Biddles announces £1 million investment in new binding equipment
Biddles is to install a Wohlenberg City-e 5000 binder and three-knife trimmer in mid-January next year, as well as a 30 books per minute Kolbus BF 511 casing-in line, with Copilot controls, and a Kolbus DA 260 casemaker which produces 40 cases per minute. The DA 260, which has been specifically developed for the short-run market, will be the first in the UK. The new kit which represents a £1 million investment will replace our existing binding line and casing facilities. ""Because of the way we've tried to redevelop the business towards shorter runs, it meant that our existing equipment was no longer ideal as their make-ready times were relatively long. We also want greater flexibility with regard to our finishing capability so that it complements our litho and digital printing equipment." said Rod Willett, Managing Director We are also redesigning our factory to follow the principles of lean manufacturing, as a flow-line production operation so that the the whole production cycle will take place over a much, much shorter time-frame which is what today's publishers demand.