Education and Demonstration Sessions Give Attendees Hands-On Look at World's Most Comprehensive Postpress Portfolio
10 Hybrid and Digital Lines Shown Live, Where Speed, Modular Scalability, and Personalization for Direct Mail, Pharma, Packaging, Bookbinding, and More Amaze the Crowds
MBO Worldwide Chairman and CEO, Frank Eckert, welcomed over 100 existing and new customers to see and hear about numerous, innovative technological developments that have brought The New MBO to the forefront of the postpress/finishing category. At The New MBO Open House held late this summer, Frank Bahmer, Director of International Sales and President/CEO of MBO America; Lance Martin, Director of North American Sales; and numerous sales, technical, and service personnel joined Eckert in welcoming the crowd to MBO America's new headquarters on the occasion of the American organization's 30th Anniversary and 10,000th installation.
At The New MBO Open House, live demonstrations of 10 different finishing solutions for direct mail, miniature folding, packaging, web finishing (inkjet finishing) and commercial finishing were provided throughout the day.
The New MBO represents the culmination of in-house advances and strategic acquisitions that the 49 year-old Germany-based company has achieved; most recently under Eckert's guidance. In addition, the company's executive teams from all over the world have agreed to step up customer-driven activities related to R&D, service, and operations based on the market's increasingly knowledgeable, and frequent, input.
Eckert also referenced the company's more comprehensive and consultative approach to working with customers; especially now that MBO offers the widest, and deepest, finishing product lines. "MBO can put together a solution - and usually, a few different options - for any customer's environment and mix of applications," he says. "Utilizing new and more efficient equipment and workflows results in higher productivity and profit."
The Most Important Take-Away
"The one thing you don't see here," Martin said as he gestured toward the numerous systems lining the showroom, "is the new way printers and finishers are able to assess, and 99% of the time, improve; productivity across their entire workflow.
"By considering postpress capabilities during the initial purchase decision, return on investment is affected substantially," Martin continued. He offered as an example a printer who purchases a faster press to increase productivity, but finds that her existing postpress equipment can not keep up with the speedier press - leading to stacks of printed jobs waiting for finishing. "The unfortunate consequence is minimal, if any, productivity gain," he said.
"This is the real news we want you to take home," Martin said to the customers in the crowd. "Consider finishing in every consultation or audit, no matter what size your operation and what services you are providing. You may find you just aren't getting the productivity out of your presses because outdated or limited finishing options are stalling production."
MBO's Newest Equipment
In just the last two years, MBO has released four breakthroughs in postpress: the K8 RS, the world's fastest folder; the BSR 550 Servo, high speed rotary die cutter; 30" digital web finishing solutions; and the M80 flexible folding system.
The M80 is the world's only fully scalable and expandable folder, able to accommodate current and future applications. This machine gives shops the flexibility to install "add-on" components after initial purchase, in order to meet new job requirements.
The best-selling BSR 550 Servo is able to process both single and folded products. Its innovative engineering allows it to process mailings, greeting cards, folded cartons , labels, and many other products in a one-up or multi-up production setting. Because of its flexible dies, the BSR 550 Servo can punch, cut, kiss cut, perforate, score, deboss, and more. This machine is a workhorse that can handle a wide variety of demands and produce excellent results, according to customers.
MBO America has created unique 30" digital solutions employing its state-of-the-art machines. The 30" web solution shown at the Open House produced variable page count book blocks via an unwinder, digital sheeter with variable cutting options, and a digital folder with Selective Folding technology. Additionally, this line was equipped with RAPIDSET Automation for quick job-changeover-times.
The new MBO K8 RS is the world's fastest folder, capable of running 275 m/min or 18,000 sheets per hour. With this machine, customers can maximize their press usage because job throughput times at the finishing stage are significantly reduced.
More Ways to Have Customer Conversations Lead to Better Products and Services
One reason why MBO is increasing customer communication is that the customers themselves are more knowledgeable than before, and interested in discourse. "Given that they have new tools - and especially, online options - to discuss their professional concerns; we can have much more open dialogue that makes both of us smarter about moving forward," Bahmer says.
One such area where MBO is finding itself making a major difference is explaining the factors to consider when determining whether finishing should be inline or offline.
Says Bahmer, "Everyone assumes that inline is better. And it probably is, for the major repeat job you have held onto for years.
"What happens when the customer decides to change the format, finish, or anything else about that job that could affect the inline configuration; or even move some or all of it to a different medium? Now you have paid for an inline setup that won't accommodate the changed job, or other jobs found to replace it," Bahmer explains. It's why, he says, MBO makes change possible on most of its solutions on a module or equipment basis, along the entire range of conventional (e.g., folding) through to specialty (pharma) and the digital area.
"It's where our modular M80 really shines," Bahmer says of the highly flexible system released last year.
Says Eckert, "MBO offers the fastest, scalable, and flexible technology, as well as the integration services, that can serve numerous market segments, from small to large and for services they offer now, or may supply in the future."
