April 24, 2003 -- Westampton, New Jersey — Two of the most successful and biggest names in the Graphic Arts Industry have teamed up to present a Customer Expo. The event is designed to help printers and binderies make their finishing operations more productive and more responsive to the ever-changing marketplace. MBO America and Muller Martini Corp. will conduct the Customer Expo June 5-7 here in Westampton, New Jersey and are inviting key individuals from facilities that operate or plan to run binderies to attend. “We want to reward bindery operators who take the time to visit us as a way to improve their operations,” says Hans Max, President and CEO of MBO America. “But their ultimate reward will be the new business they win when they put our innovations to work for them.” “The MBO America/Muller Martini Customer Expo will offer something for everyone who is concerned about improving his postpress workflow,” says Werner Naegeli, President and CEO of Muller Martini Corp. “We’ll have the latest in perfect binders, saddle stitchers, folders and even direct response systems on display and being demonstrated. Participants will be able to see first-hand what will work for their businesses.” Muller Martini will feature its new AmigoDigital at the event. It is the first professional grade perfect binding system designed to meet the high-end finishing needs of both digital printers and sheetfed offset facilities that require short-run book manufacturing solutions. The system is purpose-built to plug into on-demand workflows, so that the parameters of each individual book are automatically transferred to the binder for hands-free setups. In fact, Amigo Digital’s automated advancements extend its versatility beyond the digital realm. Its laser-guided measuring station and automatic makeready features can be assets to any facility that would like to enter the expanding short-run book market. Also at work during the Customer Expo will be Muller Martini’s newest saddle stitching system — BravoPlus. Introduced in North America at the last Graph Expo, the system brings high-volume saddle stitching advancements to facilities that concentrate on short-to-medium runs. The BravoPlus will work in conjunction with MBO’s BA-700 automatic banding delivery to run a two-up job at the event. The demonstration will show how BravoPlus delivers the highest level of automation in its class, and provides a level of book quality that is second to none. The stitcher features a touch screen control system and menu-driven operation that guides the operator through every job, step-by-step. And its integrated three-knife trimmer delivers superior produce quality and long knife life. In addition to the BA-700 delivery, MBO America will run a wide range of folding, mailing, cutting, and binding solutions. . . • An MBO Perfection folder will demonstrate how the Navigator operating system — with Touch Screen, Rapid Set and Data Manager — automates make-readies. • Two MBO B21 8-page units will be coupled to a Stralfors Unwinder and Sheeter to create signatures. • A Herzog + Heymann M7.46-72 map-folder with 12 fold-plates will demonstrate the state-of-the-art in folding. • An MBO B30-S/4VM Perfection folder will connect with a Herzog + Heymann 392 unit to demonstrate time-slitting, time-perforating, time-scoring, plow-folding and utilizing a pick & place unit to tip on a 3-dimensional piece to create eye-catching direct mail pieces in a single pass. • A B26/44X folder will team with a H+H ILS system, to produce a 16-page pasted booklet, trimmed on a Bograma punching unit, to create attention-grabbing products. • An Ehret reel-sheeter will run in combination with a Perfection B-26S 8-page unit and a BA-700 automatic banding delivery demonstrating high-speed sheeting, folding and banding. • A 45” Wohlenberg Cut-Tec guillotine cutter will be surrounded with Baumann material handling systems that incorporate a pile-hoist, jogger and unloader. • A Theisen & Bonitz flex B315 VP collator will work in system configuration with the new 304 stitch, fold and trim unit with integrated head-, and foot-trim. • A variety of other innovative folding and gluing combinations will be displayed, comprising a total of 15 systems. Refreshments will be available at the event, including German sausages and sauerkraut. The MBO America/Muller Martini Customer Expo is open to anyone who is interested in attending the event. However, reservations are required. Call Cheryl Pinto at MBO America — 609.267.2900, or register at the Muller Martini website — www.mullermartiniusa.com.