You are here:  News    News   News

What a great machine!

Hansa-Druckerei Stelzer in Stade, Germany’s second oldest printing plant, relied on the folding machine technology from MB Bäuerle for many years - and has done it again.

When entering the lobby, the visitor will notice at once that Hansa-Druckerei Stelzer is a company with a long tradition as soon as his eyes catches a glass showcase with a church bible from 1702 which was produced in this company. The printing house itself was founded in 1651 when Elias Holwein was granted the privilege to establish a printing shop by the royal house of Sweden. This makes Hansa-Druckerei the second oldest printing house in Germany. In 1910 Robert Stelzer, a merchant from Stade, acquired the business. Today the company is headed in the fourth generation by Carsten Stelzer together with his mother Christiane Stelzer-Muflizovic.

A trained merchant in wholesale and foreign trade, the proprietor likes to concentrate all production steps in-house. “I know how to cope with the pre-print stage and print processing, now I want to learn printing“, explains Carsten Stelzer his personal goal. The distinguishing feature of the company is its comprehensive product portfolio which ranges from classical printed matters, corporate brochures, forms and operating instructions to posters, punchings and special applications. Since 1990, a total of 15 staff members ensure smooth production on a site of 1,200 sqm. Many employees have been with Stelzer for a long time, in some cases up to 50 years, which underlines the good working atmosphere. The customer base is very broad and is composed of both large corporations with world-wide operations and small local businesses. Personal customer relations are especially dear to the owner. “The customers appreciate that I am also available in person“, adds Carsten Stelzer.

For efficient production processes, the use of modern technology is essential. The company has always been aware of this. In the pre-press section, the company is equipped with the most up-to-date computer to plate technology for the best possible production of plates. In the pressroom there are 11 print units with a maximum format of 52 x 72 cm. The owner family is especially proud of its wide range of print finishing equipment. The machinery includes several fully programmable high-performance cutting machines, a saddle stitcher with envelope feeder and trimmer and recently a fully automatic folding machine.

Since 2000 Stelzer has confided in the folding technology from MB Bäuerle. “In a trade magazine we had read an article about the machine system and arranged a demonstration with MB Bäuerle’s subsidiary in Hamburg. We were convinced of the concept and decided to buy the multimaster CAS 52 “, remembers senior manager Christiane Stelzer-Muflizovic. In 2015 a replacement investment for the existing folding machine was contemplated. As a result of the long positive experience with the machine and the excellent support provided by MB Bäuerle’s service and sales departments, the successor model prestigeFOLD NET 52 was acquired. The fully automatic fold system has six fold plates in the first unit and four fold plates in the second unit. A special characteristic of this model is its comprehensive automation. All relevant modules from feeder to delivery are set automatically via the centrally placed touch screen display by just pushing a button. “Our print runs normally range between 5,000 to 10,000 copies. For this reason frequent changeovers of the machine were necessary. But thanks to the complete automation, set-up times can be considerably reduced. The job memory with 200 storage spaces is also very helpful. We are now able to produce certain jobs within one hour, whereas in the past it took as four times as long”, explains Carsten Stelzer. The prestigeFOLD is equipped with a gate fold plate for special types of fold and the additional fold unit for small formats KF 31 for creating small folds with a fold length of 18 mm. The mobile and height-adjustable knife fold unit MS 45 is ideal for making cross folds. It can be connected with the first or second buckle fold unit. The knife unit rotates by 180°, making it possible to fold from the top or the bottom. The machine arrangement is supplemented by the vertical stacker SKM 36 for the reliable delivery of end products with small formats. “Our staff is excited about the prestigeFOLD NET 52 because it meets our very high requirements. It is great to work with such a fantastic product“, Carsten Stelzer sums up his impression with the folding machine.

The next investment will be in digital printing with some interesting new developments. At Stelzer one does not rest on the long-standing history, their view is also directed toward the future.

Caption:
Convinced of the fully automatic folding machine prestigeFOLD NET 52: Managing Director Carsten Stelzer (right), bookbinder Matthias Rudelsberger (left), here with MB Bäuerle‘s Sales Representative for Northern Germany, Jens Jacobsen.

Do you have any questions?
Please contact our telephone hotline. +49 (0)7724 882-0