The new Prinova saddle stitcher from Muller Martini brings Goltze Druck GmbH & Co. KG in Göttingen, Germany, several benefits – first and foremost the newly developed Asir PRO camera system, which guarantees correct sheet sequencing.
"The fact that we are not specialized is our specialty." What Managing Partner Marko Fischbach means by this is that the graphic arts company run by him and Olaf Eckermann covers a varied range of saddle-stitched and perfect-bound print products – from very small folds to finished brochures.
"Asir PRO plays right into our hands"
And yet, one product segment accounts for a significant portion of Goltze's production, along with classic commercial work: Instruction manuals and package inserts – especially for the pharmaceutical industry. These are printed in average runs of between 4,000 and 5,000 copies not only on thin paper (down to 40 grams), but also in up to 20 different languages. And this in turn places particularly high demands on production – key words being correct sheet sequence and correct language versions to avoid any legal consequences.
Reliable sheet control that guarantees correct sheet sequence is therefore required – such as the Asir PRO camera system newly developed by Muller Martini. This recognizes and compares the printed sheets using 1D/2D code and/or image comparison. Faulty end products are thus finally a thing of the past. "Asir PRO plays right into our hands," emphasizes Olaf Eckermann.
Trend towards saddle stitching
Asir PRO, in turn, is one of several technological highlights of the new Prinova saddle stitcher with six flat pile feeders, cover feeder and banding machine from Palamides that Goltze Druck put into operation at the beginning of this year. Around 90 percent of products printed on four presses, mainly offset but also digital, are saddle stitched. Until a few years ago, the ratio of saddle stitching to perfect binding was 75 to 25. "We are noticing a trend towards saddle stitching due to reduced page counts and language splits, and are recording a higher total volume with falling quantities," says Marko Fischbach.
Until a few weeks ago, the full service company, which was founded in 1951 by Erich Goltze and employs 30 permanent staff plus temporary help in two-shift operation, was still using a Muller Martini 321 saddle stitcher purchased ten years earlier on the second-hand market. Its setup times were up to two hours for certain jobs. Although this was no longer in line with the market, the oldie still played a decisive role in the evaluation of the successor model.
"The fact that the 321 ran so well for so long was thanks to experienced service technicians and the excellent availability of spare parts. Muller Martini's service performance has convinced us over all these years," emphasize the two managing directors. Added to this was the convincing live demonstration of the Prinova at Muller Martini's Print Finishing Center in Zofingen: "Set-up, changeover, double-up – everything worked perfectly."
Repeat jobs can be conveniently saved and recalled
According to Marko Fischbach and Olaf Eckermann, the makeready times of the Prinova, as another key benefit in addition to Asir PRO, "are out of all proportion to our previous saddle stitcher – even though we are convinced that we can become even faster."
Dual-purpose production as Benefit III, on the other hand, benefits Goltze Druck, especially for the smaller formats. In addition, the product range for customers, 80 percent of whom come from the region and some from neighboring countries – from private individuals to industrial companies – has become much larger and more variable in terms of format.
Benefit IV: Goltze has many repeat orders. These can be conveniently saved and recalled on the convenient touchscreen, whereas previously they had to be entered individually for each job.
It is true that the corona crisis did not leave Goltze Druck unscathed. But Marko Fischbach and Olaf Eckermann are nevertheless confident about the future. "Fear is a bad advisor. We are in the best possible position, from management to strategic orientation to our investments, we have a good, motivated team and the best customers. With the Prinova, we are sending a clear signal towards personnel and the future!"
www.mullermartini.com
