Case Studies
SHORT AND SWEET
Kensett's new C.P.Bourg unlocks the short run digital finishing market
Kensett Bookbinders and Finishers of Hove has recently installed a new C.P.Bourg BB3002 automated single clamp perfect binder from UK supplier TCS (Terry Cooper Services). The amount of digital print requiring the company's finishing service has increased in the past year, which prompted the company to seek a short run binding solution to complement its existing machines.
According to Bindery Manager Neil Turpin, the company has had its eye on the C.P.Bourg machine since IPEX. "We were won over by the speed of the BB3002 set-ups and the work it can produce," he says. "We are now able to market a short run service based on speed of turnround and high quality. The standard is as high as anything else we use, if not higher."
"It seems to produce a much squarer spine. Also partly due to the scoring system you can make a much thinner book, just a few leaves thick. It produces a very nice result with a very good glue line. Each cover is scored as it goes through, and you can alter the score width easily. Being able to run covers with flaps is a real advantage. Everything is super-accurate and reliably so."
In the short run environment, Mr Turpin is in no doubt that automation is the key to profitability, and notes that an automated machine can lead to other advantages in addition to turnround time: "When you're used to makereadies of half an hour, it's amazing to see the C.P.Bourg set itself up in a couple of minutes from a touch-screen instruction. Then you get the first pass and it will be right first time, so we can even use it as a proofing machine. We are often asked to produce 5 or 6 copies of a job which are samples or file copies of a larger job which has either been through, or scheduled to go through, our main long run binder."
Although unfamiliar with the C.P.Bourg, Mr Turpin says that he and his staff were up to speed in no time. "TCS came down and went through it with four of us and by the end of the morning we were all just about ready to use the machine. If you can operate a computer you can operate this machine, there is nothing mechanical to learn and no tools are required."
Kensett Bookbinders and Finishers has a 24,000 sq ft works, 40 staff and a £1.75m turnover. Its customers are mainly from the South of England and include some well known, high profile names – although the company will not give details, as it sees confidentiality is one of its strengths.
Pictured: Bindery Manager Neil Turpin with Kensett's C.P.Bourg BB3002