In Bad Mergentheim, Muller Martini presented the most up-to-date production facilities for the manufacture of hardcover books.

On November 5 and 6, 2007, in the Hardcover Forum of Muller Martini Buchtechnologie GmbH in Bad Mergentheim, the world market leader presented the latest production equipment for manufacturing hardcover books to the many visitors that attended the event. An exceptionally efficient inline system was demonstrated, in which thread sewn book blocks were turned into high quality hardcover books in a single process. Shown for the first time in the world were the new book block press in the gluing process, the endsheet feeder before the Collibri backgluing machine, as well as the Ribbon register ribbon inserting machine. Also making its first ever appearance was the new Diamant 35 shortrun book line (with an increase in productivity of 16% compared with its predecessor). As further highlights, Muller Martini demonstrated a Ventura book sewing machine with the new ZFM infeed hopper and a complete thread sewing link system, the VenturaConnect, on which production was run with the new Asir3 signature control system.

World premiere of new ZTM 3697 gathering machine in Felben
In the Bookbinding Academy in Felben from November 7 to 9, 2007, Muller Martini Bookbinding Systems AG presented itself under the motto "Master in all classes". At this event, a particular highlight for visitors was the world premiere of the new ZTM 3697 gathering machine, with its new, revolutionary signature separation principle.This new solution stands out thanks to its innovative signature separation, which involves the signatures being peeled off the stack and securely fed out in a concave raceway.With short setup times, excellent operating performance and maximum feeder flexibility, the new ZTM 3697 gathering machine promises shift outputs that have been impossible up to now. It is no accident then that this Muller Martini patented innovation was recently awarded an Innovation Prize by the German printing industry. The new gathering machine was demonstrated to extremely interested expert visitors under practical conditions in combination with the Corona C18 high-performance perfect binding line.

Highlight in Felben: the world premiere of the new ZTM 3697 gathering machine.

Further demonstrations were yet more proof of the fact that the Swiss system manufacturer is the worldwide leading company in all perfect binding output categories with its range of modular systems.Muller Martini underscored the compactness and profitability of its Pantera perfect binding line in the manufacture of softcover books in the output sector up to 4,000 cycles per hour. The increasing significance of quality checks in modern book production was made clear to the visitors with presentations on the Bolero line (8,000 cycles per hour). This was equipped with the new book verification system for controlling content and comprehensiveness, which attracted visitors in their droves. Production on the Bolero line took place with PUR. In this respect, the new VPN spine injection nozzle was put to use.

On the closing day, the fascinating speech by Dr. David Bossart (CEO of the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute) provided an extremely successful conclusion to the Open House days. In it, he went into the question of what significance innovations have for the graphics industry and why they are essential for future-oriented organizations in this day and age. 

A plea for passion
The auditorium in the Müller Martini Bookbinding Academy in Felben was full to capacity as Dr David Bosshart spoke on the subject of “Differentiate or die – why innovations are paramount for future success” in a keynote address as part of the academy’s Open House programme of events. In an hour-long presentation, the CEO of the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute for Economic and Social Studies in Rüschlikon demonstrated to representatives from the graphics industry how they could further increase their spirit of innovation.

Dr. David Bossart talked about the significance of innovations for the graphics industry.

Bosshart urged the attentive listeners to adopt innovative solutions more quickly and to demonstrate greater passion. «Because passion is the key factor as far as value-addition is concerned.» It is critical to be able to anticipate customer needs of the future across the value-addition chain. He named the iPod as a classic example that had irreversibly changed the entire music industry.

In respect of the graphics industry, an anticipation of future trends equated to thinking about haptic properties, different finishes, design, new surfaces, new colours, new over-print varnishes and the question “What do readers as end-users expect?” According to Bosshart, the graphics industry has a healthy background in this regard as – in contrast to financial markets – it produces tangible products with its machines. 

The speaker encouraged the entrepreneurs to be courageous – but not rash. All the same, he still managed to have a few somewhat futuristic-sounding tips up his sleeve. By way of example he urged company owners to “employ a so-called ‘jester’ to walk around the company, talk to employees and then report the truth back to the owners.”