Panorama Spring 2015

The Magazine for Muller Martini Customers

Spring 2015

Muller Martini first unveiled its new Vareo perfect binder, whose clamps are individually driven, at Hunkeler Innovationdays

Editorial

Optimal Budgeting of Service Costs with Regular Maintenance

Felix Stirnimann Member of the corporate management of Muller Martini

E No responsible car driver would drive thousands of miles without having their ve­ hicle serviced at regular intervals as recom­ mended by the manufacturer, since the risk is too great of breaking down at the most inopportune moment and in the most ­inconvenient place.

The same applies to machines. If saddle stitchers, perfect binders, booklines and in­ serting systems are not checked regularly by specialists, then bookbinders, magazine producers and newspaper producers run the risk of an unexpected machine failure during a large job or when a deadline is at stake.

To avoid such an incident, hundreds of customers across the world have conclud­ ed maintenance agreements with Muller

2

Martini over the years. The Muller Martini technicians perform regular preventive in­ spections of machines, replace wear parts and check the basic settings. Since such maintenance agreements were previously not handled uniformly worldwide, we are standardizing them within our MMServices program.

With our two new service products, FlexoService and MaintenanceService, we offer our customers an individually agreed number of maintenance days at their site each year for a fixed annual fee, enabling customers to budget their service costs op­ timally. The two products differ as to the depth of the inspection of the machine. Any identified faults are discussed with the cus­ tomer on site, and the service technician can install standard spare parts.

Regular PitStops are the ideal service add­ition to keep equipment in shape until the next FlexoService or Maintenance­ Service. PitStops include the oiling and ­lubrication of the machine, the exchange of wear parts, and the early detection of faults in the system, such as safety-related components or quality checks.

Heidelberg customers can now also benefit from our new service products. ­After Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG discontinued production of saddle stitch­ ers, perfect binders and thread-sealing ma­ chines and handed over global service and spare parts responsibility for such ma­ chines to Muller Martini, we rapidly trans­ ferred over 100,000 Heidelberg master ­data from all across the world to our sys­ tem, as well as thousands of spare parts from Germany to our head office in ­Zofingen, Switzerland, and to many of our sales companies. Following a challenging start, we can now guarantee worldwide spare parts logistics for Heidelberg ma­ chines on all continents thanks to our glob­ al sales and service network.

While Heidelberg has left the saddle stitcher and perfect binder business, Muller Martini, as we reported in the last edition of “Panorama”, is focusing on its core busi­ ness and will discontinue production of printing presses by mid-2015. However, in­ stead of transferring the service business for printing presses to a third party, we will continue to guarantee the implementation

of ongoing orders and the operation of sup­ plied printing presses.

Our service center in Maulburg not only supplies spare parts, but also provides sup­ port services, reconditions whole ma­ chines or individual printing inserts and printing units, performs inspections and machine relocations and provides training as part of its MMServices program. Thanks to our smooth service support and avail­ ability of spare parts at all times, our cus­ tomers worldwide will be able to continue producing using their printing presses.

“Fit for the future” or even “back to the future” is also the motto of IRL plus. As you can read on page 20 of this issue, the com­ pany in Romandie (western Switzerland) is having all feeders of its Prima Amrys sad­ dle stitcher reconditioned in turn at the Muller Martini plant, enabling it to contin­ ue producing without interruption. The re­ sult is a 10 to 15 percent increase in net out­ put, bringing the performance of the Prima Amrys close to what it was at the time of commissioning.

The secondhand Diamant MC 35 of our Croatian customer Denona, whom we write about on page 18, is also virtually new. What was lacking, however, was an option for rounded spines, so Muller Mar­ tini promptly supplemented the machine with that option as part of its extensive MM Uptodate program. In addition to the up­ grade, we also installed the bookline pro­ fessionally and trained the company’s ma­ chine operators. Denona is a prime ex­ample of how existing equipment from Muller Martini can be affordably enhanced and supplemented with new functions over time thanks to its modular design, thereby providing customers with a high degree of investment protection.

Kind regards,

Felix Stirnimann Member of the corporate management of Muller Martini Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Contents

Imprint

Volume 30 Muller Martini “Panorama” Editor Dr. Markus Angst markus.angst@ch.mullermartini.com Publisher Muller Martini Marketing AG Untere Brühlstrasse 13 CH-4800 Zofingen, Switzerland Phone +41 62 745 45 75 Fax +41 62 751 55 50 www.mullermartini.com

9 The new Ventura MC 160 book sewing machine has been running at Conzella almost without interruption since last summer.

20 IRL plus is having all seven feeders of its 16-year-old Prima Amrys saddle stitcher inspected in turn.

38 A world innovation at Hunkeler Innovationdays: every clamp of the Vareo has its own servo motor.

Publication frequency Appears three times a year in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Chinese editions.

Reproduction with reference to source is permitted.

Printed in Switzerland.

PERFO RMAN CE

Forum Taschen Verlag – books as special haptic and aesthetic experiences

4

Hardcover Production Conzella – the new Ventura MC 160 has more than proved itself as an industrial solution Publikum, Belgrade – the Diamant MC 35 bookline is setting new standards in Serbia

9 12

Special Products Stein + Lehmann, Berlin – even more attractive books thanks to the

14

option

News

17

Services Denona, Zagreb – a second-hand Diamant MC 35 machine is as good as new IRL plus, Renens – the feeder improvements justify the costs of the inspection

18 20

Newspaper Mailroom Systems Mengis, Visp – first digital newspaper production worldwide, featuring an AlphaLiner Fynske Medier – Denmark’s only daily newspapers with increasing circulation figures

23 24

Saddle Stitching Systems Niedermayr, Regensburg – the high-volume printing company is expanding its print finishing HeiRa, Gernsheim – the new Tempo 220 saddle stitcher is boosting competitiveness

28 30

Digital Solutions Ultragraph, Burscough – the Managing Director tested the Presto II Digital in person

33

Hunkeler Innovationdays in Lucerne Muller Martini showcased the new Vareo and other innovative solutions

36

Technology Vareo – every processing step can be tailored to the product

38

Softcover Production Finishline, Hollinwood – jobs of 20 copies call for short changeover times Plump, Rheinbreitbach – the convincing demo was the best argument to invest Bloco Gráfico, Porto – when a perfect binder has 20 job changeovers a day Printer, Rio de Mouro – a new Alegro because books are popular gift items

40 42 44 46

MM

neutral Printed Matter No. 01-15-402118 – www.myclimate.org © myclimate – The Climate Protection Partnership

Interview Martin Brüning, REWE – why the Laviva women’s lifestyle magazine is so successful

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

48

3

Forum

A Lot of Book for Relatively Little Money

E Benedikt Taschen is a publisher who puts together his publishing house’s selec­ tion according to his own preferences, which he apparently shares with many around the world. “If I like something, it will appeal to others too.”

Topical Subjects in Lavish Books Benedikt Taschen makes life easy for him­ self in that sense, but he also consciously runs the risk of getting it wrong. Mostly, however, he is spot on – he identifies topic­ al subjects and presents them expertly in lavish books. They include works about de­ sign, architecture, fashion, lifestyle, erot­ ics, travel, film, photography and art, each of which makes a statement. The publish­ ing house in Cologne does not shy away from controversial topics. “We aim to make books that are appealing and contempor­ ary, and that people can also afford. If you go to a lot of trouble and nobody buys it, it’s frustrating,” Benedikt Taschen was once quoted as saying by brandeins, a ­German business magazine .

The doctor’s son, who opened a comic book store at 19, once bought 40,000 illus­ trated books about the Belgian surrealist René Magritte in 1983 for a dollar a piece and resold them for 9.95 Deutschmarks each. He published the first art book of his own, “Picasso”, in 1985, which formed the starting point for a number of series of books about art classics. Books on design, architecture and photography followed.

Most recently the publishing house has tackled the subject of cooking.

“Art for Everyone” Taschen regards itself as a specialist pub­ lisher for anthropology. Thanks to large print runs, which are deliberately maxi­ mized by catering to the international mar­ ket, production costs and retail prices are kept low. For that reason, only topics of in­ ternational relevance that lend themselves to translation make it into the publishing

4

house’s selection. There are now books by Taschen in 25 languages.

Benedikt Taschen has often been criti­ cized by established publishers for his ag­ gressive pricing policy. Yet art books and coffee table books ceased to be the pre­ serve only of the elite and became access­ ible to the wider public when Taschen enter­ed the market. “Art for everyone” be­ came the recipe for success of the publish­ ing house based in Cologne. Today, art and culture account for around half of the se­ lection, while other fields make up 5 to 10 percent each. All the books from Taschen have one thing in common: once you are holding one in your hand, you inevitably think that it represents a lot of book for ­relatively little money.

Independent from the Industry Taschen keeps its turnover figures close to its chest. All that is known is that it brings a new title onto the market on an almost weekly basis. Industry insiders estimate that some 20 million Taschen books are sold each year. Though the company keeps a close eye on the situation in the inter­ national book market, the company has largely made itself independent from the industry. Only e-book commerce has failed to live up to expectations so far.

Comic fan Benedikt Taschen seems to have a far more liberal approach to money than Scrooge McDuck. As he has shown impressively over the past 30 years, he wants to put money to use, rather than hoard it in the bank. Success and financial independence have enabled Benedikt Taschen to implement his publishing ideas without limitations. That makes him a dy­ ing breed among publishers. Success or failure rest not only on the choice of topic, but also on the photography, layout and de­ sign. Simply using art paper is no longer enough. Taschen creates tactile and aes­ thetic experiences from the combination of paper, printing, binding and cover.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

© Lieven Dircks Photography

The Taschen publishing house has managed to lend books new significance even in the online era. At Taschen, books are more than just pages bound between two top cov­ ers – they represent special tactile and aesthetic experi­ ences that have grown mas­ sively in value among collect­ ors. The secret to success is top quality at all levels – from text images through to design.

© Alice Springs

Benedikt Taschen’s 35.4 kg book on Helmut Newton in SUMO format stood head and shoulders above everything previously attempted in the photo book market.

If Benedikt Taschen likes something, he publishes it – and usually it appeals to others too.

Books in XXL Size One example is the Collector’s Edition, with which Taschen has created a new segment in the book market. The first book of this type, on the work of the German painter and sculptor Georg Baselitz, was published in 1991 and had a print run of just 50 copies.

The book on the German-Australian photographer Helmut Newton in SUMO format, which stood head and shoulders above everything previously attempted in the photo book market, was an internationMuller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

al sensation. The book measures 50 by 70 centimeters even when closed and weighs a staggering 35.4 kilograms. Each of the 10,000 copies is signed personally by the star photographer and comes with a ­display table designed by Philippe Starck.

EUR 317,000 for a Book The publishing house is also tight-lipped about the budget for the production of the first SUMO. The publisher is only quoted as saying that “It’s wonderful to make books without budget limits. That match-

es exactly our concept of the ideal book at Taschen.”

The legendary SUMO copy no. 1, personally autographed by over 100 of the celebrities featured, broke the record for the most expensive book of the 20th century.

At an auction in Berlin on April 6, 2000, it came under the hammer for 620,000 Deutschmarks (around EUR 317,000). An unlimited Trade Edition that is significantly smaller in size and, most importantly, lower in price has since been released. The publishing house emphasizes that the 5

Forum

four signed silver prints and have a price tag of EUR 10,000.

Publishing Treats The Collector’s Edition now has its own 200-page catalog, which impressively showcases all the works that have been produced in this line. It comprises 100 ­titles, with the Newton book having been followed by numerous other publishing treats. One of the highlights is definitely “G.O.A.T” – an absolutely monumental work. The letters stand for “Greatest of All Time”, and the book is a unique homage to the former ­boxing world champion Muhammad Ali. The raw figures are impressive here too: it boasts 792 pages sized 50 x 50 centi­ meters and weighs in at 34 kilograms. The print run was limited to 9,000 copies, each of them personally signed by the legendary boxer. A further 1,000 copies qualify as Art Editions with a sculpture by Jeff Koons and

We Give Our All in Production For Production Manager Frank Goerhardt, that is an almost idyllic state of affairs, as he freely admits. Benedikt Taschen is involved in all technical aspects of book production and sets the bar high, explains Goer­hardt. Book production is a complex undertaking and the details are highly prone to error, he notes. It is therefore extremely important for the whole production process from reprographics and printing through to binding and logistics to run smoothly, he adds. Taschen’s partners, which are located in Italy, Germany, Switzerland and China, are selected according to the given project.

The Collector’s Edition is produced by small-scale book producers that love the product and what Taschen does. Such an

environment is necessary to produce books in the SUMO format. For instance, a bookbinder in Milan had a special book sewing machine constructed for the production of the SUMO on Helmet Newton that can machine process books with a height of 70 centimeters. Since then, all books in oversize format have been bound there.

Time-Consuming Production The production of the SUMO on the famous American photographer Annie Leibovitz began three and a half years ago and the binding of the entire run is still in pro­ gress, reveals the Production Manager. For this book, the publishing house edited all the images in collaboration with the photographer and had them produced as prints. The highly expensive and time-consuming process, involving many rounds of corrections and numerous meetings in

© Taschen

books would not be able to be sold at that price were it not for the Collector’s Edition.

1

2 Muhammad Ali with the “Greatest of all Time” book in the Taschen store in Miami.

3 Production Manager Frank Goerhardt, Lithographer Dieter Kirchner and Printer Peter Öller (from left) supervise the production of the SUMO on the star photographer Annie Leibovitz.

6

© Seth Browarnik/WorldRedEye.com

1 “G.O.A.T” is an absolutely monumental work and a unique homage to Muhammad Ali.

2 Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Anyone who associates books as investments solely with facsimiles of important historical works is proven wrong by Benedikt Taschen. His books have experienced the kind of increase in value that one can often only dream of with shares. There are plenty of examples. The legendary “Helmut Newton” book in SUMO format is long sold-out, and now exchanges hands for some USD 15,000 – an appreciation of 1,500 percent since its publication in 1999.

“The Godfather Family Album” from 2008 originally sold for EUR 700. Today, it is offered at the Abebooks antiquarian bookshop for USD 11,000, making it a highly

New York, took two years alone. Two of the most renowned lithographers for photography, Pascal Dangin in New York and ­Dieter Kirchner in Berlin, were involved in the project.

The reproduction of the seven-color inkjet prints in offset printing was a particular challenge. The photographer wanted to retain the vividness of the photo prints, especially in the case of the black-and-white images. Taschen came up with the technical solution of printing the black-and-white images in a separate pass with five specially mixed gray tones. The book was printed in winter 2013 in the German town of Passau.

The production manager spent six weeks in the printing plant in order to inspect all printing signatures from the press himself where possible. He then flew in person to New York to be able to present the printed signatures to Annie Leibovitz in person.

Old Bookbinding Techniques Rediscovered The greatest challenge, as with all SUMOs, is the weight, explains Goerhardt. All details such as endsheets, stitching and back gluing need to be stronger than for stand­ ard products. The book cases are made from wood plates that are up to a centi­ meter thick to avoid sagging. Old bookbinding techniques that have been redisMuller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

l­ucrative investment. Taschen is undoubtedly already hard at work on the next much sought-after collector items.

© Taschen

© Taschen

Objects of Desire

Books of the Taschen publishing house have experienced the kind of increase in value that one can often only dream of with shares.

3

covered during the production of the various SUMO titles are used for the joints.

The question of paper is a source of concern for the production manager in the long term, since more and more grades of paper are disappearing from the market. Yet the choice of the right paper is key for a book

– that includes the paper weight, thickness, haptics, layflat behavior and even the smell, explains the production manager. The publishing house wanted to print the “Annie Leibovitz” SUMO on classic glossy paper with a natural white hue. Since such paper has not been available in the market for a 7

Forum

© Taschen

The Ultimate Photo Album of the Rolling Stones

The Taschen publishing house has also created another publishing monument with its ultimate photo album about the Rolling Stones in SUMO format. The authorized story of the biggest rock ‘n’ roll band of all time is a creative undertaking of epic proportions, behind which lies a logistical tour de force.

The book, which was created in collaboration with the Stones, traces the astonishing history of the band and their deca-

dent lifestyle on some 500 pages using photos and countless documents of the times. It even features a foreword written by the former US president Bill Clinton.

30 aluminum cases were specially produced to send the pages across the world to be signed. It took three years for every single sheet to be personally signed by the band members. The pages were then ­delivered to the bookbinder in Italy and ­deposited there in a vault.

The Taschen publishing house has also created another publishing monument with its ultimate photo album about the Rolling Stones in SUMO format.

few years now, the Scheufelen paper mill in Germany produced a special batch of 120 tons for Taschen.

In addition to luxury books, the publishing house also produces extremely inexpensive books, without automatically shifting to production in Asia. Taschen proved some 30 years ago that books can be produced inexpensively in Europe. In fact, ­owing to the strong export business to the US and Asia, some of the books are produced in the ­dollar region in order to compensate for currency fluctuations, explains Goerhardt. Some of the best book producers, however, are based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, says the production manager.

A Stage for Books With its broad selection, Taschen naturally has a strong presence in the global book market. In addition, the Cologne-based business consistently strives to open up new sales channels. Galleries and museum shops have proven to be attractive secondary venues, and furniture stores are also keen to include books from Taschen in their range. However, the publishing house also has an established place in railway station book stores, and its books can be found in the library collections of luxury hotels across the globe.

In addition, the publisher has created an additional stage for the book by opening

Taschen book stores to present the lavish special editions in the right light. Its 13 stores in Europe and the US, all styled by the well-known French designer Philippe Starck, captivate visitors.



8

www.taschen.com www.abebooks.com Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Hardcover Production

Virtually Uninterrupted Running of the Ventura MC 160 at Conzella Since Summer 2014 Conzella Verlagsbuchbinderei Urban Meister GmbH & Co. KG in the Bavarian town of Pfarrkirchen in Germany has put Muller Martini’s new Ventura MC 160 book sewing machine through its paces. The compact entry-level model, which is easy to operate and boasts an ­excellent price-performance ratio, has more than proved itself as an industrial solution, says Production Manager Markus Estermann.

E When Muller Martini asked the longestablished company in Bavaria last summer if it would like to be a test customer for the new book sewing machine, Markus ­Estermann did not have to think twice.

“Since almost all of our products are thread-sewn, it goes without saying that we’re always interested in the latest ­thread-sewing technology.”

Area Sales Manager Peter Stein explains that Muller Martini, which has known the customer and its production flow very well for many years, benefited greatly from this test “because feedback on a new machine from an industrial business with great ­expertise in thread sewing is particularly valuable”.

Full Power from Day One The publishing house bookbindery, which had already successfully tested the EP 680 MC joint forming and pressing machine (which is still in use today) for the Diamant MC 60 bookline ahead of drupa 2012, was fully aware that a test machine can result in certain limitations to day-to-day work, the Production Manager explains. Yet the opposite was the case. The new Ventura MC 160 combines all the advantages of the Ventura MC, which has been used successfully by numerous book producers across the globe for years, in a more compact form. It has been running from the very first day under production conditions without any limitations.

“Since we commissioned it on July 7, 2014, it has run almost without interruption in two shifts and occasionally in three shifts, processing over 10 million ­signatures in the first six months,” says ­Estermann.

Seven Book Sewing Machines A few minor technical issues arose in the first couple of weeks, but they did not affect production at any point. “I didn't expect the newly developed machine to run so smoothly right from the start,” says Estermann. He knows what he is talking about. Conzella, which employs 170 people, uses no fewer than seven book sewing machines from Muller Martini, in addition to two booklines (a Diamant and a BL 500), a three-knife trimmer (Orbit) and a book stacker (CB 18), in Pfarrkirchen and is regarded as the ultimate thread stitching specialist in southern ­Germany.

Thanks to visualization at the touch-screen with the proven job and setup wizard from Muller Martini, Conzella machine operator Ilona Kranz can perform job changeovers quickly and conveniently.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

> 9

Hardcover Production

Conzella produces high-quality art books with an average run size of 2,500 copies and (company) catalogs with an average of 10,000 copies per job for German printing plants primarily. The new Ventura MC 160 was used for the whole product range from the start, “since the quality of the end products is consistently high,” says Estermann.

Suckers, Rollers, Asir . . .

In addition to the excellent end quality, the Production Manager was also impressed by a number of other highlights of the new book sewing machine: E the Ventura MC 160 features Muller Martini’s patented loop formation using blow air, which means that the sewing system, unlike other book sewing machines, has no need for expensive and fault-prone grippers.

E The suckers of the gathering tray can be activated individually, with the number used depending on the product size. ­Every single sucker contains an independent injector that forms a vacuum, guaranteeing high production reliability.

E The rollers are switched off after the machine reaches 50 cycles, preventing markings on the signatures.

E The proven Asir sensor, which checks the sequence of signatures and opening, can be integrated with the auxiliary saddle to guarantee 100% production reliability.

E Threads are trimmed between the individual book blocks without tension thanks to the active thread divider system – a feature that no other entry-level model in the market offers.

E The changeover time between stitch types is very short, which significantly increases productivity.

Given the numerous benefits, it is no surprise that Estermann gives a positive verdict after the testing phase: “The Ven­ tura MC 160 has more than proved itself here as an industrial solution."

Integrated with the Connect System Conzella integrated the Ventura MC 160, like its other book sewing machines, with one of the two VenturaConnect systems operating in Pfarrkirchen. The signatures are pre-gathered, stacked and processed into thread-sewn book blocks in one pass.

This impressively simple and efficient solution reduces production costs for threadsewn products significantly. Muller Mar­

1 10

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

2

1 Markus Estermann (left), Production Manager at Conzella: “The Ventura MC 160 has more than proved itself here as an ­industrial solution.” Right: Peter Stein, Area Sales Manager at Muller Martini Germany.

2 Conzella integrated the Ventura MC 160, like its other book sewing machines, with the Connect system. The signatures are pre-gathered, stacked and processed into thread-sewn book blocks in one pass.

tini’s Connect system is designed to be so flexible that both inline operation and off­ line stand-alone operation of the book sewing machines is possible. The buffer zone before each book sewing machine significantly increases the efficiency of the system.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Servo Thread Tension The new compact version of the successful Muller Martini book sewing machine is one meter shorter than the classic Ventura MC 160 and has a completely new drive design thanks to motion control. Just like its big sister, the entry-level model also uses the new servo thread tension.

It allows making fine adjustments while the machine is running. Just as with the Ventura MC, the signatures are guided throughout the production process, from the gathering tray to the sewing saddle, in the compact version.

An Affordable Investment The new 160-cycle thread sewing machine has a compact construction and is designed for the most common size and fold types. It can process signatures ranging from 120 to 425 mm in length and from 80 to 320 mm in width, and from four pages to 4 mm in thickness.

Job changes can be performed quickly and conveniently thanks to visualization at the touch screen with the proven job and set up wizard from Muller Martini. As a r­ esult, uniform pictograms make it easier for the machine operators to get an overview of the whole machine. The Ventura

MC 160 is the optimal affordable investment for companies entering book sewing p ­ roduction.  www.conzella.de

The Highlights of the New Ventura MC 160 E Servo technology with patented drive design E Servo-controlled thread tension E Combined staggered stitch at the touch of a button E Option of production without lock stitches E Active thread divider system E Asir 3 (optional) E Thread sealing (optional) E Remote support (optional)

11

Hardcover Production

Increased Quantity and Quality – Publikum’s Diamant Sets New Standards

1

From 100,000 annually to 600,000 in four months – the Publikum printing plant and bookbindery in the Serbian capital of Belgrade has increased its output of hardcover books by a factor of 18 following its commissioning of a new Diamant MC 35 bookline from Muller Martini.

E Until last summer, the annual output of hardcover books at Publikum was around 100,000 copies. That changed in a flash when the new Diamant MC 35, the first bookline of its type in Serbia, was commissioned in August 2014. “In the remaining four months of the past year alone, we produced some 600,000 hardcover books,” explains co-owner and Executive Director Predrag Ristanovi´c. “That represents an increase in production by a factor of 18.”

12

Production Previously Outsourced However, it is not only the increased prod­ uctivity that has made Publikum with its 65 employees an even more attractive partner for publishing houses and printing plants in the international book market – the com­ pany, which was established by Predrag Ristanovi´c together with Dragan Jankovi´c, and old friend and business partner from student days till nowadays, in 1991 and is one of the first private printing plants and

bookbinderies in Serbia, has improved the quality of its hardcover books at the same time. “We used to outsource production of hardcover books,” explains Ristanovi´c.

“However, we were becoming increasingly unsatisfied with the quality. It was therefore clear to us that, in order to get a proper foothold in the European market and to satisfy the high expectations of our companies, we needed to invest in a state-of-theart system.”

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Four Advantages of the Diamant The company, which owns three sheet-fed offset printing presses, chose the Diamant MC 35 bookline, which also includes a BDM 20 casemaker from Hörauf, for four main reasons: E First, Publikum has repeatedly relied during its 24-year history on equipment from Muller Martini (most recently a Presto saddle stitcher commissioned in 2006) and had excellent experiences, says Ristanovi´c.

E Second, Publikum has been highly satisfied with the prompt Muller Martini service support over the years.

E Third, the bookline impressed the two executive directors with its quick and convenient make-ready – an important selling point with runs averaging 5,000 copies and ranging from 500 to 300,000 in rare cases.

E Fourth, the Belgrade-based company benefits from the high degree of size variability, since its specialties include extremely thin and extremely thick books.

Company Head Attends the Training Center Using the Diamant MC 35, Publikum recently produced a hardcover booklet with a single book block of just 3 millimeters comprising 32 pages (3 millimeters below the official machine specification), fol-

lowed shortly after by a 5 cm thick, 4.5 kg ­ roduct comprising 42 signatures. p Ristanovi´c attributes the fact that both customers were delighted with the results to the excellent training at the Muller Martini hardcover forum in the German town of Bad Mergentheim. The innovative com­ pany head took the opportunity to attend the one-week training course himself together with one of his machine operators in order to gain deeper insight into contemporary hardcover technology.

happy about that, since 90 percent of his books are exported, to Germany, Sweden and the Benelux countries. “We’ve become even more efficient and more flexible for such customers, whose data we often receive at very short notice,” says Ristanovi´c, who is therefore convinced that the number of customers in the European market will continue to increase.  www.publikum.rs

Very First Job Proves a Hit “I was highly impressed by how much we learned there,” says Ristanovi´c. Straight ­after returning from Bad Mergentheim, the new machine operator could put what he had learned into practice before the eyes of his boss. Publikum produced the first import­ant job shortly after the new Diamant MC 35 had been installed: 5,000 cookbooks for a renowned publishing company.

“With its perfect rounding of books, consistent quality and high production speed close to the machine maximum of 2,100 cycles per hour, the new bookline impressed us in every respect the very first time it was put to the test.”

90 Percent of Products Exported It is clear that many customers are also impressed, since increasing numbers are switching from softcover to hardcover products. The Publikum director is very

3 1 Predrag Ristanovi´c (center), founder, ­co-owner and Executive Director of Publikum: “With consistent quality and high production speed, the new Diamant MC 35 impresses us in every respect.” Left: Milan ­Zivi´c (Managing ­Director of Muller Martini Belgrade). Right: Željko Pokupec (Managing Director of Muller Martini Zagreb).

2 Publikum owns the first Diamant MC 35 bookline in Serbia (pictured is machine operator Nenad Dunji´c).

3 Publikum has relied on a Presto from Muller Martini for saddle stitching for nine years now.

2 Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

13

Special Products

“Tweens Have Potential”

1

Stein + Lehmann has commissioned its third Muller Martini book-sewing machine: a Ventura MC. Not only can the Berlin-based bookbindery produce more cost-effectively, the option also allows it to offer its customers even more attractive books and brochures.

14

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

E Between 80 and 90 percent of the hardcover books produced at Stein + Lehmann are thread-sewn, with the proportion having risen sharply in the past three to four years. That is partly because Stein + Lehmann’s customers are increasingly interested in high-quality and stylish products (for example with open thread sewing or colored threads), and partly because the price difference between thread sewing and softcover has decreased in the past few years, explain the company’s two managing directors, Thomas Lehmann and Detlef Brall.

From Three to Two Shifts Although customers are willing to dig a little deeper for high-quality books and brochures whose production is more complex, this certainly does not mean that they are willing to pay any price for thread-sewn products. Highly automated, cost-effective production is therefore essential. That is precisely why Stein + Lehmann has invested in a second Ventura MC from Muller Martini seven years after its Ventura and three years after its first Ventura MC. “In order to handle the increasing jobs, we worked in three shifts with two booksewing machines, often on Saturdays too.

However, after commissioning our third system, we switched to two-shift operations on five days of the week. That’s more economical, and we also have fewer problems finding qualified machine operators.”

Setup Times Make the Difference The Stein + Lehmann bookbindery, which also uses three other Muller Martini systems for book production, i.e. an Acoro

2

(commissioned in 2006) and a Bolero and a Diamant MC (both commissioned in 2010), produces for customers throughout Germany using its three book-sewing machines. The products include many largesized illustrated books with dimensions of up to 30 x 38 cm, mainly for the art world, with runs of between 100 and 10,000, or as many as 50,000 copies in rare cases.

The quick processing times of the new Ventura MC are of particular benefit to the bookbindery, which employs 78 people, for short runs. “Today, our profitability is determined not by unit costs, but by setup times

1 “High-quality print products are essential in order to stand out in the age of electronic media” (Detlef Brall, Managing Director of Stein + Lehmann).

2 Thomas Lehmann (left) and Detlef Brall, Managing Directors of the Stein + Lehmann bookbindery in Berlin: “Our customers are increasingly interested in high-quality and stylish products.”

3 With the Acoro and Bolero perfect ­binders and the Diamant bookline, Stein + Lehmann’s production hall could pass for a Muller Martini showroom.

3 Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

15

Special Products

1

1 Stylish products, like this one with open thread sewing, are in big demand among Stein + Lehmann’s customers.

2 Stein + Lehmann owns two Ventura MC Book Sewing Machines.

2 in the case of short and medium runs,” stresses Brall. : “An Interesting Option” In addition to the servo technology and short processing times, Brall particularly likes the new geometry of the gathering tray of the new book sewing machine: “The signatures are pulled off straight, they don’t bend any longer and there’s no smearing.”

In addition, the new Ventura MC feaoption for shorter sigtures the natures. “It’s an interesting option because

attractive presentation encourages people to buy.” To his mind, tween products, whose production Stein + Lehmann previously outsourced, undoubtedly have potential, especially in the fields of art, culture and advertising. “To be honest, I’m surprised that demand isn’t greater,” he­ ­admits.

Stein + Lehmann is therefore meeting with its customers, which include both printing plants and advertising agencies, to draw their attention to the advantages of the new production options (since persistence pays off, as Brall says). After all, it is

clear to Brall that “high-quality print products are essential in order to stand out in the age of electronic media”.



www.stein-lehmann.de

Revolutionizes Thread Sewing From simple advertising messages to sophisticated coupon booklets or maps in opguide books, with the new tion smaller folded signatures can for the first time also be stitched in a book block using the Ventura MC book sewing machine from Muller Martini. “Such shorter signatures, called tweens, provide great added value,” says Jürgen Noll, Managing Director of Müller Martini Buchtechnologie (Muller Martini Book Technology) GmbH in the German town of Bad Mergentheim.

16

“They also lend themselves, for example, to high-quality inlays in art books and cata­ logs, or to conveying knowledge in textbooks in an interesting way.”

In addition, new product ideas arise from the possibility of stitching in signatures with different fold types, such as a double-parallel fold or a zigzag gatefold. An additional servo drive in the sewing saddle makes it possible for the tweens to differ both in length and width and to be variably positioned in the book block. Thanks to the

motion control drive design, the lug chain adjusts independently to the different ­sizes and the tweens can be processed entirely automatically.

New machines are already fitted with the new option, and it is easily retrofittable on machines from the 2/11 series onwards.

For older Ventura MC machines, whether an upgrade is possible needs to be checked individually.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

News from Muller Martini New Connex Modules in the SigmaLine: “PDF In, Book Out”

Muller Martini is the Ideal Service Partner for Printing Press Customers

With the slogan “PDF in, book out – now also available for ­variable data”, Muller Martini showed again once at Hunkeler Innovationdays in Lucerne that it is a global technology leader in the field of automated production workflow for digital printing thanks to the Connex data and process management system and the SigmaLine as a unique complete solution for digital book production.

Personalized print products are highly rated by many market­ ing and advertising professionals.

They enable you to address each customer personally and to con­ vey your message in a targeted way. Such variable data printing (VDP) runs, where each product differs from the next, can now be processed using Muller Martini’s SigmaLine. Three new modules, VariableProduction, Variable­ Imposition and VariableBundle, which are integrated with ­Connex, have been developed

As announced in the last issue of “Panorama”, Muller Martini is discontinuing the production of printing presses in the middle of this year, but its numerous customers worldwide can ­continue to benefit from the ­services of the Muller Martini plant in Maulburg (Germany).

“We will go on ensuring the ­operation of delivered printing presses, and will continue to offer ­attractive services and make spare parts available at all times,” ­emphasizes CEO Bruno Müller.

The service center in ­Maulburg will not only supply spare parts, but will also offer support services as part of the MM Services program. It will also take care of reconditioning (of whole machines or of ­individual printing inserts/print­ ing units), inspections, machine relocations and training. “Thanks to our long-standing know-how, we have the necessary in-depth

Thanks to three new modules, the SigmaLine can be used to ­produce runs where the content of every product is different.

for the complete digital book ­production solution. The printing process is neither interrupted nor slowed down. Companies that currently produce predominantly in batches will now also be able to produce short and ultra-short runs with the same high quality of page assembly and print finishing.

command of printing press ­technology, making us the ideal service partner for our ­customers.”

Muller Martini will continue to ­offer its printing presses customers attractive support services in the future, whether involving ­specialists on site or remote online ­support (see image).

Gathering of Signatures at Primera and Presto II Saddle Stitchers Prior to Perfect Binding

The FlexLiner Gets a New Opening Method for Magazine Inserts

At the saddle stitcher, the signa­ tures are usually opened and placed one above the other on the gathering chain. The new software option for the Primera and Presto II saddle stitchers enables the pregathering of signatures into book blocks prior to perfect binding.

The new function allows using saddle stitchers from Muller Mar­ tini even more flexibly since their range of applications can be easily extended. The option, which can be retrofitted at any time, is at­ tractive for customers who are versatile in the field of print finish­ ing and offer both saddle stitching and perfect binding in house.

Muller Martini's FlexLiner insert­ ing system is now even more flex­ ible. It can now also open prod­ ucts without a low folio lap or a high folio lap. Products trimmed on three sides and products in the tabloid format are gently opened in the center using a blade-like slide and prepared for the insert­ ing process. The inserts are then inserted ­without any loss in per­ formance. Magazine opening is available as an option and can be easily ­retrofitted on existing Flex­ Liners. Other products besides newspapers have long been fin­ ished in the mailroom. Direct-mail­ ing ­companies also use the Flex­ Liner ­inserting system from Muller ­Martini to put together mail shots.

Carrier products, whether they are covers or tabloid products, are opened using a sucker unit or low folio lap unit, and the gathered in­ serts are reliably inserted. Thanks to FlexFeed selective main section

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

In the future, they can simply pregather book blocks at the saddle stitcher and then transfer them manually to the perfect binder, thereby increasing their produc­ tivity considerably, especially for relatively short runs.

The function is integrated with the control system of the saddle stitcher and available as a soft­ ware option. Existing ­saddle stitchers can also be retrofitted, without the need for any mech­ anical modifications. The folded ­signatures of the book block are placed individually on separate segments of the gathering chain.

The new magazine opening method means that now even products without a low folio lap can be ­easily opened and processed using the FlexLiner inserting system. feeding, the FlexLiner provides customers with entirely new ­opportunities to set themselves apart. The main sections can be fed selectively to the inserting ­machine via up to five feeding ­stations, which can be loaded manually from the FlexiRoll buffer system or directly from the ­printing press.

17

Services

MM

A Secondhand Machine – as Good as New With more and more foreign hardcover customers knocking on the door of Denona in Zagreb following Croatia’s accession to the EU, the full-service graphic arts company has replaced its old bookline with a four-year-old secondhand Diamant MC 35. It was upgraded and installed

by Muller Martini and is now “as good as new”, according to Denona Sales Manager Željko Valpoti´c.

E For over three decades, Denona produced hardcover books using a BL 200 from Stahl that was commissioned in 1983.

“That bookline was in good condition, but it had two major drawbacks,” explains Valpoti´c. “First, the size range was limited.

Second, changeovers were time-consuming.”

Policy Stands Denona in Good Stead Those disadvantages posed a greater problem for the company, which was established 32 years ago by Marko Denona and today employs 90 people under his management, after it acquired increasing num-

bers of customers from the European Union since Croatia’s accession in summer 2013. “In order to offer such customers impeccable quality and the shortest possible lead times, we needed to invest in more contemporary technology,” says Valpoti´c.

While Denona would install new machines every time ideally, that “is naturally not always possible for cost reasons,” acknowledges the Sales Manager frankly.

“That’s why we always take a look around in the secondhand market too. However, we never purchase equipment that’s older than four years and that policy of ours has stood us in very good stead to date.”

MC Is Ideal for Short Runs The Diamant MC 35, which was previously used by a French Muller Martini customer and was found by Denona online, fits that description. The machine, which was manufactured in 2009, was just what Denona had been looking for, and not only because of its age. “The bookline also appealed to us because Motion Control Technology is ideal for our short runs,” explains Department Process Manager Andrea C´ori´c Vukovac. Denona produces 2,000 copies per title on average. Their shortest runs have just 300 copies, while the longest consist of some 25,000 copies.

1 18

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

2 1 Designer Iva Denona Vusi´c, daughter of company founder Marko Denona, and Sales Manager Željko Valpoti´c check the rounding of a hardcover book produced using the Diamant MC 35.

2 From right: Iva Denona Vusi´c (designer), Andrea C´ori´c Vukovac (Department Process Manager), Željko Valpoti´c (Sales Manager) and Željko Pokupec (Managing ­Director of Muller Martini Zagreb) in front of the Diamant MC 35, the only bookline of its kind in Croatia, at Denona.

3 3 Within a week of commissioning, Diamant machine operator Zlatko Sedin´c was using the machine to produce books of optimal quality.

4 As the ideal addition to the ­ iamant MC 35, the BLSD 650 D stacks books and book blocks in a wide range of combinations at Denona (pictured is machine o ­ perator Nikola Mikšic).

4

Up To Date and Training The Diamant MC35 had just one “flaw”: it lacked an option for rounded spines. ­Denona therefore turned to Muller Martini, which offers its extensive MMServices pro­ gram. After being decommissioned in France, the bookline was reconditioned at the Hardcover Forum in the German town of Bad Mergentheim. It now not only en­ sures perfect rounding, but also features double cover monitoring and a BLSD 650 book stacker. “It’s as good as new now,” underlines Valpoti´c.

After bringing the bookline up to date, Muller Martini installed it professionally last September and trained three of ­Denona’s machine operators in Zagreb.

“Within a week they were so familiar with the ­Diamant that we could provide our cus­ tomers with optimal quality from the time of commissioning onwards,” recalls C´ori´c ­Vukovac.

Great Size Variability She gives the Diamant MC 35 a glowing re­ view after its first six months in operation.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

“The Diamant MC 35 has a lot of advan­ tages. Setup via the servo motor is easy.

We can make fine adjustments while the machine is running. And we no longer have any production waste. We also have great size variability with lengths of 100 to 380 mm, widths of 70 to 300 mm and book thicknesses of 2 to 80 mm.”

Art books, cookery books, textbooks, re­ ligious books and illustrated books account for 70 percent of the turnover generated by Denona, which also relies on a secondhand Presto saddle stitcher from Muller Martini.

The majority of the signatures are printed in house. Since Denona owns the only Dia­ mant bookline in Croatia, Croatian printing plants without their own bookbindery are increasingly having their hardcover books produced by Denona.

Export Rate: From 1.5 to 20 Percent The company’s main focus, however, is on further increasing its export rate. Until two years ago the family-owned business, which Marko Denona’s adult daughters Iva (designer), Marina (accountant) and An­

tonia (Account Manager) have joined, de­ livered just 1.5 percent of its products abroad. The export rate has now risen to 20 percent already thanks to the new Diamant MC 35. “Our firm goal is to substantially in­ crease that percentage still further,” says Valpoti´c. 

www.denona.com 19

Services

MM

1

“The Improvements Justify the Costs of Reconditioning” Should the whole saddle stitcher be serviced all at once or each feeder reconditioned in turn?

IRL plus SA in Renens (Romandie, Switzerland) opted for the latter for its Prima Amrys, which was commissioned in 1999, allowing the company to continue producing without interruption.

E “If we were to have our complete ­Prima Amrys line reconditioned all at once, we would have to do without our only saddle stitcher for two whole months,” says Christian Schmutz, Maintenance and Servicing Manager at IRL plus SA. “That’s naturally out of the question at a full-service business like ours, especially as we print numerous periodicals and are therefore dependent on the high availability of our ­saddle stitcher.”

20

Customer Decides Inspection ­Schedule The long-established company located in Romandie decided on phased reconditioning to extend the service life of its Prima Amrys, since this solution enables it to schedule the work far more flexibly. Since last summer, a delivery vehicle has traveled periodically from Renens to the Muller Martini plant in Zofingen to delivery one of the seven feeders on a pallet for ­reconditioning.

“We decide the schedule for the reconditioning of the various feeders,” explains Schmutz. “If we have products with a lot of signatures coming up, we need the whole line. We then have another feeder reconditioned a few weeks later.” If one feeder is being serviced, IRL plus SA can produce using the remaining six without any problems. “That’s where the modular design of our machines come into its own,” says Andreas Kiener, Service ManMuller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1 Service technician Hans Fretz reconditions one of the seven feeders of IRL plus SA’s Prima Amrys saddle stitcher at the Muller Martini plant in Zofingen.

2 Christian Schmutz (second from left), ­Maintenance and Servicing Manager at IRL plus SA: “Since we agreed with Muller Martini on a fixed servicing price per feeder, there can’t be any unwelcome surprises.” Right: Steeve Uldry (Technology and Production Director).

Left: Mike Rabot (machine operator).

Second from right: Peter Egli (Sales Manager at Muller Martini Switzerland).

3 The three-knife trimmer of the Prima Amrys and the Pratico compensating stacker have also been reconditioned.

2 ager at the Muller Martini head office in Zofingen.

Normal Wear and Tear IRL plus SA has been using the Prima ­Amrys since 1999. The machine has clocked up more than 45,000 hours of operation and stitched some 270 million products in just over 15 years. “Of course, mechanical problems occur over time when the service life is so long,” says ­Schmutz. “Our three main reasons for opting for reconditioning were the time lost when setting up the feeders, the need to avoid machine stops and the desire to ­improve the quality of the end products.”

The technicians at IRL plus SA have performed all the necessary maintenance work over the years. “Nevertheless, it’s normal for various machine parts to suffer wear and tear, however well maintained they are,” says Kiener.

Kiener’s team is inspecting and, where necessary, replacing wear parts in the feeders such as ball bearings, opening cams and chains. The basic settings, such as the synchronization of the A/B/C shafts and the timing of the sucker bar, are also being checked.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

3

Fixed Price Per Feeder The reconditioning of a single feeder takes three days. IRL plus SA and Muller Martini agreed on a fixed price per feeder before the start of the inspection program. “That’s

naturally favorable for us for budget reasons, since there can’t be any unwelcome surprises,” says Schmutz.

Kiener adds: “Since the customer takes care of transporting the feeders itself, it can 21

Services

MM

The Prima Amrys, which was commissioned in 1999, has chalked up more than 45,000 hours of operation and stitched some 270 million products at IRL plus SA.

grin: “The improvements certainly justify the costs of reconditioning.”

The better machine performance is still difficult to quantify, but Schmutz antici­ pates a net output increase of 10 to 15 per­ cent once all the reconditioning work has been completed. “That will bring us close to the performance level at the time of commissioning the Prima Amrys.”

save costs, because our technicians don’t have to bill any travel expenses. The short journeys within Switzerland pay off.”

Reconditioning Extended to Peripheral Equipment Schmutz explains that the company origin­ ally planned to have only the seven feeders reconditioned. “However, in discussions with the technicians from Muller Martini, it became clear that we should also have the peripheral equipment inspected to improve the paper flow along the whole saddle

stitching line.” IRL plus SA therefore ex­ tended the reconditioning in stages to in­ clude its folder feeder, the three-knife trim­ mer and the Pratico compensating stacker.

Clearly Visible Results Three of the seven feeders were recondi­ tioned in the second half of 2014, with clearly visible results, explains Schmutz.

“The reconditioned feeders can be set up much more quickly, and the saddle stitch­ er operates more steadily, resulting in high­ er productivity already.” He adds with a

Manpower and Machines “However, the high availability of the sad­ dle stitcher depends not only on mechani­ cal components, but also on the machine operators,” says Steeve Uldry, Technology and Production Director. IRL plus SA there­ fore places great importance on training its saddle stitcher machine operators, in close cooperation with Muller Martini. “Owing to the economic circumstances, we have ­fewer in-house service technicians,” says ­Uldry.

“That makes a good partnership with the machine manufacturer all the more im­ portant. We systematically modify our in­ ternal processes and talk daily with our ma­ chine operators in order to improve the quality of our end products continuously.”

www.irl.ch

­

“An Unflagging Machine” IRL, which was established in 1907 and has been based in Renens near Lausanne since 1964, is one of the few web printing plants in Romandie (Switzerland). The company, which employs 72 people, prints news­ papers, magazines, brochures and cata­ logs for publishing houses as well as vari­ ous industrial sectors, almost exclusively in French-speaking Switzerland. The runs of

22

the titles, which are printed mainly in A4 size, but also occasionally in A3 or A5, range between 1,000 and 400,000 copies, with an average of 15,000 copies.

While it outsources perfect binding, IRL plus SA has used Muller Martini systems for years in saddle stitching (a Prima ­Amrys) and press delivery (an Avanti log stacker and a Forte compensating stacker). “The

Prima Amrys is the ideal solution for our job structure,” says Steeve Uldry, Technology and Production Director. “It has a high net output thanks to its stream feeders, is ­highly flexible and is still running reliably ­after all these years – it’s an unflagging ­machine.”

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Newspaper Mailroom Systems

First Digital Newspaper Production Worldwide – Featuring Muller Martini Systems in the Mailroom

The AlphaLiner is the ideal newspaper inserting system given that space is scarce in the mailroom.

Mengis Druck AG, based in Visp in the Swiss canton of Valais, is setting a milestone in the graphic arts industry by installing the world’s first digital newspaper printing press. The Walliser Bote, Mengis' flagship publication, will be printed digitally from July and finished in the mailroom using an AlphaLiner from Muller Martini.

E “Digital printing and its potential appli­ cations” was the title of the thesis that Nicolas Mengis wrote at the Technical Col­ lege of the Graphic Arts Industry in Basel in 1997 and which was later also published as a book. Eighteen years later he is in charge of the world’s first digital printing press as Chairman of Mengis Group's Board of Directors.

In July the Walliser Bote, which has a print run of six times 22,000 copies per week, will become the first daily news­ paper worldwide to be printed using an HP T400 color inkjet web press. The new digi­ tal printing system, which will replace an older web offset printing press in the sum­ mer, will also print commercial products.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

The “flagship project”, as Alois Hoch­ strasser, Director of Muller Martini Market­ ing, described the pilot system at a small celebration of the signing of the supply contracts at Mengis, comprises a folding system from manroland and a mailroom from Muller Martini in addition to the HP T400. The core of Muller Martini's mail­ room is the AlphaLiner inserting system featuring an automatically fed main section feeder and two insert feeders, as well as an inkjet addressing unit, a PrintStack com­ pensating stacker, a TABA-F top sheet ­applicator, a cross strapping unit and the Connex.Mailroom system.

Martin Seematter, Managing Director of Mengis Druck AG, explains that there were three main benefits of the Muller Martini solution: “First, the price-performance ­ratio of the AlphaLiner is optimal. Second, it’s very compact, which benefits us since space is scarce. And third, unlike with our previous solution, we can control the PrintStack compensating stacker. That’s of great benefit to us in terms of routespecific distribution and zoning of inserts.”

 www.mengis-visp.ch 23

Newspaper Mailroom Systems

“We Want to Be More Than Just a Printed Newspaper” The circulations of newspapers across Denmark have steadily declined by 7 percent a year.

But is that the case all throughout Denmark? No. There are two daily newspapers on the island of Funen that have bucked the trend and increased their circulations in the past four years.

Their success is based on journalistic campaigns, exciting regional stories, high reader involvement, attractive supplements and special-interest magazines that are produced in a Muller Martini mailroom using a NewsStitch stitching unit and NewsTrim fanflex trimmer.

E The two successful daily newspapers Fyens Stiftstidende (with a current circulation of approx. 46,000 copies on weekdays and approx. 50,000 copies on the weekend) and Fyns Amts Avis (12,200 and 12,500 copies on weekdays and on the weekend respectively) are published by the Fynske Medier publishing house in Odense.

“Panorama” met and spoke with Editor-inChief Per Westergård and Production Manager Jesper Christian Thomsen about the secret to success in their newsroom and mailroom.

«Panorama»: Almost all Danish daily newspapers have recorded declines in circulation in recent years. Yet your two titles Fyens Stiftstidende and Fyns Amts Avis have experienced a slight increase in circulation since 2011. What are you doing better than the competition?

Per Westergård: Having lost around 7 percent of our readers each year over a fairly long period like all Danish daily news­ papers, we performed an in-depth analysis in 2009 and developed a new concept aimed at losing only 3 percent in future

i­nstead of 7 percent. By reorienting both our titles, we not only halted the decline, but even increased our circulations ­slightly.

“We have to offer our readers more than just news since they get that much more quickly and free of charge from the ­Internet.”

Per Westergård

Supplements and special products provide readers of the two Fynske daily newspapers with value-added and are also a good business model.

24

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Editor-in-Chief Per Westergård: “By reorienting both our newspapers, we not only halted the decline in circulation, but fortunately even increased our circulations slightly.”

“Special products provide our readers with valueadded and are definitely a good business model for us.”

Per Westergård

Fyens Stiftstidende has increased its circulation by 1.0 percent since 2011 and Fyns Amts Avis by 0.9 percent.

You mention your new concept. What does it revolve around?

Per Westergård: We have to offer our readers more than just news, since they get that anyway much more quickly and free of charge from the Internet. That means we need to have stories, which is why we launch journalistic campaigns several times a year. We write about topics that affect our readers, such as our recent reporting about the high fees for crossing the Great Belt suspension bridge between Zealand in the east and Funen in the west of Denmark. Many of our readers cross that bridge daily on their way to work and pay almost EUR 50 for a round trip. We’re campaigning for regular commuters to get a discount. However, in addition to publishing articles about such topical and heated issues from our region, we also regularly invite our readers to discussion events.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

So that means you chat with your readers live in your newsroom rather than virtually like users of social media?

Per Westergård: Yes, because we want to be more than just a printed newspaper and encourage our readers to not just read, but also get involved in the debate. Last year we held 55 such meetings, which were attended by 150 people on average. In some cases we even have to limit entry. We only invite subscribers so that they benefit from this additional service exclusively. Involving readers is a cornerstone of our success.

Do you reach your readers mainly through subscriptions or newsstands?

Per Westergård: We sell relatively few copies at newsstands. 98 percent of our circulation is from subscriptions.

In addition to your campaigns, you have already mentioned that addressing regional topics consistently is key to the success of both of Fynske Medier’s ­daily newspapers.

Per Westergård: Yes, because we don’t set out to be an omnibus newspaper in 25

Newspaper Mailroom Systems

1

competition with the national titles. Instead, we have a niche policy of focusing on what we do best – regional and local reports. That makes the difference. 155 of our 160 journalists, photographers and graphic designers work on regional and ­local topics.

Supplements make both your daily newspapers more attractive. How regularly do you produce those?

Per Westergård: We have two different types of special products. First, we have regular supplements on cars, motorbikes, lifestyle, real estate or culture, which typically appear once a week per topic. There is one such supplement in almost every edition. In addition, we publish around 60 to 70 special-interest magazines each year on a range of topics.

What format are these special products in and how many pages do they have?

Jesper Christian Thomsen: They are all printed in house in tabloid format and typically have between 24 and 96 pages.

26

2

­ ccasionally, we use special paper, and we O ­also regularly use high-gloss covers for high-quality special-interest magazines.

How successful are such special-interest magazines for your publishing company from a financial point of view, i.e. in terms of selling advertising?

Per Westergård: They provide our readers with value-added and are definitely a good business model for us. All issues last year were profitable. If that were not the case with a topic, we would stop it immediate-

“We also use new media as an appetizer for our printed newspapers.”

Per Westergård

ly. The special-interest magazines also open the door to new advertisers for us.

On the topic of advertisements, do the revenues from traditional newspaper ads suffer from advertising in the special-interest magazines?

Per Westergård: Advertising clients undoubtedly want to position their adverts in the right environment. For a supplier of lawnmowers, it’s naturally more attractive to advertise their products in a gardening supplement. Nevertheless, we haven’t observed a decline in traditional newspaper advertising What are the benefits for you of being able to produce supplements and special products in-line using a NewsLiner inserting system featuring a NewsStitch stitching unit and a NewsTrim fanflex trimmer from Muller Martini?

Jesper Christian Thomsen: We save personnel costs (we now only need eight people for our mailroom) and a lot of time, since we can produce these products in a Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1 Production Manager Jesper Christian Thomsen (left): “We save personnel costs and time, since we can produce supplements and magazines in a single pass.”

Right: John Jansen (Sales Manager Muller Martini Nordic).

2 Fynske Medier stitches high-quality ­supplements and magazines using NewsStitch, which is integrated into the NewsLiner inserting system (pictured), before trimming them using NewsTrim.

“An optimal workflow allows for additional production capacity.”

Jesper Christian Thomsen

single pass. That benefits the editorial teams, and also means we can cater to the needs of advertisers at short notice. In the past, we needed several steps for our special products, and in some cases had a lead time of up to three weeks.

You also publish 13 free weekly titles.

What are the circulations of those?

Jesper Christian Thomsen: The smallest circulation is around 15,000 copies. The ­title with the highest circulation has up to 100,000 copies, while the average is approx. 30,000 copies. Occasionally, the weekly newspapers also have supplements.

How important are an optimal workflow and a high degree of automation in your mailroom in view of your complex pro­ duction process – two daily news­ papers, 13 weekly newspapers and ­almost daily supplements?

Jesper Christian Thomsen: Incredibly important! They enable us to plan well and produce all products on time. In addition, an optimal workflow allows for additional production capacity. Following a merger with two other publishing companies, in future we will supply six more daily newspapers and 45 weekly newspapers with supplements printed by us.

Fynske Medier is strong in terms of both print products and new media. To what extent do cross-media offers supple­ ment the newspapers published by your company?

Per Westergård: Social media are now indispensable, even to our most loyal newspaper readers. To be informed, you need the Internet as well nowadays. I’m always amazed at how the use of smartphones and tablets has become a matter of course even among our older readers. That’s why, in order to underline our role as an information leader, we need to be present online and on social media around the clock, and our journalists need to master all channels.

We also use the new media as an appetizer for our printed newspapers. Or we send our readers text messages when researching certain regional articles and ask about their experiences. Like the meetings held

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

at our company, that boosts reader involvement.

A final question: over the past three years, your newspaper circulations have increased slightly. What do you think the future will hold?

Per Westergård: The coming three years will undoubtedly be more difficult, but our ambition is to keep on performing better than the average newspaper in Denmark.



www.fyens.dk

A Complete Mailroom System from Muller Martini Fynske Medier has a complete mailroom system from Muller Martini at its newspaper printing plant in Odense on the Danish island of Funen. It consists of a NewsGrip-A-transport system, Flexi­Roll buffers, a NewsLiner inserting system with a NewsStitch stitching unit, a NewsTrim fanflex trimmer, three NewsStack compensating stackers with the TABA top sheet applicator, a ramp system and Mailroom Production Control (MPC).

High-quality supplements and magazines are wire-stitched using NewsStitch and then trimmed on three sides using the NewsTrim. That makes the mailroom of Fynske Medier a multifunctional system for a wide range of print products.

27

Saddle Stitching Systems

High-Volume Printing Company Commits to Expansion of Print Finishing

1

In order to optimize end-to-end quality assurance and timely delivery, Fr. Ant. Niedermayr GmbH & Co KG in the Bavarian city of Regensburg is now using a Primera 160 saddle stitcher from Muller Martini for inserts and catalogs printed in long runs.

E There can be no firmer commitment to print than when a company head like ­Johannes Helmberger, the sixth generation of the family to lead the business which was established in 1801, says proudly: “Over the past eight years, we’ve invested more than EUR 50 million here in Regensburg in the expansion of our production site and in new machines, and we’ll continue to invest in our company in the coming years. Our investment decisions are always 28

based on our expectations for the future, or we wouldn’t be where we are today!”

400 Tons of Paper Per Day While Helmberger continues to believe in the print medium and is convinced that inserts and catalogs will secure their position in the communications mix, the Managing Partner is also aware that the path to success in the future will involve an even greater degree of automation of the various pro-

duction steps from pre-press to delivery.

He backs up his theory with further impressive figures.

“We print up to 400 tons of paper on peak days using three web printing presses and a sheet-fed printing press. Our output per employee has increased 40-fold in the course of a quarter of a century, and 30-fold over the past eight years alone. In the same period, the turnover per employee only increased ten-fold, however, which goes to show how fierce competition has become. That’s why we’re pursuing a clear strategy of relying on highly automated processes in order to remain competitive.”

All Production Brought In House The fact that state-of-the-art print finishing systems today are highly automated is one of the reasons why Fr. Ant. Niedermayr invested in a Muller Martin Primera 160 saddle stitcher with a folder feeder, six flat Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

pile feeders, a card gluer, a stream feeder, a ­Robusto compensating stacker and a ­palletizer, explains Helmberger.

The second reason why the company chose the new Primera 160 to replace a saddle stitcher 300 last summer is that “the print finishing service providers to which we previously outsourced saddle stitching are continuing to undergo a consolidation process,” says Helmberger. “That's why we now stitch all products that we print in house, to optimize end-to-end quality ­assurance and timely delivery.”

duced at partner companies. Owing to the large runs, Fr. Ant. Niedermayr regularly runs the saddle stitcher at its limit of 16,000 cycles per hour. “We’re very satisfied with the high performance of the Primera 160,” says Helmberger, taking stock of the first months of operation. The company head also speaks highly positively of the operation of the machine (“simply sensational – our machine operators quickly got the hang of it at a high level”) and the quality of end products (“after all it’s a ­machine from Muller Martini”).

Runs of Millions Up-to-date inserts in A4 and A5 format for brick-and-mortar commerce and brochures, some with runs of millions, are produced using the new Primera 160. Fr. Ant. Niedermayr, which employs 100 people in two shifts for printing and print finishing and 65 people in the non-print segment, ­also produces catalogs for various industries with runs ranging from 100,000 to 600,000 copies. Catalogs with up to 160 pages are saddle stitched, while products which may have up to 1,600 pages are perfect bound and, like hardcover books, pro-

Important Interconnection Fr. Ant. Niedermayr attaches just as much importance to the “new media” segment, for which it has its own agency (with 40 creative employees for ideas and concepts), photo studio, Internet and film as to print finishing. Helmberger explains that this business segment, which is gaining in importance, has many positive effects on the print sector. “A high degree of linkage between the different media will become more and more important. That means we can serve our customers, who are mainly based in south Germany and the surround-

2

1 Johannes Helmberger (left), Managing ­Partner of Fr. Ant. Niedermayr in Regensburg: “We’re pursuing a clear strategy of relying on highly automated processes in order to remain competitive.” Center: Michael Kretschmann (Head of Print Finishing). Right: Frank Skorna (Area Sales Manager at Muller Martini ­Germany).

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

3

2 The new Primera 160 saddle stitcher r­ egularly produces at its limit of 16,000 cycles per hour at Fr. Ant. Niedermayr.

3 In order to achieve high production speeds, the signatures are fed to the Primera 160 using a stream feeder.

ing area, as a general contractor in fields ranging from video productions to store fittings through to various sales channels.”

Since pre-press is in house, Fr. Ant. Niedermayr can react quickly just ahead of printing. A typical case of that being necessary are the prices in brochures, which are often adjusted at short notice by wholesale chains. “That’s why the inserts printed by us are the most up to date,”  underlines Helmberger.

www.niedermayr.net

4

4 The high-performance Robusto compensating stacker, which ensures flawless ­cross-stacked or layered bundles, contributes significantly to the high productivity of the new Primera 160 line.

29

Saddle Stitching Systems

HeiRa Continues Saddle Stitching at Speed

1

Lower profit margins call for higher productivity, prompting HeiRa GmbH in Gernsheim (Germany), one of the largest saddle stitching print finishers in Europe, to commission a high-performance saddle stitcher Tempo 220 from Muller Martini to replace a 17-year-old Tempo. “That will increase our competitiveness,” says company owner Klaus Heist with conviction.

30

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

E Its first Tempo, commissioned in spring 1997, served HeiRa GmbH, which specializes in the print finishing of consumer maga­zines, company catalogs and inserts, reliably for 17 years. It stitched over a billion magazines with an average annual output of 65 million copies, operating in three shifts with an output of 400,000 copies on peak days (see “Panorama” 1/12).

Yet even the most tried-and-tested workhorse shows signs of age over time despite optimal maintenance. HeiRa therefore replaced the Tempo, which company owner Klaus Heist once dubbed a “do-it-all machine” owing to its ideal compromise between speed and flexibility, with a new Tempo E220 last March.

Numerous Variation Options in the Opening Area Tight deadlines, especially for magazines which need to be up to date, have long been run of the mill at HeiRa, which employs 55 full-time and 40 temporary ­employees. However, there has recently been a more marked decrease in total run sizes and volumes, and an increase in run splits. “That requires suitably quick changeovers, which is why the Tempo 220 is the ideal machine for our needs in this perform­ ance segment.”

The Tempo 220 (which Kleist dubs the “most universal high-performance saddle stitcher”) not only excels when it comes to highly automated changeovers from one

job to the next and a high level of product­ ivity even for the most challenging products, but also “allows for many different opening options with low folio laps and high folio laps,” as Heist explains. In add­ ition, a wide range of gimmicks and cards can be attached using the merchandise tipper. That will increase our competitiveness in a market where both value creation and profit margins have fallen in recent years.”

Around 1000 Pallets a Day The efficiency of the new Tempo 220 with a Robusto compensating stacker is increased not least by the innovative stream feeding of the cover folder feeder, which can be fed from the same side and by the

3

1 Klaus Heist (left), owner of HeiRa GmbH in Gernsheim: “The Tempo 220 is the ideal machine for our needs.” Right: Reinhold Achtner, Sales Manager at Muller Martini ­Germany.

2 The new Tempo 220 replaces a Tempo that was commissioned in 1997 and stitched more than a billion products during its 17 years of operation at HeiRa. 3 For relatively straightforward products, the HeiRa machine operators run the new Tempo 220 saddle stitcher at maximum speed (see the bottom row in the production display on the large screen).

2 Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

31

Saddle Stitching Systems

With the new Tempo 220 saddle stitcher, the cover folder feeder can be fed from the same side and by the same operator as the six flat pile feeders and the merchandise tipper.

same operator as the six flat pile feeders and the merchandise tipper.

HeiRa, one of the largest print finishing businesses in Europe, produces some 340 million products annually using five highperformance saddle stitchers from Muller

Martini – the new Tempo 220, three add­ itional Tempo machines and a Supra. At peak times, it produces almost 1,000 pallets with a total weight of 600 tons within 24 hours. Those pallets are delivered daily by some 85 trucks.

Close to Maximum Speed The runs of individual mail order catalogs and advertising materials, which can have as many as 350 pages, can reach 8.5 ­million copies. It is therefore no surprise that the HeiRa machine operators run the five Muller Martini saddle stitchers at ­maximum speed whenever possible.

With the new Tempo 220, the average number of copies per shift for relatively straightforward products with a cover and two signatures of content is 150,000. That equates to an impressive net output of 20,000 copies per hour. 

www.heira.de

Burda/Klaus Heist Joint Venture: Two Tempo 220 in Nuremberg Too Burda Druck GmbH and Klaus Heist have established a joint venture at the Burda site in the southern German city of Nuremberg for the print finishing of the magazines, softcover books, mail order catalogs and newspaper supplements that are also printed there. The two partners are aiming to boost the competitiveness of the Nuremberg-based rotogravure printing company with the new joint venture called Burda + Heist Binding GmbH, which has created around 30 new jobs and processes virtually the same product range as HeiRa GmbH in Gernsheim.

The investment includes two high-performance Tempo 220 saddle stitchers, each with six flat pile feeders, a merchandise tipper and a Robusto compensating stacker, a labeling unit and two Integro inserting machines for in-line inserting at speeds of up to 22,000 copies per hour.

The two new saddle stitching lines were commissioned in January.

32

Celebrating the new Tempo 220 at Burda + Heist Binding GmbH in Nuremberg (from left): Reinhold Achtner (Sales Manager at Muller Martini Germany), Klaus Heist (Partner at B+H Binding), Thomas Horn (Managing Director of B+H Binding), Werner ­Isemann (Project Manager at Burda Druck), Peter Dickler (Technical Manager at HeiRa), Armin Lustenberger (Project Manager at Muller Martini).

Müller Martini Panorama April 2015

Digital Solutions

Managing Director Tests the New Presto II Digital Personally The volume of digitally printed magazines, softcover books and brochures has increased ­significantly at Ultragraph Ltd. in Burscough near Manchester (England) since the company commissioned an HP Indigo three years ago. In order to produce even ultra-short runs efficiently, the innovative family-owned business has replaced its Bravo saddle stitcher – its first ever Muller Martini system – with a new Presto II Digital from Muller Martini.

E “Originally, I’d intended to submit our Bravo saddle stitcher, which was manu­ factured in 2008 and commissioned by us as a secondhand machine in 2011, to a thorough inspection,” acknowledges Nick Jones, owner of Ultragraph and its Manag­ ing Director for 23 years, freely. “However, when I spoke with Sales Manager David Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

McGinlay from Muller Martini Great Britain about the details of the MMServices pro­ gram, he showed me the brochure for the new Presto II Digital. I knew immediately: I had to have that machine. The Bravo was an excellent machine, but it’s designed for longer runs. Yet we increasingly need to stitch digitally printed signatures in short­

Nick Jones (left), owner and Managing Director of Ultragraph: “Print finishing is gaining in importance in digital printing in particular.”

Right: Martin Harrison, Project Manager at Muller Martini Great Britain.

33

Digital Solutions

1 At Ultragraph the signatures are conveyed from the single-sheet flat pile feeder (right) to the processing folder (left) and then to the saddle stitcher.

2 Ultragraph stitches runs ranging from 20 to 100,000 copies using the new Presto II Digital.

1

3 The number of digitally printed products processed by Ultragraph is increasingly ­significantly.

2

er runs, especially after commissioning the HP Indigo three years ago.”

From 20 to 100,000 Copies The trained machine operator, whose ­father Raymond established the family business in 1973, was highly impressed by the digital-ready saddle stitcher when he tested the Presto II Digital in person at Muller Martini’s Print Finishing Center in the Swiss city of Zofingen. “I ran ten different jobs myself, and all were impeccable!”

A few months later, in October 2014, the Presto II Digital was installed in Burscough with a single-sheet flat pile feeder, a processing folder, six flat pile feeders, a cover feeder and a three-knife trimmer. Within the very first ten weeks it stitched 800,000 products, mainly for customers located in the North West of England, but also elsewhere in Great Britain. Those products range widely at Ultragraph, which employees 27 people in three shifts and also has a strong team of designers, from flyers to company, school and university prospectuses through to product catalogs and in34

3

house magazines. The run sizes are just as variable. They range from 20 digitally printed copies to as many as 100,000 copies printed using the offset method with a B2/10 color machine.

Asir 3 for Maximum Quality The print finishing process at Ultragraph is just as complex as its products and runs are

variable. Where possible, several digital short runs, which earlier were processed manually or outsourced, are produced back to back using the Presto II Digital. According to Jones, such runs can be processed very quickly thanks to the short job changeover times, the fact that the processing folder runs at high speed without production waste, and the high production Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Presto II Digital: High Level of Signature and Size Flexibility

speed of the saddle stitcher. The barcode scanner with the automatic signature image recognition Asir 3 scanning head ensures that the products are tipped onto the saddle stitcher chain with the correct make-up to ensure that the “quality is perfect” (as Jones puts it).

Room for Urgent Jobs In Between It is not uncommon, however, for a long production run to be interrupted because a customer has an urgent request. “Thanks to the quick and easy job changeovers, we can fit in an urgent job of, say, 100 copies in between and then return to the long production run without losing too much time.

It’s a great advantage, in particular that the three-knife trimmer can also be changed over quickly and easily.”

Digitally printed products are still clearly in the minority at Ultragraph in terms of volume. “However, the number of such jobs is definitely on the increase, and we’ve even been able to win some new customers since commissioning the new saddle stitcher. Print finishing is gaining in imporMuller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

tance in digital printing in particular, because our customers would like attractive products with added value. After all, that was the reason why we chose the Presto II Digital.” 

At Ultragraph, the paper is conveyed from the HP Indigo digital sheet-fed press via a single-sheet flat pile feeder from MBO to the Muller Martini processing folder, where it is scored and given a length fold. The barcode scanner with the automatic signature image recognition Asir 3 scanning head ensures that the products are delivered onto the chain of the saddle stitcher with the correct make-up.

The Presto II Digital produces at a maximum of 9,000 cycles per hour and processes up to 30,000 incoming signatures. With its modular design, it is the perfect hybrid solution for conventional offset printing and digital printing. That makes it the ideal saddle stitcher for graphic arts companies that plan to enter digital printing in the near future or are already printing digitally.

A company that currently still prints exclusively using the offset method can extend its existing saddle stitcher at any time in the future to include the digital option and use it either for digital sheetfed printing (along the lines of the Ultragraph solution using a flat pile feeder, (where necessary with the addition of a pocket fold unit) and a processing folder), for digital web printing (using an unwinding system, cross cutting and processing folder) or even for combined sheet-fed/web printing applications.

That is why the modular saddle stitchers from Muller Martini provide customers with a particularly high degree of investment protection.

Please scan the QR code above to see the complete Presto II Digital line, which is available for demos at Muller Martini’s Print Finishing Center in Zofingen (Switzerland), in operation via Muller Martini’s YouTube channel.

www.ultragraph.co.uk 35

Hunkeler Innovationdays in Lucerne

“These Are the Solutions We Need”

1

Presented as a world premiere, the Vareo was the center of attraction at Muller Martini's stand at the Hunkeler Innovationdays in Lucerne. A large number of visitors wanted to see the perfect ­binder, where each of the three clamps is equipped with its own servo motor and is driven individually for the first time, as well as the Presto II digital solution for gathering signatures live in action.

E Muller Martini displayed the Vareo, which offers maximum flexibility with a mechanical output of up to 1,350 cycles per hour and which we present in detail on pages 38/39, in Lucerne together with its partners Hunkeler, Heidelberg, ATS and ­Polar in a flexible machine configuration with which a complete brochure was pro­ duced on site. It consisted of digitally print­ ed content (web printing) and a cover, was bound using hotmelt and was given a final three-side trimming in a final step. In this configuration, the comprehensive monitor­ 36

ing of the content and cover by barcode was demonstrated. All modules involved used the same barcode system to ensure that the product had the right composition and is bound correctly.

Ideal for Short Runs “The Vareo is a brilliant machine,” said Gottfried Leuenberger, Head of Finishing at the printing and media company W. Gass­ mann AG in Biel (Switzerland). “Such solu­ tions are needed because the runs are be­ coming ever smaller. I particularly noticed

the outstanding quality of the end pro­ ducts.” Trond Erik Isaksen, founder and Managing Director of Livonia Print in Riga (Latvia), was also enthusiastic about the new Vareo: “The perfect machine for ­digital printing – ideal for short runs.”

For Samir Graba, Managing Director of Société Imprimerie Beta in Ariana (Tunisia), the Vareo is “the ideal à-la-carte solution because it is both predestined for smaller runs in digital printing, but also for the ­medium-run segment from offset printing.

I think the new technology of the Vareo is Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1 “A small, but clever machine”: the Vareo perfect binder presented in Lucerne as a world premier is predestined for smaller runs in digital printing, but also for the medium run segment from offset printing.

2 A large number of visitors wanted to see the new perfect binder and the saddle stitcher Presto II Digital live in action at Muller Martini's stand at the Hunkeler Innovationdays.

3 The Presto II Digital saddle stitcher is also perfect for gathering signatures.

very interesting – a small, but clever ma­ chine,” Beta, which has two Acoro A7 per­ fect binders and a 335 saddle stitcher from Muller Martini, still prints exclusively in off­ set. But it is important for Samir Graba “that we prepare for the future. That's why the Hunkeler Innovationdays were an ex­ cellent opportunity for me to inquire in what direction the market is going and what solutions are on offer.”

The Presto II Digital as a Gathering Machine In addition to the Vareo, Muller Martini dem­onstrated at its stand at the Hunkeler Innovationdays how the Presto II Digital saddle stitcher is also perfectly suitable for the gathering of signatures. It can be used for the production of both digital and offset printed products. The digitally printed sig­ natures were folded on the TH 56 steel fold­ er and gathered digitally on the Presto II ­Digital before the finished book block was finally perfect bound live on the Vareo.

“Because we are now also active in the digital area,” explains Gottfried Leuenber­ ger, “I am, of course, looking into this mat­ ter closely. Our Primera saddle stitcher is prepared for digital printing, for which rea­ son I had a close look during the trade fair at the inline finishing solution presented by Muller Martini in the Presto II Digital. Be­ cause there is no doubt for me that digital is the future.”

Although Livonia, which has nearly 20 Muller Martini systems (of which only one is older than five years), does not produce any short runs but minimal job sizes of 500 copies, it was nevertheless interesting for Trond Erik Isaksen “to see what is happen­ ing in the market for short runs. As there is no other significance trade fair in 2015, the Hunkeler Innovationdays were a golden opportunity for me to have a look what en­ hancements machine manufacturers were presenting since drupa 2012.”

“Shorter Runs Is the Clear Direction” ABC Press in Eppindust is also linked to Muller Martini as part of a long-standing partnership on the basis of three Ventura Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

2 ­ igital printing for a long time. “We special­ d ize in direct mailing,” says Director Prithvi­ raj M. Desai, “but we sometimes also pro­ duce books. At the Muller Martini stand, we saw impressively in what direction the technology in digital magazine and book production is going.” 

3

book sewing machines, two Acoro A5 per­ fect binders, a Diamant bookline and a 335 saddle stitcher. The South African com­ pany now wants to enter digital printing.

“Because we are seeing the same trend,” says Roger Gladwell, Computer-to-Plate Manager, “of a clear movement toward shorter runs and more repeat orders. That's why it was particularly interesting for us to see live in Lucerne what finishing solutions Muller Martini offers.”

Mail Ordner Solutions India PVT Ltd. in Mumbai (India) has been in the area of

www.mullermartini.com

Please scan the QR code above to see the Vareo and Presto II Digital Muller Martini systems presented at the Hunkeler Innovationdays in operation via Muller Martini’s YouTube channel.

37

Technology

Every Clamp of the New Vareo Perfect Binder Has Its Own Servo Motor The Vareo, which was unveiled by Muller Martini at Hunkeler Innovationdays in Lucerne, ­represents a technological revolution. The perfect binder, which is designed for processing digital and offset products, is the first of its kind to have its three clamps equipped with their own servo motor and be driven individually. Every processing step can be tailored to the product to ensure optimal quality and high productivity.

E Until now, there have been two types of drive for perfect binders, both based on a number of clamps on a chain being ­driven by a motor. With continuous drive, the motor is always running when the perfect binder is in operation, and all the clamps are in motion. The benefit is a level of high output, depending on the number of ­cycles. A perfect binder with discontinuous drive runs and stops intermittently. In ­other words, the clamps do not run all the time.

Advantage: the nipping time is set individually, enabling the binding quality to be ­influenced directly.

With unit drive technology for every clamp, Muller Martini’s new three-clamp Vareo perfect binder is the first to combine the benefits of both technologies. The asynchronous motions of the Vareo mean that every processing step can take place exactly when necessary to achieve the best possible quality of the end product, for example, optimal overtravel speeds or longer cover nipping times, while the overall performance remains the same.

The All-Rounder for Offset and Digital Printing With its excellent price-performance ratio, the Vareo all-rounder comes into its own not only in digital printing for ultra-short runs right down to one copy per job, but ­also for medium runs, regardless of whether the brochures are produced using offset or digital printing. That makes the Vareo, which provides maximum flexibility with a mechanical performance of up to 1,350 ­cycles per hour, the ideal perfect binder for bookbinders and printing plants that use conventional printing modes and are thinking of entering digital printing or are already engaged in digital printing.

38

Vareo's flexible equipment enables varied applications. Photo books, personalized catalogs and high-quality brochures can be produced cost-effectively thanks to short setup times (e.g. in less than one minute from A4 to A5), which are indispensable for ultra-short and one-copy runs, and short production times. That enables producing high-quality books extremely quickly, with the very first copy being sellable.

Modular Design for High Investment Protection The Vareo has a modular design, which means that the machine can be easily extended and adapted to meet future production requirements, thereby providing a high degree of investment protection. It can be turned into a complete perfect binding line, for example by adding a customer-specific cooling section, a three-knife trimmer or automatic book block feed. That enables connecting the Vareo with digital printing presses. The finished signature stacks or loose-leaf stacks are then transferred dir­ ectly to the clamps of the perfect binder.

The setup wizard leads the machine operator step by step through the process of setting up a new job on the central touchscreen. The control system provides assist­ ance when making fine adjustments by displaying the desired changes straight on the screen as a preview animation. That enables the operator to check whether the intended effect will be achieved, even before a new book is actually bound. These fine adjustments can be saved for repeat jobs and accessed again.

A particular benefit of the Vareo is the optional book thickness measuring system. This enables efficient one-off-book production, without any production waste.

A size calibration station is available to ensure even shorter setup times and avoidance of operating errors. It allows measuring book block sizes, cover sizes and scoring positions. The input data are automatically transferred to the control system.

Effective Spine Preparation The high-performance milling tool combines milling, roughening, notching and brushing and can process book thicknesses of up to 60 millimeters. The milling depth is entered automatically on the touch screen. Digitally printed loose-leaf stacks are also conveyed reliably and stably. The milling station can be lowered for threadsewn or thread-sealed products as stand­ ard. A separate saw dust extraction system tailored to the ambient requirements of digital printing presses is available specifically for digital printing plants.

Hotmelt with PUR The Vareo can be used both for hotmelt (drum roller) and PUR production (drum roller or nozzle). The fully integrated PUR nozzle application system is controlled centrally from the touchscreen. The pa­r­ameters relevant to the glue film are entered during the setup process and the necess­ary glue quantity is automatically calcul­ated and delivered in the volume needed.

The glue application monitoring system, which consists of a laser and photo sensor, enables monitoring both the glue film thickness and complete glue application over the whole width and length of the book spine. The measured layer thicknesses are either displayed as a two-dimensional cross section or as a three-dimensional profile on the touchscreen.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1

Highlights of the Vareo at a Glance

The glue application systems are installed in the machine as standard. There is also, however, the option of mounting the systems to a trolley so that they can be exchanged easily. The trolley system can be added later for all application systems.

2 1 Visitors to Hunkeler Innovationdays in Lucerne had the unique opportunity to see the Vareo live in action at its world premiere at the Muller Martini booth.

2 Every single clamp of the Vareo has a servo motor. That enables products of differing thickness to spend longer in the pressing station without the production flow being impaired.

Bar Code Recognition Prevents Production Waste The Vareo can be equipped with an integrated barcode recognition system to ensure that the content and cover match. The cover barcode is checked before scoring, which means that a misfed cover can be reused, instead of becoming production waste. For hardcover print finishing, an integrated ink-jet printer can print an add­ itional barcode on the bound book block, which can be checked during the subse quent casing-in.

E Unit drive at every clamp for optimal motion E Modular design with numerous ­extension options E Use of hotmelt and PUR E Glue application monitoring for PUR nozzle E Integrated station to measure size and book thickness E Automatic book block feeding E Barcode matching of content and cover E Crash station

www.mullermartini.com Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

39

Softcover Production

Jobs of 20 Copies Call For Short Make-Ready Times

1

Since increasing numbers of customers began asking ­Finishline Print Finishers Ltd. to perform softcover jobs, the family business in Hollinwood near the English city of ­Manchester has replaced its small manual perfect binder with a fully automated Pantera line featuring the new Granit three-knife trimmer from Muller Martini.

40

E Finishline has offered its customers, most of whom are printing plants from England’s North West, the Midlands or the county of Yorkshire, perfect binding ser­ vices for two years now. As it only performed a modest volume of such jobs, however, the family business established in 1998 by Will Kilpatrick simply used a small manual perfect binder until last summer.

“That was okay for short runs, but it wasn’t well suited to jobs with a large number of copies,” says the company owner and Managing ­Director.

Its production focus at that time remained squarely on saddle stitching, for which Finishline has used a 321 saddle stitcher since the end of the 1990s (described by Kilpatrick as “a fantastic ma-

chine that still runs impeccably thanks to the use of original spare parts”) and a ­Bravo S from Muller Martini since 2005.

A Natural Choice for a Former ­ pprentice with Experience A of Muller Martini Systems However, having experienced growing customer demand for softcover products, the Managing Director invested last year in a fully automated Pantera perfect binding line featuring a 12-station 3692 gathering machine, a Granit three-knife trimmer (see box) and a Uno book stacker.

In addition to his positive experiences since establishing the company (“as it happens I also worked earlier with Muller ­Martini machines as an apprentice”), there Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1 Will Kilpatrick (left), founder and Managing Director of Finishline: “The good price-performance relationship, the large size range, the high production speed, the PUR binding and the short make-ready times spoke in favor of

the Pantera.” Center: Nick Keppie, Works ­Manager. Right: Martin Harrison, Project Manager at Muller Martini Great Britain.

2/3 Like for perfect binding, Finishline uses systems from Muller Martini for saddle stitching, namely a 321 saddle stitcher (left) and a Bravo S.

were five key reasons why Kilpatrick opted for the solution from Muller Martini: “the good price-performance relationship of the Pantera, its large size range, its high production speed, PUR binding and, of course, its short make-ready times.”

More and More Short-Run Jobs Although Finishline, which employs 37 people in two shifts, now produces softcover jobs of up to a million copies (books as well as catalogs and magazines) thanks to its new perfect binding line, its number of short-run jobs is also on the rise. “That’s, of course, due to the ever increasing import­ance of digital printing,” says Kilpatrick. “And naturally we process signatures from both printing modes with the Pantera (as we also do with the Bravo S).”

More and more customers order 20 x 5,000 copies instead of 100,000 copies in order to cut storage costs, or a customer may simply require 20 softcover brochures.

The Pantera, which was commissioned in August 2014, comes into its own in such cases thanks to its short job changeover times.

2

Investment in People and Machines Finishline’s success (“I’m confident that we’ll continue to grow in the future”) is not only down to the technical features of the machines used, says Kilpatrick. In addition to quick connection to the Muller Martini factory with MMRemote in the event of problems, the company’s high productivity is ­also in large part down to its excellently qualified and highly motivated staff. The Managing Director explains that he pays them a significantly higher salary than the industry average in the UK. “To get good print products, you need to invest not only in machines, but also in people.” According to Kilpatrick, who

3

thinks nothing of stepping in himself if there is a lack of machine operators, a further reason was that “our machine oper­ ators can work both at the Pantera and at the Bravo S thanks to the similar operating  concept”.

www.finishlineprintfinishers.co.uk

Granit Three-Knife Trimmer SmartPress Technology Ensures High Trim Quality Finishline became the first English bookbindery to invest in the Granit from Muller Martini. The new three-knife trimmer, which is fully automated and has versatile uses in softcover and hardcover lines, impresses with consistent, first-class trim quality thanks to SmartPress technology.

The Granit uses Muller Martini’s patented SmartPress technology, which has proven its worth in the upper performance range, to provide optimal, consistently high trim quality. It ensures a gentle and controlled pressing procedure in which all air between the sheets of ­paper completely escapes, even if the product is bulky.

The new three-knife trimmer can take full advantage of seamless automation in a

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

networked perfect binding line. The oper­ ator can perform the necessary fine-tuning directly on the central screen of the perfect binder during production. In addition, the trimming cassette and pressing pad can be exchanged in just a few steps, which contributes significantly to the short job changeover times of just three minutes.

The Granit also provides top-class trim quality in hardcover lines. The SmartPress technology meets all the requirements in this area too. In order to achieve short setup times, the three-knife trimmer is easily connected to the commander of the casing-in machine, which enables size data to be transferred quickly.

The new Granit three-knife trimmer, which Uno uses upstream of a Uno book stacker (left) impresses with consistent, first-class trim quality thanks to innovative SmartPress technology.

41

Softcover Production

“The Convincing Demo Was a Convincing Argument for Our Decision to Invest”

1

2

Medienhaus Plump, which is located in Rheinbreitbach in the German state of RhinelandPalatinate, specializes in reference books and produces runs ranging from 500 to 20,000 copies.

The Muller Martini Pantera perfect binder, which boasts both flexibility thanks to its short job changeover times and a high performance of 4,000 cycles per hour, comes into its own for both relatively short and long runs.

E In addition to customer magazines, other magazines, annual reports and teaching materials, which are either saddle stitched or perfect bound, Medienhaus Plump specializes in softcover reference books, for example in law, medicine or ­other academic fields.

Since these reference works in German, French and English are mainly printed in short runs owing to their small target readership, highly efficient print finishing is ­required.

“We change over our perfect binder several times a day,” says Hans-Jürgen Plump, who established the company in 1974 in the neighbouring Bad Honnef, subsequently relocated to Rheinbreitbach five years 42

later and runs the company together with his son Bernd.

500 to 20,000 Copies At Medienhaus Plump short runs mean around 500 copies per title. “Such short runs have increased in the past few years,” says Bernd Plump. However, the company also processes reference books, magazines and brochures with runs of up to 20,000 copies and an average batch size of between 2,000 and 6,000 copies. Medienhaus Plump, which produces for customers throughout Germany, therefore places high demands on the new perfect binder: it needs to be flexible for short runs and high-performing for longer runs.

Successful Tests The family business, which employs 65 employees, partly in three shifts, used a perfect binder from another manufacturer for a decade. “Since it was showing signs of age, we decided to invest in a machine to replace it,” says Hans-Jürgen Plump.

According to the company head, the company opted for a solution from Muller ­Martini for two main reasons: “First, we had had very good experiences with our first Muller Martini machine, a Presto E90 saddle stitcher that was commissioned in 2008, regarding reliability, productivity and servicing. Second, we were impressed by the tests involving our own products that were performed at Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1 From left: Managing Directors Hans-Jürgen Plump and Bernd Plump, Machine Operator ­Eugen Lugov and Thomas Irsigler (Area Sales Manager at Muller Martini Germany) in front of the new Pantera perfect binder at Medienhaus Plump in Rheinbreitbach.

2 The new Pantera perfect binder at Plump began operation just 19 days after being ­delivered 3 Plump used the Esprit three-knife trimmer downstream of its old perfect binder.

4 Medienhaus Plump first invested in a Muller Martini system in 2008 – a Presto E90 saddle stitcher.

3

Muller Martini’s Book Academy. That ­demo convinced us and clinched our decision to invest. In addition, Muller Martini promised us that the installation would be quick and kept that promise. The new perfect binder was delivered on January 7, and we began production on January 26.”

Esprit and a (Currently Stand-Alone) Gathering Machine The new Pantera is paired with a Muller Martini Esprit three-knife trimmer, which was used downstream of the old perfect binder from 2009 onwards. “We’ve had excellent experiences with the three-knife trimmer too,” says Bernd Plump. The gathering machine, which features 20 stations, is still being used as a stand-alone ­machine.

“However, we’re intending to invest in an inline gathering machine this summer.”

The aim is to further increase productivity, which has already risen markedly compared to the old solution. That improvement has gone hand in hand with higher quality of the bound books. Plump regularly operates the Pantera at its maximum speed of 4,000 cycles per hour for products with relatively long runs. “Our advantage is that publishing houses are very loyal cusMuller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

4

tomers,” says Hans-Jürgen Plump. “However, they increasingly require shorter lead times. That’s why we’re reliant on highperformance and reliable print finishing systems.”

EAN Codes as Added Value All signatures processed with the Pantera and Presto E90 are printed using the offset method at Medienhaus Plump, which is ­also strong in the loose-leaf segment. However, besides four sheet-fed offset machines, the innovative company also boasts a digital printing system.

Plump uses it to produce covers with digital imprints such as EAN barcodes, which are used for reference books in par-

ticular. “That enhances the books because readers can download straight from the Internet thanks to the codes,” says Bernd Plump. 

www.plump.de www.mhp-print.de 43

Softcover Production

When the Alegro Has 20 Job Changeovers a Day . . .

There are days when an average softcover production run at Bloco Gráfico in Portugal’s second-largest city of Porto lasts barely 45 minutes. The short job changeover times of Muller Martini’s new Alegro perfect binder ensure that little time is lost between jobs.

zle, which results in significantly greater durability of textbooks and other books in the company’s warm African export destin­ ations, in particular. “However, the Solit three-knife trimmer also contributes greatly to the high quality,” stresses Viana.

“Stops are very rare, and it has an ­impressively high ejection speed.”

Optimistic About the Future Viana is just as optimistic about the future as he is delighted with his latest invest-

E Since Bloco Gráfico commissioned a Muller Martini Alegro perfect binder to replace a Trendbinder from the same manufacturer a year ago, its figures in softcover production have improved dramatically, with the company recording an overall volume increase by 23 percent and a rise in net production per hour by 30 percent.

The total volume has increased since Bloco Gráfico can now bind all products itself, rather than having to outsource production. That enables the company to keep the entire value chain in house and also increase the efficiency of its logistics. The net production increased so markedly because “with the new perfect binder, our setup times are far shorter than with the predecessor model” explains Production Manager Eduardo Viana.

90 Percent Softcover An optimal production flow in perfect binding is of particular importance at Bloco Gráfico, which was established in 1944 and employs 100 people in production, since over 90 percent of the products printed using ten sheet-fed offset printing presses are softcover products. Four-fifths of those are school textbooks for Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde and East Timor, while novels, art books, catalogs and (business) brochures account for the remaining 20 percent.

Bloco Gráfico produces all those products exclusively for eight different publishing companies from its own company group, which employs a total of 1,200 people. “That doesn’t make any difference to us,” says Viana. “Our internal customers have just the same requirements as external customers. And, in addition, the same 44

business criteria apply to us as to a contract bookbindery in the free market.”

Frequent Changeovers That applies, for example, to net production. Since the Trendbinder was still running reliably, but had significantly longer make-ready times, the long-standing Muller Martini partner opted for a new Alegro with an 18-station 3694 gathering machine, a book block feeder, a Solit threeknife trimmer and a Frontero front trimmer for the efficient processing of brochures with flaps in a single pass and a CB 18 book stacker.

“The print runs of the school textbooks are between 1,000 and 20,000 copies per ­title, with the average being 5,000 copies.

The figures are on the decline owing to lower pupil numbers and more reprints,” says Viana. “The run sizes are lower for novels – between 1,000 and 3,000 – and are also on the decrease. You can imagine how often we need to change over the perfect binder.”

PUR Now Used Almost Exclusively Bloco Gráfico produces 20 different titles in Porto on a peak day. That means an aver­ age production time of just under 45 minutes per job. “That’s an impressive per­ form­ance,” says Viana enthusiastically. He describes the Alegro as the “most advanced perfect binder in the market”. The Production Manager is thrilled not only with the short job changeover times, but ­also with the consistently high production speed and the excellent quality of the end products.

Ninety-five percent of those are now bound using the Alegro with the PUR technique by means of a VPN book spine noz-

2 ment. “Of course the economic situation in Portugal is difficult, but we have a long trad­ition in the school textbook market.

Des­pite decreasing pupil numbers that market is relatively stable, and our export business is very strong. I’m also convinced that school textbooks will hold their ground against electronic devices since children tend to be more focused when using printed media.” 

www.blocografico.pt Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1

4

1 The whole perfect binding team at Bloco Gráfico is proud of the new Alegro. Third from right: Production Manager Eduardo Viana.

Far right: Miguel Bos, Managing Director of Muller Martini Ibérica.

3 Bloco Gráfico relies on a Muller Martini ­Bravo T for saddle stitching . . .

4 . . . and on two Muller Martini Ventura ­machines for thread sewing.

2 Using the new Alegro, Bloco Gráfico ­ roduces 23 percent more softcover products p than before with a 30-percent increase in net output.

3

Increase Quality and Cut Costs with AMS Just under a year after commissioning the Alegro, Bloco Gráfico, which has relied on a Muller Martini Bravo T for saddle stitching since 2001 and on two Muller Martini Ventura machines for thread sewing since 2007, will equip the perfect binder with Muller Martini’s new adhesive monitoring system. AMS minimizes glue consumption and production waste in perfect binding.

That allows Bloco Gráfico to cut costs, without having to make any quality concessions.

AMS uses a laser near the gluing unit to monitor glue application continuously, even for differing glue patterns, by means of heat measurement (see “Panorama” 2/14). That enables the quantity of glue applied to be identified and adjusted during the production of softcover books. AMS ­also reliably detects any gluing errors such as accumulations, gaps or dirt in the adhesive-free zone, allowing the machine operator to react to errors individually.

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

AMS transfers the data to a monitor, where the glue profile is displayed using a color-coded diagram. Fine-tuning to optimize the glue quantity can be performed right there on the monitor. The detailed dia­ gram displays everything that needs to be viewed during production and is easy for the operator to understand. “The new control system provides us with 100% reli­ ability,” says the Bloco Gráfico Production Manager.

AMS can be used in Muller Martini’s Bol­ero and Corona perfect binders, as well as most Alegro assemblies. It can also be retrofitted on existing perfect binding lines depending on the machine configuration.

The AMS monitoring system can be used for gluing using a glue pot or for VPN book spine nozzles depending on the configuration – with either PUR or hotmelt gluing.

The AMS system displays the glue thickness in a clear diagram on the screen and allows the glue quantity to be fine-tuned manually.

45

Softcover Production

“The Alegro Perfectly Matches Our Softcover Product Range” With the PUR option having become essential due to increasing customer requirements and shorter make-ready times being necessary to increase productivity, Printer, which is located in Rio de Mouro near the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, has replaced a Muller Martini Trendbinder with a new Alegro perfect binder.

E The Trendbinder served Printer reliably for more than two decades. “However, our perfect binder was beginning to show signs of age,” says Managing Director Carlos Neves. “In addition, there was increasing customer demand for PUR-bound products.”

In the softcover field, Printer does a good trade in black-and-white books, a segment which is growing in Portugal according to Neves because “books con­tinue to be popular gift items”. However, Printer, which was established in 1972, ­also prints and binds high-quality B2B catalogs and magazines. “PUR is naturally ­essential for that,” stresses Neves.

Very Short Lead Time The company, which belonged to the Bertelsmann Group until 2012 and is now owned by an Angolan group that is active in the graphic arts industry, invested in a new Alegro perfect binder with a 12-station 3694 gathering machine, an endsheet feeder, a book block feeder, a Solit threeknife trimmer and a CB 18 book stacker to replace the Trendbinder. The line is topped off by a splitting saw and an Easy Fly front trimmer (for the production of brochures with flaps), both of which the company ­also used together with the Trendbinder previously.

Neves explains that, besides the PUR option, the very quick job changeover times and the high production speed, there were three other factors that prompted Printer to opt for a Muller Martini solution again. “First, Muller Martini Ibérica provided us with valuable help in the search for a buyer for the Trendbinder. Second, the installation of the Alegro was very quick – the lead time between ordering the machine and it being delivered was just under three 46

months. And, third, the fact that the equipment is connected online with the Muller Martini factory by means of MMRemote has many benefits, not only during ­commissioning, but also our day-to-day operations.”

“Optimal for Our Product Range” Neves is delighted not only with the support from Muller Martini, but also with how the new perfect binder has performed during its first months in operation. “Thanks to the training week at Muller Martini’s book academy, to which we sent five machine operators, we’ve quickly achieved a high output with the new line despite the generation leap. And it’s become increasingly clear that the Alegro matches our product range perfectly.”

The company’s average run size for books is 8,500 copies (with runs ranging from 1,500 to 90,000 copies), necessi­tating frequent job changeovers. Its magazine

1

2 Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

1 Carlos Neves (left), Managing Director of Printer: “Books continue to be popular gift items.” Right: Miguel Bos, Managing Director of Muller Martini Ibérica.

2 The lead time between ordering the machine and it being delivered to Printer was just under three months.

3 Printer relies on a system from Muller Martini, namely the Diamant bookline, for hardcover production too.

runs are somewhat shorter (with an average run size of 5,000 copies and a range of 2,000 to 10,000 copies).

Coming Soon: Weekly Magazines While production figures for traditional books have been increasing again for a while and are stable for magazines, they are falling for school textbooks, says Neves.

However, the reason is not that e-readers are being used instead of print products. Instead, the Managing Director of Printer attributes it to two other factors: “There are fewer and fewer children, and in addition schools are using the same textbooks for more than one year.”

Printer prints and finishes solely for outside customers. The company exports exactly 37.4 percent of its products. While the majority are exported to European countries, Printer also exports to Brazil and ­Mexico in South America. Printer, which is now optimally positioned with a web printing press, four sheet-fed offset printing presses and the new Alegro, is planning to enter the weekly magazine segment in the near ­future.

In addition to softcover books, Printer ­also produces hardcover books. The successful company, which employs 160 people, has relied on systems from Muller Martini, i.e. a Diamant bookline and a Collibri backgluing machine, in that business segment too since 2007. 

3 Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

www.printer.pt 47

Interview with Martin Brüning (REWE Group)

“We Found a Niche in the Women’s Magazine Segment” Laviva, which boasts a readership of over one million and is the most successful German retailed women’s magazine, is published not by a publishing house, but by the trading and tourism group REWE. Panorama spoke with Martin Brüning, Head of Corporate Communications at the REWE Group and Co-Managing Director of the REWE Publishing House, about the secret to success of the magazine, which was launched six years ago, and the role of print in triggering purchases.

48

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

E “Panorama”: What were the REWE Group’s key reasons for launching the monthly women’s lifestyle magazine in 2009?

Martin Brüning: For the REWE Group, Laviva is a unique way to build customer loyalty. It allows us to address our female customers directly. Our readers benefit in two ways, both from product coupons with a value of over EUR 60 per issue and from the magazine’s service, information and entertainment value. With a price per copy of EUR 1 it’s unique on the German press market.

How has the concept of the magazine changed in the past six years?

Our concept has two main pillars: highquality editorial content and valuable coupons. That concept has proven itself, so we haven’t changed it since the first edition. Of course, we continue to adjust it, but the key concept has remained the same.

How have sales figures changed from 2009 to today?

Since the launch of Laviva, the magazine has consistently sold over 300,000 copies, with slight growth of between 2 and 5 percent a year. That makes us the top German retailed women’s magazine. According to the latest surveys of the Allensbach Media Market Analysis (AWA), our readership exceeded one million for the first time in 2014. That means each Laviva edition is read by more than three people.

Do you sell more copies in your stores or as subscriptions?

Laviva is a pure retail magazine that’s available on the magazine shelves or at the cash points of REWE, PENNY and the toom hardware store. We offered the option of subscribing to Laviva for a short time as an experiment, but decided not to continue with it. We have a high number of regular readers, but also a lot of impulse buyers in our stores.

Do you regard Laviva as a separate ­profit center or is it part of your marketing/ advertising budget?

Laviva is a separate profit center that makes money for the REWE Group. Our magazine Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

is profitable thanks to retail revenue, but above all due to advertising, which contributes 30 percent to the success of the magazine Besides. REWE and its subsidiaries, our suppliers also regularly take out advertisements, which they pay for. However, we’re also open to other advertising customers, with the exception of our competi­ tors of course. The fact that our circulation is certified by the German Audit Bureau of Circulations (IVW) forms an important ­basis for our advertising business.

How does Laviva differ from a tradition­ al customer magazine?

Laviva is a genuine women’s lifestyle maga­zines that avoids self-advertising and product placements. Unlike customer magazines, Laviva is not distributed free as part of the marketing budget and is a separate profit center, as I mentioned earlier.

And how does Laviva stand out from other women’s lifestyle magazines?

In addition to high-quality editorial content, we also provide our readers with unique added value thanks to the coupons. With a price per copy of EUR 1, Laviva offers unbeatable value for money on the German magazine market.

So do you see Laviva as a conventional magazine rather than as the magalog of a company?

There’s no doubt that Laviva is a genuine women’s magazine that’s also perceived as such by our readers.

Does the editorial team of Laviva consist of REWE staff or do you rely on external support for the content?

It would have taken us years to develop the necessary know-how to create a magazine, so we made a deliberate choice to have Laviva produced by an independent editor­ ial team at Gruner + Jahr Corporate Editors GmbH, which specializes in magazine content and advertising. Of course there are regular meetings between REWE staff and the editorial team in which we discuss key topics (including seasonal ones), since we operate like any other retail magazine, especially as we rely on retail trade. In order to appeal to women, our target group, we

The success of Laviva is based on three components: high-quality editorial content, attractive coupons and an unbeatable price per copy.

need exciting articles on fashion, ­beauty, food, entertainment and travel, as well as the odd celebrity interview of course.

With a paid circulation of over 300,000 copies and more than a million readers, Laviva is among the top women’s maga­ zines in Germany. How did you manage to establish your title in such a short time on the fiercely competitive ­women’s magazine market?

We were in the right place at the right time and found a niche in the women’s magazine segment that didn’t exist before. Our success is based on three components:

“Laviva is a genuine women’s magazine that’s also perceived as such by our readers.”

49

Interview with Martin Brüning (REWE Group)

Print products that are distributed directly to mailboxes or inserted in newspapers remain very important for the REWE Group.

high-quality editorial content, attractive coupons and an unbeatable price per copy.

As a result, we’ve established a large readership, and this concept is still one of a kind in Germany.

How can readers tell that REWE is the publisher of the magazine?

The name of the publisher, REWE Verlag GmbH, appears very discreetly in the imprint. That lends us credibility, and means that Laviva is perceived on the market as a conventional women’s magazine.

How obviously or how discreetly does REWE feature in the editorial content or advertising in Laviva?

Primarily in the form of coupons. The REWE brand rarely features in the editorial section, and if it does then at most in relation to product testing. The placement of product information would run counter to our ethos as a retail magazine – we set the bar high. REWE and PENNY are treated in Laviva like all other advertising customers and have to pay for their advertisements.

“The placement of product information would run counter to our ethos as a retail magazine.”

50

Each edition of Laviva contains around 20 perforated coupons providing your readers with discounts on REWE ownbrand products as well as products of other brands. How many of those are ­redeemed?

Around 200,000 coupons are redeemed per edition, which we’re very happy with.

Couponing is a central element of our maga­zine, but it shouldn’t be forgotten that

it isn’t anywhere near as widespread in ­Europe as in the USA. REWE is an international company. Can the Laviva concept also be carried over to other countries?

In Austria, the magazine “Maxima”, which is published by our subsidiary BILLA, has been successful on the market for many years. Essentially the Laviva concept can be transferred to other countries. The editorial content would need to be adapted, rather than the concept. Currently, how­ ever, we aren’t pursuing any such projects in other countries. “All retail is local”, so it isn’t possible to simply carry over something that works in Germany to Italy or ­Romania.

Laviva, the top German retailed ­women’s magazine, is produced not by a publishing house, but by a trading and tourism group. Do you see that as a trend?

There’s definitely a move towards “owned media”. First, as a company we need to offer more than just products and services in our stores. Second, readers are less and less concerned with the identity of the publisher. That trend is far more marked online and in television than in print. Think, for ­example, of Red Bull’s television channel Servus TV. How important are print media and/or print advertising to your company in the age of electronic media?

For the REWE Group, print products play an important role in triggering purchases, in terms of both its magazines and its advertising. We regularly study the behavior of our customers and have observed that print products distributed directly to mailboxes or inserted in newspapers form an important basis for consumers to make price comparisons between the various suppliers. And we also make money in our stores with print media.

Has the importance of print advertising changed in the past few years and what are your expectations for the future?

For a trading company like ZEWE, news­ papers and conventional flyers continue to be indispensable as an advertising mediMuller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

Does the publication of your own maga­ zine have an impact on other forms of REWE print advertising such as news­ paper supplements or conventional newspaper advertising?

By no means. As I mentioned earlier, ­Laviva is a stand-alone, unique means of building customer loyalty without impacting on ­other forms of REWE print advertising.

“For a trading company like ZEWE, newspapers and conventional flyers continue to be indispensable as an advertising medium.”

um, and play an important part in our media mix. Both forms of media lend our ­offers extensive national coverage and consistently high credibility. I’m convinced, however, that in the medium term more and more content will shift from print to mobile end devices. That’s why we’re looking carefully at the potential for development of all media and will make adjustments if we observe significant changes.

REWE sells products both in brick-andmortar stores and online. Is Laviva aimed at both retail channels, or is the magazine designed primarily to get readers to visit your stores?

Laviva is currently sold chiefly in brick-andmortar stores and the coupons can only be redeemed in our stores, and not online.

However, we’re currently preparing to ­include Laviva in our online range.

Accordingly to studies, printed advertis­ ing attracts more attention and is per­ ceived as more credible than e-mail newsletters or other forms of online ad­ vertising. What do you believe are the advantages for your company of print advertising in comparison to advertising in new media?

The world isn’t changing as fast as some perhaps might wish. Television and print are still the most important, credible core

media for us as a traditional retailer. However, we need to engage increasingly with other media too. That includes testing, for example, the potential of viral campaigns online, such as with our YouTube channel.

The variety and competition of the various channels fascinates the advertising industry, but for us another question is far more important: how does the content of our brand reach customers and through which touch points? 

www.rewe-group.com

About REWE REWE (Auditing Association of Western Purchasing Cooperatives), which was founded in 1927 by 17 purchasing cooperations, is one of the leading trading and tourism groups in Europe with annual turnover of over EUR 50 billion. REWE, which is present in 12 countries, employs some 330,000 people, 226,000 of whom work in 10,000 stores in Germany.

In food retail, the REWE Group operates stores selling fresh produce and fast-moving consumer goods (REWE, REWE CITY, BILLA), large-scale consumer stores with an extensive range (REWE CENTER, MERKUR) and low-cost discount stores (PENNY, PENNY Market). It also runs or-

Muller Martini Panorama Spring 2015

ganic stores (TEMMA), innovative conveni­ ence stores (REWE to go) and engages in e-commerce activities (REWE home ­delivery service).

In Germany, the REWE Group also operates service-oriented hardware stores (toom) and hardware stores for price-sensitive DIY-ers (B1 Discount). The Group does business in Austria with its BIPA drugstores.

The REWE Group added a second core business segment in 1988: DER Touristik, which currently employs some 6,500 people. With 2,100 sales points, DER Touristik is the market leader in Germany in brickand-mortar travel agency sales, and the

number two based on consolidated turnover. Some six million holidaymakers ­travel each year with DER Touristik.

The REWE Group has published its own women’s magazine, Laviva, since 2009.

The softcover monthly magazine, which has a circulation of over 300,000 copies, is printed at ProBind in Gütersloh and perfect bound using a Corona from Muller Martini.

The discount chain PENNY publishes the customer magazine “mittendrin”, with a circulation of over a million copies, on a quarterly basis.

51

Fit for future markets.

MMServices

– Muller Martini Services at a Glance MMStartup

 



Project management – Comprehensive consultation for all needs Installation and commissioning – For a high level of process reliability right from the start Machine relocations – Organization of the complete relocation

MMInspect  Inspection – Comprehensive analysis and extensive function testing  Maintenance – Regular, proactive maintenance pays off in the medium and long term

MMImprove  Training – Professional training at your site or at the Muller Martini site  Production support – Consultation on efficiency-enhancing programs

MMParts  Spare parts – High availability at your local service center and quick access to all Muller Martini spare parts in the plants  Repair service – Professional repairs performed by service specialists

MMSupport  Telephone support – 24/7 service hotline and receipt of spare parts orders  Remote services – Efficient online management of faults for fast troubleshooting to reduce downtime costs

MMUptodate  Updates – Long-lasting efficiency and productivity at the highest level  Retrofits and extensions – To keep you competitive in rapidly changing markets

MMSelect  Customized service contracts – Efficient life cycle management to ensure the high reliability and uptime of your equipment

www.mullermartini.com | Phone +41 (0)62 745 45 75