martini develops innovative digital printing solutions that yield new growth opportunities for the graphic

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arts industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for perfect binding, hardcover production and stitching. The growing market for shorter runs offers the ideal platform for digital printing. Muller Martini enjoys successful partnerÂ ships with key digital printing system

manufacturers and, as the leading specialist for in-line finishing, Muller Martini also offers ideal solutions for many new applications thanks to its comprehensive product range.