A strategic partnership that brings together LumeJet, the UK based ultra-high quality print technology developer, and the Swiss photobook printing and finishing manufacturer, Imaging Solutions AG (ISAG), has been announced in April 2015.

The partnership will offer a bundled package of the LumeJet S200 printer with the ISAG fastBook10CF bookbinder, to deliver a full layflat book production system handling sizes up to A3 landscape.

As a complete package it reduces the overall production costs and is aimed squarely at the rapidly expanding layflat photobook sector. The sector has enjoyed compound 40 % growth over the last few years, and the proliferation of photobooks has inspired other markets to use the format for themselves. Notably this has led to rapid growth in markets such as corporate pitch books, property prospectuses, look books and coffee table books.

The front end of the new offering is the LumeJet S200, which has the unique ability to combine true contone photographic quality images with fine line artwork and crisp text over extra-large print area (305 x 1000 mm). This makes it possible to print layflat books of all shapes and sizes up to A3 landscape double-page spread – as single sheets, no split images, registration issues or loss of detail. Ideal for wide-format graphics and panoramic images.

The fastBook10CF system turns printed sheets into complete book blocks. It is the ideal solution for growing order volumes whilst maintaining versatility. Thanks to its hot glue system and very short make-ready times – format change takes place via software – very high productivity can be achieved, even with changing formats. An additional benefit is the ability to handle the thinnest paper available from LumeJet and laminate sheets directly without an intermediary board.

Rainer Bauer, CEO of Imaging Solutions, said: “ISAG has been very successful in premium quality, high-volume photobook production but working with LumeJet creates an opportunity in cut sheet commercial markets where we have not been active. It is a very exciting strategic partnership that feels like a hand-in-glove fit.”

The fastBook10CF automatically builds blocks of up to 100 pages or 50 mm thickness, including the creasing and folding. Thanks to the hotmelt technology no drying time is required. It can produce A4, A3 landscape, 300 by 300 mm and a variety of other sizes with very little set up. The use of hot glue further allows the system to handle mixed substrates easily.

Paul Anson, CEO of LumeJet said: “With the LumeJet S200 being able to print up to 1.0m in length we are finding that layflat books are the single biggest application for our customers. The fastBook10 complements the S200 perfectly due to its flexibility and very competitive price point.

“The automatic production of the books has been a challenge due the variety of sizes that can be produced by the LumeJet S200 and the number of substrates that it can print on. We are currently running at nine substrates with Album HD the FujiFilm finger print resistant paper included.

“We are very excited to be unveiling this partnership as we are now able to offer a very competitive bundle to the marketplace for the production of the highest quality layflat books. By bringing the package together we can offer end-users the opportunity to dramatically cut the overall cost of a finished layflat book and reduce turnaround time. The latter is critical for sectors such as brand marketing and pitch books.

“ISAG has a fabulous reputation for manufacturing very high quality equipment and the fastBook10CF follows in that tradition. It’s a great combination of British and Swiss precision engineering companies.”

In closing, Rainer Bauer of ISAG said: “We are really happy about how the partnership has developed. We have a shared philosophy for quality and innovation to bring truly novel opportunities to customers, and with LumeJet’s knowledge of the commercial print sector and our knowledge of the photobook marketplace, we have developed a truly compelling proposition for the companies who want to address the high value layflat book market.”