JPS Books + Logistics, a provider of learning materials, recently installed the Tecnau Revolution 50 Stack 5251 and a TC 1350 RW Dynamic Perforator with the Canon ColorStream 3900Z printer.
Printing businesses have faced several challenges due to the COVID pandemic. Product availability and pricing are just a few of the obstacles that companies have encountered. JPS Books + Logistics (JPS) is no stranger to these and other issues. Since 1978 JPS has been committed to finding unique solutions to overcome challenges to fulfill its customers’ content creation needs.
According to a press release, the founders, Bob Johnson Sr. and his wife, Betty, instilled this mindset in the company. Third generation family member and CEO Hunter Johnson says that it is still prevalent today even as unforeseen and difficult challenges occur. As an example, Hunter stated, “We recently changed our name from JPS Graphics to JPS Books + Logistics because it clarifies our core businesses. We not only produce learning materials, but half of our location is dedicated to warehousing and fulfilling orders for end customers. JPS alleviates today’s logistical and production headaches for our clients.”
JPS Books + Logistics serves educational curriculum publishers and corporate training professionals. They produce student workbooks for K-12 schools, and corporate manuals mainly dealing with safety, regulatory and compliance training. These materials are standard 8 ½” X 11” books that are most commonly soft cover perfect bound or coil bound. The K-12 market has rebounded better from the pandemic than corporate training. The pandemic definitely has had a major impact on the printing market, further amplifying JPS’ two big challenges – uptime and throughput.
JPS relies on digital
According to Johnson, JPS had been 100 percent digital on the print side for a while. In 2021 the company went from 100 percent toner to cut sheet inkjet. In 2023 JPS took the next step and put in continuous inkjet, installing the Tecnau Revolution 50 Stack 5251 with the Canon ColorStream 3900Z printer. “We felt that Canon and Tecnau had a strong partnership. There was a lot of confidence that the two companies were in lockstep and could provide a good end-to-end solution,” said Johnson.
The Stack 5251 empowers high-speed color inkjet printing systems with an efficient cutting/stacking solution, highlighted by the double-cutting Cutter c52 with retractable cut section for quick blade changes and jam clearance. The user-friendly equipment also offers an intuitive, touch-screen display panel that controls the entire line and common operator adjustments are done externally for easy operation. Intelligent document integrity control automatically recognizes non-data or waste sheets and diverts appropriately, while maintaining registration to the first live printed page, said the press release.
Johnson claims all modules operate in taut web to generate the exceptionally smooth paper flow required for high-speed operation, with dynamic web aligner and adjustable decurler further enhancing smooth reliable web handling for the most demanding papers. He said “With our previous equipment throughput was 80-140 pages per minute. Our new solution provides throughput closer to 1,500 pages per minute, over a 10X increase.”
JPS’ other big challenge, uptime, was also overcome with the new solution. “The equipment goes down less frequently so more pages are coming out more minutes of every hour,” said Hunter.
In addition to the Revolution 50 Stack 5251, JPS Books + Logistics also purchased the Tecnau TC 1350 RW Dynamic Perforator, which enables smart perforation with a small footprint. The TC 1350 RW provides dynamic vertical perforations integrated on the rewinder. It includes two independent perforation wheels with single or coupled knives and programmable perforation lengths. This piece of equipment perforates pages that are often assessments or learning certificates, which are torn out of workbooks.
Issues and aids
During the pandemic, JPS experienced supply chain issues when trying to source pre perforated paper. “Pre perforated paper was not readily available and the price was through the roof, making it a nightmare situation,” said Hunter. “Also, seven day turn times were expected with short runs of 100 – 1,000 books. The sourcing of pre perforated paper ate into these turn times. Being able to dynamically perforate pages on the fly with the Tecnau TC 1350 RW has been a huge value add from a supply chain and sourcing standpoint,” added Johnson.
JPS’ level of confidence in Tecnau started even before its equipment was purchased. “The Tecnau pre-sales process was very consultative. Many times, sale people just tell you what you want to hear to get the deal done. Tecnau’s technical awareness and consultative approach was definitely a differentiator,” stated Hunter. Tecnau conducted many face-to-face meetings with JPS. “Our sales rep walked our plant with us. We gave him schematics of our facility, and he overlaid the equipment so we could see how the new layout would look,” said Mr. Johnson. Tecnau’s consultative approach has continued post installation, further increasing JPS’ confidence level.
