Marvel Bookbinding expects to boost turnover by $2m after grabbing surplus kit from the Melbourne mega merger.
The trade binder in Heidelberg West, a stone’s throw from Docklands Press, has bought the hard case binding equipment from both Docklands and Ability Press and brought over four staff.
Marvel managing director Wayne Eastaugh says the 12 systems would be worth $4-5m if bought new and will bring in at least $2m extra business a year to add to its current $7-8m.
“Marvel has been under intense pressure from clients both old and new to move into this very important area of business,” he says.
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Everything will all be moved in this month and operational by October, with Marvel buying 500sqm of factory space next door to accommodate the expansion.
The kit includes a Kolbus case maker, embossing press, and book line; a Sigloch spine gluer; and Muller Martini section collator.
Eastaugh says it will allow Marvel to produce hard case books, ring binders and display board mounting for the first time.
“It opens a big market for us in hard case binding and will allows us to compete much better with other finishing houses in Melbourne,” he says.
“As both a hand and machine case binder by trade I looks at this purchase as the final piece of the Marvel puzzle.
“With the lower Australian Dollar we will be able to pull work back from Asia and offer printers faster turnaround on more products.”
Eastaugh says the equipment was underutilised at Docklands and Ability and he will use it to provide more services to the industry, making Marvel the largest independently owned and most comprehensive finishing trade house in Australia.
The full list of kit is:
1 x Kolbus Case Maker DA260 with Co-pilot
1 x Kolbus Embosing Press PE312 with Co-Pilo
1 x Sigloch spine gluing and back-lining machine with nipping press and Kolbus HD-142.p 3 knife trimmer with Co-Pilot
1 x Kolbus Book production line BF527 with Kolbus book forming and pressing machine FE604 all with Co-Pilot
1 x Muller Martini 27 station section collator
1 x Kolbus KS board cutter
1 x Kolbus KS cloth cutter
1 x Small case making machine
1 x Muller Martini 3121 Automatic section sewing machine
1 x Meccatec Aster Section sewing machine
1 x Kolbus End-papering machine
1 x Hunkler End-papering machine
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