A programme of rolling workshops to prepare printers for a winter of discontent has been announced at Total Print! Expo by leading UK finishing supplier GAE.

Titled ‘When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Smart’ the events will demonstrate how next generation bindery systems can help printers cut waste, improve quality and make better use of existing human resources to compete more effectively in the marketplace and win work for their presses.

Centred at GAE’s newly-refurbished 785sqm showrooms, the workshops will travel to sites in Scotland, the Midlands and the West Country, culminating in a comprehensive ‘live bindery’ display on the largest stand at Northprint 09, Harrogate. Taking centre-stage will be the automated finishing systems from market-leader Horizon.

Bryan Godwyn, Joint Managing Director of GAE comments: “I think everybody is bracing themselves for some serious belt-tightening and these are times when prices can be driven down and every printer’s loyal customer base comes under threat. Our message is – ‘don’t panic’.

“At times when the pressroom is working under capacity we can demonstrate how a prudent investment in the bindery can be a ‘magic bullet’ for a printer’s business by reducing outgoings, spreading overheads and improving the quality and efficiency of his service.

“Automated finishing systems can help win work and fill the presses and this is what next generation bindery systems from Horizon bring to the party. For a modest capital investment printers can add a system to their finishing firepower that will allow them to compete more effectively and get better value and productivity from their existing fixed overheads.”

The first ‘…tough Get Smart’ workshop takes place in Scotland, at Litho Supplies’ Livingston premises, where automated saddlestitching, folding and perfect binding systems will be on live demonstration.

GAE Joint-MD, Tony Hards, adds: “Our tie-in now with Litho Supplies enables us to meet our customers in their own neighbourhoods and gives us many more ways to offer them new opportunities to improve their efficiency; for example, we can introduce them to cost-effective packages for plates, pressroom consumables and other products. When margins are under pressure, it makes sense to examine every possibility to run a tight ship.”