Dutch postpress company Van Elst increases productivity by 30%-50% with installation of two Stahlfolder KH 82 folding machines and Stitchmaster ST 500 saddlestitcher from Heidelberg at its Apeldoorn facility

Mathew Kearney

November 14, 2013 (press release) – Dutch postpress company Van Elst in Apeldoorn recently invested in two highly automated Stahlfolder KH 82 folding machines and a new Stitchmaster ST 500 saddlestitcher with six feeders, both from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg). "To position our company profitably and safeguard jobs, we need to move away from traditional working methods and toward lean and efficient production," says owner Onno Bruinsma, explaining his decision to replace three older folding machines and two saddlestitcher. "The new machines give us a significant boost in productivity of 30 to 50 percent." As well as traditional postpress, Van Elst also offers direct mailing services such as addressing, personalization, inline printing, mailing, sealing, and shipment. Last year, the company installed a Stahlfolder TH 82 Flexomailer with a full range of options for process optimization in direct mailing.

"Our strategy is based on two pillars - firstly, boosting efficiency and secondly, expanding our service portfolio to become less dependent on other companies in the graphic arts sector," says Bruinsma.

Van Elst boasts a 120-year history and a workforce of 30 employees producing jobs for discerning customers in the Netherlands. These include various magazines for the region for customers such as non-profit organizations and church institutions. "It is extremely important for us to promote excellent, closely developed partnerships with customers and offer them the best," explains Bruinsma. "We also receive the same level of service from the Heidelberg agency in the Netherlands, Tetterode-Nederland, which has been working with us for generations as a preferred supplier."

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