PRINTmatters Article – Book Special.
About 10 years ago, ARSprintmedia owners Thomas Martens and Loek van Schijndel opted to specialize in printing and finishing high-quality sewn-bound full-colour books at a competitive price. A good move, because thanks in part to their website Bookadew, backed by a whole host of automation, growth is strong. ‘In 2023, we expect 50% growth for Bookadew.’
While there was still one offset press in the premises during PRINTmatters’ previous visit (2019) to these entrepreneurs in Roermond (there used to be six), that technology has now completely disappeared from the company. Everything is focused on printing, binding, and automation. The Océ VarioPrint i300 inkjet sheet-fed press installed at the end of 2019 has since been replaced by its successor, the Canon VarioPrint iX300. In addition, there are two Ricoh printers from the 9200 series, supplemented with BDT feeders to handle large sheets for XL books.
Automation
The covers can be finished to a size of up to 290 x 290 mm. ‘When choosing this book specialization, we decided that the customer should be able to get any size,’ says Thomas Martens, who, together with Loek van Schijndel, manages the company, which employs around 30 people. ‘The range varies from photo books, architect books, and personal books such as memoirs, to children’s books, all in full color.’ Van Schijndel: ‘Offering every size is easier said than done. To start with, you have to invest heavily in the calculator software, which allows customers to make their own calculations very easily. But subsequently, the complete automation for production must be set up accordingly. The many book variants produced each day must be created in a flow without “too many hands.”’ Martens: ‘We took over this company 14 years ago and have been building the automation for 10 years now. Ideas to expand or improve that automation come up constantly.’ That is why we have our own in-house team of software developers.’ The book portfolio, with print runs ranging from 1 to around 500 copies, is diverse due to differences in format, paper, printing techniques, and the choice of finishing details, such as the presence or absence of a bookmark ribbon or colored endpapers. Martens: ‘We are currently investing heavily in automation as well. For instance, barcodes will replace the order bag, so we know exactly where everything is located and what still needs to be done.’
14 languages
Besides Bookadew, there is another flow that should not go unmentioned: personalized books. Bookadew/ARSprintmedia, for example, produces highly thought-out concepts for various partners. For instance, a consumer can order a book based on a comic strip in which their family features. The customer might indicate, for instance, that the family consists of a father, mother, two sons aged 8 and 11, a daughter aged 6, and a dog. They all participate in the story. Do you have a different family composition? Then you receive a print version adapted to that. And consider that some books are available in 14 languages. Thanks to this refined automation, orders from all corners of the world end up in a smooth production flow. Van Schijndel: ‘These books can be ordered until midnight, and upon receipt, the files are automatically generated and printed that same night, allowing them to be mailed the day after the order. This is possible because everything is automated.’ These kinds of automation details are the strength of this young activity, of a company that has actually existed for 75 years.
Growth market
This year, the entrepreneurs are stepping the pedal even harder. In addition to the increased focus on automation, the men are also investing in production equipment. Van Schijndel: ‘Studies show that printing books is becoming increasingly common. Printing small runs from 1 to 1,000 copies, in particular, is a growth market.’ Martens: ‘And more and more books are being published under a personal name. If a football club celebrates its 100th anniversary, it is very easy and affordable to produce a beautiful full-colour sewn-bound book.’ Van Schijndel: ‘That growth makes it important for us to scale up production as well and automate as much as possible. That is why we invested in the Canon iX inkjet and Ricoh toner printers. And to prevent a bottleneck in the finishing process, we are going to increase the volume there as well. We are connecting a binding line, which adds mesh and endpapers, to our sewing machine.’ This way, a completely finished book block automatically comes out of the machine.’ And there is more: ‘We are also investing in a binding machine, a machine to produce somewhat larger runs of covers, starting from 100 copies.’
Helpdesk
Personal service is essential in this regard, especially for the somewhat less experienced book orderers. Martens: ‘The extensive automation ensures that customers essentially do everything themselves. We connect partners/resellers via an API link so that orders can be entered automatically, and we have a special reseller program for professionals.’ However, ordering online requires more guidance than, for example, a flyer. ‘That is why our helpdesk is always available. It is important that ease of use and guidance are 100%. To make the service complete, customers can have a sample book produced free of charge with an order of 50 copies or more. The customer can review and approve this before, for example, 300 copies are produced. Making a book is not easy, but we do make it easy and attractive for customers.’
Sample-book
To remove any doubt, Bookadew offers a sample book to customers considering ordering their own book. This sample book showcases the beautiful quality of inkjet and toner printing, as well as the sewn binding quality with various paper types. It is very useful for private individuals and professionals ordering their own books for the first time. However, this booklet also offers professionals additional insights into the possibilities and/or differences.
Source: PRINTmatters – Book special
Text Robbert Delfos
Photography Driessenphoto