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The foundations for what may eventually become one of the largest
digital print operations in Europe were laid last year, following a $5m
investment by New Era Publications International, which has been based
in Copenhagen since 1969. The company is unique in that it publishes
the works of one single author - L Ron Hubbard (1911 - 1986) - who has
just been awarded two Guinness World Records for Most Translated Author
(71 languages) and Most Published Author (1,084 works).
Along with a move to purpose built 1,200 sq/metre premises in
Copenhagen and an increase in staff from eight to 35, New Era
Publications has installed a Xerox Docuprint 1050, a Xerox iGen3 and an
HP Indigo 5000.
To handle the finishing requirements of the new digital output
facilities the company has invested in a wide range of equipment,
including UV coating, foil stamping and binding as well as a Mini
Digital TP 36 laminator from UK manufacturer Autobond. The huge
expansion, which has enabled the company to bring in-house all short to
medium print runs, is the culmination of three years of intensive
research into all aspects of book production.
‘We produce paperbacks, hardbacks and home study packs for
the Church of Scientology in around 70 different languages,’
said production manager Richard Lewis. ‘Print runs vary from
a few hundred to tens of thousands, with paginations up to 1000, and
this work was previously produced either at our sheet fed litho plant
in Copenhagen or by outside printers. The significant advances that
have been achieved in digital printing technology made this a viable
option for the type of work we require and so we began a long period of
research, literally across the world, for the best machines to fit our
needs.’
That research covered prepress, printing, finishing and mailing
options. The paperback covers and hard cover dust jackets produced by
New Era Publications normally incorporate extensive foiling,
varnishing, embossing and laminating and so a significant proportion of
the recent spend has been used for the bindery department. Laminating
digitally printed work generally presents adhesion problems unless the
laminator can generate sufficient pressure and heat to overcome the
tendency of the toner-based inks to repel the film.
‘We've only been using the new Autobond Mini Digital for a
short while but it has performed extremely well, providing high quality
double-sided lamination regardless of what digital press was used. The
Mini Digital is also very fast and even during the short time we have
used the laminator we have had it running at its top mechanical
speed.’
With an output capacity of 30 metres a minute, the Mini Digital can
laminate 4,500 SRA3 sheets an hour. The design allows quick changeover
between jobs, making the laminator suitable for short and long run
work. The easy to use Mini Digital has a footprint of only 2.2 x 1.1
metres, yet can laminate stock up to 360 x 590mm and can handle matt or
gloss polypropylene and acetate thermal film ranging from 90 to 650gsm.
The built-in remote diagnostics facility means that Autobond engineers
can provide immediate support to customers anywhere in the world.
‘The Autobond Mini Digital is robustly constructed and has
proved to be reliable, laminating whatever we have put through it. We
were impressed by the effort Autobond has made to source the best
components for its machines from around the world. In addition, the
operator manual provided by Autobond is the best instruction book we
have received for any of the equipment we have purchased for the new
factory,’ said Lewis.
New Era Publications is to maintain sheet fed litho facilities, mainly
to print stock that it not suitable for putting through digital
presses. However, there are plans to expand further the digital side of
the business and by 2010 the company expects to have four HP Indigo
5000s, three Xerox Docuprint 1050s and three Xerox iGen3s.
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