Massachusetts-based Courier Corp., one of America’s leading innovators in book manufacturing, content management and publishing, today announced its plans to provide complete end-to-end digital production capability at its flagship four-color plant in Kendallville, Ind.

The heart of the new production line will be a high volume HP T410 Color Inkjet Web Press, Courier’s fourth HP digital press and its largest to date. With three HP T350 presses already running at its plant in North Chelmsford, Mass., Courier opted for the greater capacity and flexibility of the T410, with its 42-inch web width, to serve an even larger customer base across a full range of run lengths at the Indiana plant.

Other key components include HP’s new Indigo 10000 digital press for book covers, a Muller Martini binding line and extensive warehousing and distribution facilities. The new equipment is scheduled to be installed over the winter for ramp-up next spring at a cost of approximately $13 million, which will bring Courier’s total investment in digital production to $40 million.

“Bringing digital capability to Kendallville makes excellent sense for our customers and for our company,” said Courier Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James F. Conway III. “It’s a logical next step given the success of our Courier Digital Solutions business in Massachusetts, which is currently installing its own HP Indigo 10000 press as one of seven worldwide beta sites.

“Today many publishers are moving to multi-print strategies to maximize the lifespan of every title and capture short-term opportunities, while reducing inventory and obsolescence costs. By leveraging Courier Digital Solutions’ expertise at our Kendallville plant, we can make that process a lot easier. Through this initiative, customers who already rely on Courier Kendallville for outstanding quality in four-color offset will gain access to offset-quality digital production for shorter runs right in the same facility. They’ll also gain a full set of complementary capabilities including content management, seamless customization and a direct-ship option from a convenient geographic hub,” said Conway.

“At the same time, this is a great opportunity for the 600 people in our Kendallville workforce, not to mention the many civic and industry partners, including the City of Kendallville, who have been at our side as we have grown the plant into a market leader in offset book production. With this new capability, the plant will now have the opportunity to make a comparable name for itself in digital content delivery. From short runs of customized college textbooks to long runs of four-color books for readers everywhere, this 500,000-square-foot facility will be able to handle all aspects of the demand curve, helped by our industry-leading experience in four-color offset and digital, and by our close relationship with HP.”

Source: Inside INdiana Business