Business conditions are not easy right now with ongoing COVID lockdowns, but Emmanuel Buhagiar of Sydney’s Imagination Graphics is using the time to iron out finishing bottlenecks so his business will be ready to fly once this period is over.
To help ease finishing slowdowns, Buhagiar has now installed a new Horizon BQ-270V PUR binder through Currie Group and a NeoCut-0806 digital cutter from Smartech, formerly Neopost.
Since Imagination Graphics installed a AccurioJet KM-1 digital inkjet from Konica Minolta in 2019, the business has experienced an uplift in book printing and other work that required the finishing part of the business to be expanded.
The Horizon is the first piece of equipment Buhagiar has bought through Currie Group, and he said he was very happy with the service offering, particularly as Currie Group allowed him to use a loan Horizon machine until his new one arrived.
“That is the first piece of equipment I have bought through Currie Group, but the experience has been very good as they allowed me to use a spare binder until mine arrived which has been great,” Buhagiar told Sprinter.
“Since I got the KM-1 we have been producing a lot more books. The KM-1 is doing its job very well for us. Having that machine has allowed us to attract more and more work and different types of work and books seem to be the go.”
The Horizon BQ-270V PUR binder can handle a maximum book block size of 320mm x 320mm with book thicknesses of between 1 to 50mm.
The new cutter from Smartech has brought new levels of automation to Imagination Graphics.
The NeoCut-0806 includes a conveyor belt system for loading jobs and this was one of the key attractions for Buhagiar.
“I saw the cutter at a demonstration they had about a year ago and I was very impressed with the machine. With our old machine we had to hand feed it and take the work off by hand but this new one has a conveyor belt with it,” Buhagiar said.
“So, the boys can line it up, put in 100 sheets and walk away. It is terrific as it is bit more automated for us. It is an A2 size which is a great size for us. We will use it for top slitting labels, shelf talkers and die-cut boxes.”
The NeoCut-0806 cuts, kiss cuts, scores and perforates a range of substrates including paper, laminates, adhesives and synthetic stocks up to 800 x 600mm in seize and up to 600 gsm.
In other installations, Imagination Graphics has also invested in a second-hand Polar guillotine to help with overflow.
“Since getting the KM-1 our finishing department has been choked up as we have a lot more work to finish so we decided to get an extra guillotine. Our team is not dedicated to one particular thing, so if there is not much digital happening, they can hop on and do some extra work on the cutter, so this just gives us more capacity for that,” he said.
“We’ve bought three machines in the last three months to improve our productivity. Two have been replaced which is fair enough and the guillotine was extra.
“We were having a really good couple of months before lockdown hit us again, but I am now gearing up for when things get back to normal. I am getting the business ready for when it all comes back.”
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter