With the ability to precisely process large formats measuring up to 239 x 420mm, it is able to process multiple substrate types and materials up to 50 micrometers (microns). With the AG-4220, users can look forward to maximum precision, reliability and the consistently high performance that characterise Blumer machines.

All work steps such as buffering, cutting, die cutting with counterpressure, separating and banding run fully automatically. It is suitable for medium production volumes as well as for small batches and is the only counter pressure die cutting machine in the world that can process large formats labels up to such dimensions.

Exclusively available through Friedheim in the UK, appointments are now available to test this machine in the Switzerland showroom or visit their stand E30-5 in hall at drupa in May – where Blumer will host more ‘world first’ developments.

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Finishing specialist, Polar has around 350 employees worldwide at its sites in Hofheim, Germany and Shanghai, China, and develops systems for the automation of industrial cutting and die-cutting processes. 

Mr Becker, who holds a degree in mechanical engineering, was recently the head of professional printing Germany at Konica Minolta Deutschland where he was responsible for the corresponding business unit. With more than 20 years of management and leadership experience in the printing industry, he has a broad range knowledge of the sector and expertise in national and international sales.

In his new role, Mr Becker will report directly to the Polar Group management. He commented, ‘I am looking forward to the new challenge and the exciting tasks that await me at a traditional global market leader.’

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Komori is eager to leverage its presence and market expertise, aiming for growth through its expansion into the UK and Ireland. Previous UK and Ireland distributor Friedheim stepped back from the brand’s hardware sales in early 2023, though it says it is still offering service and spares.

The new partnership builds on its experiences in France, where Komori France has reached a similar agreement with Bograma.

The collaboration also adds a dimension to its existing H+H and MBO (Komori Group) product portfolio, which Friedheim similarly continues to support and service though it stopped selling in 2020. Through incorporating Bograma into its network, Komori UK believes it can offer an even broader range of finishing solutions to existing and new customers.

Bograma, in parallel, has demonstrated its commitment by extending its factory facilities and investing in infrastructure. This expansion aligns with Komori UK’s and underscores both companyies joint commitment to providing printing and finishing solutions.

Enthused about the expanded partnership, national sales specialist postpress Tom Baker at Komori stated, ‘Our collaboration with Bograma in the UK and Ireland is a testament to our commitment to delivering high quality finishing solutions to our customers.

‘By joining forces, we aim to bring a wider array of innovative finishing options, further strengthening our position as a trusted leader in the printing industry.’

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The Suffolk-based general commercial printer began building up its card business, including game, quiz, trump, and Tarot cards around 2015. Today, it sells through two B2C websites, Printfromyoursofa.co.uk and Playingcardspersonalised.co.uk.

During the pandemic demand increased dramatically and helped Spingold double its turnover from £600,000 to £1.2 million today. The company took on three people who had lost their jobs at other printers. In 2021 it invested in a Konica Minolta AccurioPress C14000 which runs alongside two Xerox Versant 180s. The new  investment was supported by a £25,000 grant from the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Through Innovation Fund delivered via Suffolk County Council.

Spingold Managing director Ed Oakes explained, ‘We had our eye on a rotary die cutter for a long time. We have two Duplo systems but wanted something the next level up with a dual cylinder. We first saw a Horizon system at a Dscoop event in 2018 but that one was only a single cylinder. Then the dual cylinder was launched and we saw that in Germany. We already knew Horizon systems were incredibly well built. It was a fantastic piece of kit.’

‘We wanted a dual cylinder because the ability to crease inline will save us an enormous amount of time. It will improve our quality and speed of output as well as enable us to increase our capacity by as much as 40% which will give us some breathing space and room to grow. It will help cement us as a front runner in the market.

‘It has come in at the right time so we can be ready for our busiest period in the summer when we produce work for those who sell on Amazon at Christmas. If our growth carries on the way it has, or even at half the pace, it should pay for itself in two years.’

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Based in Farnborough, Hampshire, the company offers services from building signage and vehicle graphics to company wall art and branded office supplies. FPL Signs recently took the decision to install a VeloBlade Nexus to expand its signs-related cutting and routing capabilities, particularly focusing on wide-format substrates including vinyl, Foamex, ACM and acrylic.

Nick Brooks, operations manager at FPL Signs, said, ‘We decided to install Vivid’s VeloBlade Nexus wide format digital die cutting system due to its functionality, versatility and because of the existing Vivid equipment already in use within the group. FPL Signs is part of the Sandhurst Autoprint Group of Companies and the company has previously invested in a VeloBlade Volta and Nexus digital die-cutting system from Vivid. So we felt confident using the system and the fact that the Nexus came in at a cost-effective price point made sense for us to invest in.

‘This new investment will enable us to expand our range of bespoke signs that we can now produce in-house such as ACM tray signs, acrylic lettering and panels. We are using numerous vinyls, such as cast, monomeric, printed and kiss-cut. Our most used material is a seven-year polymeric vinyl complete with overlaminating.’

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The company, which runs litho technology alongside its digital equipment and has an additional factory in Birmingham, needed an automated solution for cutting roll-to-roll work, as well as Correx, Foamex, Polypropylene and Dibond sheets.

Due to the time-consuming nature of this work, the firm made the decision to invest in the Veloblade Nexus. Managing director Matt Herbert explained, ‘Introducing the Veloblade has allowed me to produce my existing work more efficiently and has given me additional capacity to take on extra work. I had looked at the market and the Veloblade Nexus was very well positioned with an attractive price. The system is extremely versatile and easy to operate. I have dealt with Vivid’s sales director Richard Marlow for several years and knowing their after sales service is the best in the industry, plus that Kennet Equipment Leasing were easy to deal with, gave me the confidence to invest in the Veloblade Nexus.’

He continued, ‘As well as cutting my existing roll-to-roll work, the cutting table has enabled me to take on work that we could not have taken on before. Such as larger run Foamex work, Di bond panels and cut acrylic and general work that is cut to shape. The Veloblade Nexus has enabled me to bring a significant amount of work back in house.’

With the system already up and running, Mr Herbert is extremely pleased with its performance so far. ‘The Veloblade Nexus has been in for some months now,’ he concluded. ‘The system has been in near constant use with no issues at all and is totally exceeding our expectations.’

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Described as ‘traditional meets digital’, the AeroDieCut uses conventional wood-and-steel cutting or creasing formes with a patented system of moving rollers to apply the necessary pressure. It suits short-to-medium run work, handles paper sheets up to 365 x 515mm (maximum finished size 310 x 485mm) at up to 1000sph and accepts cutting formes up to 350 x 550mm with die-boards up to 18mm thick and cutting rule height between 23.3 and 23.8mm.

The unit can perform step-and-repeat work, using the same forme up to five times per sheet and with its fully enclosed design is said by Morgana to be safer than conventional platen die-cutters. A Tri-suction feeder should ensure consistent paper feeding, with double-sheet detection and cut-mark sensing to compensate for image shift on the printed sheets. Control is via a 4-in touch screen with 100 job memories available for repeat work. For longer runs there is an optional separator unit for deflecting cut waste into a bin; an optional conveyor delivery table also makes the collecting process more efficient at volume.

Ray Hillhouse, vice-president offline business at Morgana, said. ‘This unique new product offers print shops an ideal entry-point to the highly lucrative die-cutting process. Work that was previously sent to a third-party supplier can now be produced in-house cost-effectively. However, the AeroDieCut offers more to users than just straightforward cutting and creasing. Adding such capabilities as embossing can help a printer to offer something that little bit extra – making an invitation, or even a business card, really stand out and get noticed. The price advantage provided by using a one-up forme in a step-and-repeat mode gives the printer additional margin that could otherwise be lost to the die maker.’

Morgana also notes that since die-making is a well-established and mature business, those needing to source dies externally should be able to achieve competitive prices.

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Established in 1986, A3M designs, prints and manufactures tailored display solutions, including both marketing materials and exhibition stands. 

The company had an existing cutter which was nine years old, but which it felt was ‘limited in its function and efficiency.’ Given that the business was enjoying sustained growth, it wanted to make sure that all its machinery was in a position to support this expansion. When it came to its cutting capabilities, A3M was specifically looking for something faster and with improved workflow management.

Chris Windust, the managing director of A3M Designs, explained, ‘We looked a number of manufacturers over the past 12 months and saw some good machines however each had at least one downside. We needed a new system for cutting foam board, vinyls, acrylic, dibond and other composite panels. The Veloblade Nexus wide-format digital die cutting system from Vivid seemed to tick all of our boxes and at a price point that made sense for us to invest in.’

With the system now up and running on the South Coast, Mr Windhust says that his company is delighted with its performance so far. ‘This new investment will enable us to produce signage, header boards, POS, display materials, vinyls and stickers,’ he added. 

‘We are delighted with the Veloblade Nexus and the support that we have received from Vivid so far. The install was excellent, everything happened as it was planned to happen. The interaction that we’ve had with Vivid’s sales director, Richard Marlow, has been easy, straight forward and transparent. We’re really pleased with the new partnership with Vivid and would look to them first for our next purchase for sure! On a personal and professional level, I would be delighted to recommend Vivid to other potential buyers without hesitation.’

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Installed at the company’s Witney facility at the start of October, the Kama machine has been supporting Fine Print’s litho, digital, display, design, fulfilment and storefront printing services, which it provides to a diverse portfolio of clients across various markets and industries.

The company runs an assortment of presses and printers from manufacturers such as HP, Heidelberg, Roland DG, Fujifilm and swissQprint. The ComCut 76 complements these and is particularly suited to meet a growing demand for short-run packaging.

The ComCut 76 can be used for cutting, creasing and perforating as well as for blind embossing, Braille embossing, kiss-cutting for labels, fine cutting and kiss-cutting of contours with a magnetic cutting plate. It can also handle a range of materials, including paper weights between 120 and 800gsm, paperboard and micro-corrugated board up to 1500gsm and plastics such as PET, PP and PVC also up to 1500gsm.

The device handles a maximum sheet size of 760 x 600mm with a top cutting area of 743 x 585mm, and runs at up to 5500 sheets per hour.

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The RD-4055DM, which boasts dual magnetic cylinders, is designed to simultaneously die-cut and crease/score short-run work from both sides of the sheet. Running at speeds of up to 6000 cycles per hour, it can also perforate, slit, hole punch and round corner in one process for digital and offset printed sheets up to 0.5mm. 

Epic, which is active in sectors including cosmetics, food, hospitality, manufacturing and professional services, produces digital work on an HP Indigo 7900 and is also able to call upon a Scodix digital print enhancement press. Recently the company has been producing more and more personalised products and believes the RD4055DM will provide ‘a significant edge in quick makeready with one sheet approval, as well as speed of throughput coupled with excellent die cutting quality.’ 

Jon Formon, technical director, explained, ‘In our post-press department, we were experiencing bottle necks with our existing machinery. We also wanted to improve our response times whilst maintaining quality. We were impressed with the quality of the folder so we were comfortable buying a machine from the same stable. We were already familiar with the software. The robustness and footprint were also impressive. I looked at a number of machines but kept coming back to the Horizon. We liked the step and repeat feature meaning we use a one up die on a three up format sheet. This saves a considerable amount on the cost of dies.’

He concluded, ‘It will help us spreading the load. We perform a large amount of die-cutting and versioning and the quick make ready assists in maintaining efficiency. We have been very impressed with the machine – its kiss cutting is fantastic.’

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