Welbound to introduce PUR perfect binders in South East Asia

PUR perfect binding, known for its inherent strengths of temperature stability, insurance from solvent attacks, high page-pull strengths and capability to handle difficult substrates, is becoming popular in the commercial space as well as digital book printing. It is replacing thread-sewing, even in hard-cover books. While there are no doubts, regarding the superior benefits of PUR, it's the application know-how and costing models have been a deterrent. 

 

Three years ago, the 8bn Euros, Henkel Adhesives, the world's largest manufacturer of adhesives and a major player in the graphic art industry, initiated the process in India with Welbound. The aim: to provide an ideal solution to book production challenge. 

 

Henkel provided the application know-how in relation to the adhesive as well as the dispensers-applicators. Initially the focus of the Henkel-Welbound team was on retrofitting PUR systems on existing bookbinding lines in India: these included the Asian Printer of the Year Award winner: Pragati Offset; PrintWeek India Post-press Company Award winner Replika Press, Parksons Graphics and key Indian book print firms.

 

Welbound proceeded to develop a range of pre-melting and dispensing devices, it's recent-most is the volumetric control of adhesive. They also perfected the application systems with both open tank (roller) and slot coater (nozzle) systems. Machines were built around these systems. 

 

The past few months has seen big ticket installations of the Welbound-Henkel PUR solutions, including at the award-winning book printer, Jak Printers in Mumbai, who have swept the PrintWeek India Awards, three years in a row. 

 

"With Henkel's global expertise and Welbound's capability to convert the know-how into machines, we have been winners in reducing the complexities of PUR binding, and at the same time lowering the investment costs," stated Ashish Pradhan, director of Henkel Adhesives India. "We will be leveraging this advantage in order to spread the adoption of PUR in other parts of Asia".

 

Packprint International 2013 will see the South East Asian launch of Welbound PUR solutions, in association with Henkel. "At display will be our latest offering, the WB PUReBind 350 which has features like automatic set-up, combination milling-notching-brushing device, a slot coater applicator with EVA / PUR options, separate side gluing and a powerful cover nipping. We will offer special benefits to the customers like extra long clamps and facility to handle large covers," stated K C Sanjeev, the managing director of Welbound.

 

From being a cost-effective solution providers to the Indian book print industry, which demanded and offline and robust system, Welbound have scaled up to provide state-of-the-art PUR technology for the global book print market.

 

The Welbound stall is A14 at Packprint International 2013.