Plockmatic

TRANSFORMING FLAT SHEETS INTO BEAUTIFULLY FINISHED DOCUMENTS

PLOCKMATIC

2 | EME Outlook issue 39

MANUFACTURING

Sweden’s Manufacturing Drive

Jan Marstorp, CEO of Plockmatic International Group, discusses the evolution of manufacturing in Sweden Writer: Sean Galea-Pace | Project Manager: Matthew Taylor In Sweden, we’re quite traditional,” affirms Jan Marstorp, CEO of Plockmatic

Group.

“Although, like many other countries, we underwent a trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s where operations were outsourced. However, in the last few years, we’re beginning to see a new trend of operations beginning to come back to Sweden. Generally, Swedish people are highly-educated so people are very familiar with the culture of manufacturing.”

Sweden operates with a robust manufacturing sector, which accounts for around 20 percent of the country’s total GDP. Overall, manufacturing consists of approximately 70 percent of Swedish exports and creates more than one million jobs. Swedish manufacturers were among the first to leverage 3D printing techniques into operations. Both component and tool manufacturers have been introduced to test new manufacturing methods and materials, in addition to traditional tooling and Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machining.

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PLOCKMATIC

Deluxe Stitcher International

Jan Marstorp, CEO of Plockmatic Group

Deluxe Stitcher traces its lineage back to Bostitch and Thomas Briggs, who invented wire stitching in 1896.

A specialist in the wire stitching business for over a century, Deluxe Stitcher offers partners both a wealth of experience and a comprehensive range of services and products, ensuring optimum results for manufacturers, printing companies, dealers and engineers. From automated machines to specialist stitchers, inline stitching to book and box production and other industrial applications: Deluxe Stitcher continues to serve them all.

Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Plockmatic is a global supplier of finishing solutions for the print and mailing industry. Possessing more than 40 years of experience, Plockmatic has become renowned for being efficient and flexible, with

INLINE SOLUTIONS - Booklet Makers (Canon, Konica Minolta, Ricoh, Sharp, Xerox/Fuji Xerox) - Long Sheet Feeding Solutions (Long Sheet Feeder for Ricoh, Long Sheet Interposer for Ricoh) - Long Sheet Stacking Solutions (Canon, Konica Monolta, Ricoh)

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its technologies connecting inline to a digital printing system or process applications offline. The firm operates under both the Plockmatic and Morgana brand name and is now active in over 50 countries.

Marstorp has been CEO of Plockmatic since 2005. In this role, he is responsible for leading the organisation through three business areas as well as contract manufacturing. During his tenure, Marstorp has delivered profitable growth through both organically and acquisition. Prior to joining the firm, he served as both a Managing Director and a Production Director with the organisation since initially joining in 1998. A native of Sweden, Marstorp graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1987 from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

Plockmatic is a company that refuses to stand still. Over the past few years, it has sought to grow through acquisition and purchased Morgana

Manufactured in the USA and distributed worldwide, the quality of our precision-made parts, heads and machines is, as our clients agree, second to none. Deluxe Stitcher International is based in the Republic of Ireland, ideally placed to support and facilitate customers, engineers and manufacturers located in the UK, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Indian sub-continent. The supply of products, technical assistance and logistical support from this Irish office provides a faster turnaround for customers and partners located in these regions. The quality of our products and services is reflected in our continued professional relationships with reputable partners, such as Plockmatic.

Our product range includes original or alternative parts for the following familiar trade names: Bostitch, ISP, Deluxe, Muller Martini(TM), Osako, Monotype, M2000, Magnatek, Interlake, Bliss, etc.

In short, the range of products, services, customer support and technical knowledge offered by Deluxe Stitcher International should make it your first, and only, stop for all and any wire stitching requirements.

sales@deluxe.eu.com

Solving your wire stitching needs for over 125 years

Tradition, experience, expertise, quality and innovation For all your stitching needs, we are a designer and manufacturer of machines heads and parts for wire stitching. Our products are used on a vast range of stitchers.

So consult with us on ANY of your needs, large or small, we can help.

Some of our range of stitching solutions can be used on Bostitch, ISP, Deluxe, Muller Martini, Osako, Interlake, Bliss, Heidelberg etc etc

Deluxe Stitcher International, Barr Na Stuac, Old Parish, Dungarvan, Co Waterford, Ireland Telephone +353 58 46016

Email sales@deluxe.eu.com

Deluxe Stitcher Inc, 3747 N.Acorn Lane, Franklin Park, Illinois 60131 USA Telephone +1 847 445 4400

Email rventura@deluxestitcher.com

PLOCKMATIC Systems in 2013, followed by KGS srl of Mestrino in 2016 and the purchase of Watkiss Automation two years later.

Now in 2021, Plockmatic is launching a new range of products in a bid to diversify. Having been involved in the manufacturing space his entire working life, Marstorp has witnessed the evolution of the manufacturing industry in Sweden first-hand over

the years and understand today’s necessity to diversify.

“We try to provide complete portfolio of products. One thing we work hard is to get the benchmark price performance. We try for cost efficient units to bring features from high-end segments to the midsegments at affordable prices — it’s unique to us.

“You must have a broad solution offering because companies these days can’t afford to rely on one solution.”

In particular, Marstorp points to the Plockmatic PBM5000 Series for Ricoh as one of his company’s most important projects over the past few years.

“We’re very strong in providing binding for books,” says Marstorp.

“When you staple a book, you tend to get a back that is bulky. However, with our patent technology, we bind it well and you can print the spine and distribute very efficiently. We’ve launched a new range of products which has taken us further to expand application within this market. Our acquisition of Watkiss Automation meant that this technology was introduced into the high-end sector and accelerated our crease and folds technology.”

“HAVING LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS MEANS THAT WE CAN ENGAGE THEM IN THE ENGINEERING PHASE TO ENSURE WE DON’T MAKE PARTS THAT ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO PRODUCE”

MANUFACTURING

A PLOCKMATIC SUBSIDIARY MORGANA SYSTEMS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Plockmatic International. The firm supplies a comprehensive range of innovative and market-leading offline post-press equipment for customers involved in the numerous activities of the printing industry worldwide. Based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire (UK), Morgana is closely linked to Watkiss Automation, another innovative supplier of post-press equipment owned by Plockmatic Group.

Having started by introducing the AutoCreaser at the turn of the century in 2000, Morgana Systems has been a pioneer in developing cuttingedge solutions to cope with the special requirements of the digital printer. Morgana Systems is primarily the preferred offline finishing partner for all of the leading manufacturers of digital print engines, while Plockmatic manufactures a range of innovative inline finishing solutions.

Plockmatic outsource the majority of its sales by leveraging benchmark suppliers. Marstorp is clear that by utilising outside vendors, it significantly scales efficiency for his organisation.

“We have ownership over all our engineering and make the electronics and the software ourselves,” he explains.

“However, we think it’s best to get outside vendors to produce parts for us otherwise it would cost us many hours that are better spent elsewhere.

In this industry, we get a lower breakeven level, but the demand can vary which makes it unstable.

“Outsourcing allows us to focus on building a strong and stable workforce to ensure we deliver high-quality products.”

The importance of establishing key, strategic relationships is at the heart of long-term success. In order to harvest such positive collaborations with suppliers, Marstorp believes it’s important to be as cost-efficient as possible.

“Having long-term relationships means that we can engage them in the engineering phase to ensure we don’t make parts that are very expensive to produce,” he says.

With the future in mind, Marstorp is keen to stress that despite the challenges of 2020, he is optimistic that the market will rebound strongly.

“COVID-19 has meant we’ve had a set-back unlike we could have imagined,” he says. “Despite the struggles of the second quarter, we did experience a recovery in Q3 and Q4.

“People expect that 2021 will be a year of major recovery but that might take until 2022 because the situation is still ongoing. I do anticipate a tough

year as we don’t know the full impact it will have on the printing industry with people changing their behaviour and things becoming more online. This only showcases just how important diversifying product portfolios are in order to retain success. Despite that, the overall market is still seismic, so I do feel like we’re still in a good position moving forward.”

PLOCKMATIC Tel: +46 8 602 5000 plockmatic@plockmatic.com www.plockmaticgroup.com

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PLOCKMATIC Telefonvägen 30, S-126 26 Hägersten, Sweden Tel: +46 8 602 5000 plockmatic@plockmatic.com www.plockmaticgroup.com PRODUCED BY EME OUTLOOK MAGAZINE