The Presto II Digital lets printers and binderies efficiently increase their capabilities and product offerings.

Since run sizes for magazines, journals and brochures are decreasing, while product variety is increasing, shorter processing times are needed. That means there is a stronger emphasis on digital printing in saddle stitching. The Muller Martini Presto II Digital is capable of processing both sheet-fed and web printed products in offset and digital printing. It produces at 9,000 cycles per hour, processing up to 30,000 incoming signatures. Thanks to its space-saving design and high level of automation, the Presto II Digital is the most economical and powerful saddle stitcher in today's market for small to mid-sized runs.

Recently, the innovative and family-run British company, Ultragraph Ltd., replaced its Bravo saddle stitcher with a Presto II Digital, because it is producing considerably more digitally printed magazines, leaflets and brochures since installing an HP Indigo digital press. Although Ultragraph had originally intended to recondition the Bravo, the increase in digitally printed signatures with shorter runs prompted Managing Director Nick Jones to change plans. And a visit to Muller Martini's Print Finishing Center in Switzerland to see the Presto II perform first-hand convinced him completely. "I ran ten different jobs myself, and all were impeccable," he remarked.

Roughly a year after installing the Presto II Digital with a single-sheet flat pile feeder, a processing folder, six flat pile feeders, a cover feeder and a three-knife trimmer, Ultragraph's investment has been recouped. The saddle stitcher has excelled with its flexibility and has passed with flying colors, processing everything from flyers and leaflets to product catalogs and company magazines in runs ranging from 20 digitally printed copies to 100,000 offset copies. Where possible, several digital short runs are produced back to back using the Presto II Digital as the saddle stitcher also boasts short job changeover times. So large jobs can be interrupted if an urgent small-volume job needs to be performed.