Duplo plans to celebrate the oncoming IPEX year with the global launch of its high performance, affordable suction folder for digital colour print – the DF-1000. Commercial and on-demand printers are set to benefit from the advanced capabilities of the DF-1000. Offered at a competitive price, the system produces precisely folded, scratch/mark free material and effectively finishes work printed on both offset and digital presses. As the newest addition to Duplo’s digital product portfolio the DF-1000 is perfect for countless applications and is the ideal system for folding direct mail pieces such as brochures, flyers and invitations as well as official documentation such as invoices and letters. Dominic Quennell, vice president of marketing, Duplo Corporation says: “We have designed the DF-1000 to be the ideal folding solution for the colour digital printer. It incorporates suction technology, which tackles common problems faced by digital printers when finishing colour work. For example, it will not mark or scratch the surface of the printed page and evades the build up of static during the finishing process. “Further to this, the DF-1000 offers high speed accuracy, flexibility and state-of-the-art features synonymous with Duplo finishing systems - in a footprint of just 1227mm x 534mm x 590mm! It is also unique in that it does not require an additional, separate pump system in order to function, which makes it the quietest machine in its field. This fact, along with the machine’s compact size, means the DF-1000 will easily integrate and slot into any print shop, office or working environment.” Able to handle bond stocks and art/coated paper to a maximum paper weight of 200gsm, the DF-1000 can fold and batch up to 240 sheets per minute, ready for inserting or mailing. The system’s high level of automation and large feeding capacity of 1000 sheets means it can run and run at the switch of a button, reducing down-time and enhancing productivity for the printer. Operated by an LCD panel, the system has been designed for optimum user friendliness, meaning no special training is required. It detects and adjusts itself to the specific paper size, eliminating the need for any user intervention and can be managed by even the most inexperienced employee. Three simple steps – load, select and start – is all that is required to produce perfectly folded output. Dominic Quennell continues: “In the case of the DF-1000, Duplo has taken suction fed technology - which is traditionally considered to be suited to offset printing - and has adapted it for the benefit of the digital printer. It is a perfect product for us to launch in the run up to IPEX as it demonstrates we are dedicated to introducing the very best technological developments to the industry, to create accessible finishing products and systems for all types of output. “We anticipate 2006 to be an important year for Duplo. Not only will we be exhibiting on the international stage at IPEX, but there will undoubtedly be more product revelations from us such as the DF-1000, for both the offset market place and the ever growing digital print sector. As Duplo continues its commitment to product innovation and development, the industry can rest assured that the print finishing sector will maintain its position as a leading driver in the ongoing technological advances of print production.”