Azimuth Print | News

Intelligent Finishing Systems Ltd Press Briefing

Azimuth’s Web2Book Boom Prompts New Horizon Spend
VAC-Turbo PowerCollator Addition for Book Block Collation

Within months of the installation of a Horizon BQ270 perfect binder from Intelligent Finishing Systems, Azimuth Print’s new online book production venture has increased the Chipping Sodbury firm’s turnover by 10%.  So successful is the new string to the company’s bow that a VAC-Turbo 100 PowerCollator, also supplied by IFS, has been added to collate book blocks for the UK’s most popular automated single clamp perfect binder.

Tony Edmonds, who in 1989 set up the FSC-certified operation with his brother Michael, explains: “We invested in the BQ270 when we launched www.shortrunbooks.org.uk to make the most of the growing print on demand book market. This proved to be very popular and we were getting more and more requests for longer runs.

“It soon became clear that it was more economical to produce runs of more than 100 on our litho press and a collator was needed to prepare the sets.”

Also used to prepare NCR sets and collate sections of more than 28 pages for the stitching lines, Aziumth’s 10-station, deep bin VAC-Turbo 100 system features a user-friendly intelligent touchscreen interface for easy operation with a remote handset to aid control while loading or unloading.

The patented Horizon advanced suction rotor drum feeding system operates effectively on a wide variety of paper stocks at high speeds. Accuracy and reliability are assured by mis-feed, double feed and jamming sensors on each bin and the feed error history can be monitored via the touchscreen.

Mr Edmonds says: “Having the right equipment in place was vital. Before we wouldn’t have taken the work on but now we are talking to customers we have never spoken to before and that has opened up a whole new market place for us.”

He concludes: “We had hoped the move into online ordering for books would be good for the business but we had no idea it would be as popular as it has been.”

The BQ270 single-clamp perfect binder is JDF compatible through Horizon’s pXnet system and has a cycle speed of 500 books per hour. Ultra-fast set-ups are controlled by an intelligent touch-screen interface and standard features include automated cover scoring and job memory storage for instant recall.

Azimuth’s BQ270 is also fitted with an autocaliper that measures the spine of the book and automatically sets up for the run.

Azimuth Print's New Chapter with BQ270
Perfect Binder Spearheads Online Book Production Venture

Spurred on by the success of its online print ordering portal Azimuth Print has launched a print on demand book production website – a move supported by the addition of a BQ270 perfect binder from exclusive UK Horizon supplier Intelligent Finishing Systems.

Tony Edmonds, who set up the FSC-certified Chipping Sodbury operation with his brother Michael in 1989, comments: "We have created a very popular online ordering website and after being approached by a number of clients and investigating the market we decided to launch www.shortrunbooks.org.uk to make the most of the growing print on demand book market."

"We didn't have any perfect binding capabilities but knew we wanted to be able to provide the service inhouse. We run 24 hours a day Monday to Friday and need to be able to respond quickly and effectively."

The BQ270 single-clamp perfect binder is JDF compatible through Horizon's pXnet system and has a cycle speed of 500 books per hour. Ultra-fast set-ups are controlled by an intelligent touch-screen interface and standard features include automated cover scoring and job memory storage for instant recall.

Azimuth's BQ270 is also fitted with an autocaliper that measures the spine of the book and automatically sets up for the run. Mr Edmonds says this is a key feature: "Set up is in just two to three minutes which drastically cuts any makeready times – this is perfect for the short runs we will be completing and enables us the maximise production."
 
Mr Edmonds thoroughly researched the market before making the final decision: "We went to Ipex and looked at a number of models on the market but the Horizon stood out because of its ease of use and ability to set up quickly. We already have some Horizon equipment and we believe it to be the best available on the market. We could have gone for something cheaper but we know and trust Horizon and the sales team at IFS."

Delighted with the performance to date he says: "We have already run a few jobs on the system and the quality has been fantastic. When the site is fully launched we expect it cope very well with the jobs that will come in."

Producing a host of print from booklets, brochures and leaflets to posters, Azimuth's clients range from local businesses and retailers to schools, councils and the Advocate General's Office.

Inline die-cutting saves jobs!

"Using Kocher+Beck's inline die-cutting system has saved us a fortune, as well as helping secure people's jobs here at the company". That's the clear opinion of Tony Edmonds, director of online, web-to-print business, Azimuth Print based in Chipping Sodbury, near Bristol.

Established in 1989, Tony and his brother Mike have built Azimuth into a solid internet based print business. With the latest offset presses and digital production supported by full design facilities as well as extensive finishing services, they cover just about anything the modern customer needs, from business cards to full colour brochures as well as large-format posters and exhibition display modules.  

"It's tough out there at the moment and adding value to our products helps sustain our business. We've been kiss-cutting self-adhesive labels and die-cutting using IOC from Kocher+Beck for over two years now. Our press minders find die-cutting relatively simple. It's given them a new challenge and has really helped us because we don't know from one hour to the next what might be ordered by customers on the internet. We're flexible.

Before we did any die-cutting in-house we had to travel 20 miles to get it done outside, but now we handle it all here, along with all of our finishing. Using the IOC system means we can produce document folders either in bulk, or short-run. We even pre-score blanks to go through our Konica digital machine for ultra short runs. A customer can have 10 or 10,000 folders, it doesn't matter."

Azimuth offers graphic design
and variable data print

Azimuth Print is launching a new graphic design and variable data printing service as part of its online print delivery business. With the new service customers can benefit from high quality graphic design work with the ease of online ordering.

Azimuth offers a complete design package from concept to finished product, with fixed pricing to avoid nasty shocks. The approach to design is fresh, simple and effective.

The new service is ideal for start-up companies that require a corporate design for company logo and stationery. For established businesses Azimuth can provide a marketing communications package covering design, website development and print materials all at a fixed and highly competitive cost.

Azimuth is also now able to offer personalised variable data printing using the very latest software and digital printing techniques. Customer databases can be merged with print documents to create personalised messages that command attention. Using digital print output Azimuth can also offer unrivalled price value on very short print-runs.

Managing Director Tony Edmonds says, We take pride in our dedication to delivering projects on time and at a fixed cost. Our latest graphic design and variable data print services provides customers with a one-stop-shop for all their marketing communication needs. Coupled with the ease of our online ordering and our commitment to quality we anticipate strong demand for the new services.

Azimuth beefs up its B3 line up with Heidelberg

Azimuth Print is adding a Speedmaster SM 52-5 to its B3 line up. Specified with a high pile delivery which suits the 300gsm work it is commonly asked to handle and with an infra red dryer to make work and turn faster, it is the ideal press for a response driven printer.

Already the company attributes 90% of its sales to online ordering and now it has added two additional web sites with e-commerce capability: envelope-printing.com (making the most of a new envelope feeder it has bought in from America) and eco-friendly-printing.com (which enables it to promote its recently acquired FSC Chain of Custody status).

Work is generated from throughout the UK with some export, primarily from ex-pat communities. This will keep the new press well fed with brochures, leaflets, folders and other general commercial work.

The SM 52-5 replaces a four-colour machine, the fifth unit giving it the flexibility of offering a special colour or seal.

"This is our first press with CP 2000 controls which we expect to make it easier to operate and more automated. The operators are very excited about its arrival on 23 February," says managing director Tony Edmonds.