The Lustenau book printing plant (BuLu) has gained a unique combination of advantages by investing in a Muller Martini Alegro perfect binder. Environmentally-friendly PUR glue, stabilizing PUR side gluing and automatic glue application monitoring have made all the difference. Together those factors ensure top-quality perfect binding for spine thicknesses of 1 mm to 6.5 cm.
The Austrian book printing plant Lustenau (BuLu) stands for tradition and stability, as well as corporate responsibility towards its customers, suppliers, staff and the environment. Thanks to consistent investments, continuous benchmarking and external certification, the company’s products are of an extremely high quality. Their haptic and visual appeal ensures the loyalty of BuLu’s customers in the German-speaking countries. “Today customers expect a wide range and quick turnaround times, so the Alegro perfect binder is a key step ahead for us,” says BuLu Managing Director Christine Schwarz-Fuchs.
The perfect binder has been configured for the widest possible range of tasks. “We were looking for a perfect binder that would give us a clear edge over the competition.” The Alegro is just the right machine for that purpose, says the Managing Director. “We can produce small, large, thick and thin brochures, magazines and books. That gives our sales team further selling points, which have been very well received on the market and are helping us to gain new customers,” she continues. Spine thicknesses range from just 1 mm to 65 mm, while book sizes range in width from 70 to 310 mm and in height from 82 to 424 mm.
The Alegro perfect binder has also enabled BuLu to enhance the quality it offers. Customers are impressed by the precision and durability of the products. Thanks to the simultaneous spine and side gluing using PUR glue, the cover and the book block are firmly attached, even if coated or lacquered papers are used. The automatic glue application monitoring ensures that exactly the right quantity of glue is applied to ensure optimal durability. In addition, a camera system leaves nothing to chance – it ensures that the various signatures are processed in the right sequence and that languages are not mixed up.
“We can perform quality assurance in-house now for perfect bound products, from data import to delivery, which simplifies and speeds up processes,” says Christine Schwarz-Fuchs. She notes that the company is more flexible and effective as a result, enabling customers to benefit from shorter turnaround times.
BuLu has been committed to environmentally-friendly production for years, and is striving to ensure sustainability in all segments alike. The environmental friendliness of the perfect binder was high on the company’s list of priorities in order to ensure compliance with its existing environmental certification, such as the Austrian Ecolabel and the EU Ecolabel. “By using an environmentally-friendly lacquer at the Alegro perfect binder, we can offer perfect-bound products that embody the principle of sustainability. That makes our offering one of a kind across Austria,” notes the BuLu Managing Director.
