BCQ ‘blown away’ by Promatrix productivity and Postpress Manager efficiency

Print Solutions

One of the first Promatrix 106 die cutters in the UK will be delivered to BCQ Group by the end of the year. It is one of three investments. Over the Christmas break it will also take the final Stitchmaster ST 500 supplied by Heidelberg UK. It is also going to beef up its JDF workflows to include all post press equipment (with Postpress Manager) and to install and link in a new Tharstern MIS system.

The Promatrix, the first die cutting product to evolve from the global Masterwork-Heidelberg joint venture, was selected only after a thorough investigation of options. It replaces an old Cylinder and Platen to give greater throughput and eliminate a bottleneck.

‘We have a long term relationship with Heidelberg and trust its sales and service,’ said Chris Knowles, managing director of the Buckingham company. ‘The Promatrix is an affordable option for commercial printers and we are confident that the equipment is being manufactured to Heidelberg standards by Masterworks in China. We viewed the machine in Germany and are very pleased with the test results.’

One particularly challenging job was tested. It features a large kiss cut in the shape of a phone. At BCQ the job was taking two hours to make ready and generated about 100 waste sheets. In Heidelberg Chris witnessed that same job being set up in 15 minutes and output at 7500 sheets per hour with only two waste sheets and to an improved cut quality.

‘It was amazing,’ enthused Chris. ‘It is fast and productive, just what we are looking for, and we have cleared a space for it and anticipate delivery by the year end.’

Shortly after the Promatrix 106 is bedded in at BCQ, Heidelberg will deliver an ex-demonstration Stitchmaster ST 500. It will replace BCQ’s ST 350 and will replicate the six station and cover feeder configuration.

Heidelberg sold its stitching and binding portfolio to Muller Martini earlier this year so this will be the very last Stitchmaster delivered by Heidelberg UK.