Halstan announces major investments to further advance fully automated book production

Print Solutions

Halstan has announced a major investment programme aimed at revolutionising its print production capabilities. The announcement was made at drupa.

The company is introducing the Canon ProStream 2133 continuous feed inkjet press, the Tecnau Revolution 50 AutoSetup sheeter and the Horizon BQ-500 Ice binder into its UK production facility in Amersham. These technologies will help automate its book production, and provide capacity to support its ambitious growth strategy.

The Canon ProStream 2133 offers excellent print quality at high speeds, making it ideal for large scale book production. Halstan has been using Canon inkjet for the last couple of years in the form of the sheetfed VarioPrint iX3200.

‘Our clients have been blown away by the standard of print that Halstan is now producing. The Canon inkjet systems have helped us win significant new business and put Halstan at the forefront for quality in the book market,’ said Rupert Smith, chief executive. ‘As volumes have built up, the next logical step was to move to the reel fed ProStream, not just to provide the additional capacity, but to further streamline production.’

The company will also be the first in the world to take delivery of the Tecnau Revolution 50 AutoSetup roll to stack paper sheeter launched at drupa. The device offers significant advancements such as full bleed capabilities with automated page length and imposition changeover meaning it can change from 1-up to 4-up configurations, without touch points.

‘We produce such a wide variety of products that the automation Tecnau now offer means we can switch between formats without stopping production,’ said Rupert Smith. ‘Products such as landscape booklets, music scores, oversized coffee table books and pocket sized notebooks can now all be produced with equal ease.’

Halstan’s diverse product offering include perfect bound, thread sewn, and cased books, as well as saddlestitched booklets. To support the additional print volumes that will be created as a result of these investments, the company is bolstering its UK bindery department with the latest Horizon BQ-500 Ice perfect binder with in line auto trimming Horizon HT-1000V.

In addition, it has re-kitted its German print operation with the latest Canon toner presses and saddlestitch finishing, with perfect binding to be introduced to the facility later in the year.

‘We are thrilled to unveil our latest investments at drupa, which is a testament to our continued commitment to innovation and excellence in the book printing industry,’ said Rupert. ‘We firmly believe that the future of book production will be driven by automation and not only will these investments help achieve this but will push our quality standards to a new high.’

Both the Tecnau and Horizon products will be supplied and serviced by Intelligent Finishing Systems.

Pictured: Stefano De Marco, Tecnau CEO; Andrea Del Bianco, Tecnau area sales manager; Jon Tree, Halstan UK operations manager; Jason Seaber, IFS sales director; Rupert Smith, Halstan chief executive; Alan Harbison, Halstan managing director; and Harm Jan Hulleman, Tecnau sales director EMEA.