“Corona C13” continues the success story of SA.MAR

Bookbinding systems
“Corona C13” continues the success
story of SA.MAR
For SA.MAR in Basiano, close to Milan, fast job changeover times are just as important as high
production speeds. The new “Corona C13” perfect binder from Muller Martini fulfills both these
requirements, thus enabling efficient production.
It is just seven years since SA.MAR
S.R.L. was founded as a new softcover
book production facility, following the
restructuring of the holding company, Antero.
While the two other Antero subsidiary
companies, Legatoria di Basiano and
Europiega, specialized in saddle stitching
and folding, SA.MAR devotes itself exclusively
to the production of brochures,
magazines, catalogs and leaflets – and not
without considerable success.
Although it has only been producing
softcover products since 1998, SA.MAR
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has already made quite a name for itself
in northern Italy. Last year, close to 120
million copies in formats ranging from
11 x 13 cm to 29 x 41 cm were produced,
including some orders for such large customers
as Mondadori.
Three “modular binders”
in three years
Ever since it was founded, the company,
which now employs a workforce of 65
employees, has placed its confidence in
Muller Martini perfect binders. The first
“modular binder” was installed in 1998, a
second one followed a year later and then
a third one a year after that. As all three
lines have been running to the entire satisfaction
of the customer, Muller Martini
was again first choice when it came to a
fourth line.
This time around, a “Corona C13” perfect
binder with a “Zenith S” three-knife
trimmer and CB 16 book counter stacker
were purchased, and this line is capable
of producing around 4,000 more copies
per hour than the “modular binder”. And
20 Muller Martini Panorama June 2005

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for Aldo Mascaro, who owns the company
jointly with Benedetto Sartorelli, this was
an important argument: “We had very
good experiences with the three ‘modular
binders’. But as we are producing longer
and longer runs, we were on the look-out
for a machine with a higher output. And
the ‘Corona C13’ was an obvious choice,
especially because of its fast setup time,
which is around a third shorter than the
‘modular binder’.”
Magazines and catalogs with inserts
In fact run lengths can be as little as “only”
30,000 copies. But in the case of big orders,
for example the IKEA catalog, we are
talking about three to four million copies.
Needless to say, good quality, as well as
consistently high production speed is required.
Consequently, the “Corona C13”
Muller Martini Panorama June 2005
1 Machine operator, Carlo Biscotti,
CEO Aldo Mascaro and Fabio Casale,
Product Manager of Muller Martini
Italy (from left), in front of the new
“Corona C13” at SA.MAR.
2 In the case of large orders, the
“Corona C13” not only has to deliver
good quality but also run at a con-
sistently high speed.
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seems to be running more and more frequently
at its top speed of 13,500 cycles
per hour.
In addition, some individual magazines
and catalogs have to be provided with inserts,
merchandise samples or gimmicks
and therefore represent quite an assembly
job. Therefore, apart from 10 “normal”
stations, the gathering machine also has
a sample gluer and a pull-out section
feeder. Eight “stream feeders” take care
of the automatic supply of signatures.
More and more customers
are demanding PUR
As the machine operators had lots of experience
with the “modular binder” they
got used to the “Corona C13” very quickly.
“In addition, we had excellent training
from the specialists of Muller Martini
3 The CB 16 ensures neat stacks,
the “Zenith S” neat trimming.
Italy”, Aldo Mascaro tells us. “OK, the
electronic control system is new, but we
soon had the hang of it.” Having been in
operation for somewhat more than a year,
Mascaro’s conclusion about the new perfect
binder is extremely positive: “We are
99 percent satisfied – there’s no such
thing as 100 percent in our trade.”
Like one of the three “modular binders”,
the “Corona C13” is set up for PUR
production (and hotmelt). Aldo Mascaro:
“We have had nothing but good experiences
with it. And more and more customers
are demanding that their products
are perfect bound with PUR.”
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