Competition in the graphics industry has increased sharply in recent years. Economical production can only be achieved if the employees have a perfect understanding of the modern and complex finishing systems. Training is therefore essential in ensuring that performance targets can be reached.

Small groups and internationally experienced instructors guarantee efficient practical training with a course duration of one to two weeks.

Muller Martini is well aware of this. In a separate building in Oftringen, just a few minutes from the company’s headquarters, a superbly equipped training center was established in 1997. This center houses almost the complete range of saddle stitching systems as well as several press delivery systems for training purposes. “In addition to individual training courses tailored to the respective needs of machine operators and service technicians,” says Hans Leuenberger, Head of the Training Center, “we also offer regular training events in Oftringen for our own employees as well as demonstrations for customers. They have the opportunity to put the systems through their paces in operation with their own paper before deciding whether or not to make an investment.”

Hans Leuenberger, Head of the Muller Martini Training Center in Oftringen: “Only if you understand the system down to the smallest detail and can control it confidently can you avoid errors and downtimes.”

Optimal Operation and Economical Utilization
Each year, over 500 people from across the world attend courses in the Muller Martini training center. The majority of the course participants are machine supervisors and operators who receive intensive training on saddle stitching and press delivery systems through practical training programs. Higher production speeds, shorter size changeover times and more complex orders present new challenges, particularly for the operators. Machine settings are increasingly important.

“Only if you understand the system down to the smallest technical detail, and can control it confidently, can you avoid errors and downtimes.”, says Hans Leuenberger, based on his own many years of experience. ‘’ Even the customer’s technical employees, such as electricians and mechanics, are given the knowledge they need for their particular area at our special courses.” The external training center offers the advantage of releasing the participants from their day-to-day business, allowing them to concentrate fully on the machines and systems and the transfer of knowledge. Small groups and internationally experienced instructors guarantee efficient practical training with a course duration of one to two weeks.

The participants also have the opportunity to exchange experiences with each other and discuss individual problems with the instructors. Because the workshops are held either in the respective national language of the participants or with the assistance of an on-site interpreter, there are no communication problems. “Our aim,” says Hans Leuenberger, “is for our customers to feel confident in handling the machines and be able to take full advantage of all the technical capabilities of the systems.”
 
Individual Demonstrations to Help With Decision-making
In addition to customer machine operators, Muller Martini service technicians and sales representatives from across the world are also regularly welcomed to the training center. There are tailor-made workshop programs for them too – be it on technical or on sales-related issues. Feedback from the service personnel, just like feedback from the customers, is incorporated in all training courses, which are regularly adapted and further developed.

As the purchase costs of these systems are very high, more and more graphics businesses want to test the performance parameters of a machine with their own requirements before making a decision to invest. In doing so, they focus on size adjustment as well as different paper grades. Each year, there are over 150 demonstrations in the training center in Oftringen. “Each demo is individually tailored to the respective customer and his needs,” says Hans Leuenberger. “In addition to training and continuing education in our own training center, we also offer the option of providing training courses on the customer’s premises.” Special performance optimization programs are also available, with which production times and costs can be reduced.