The Drupa 2012-launched perfect binder has been installed at BGT’s Chessington print site and has replaced the not-for-profit organisation’s existing Kolbus KM470 Ratiobinder, which has been reassigned to one of its overseas sites.
The Kingston-headquartered publishing house produces millions of booklets and gospel tracts as well as traditional bibles each year, partially for distribution in the UK, with around 60% exported.
BGT invested in the new Kolbus after a demonstration proved it could produce a two-page perfect-bound ‘book’ on a single sheet of 152x99mm, 130gsm paper and four-page cover, at 9,000 copies an hour. The books were then trimmed with a Kolbus HD153P three-knife trimmer.
According to BGT plant manager John Marsh the business was sold on the speed of the new Kolbus.
He added: “We did trials using some of our existing products and were particularly impressed by the gatherer and trimmer of the Kolbus KM6000C, which had the edge over anything else we had seen for quality and speed.
“Consistent high-speed operation was important with run lengths often in the tens of thousands in order to achieve an annual overall throughput of well over 3m perfect-bound publications.”
BGT’s new Kolbus KM600C is linked to a polywrapping line with products addressed, sorted and boxed inline ahead of dispatch.
Kolbus UK sales manager Greg Bird said: “The line is now installed and living up to expectations. We were delighted it was able to fulfil the speed and quality criteria of BGT.”