Customer: Bellia Print & Design
State: New Jersey
Website: https://belliaprinting.com/
Industry: Commercial Printing
Solutions: 700i Booklet System, DC-646 Slitter/Cutter/Creaser
When it comes to finishing, the decision to take the process in-line or off-line remains an ongoing debate. Ultimately, it depends on the specific preferences of each individual printer. However, a key factor that emerges when considering finishing options is the importance of efficiency and productivity. In the business of print, every minute counts and the ability to produce high-quality products on demand can make all the difference.
For Andrew Bellia, president of Bellia Print & Design in Woodbury, NJ, taking his bookletmaking off-line to the Duplo 700i Booklet System has improved both productivity and profitability. Over the past year, the company has seen a remarkable return on investment. Job costs were cut in half, and booklet orders increased by 50% after making the switch.
From Copy Center to Full-Service Print Provider
Bellia Print & Design, a third-generation family business, was founded over 50 years ago by Bellia’s grandparents, Salvatore and Nancy. Its history reflects the entrepreneurial spirit that has been passed down through generations. What began as a copy center and office supply store, today is a full-service digital print business serving the South Jersey and Philadelphia regions with direct mail and graphic design among their capabilities.
Recognized as a Best of South Jersey Biz in 2023, the shop handles projects of any size. The production floor has six digital presses, Fiery software drives the front-end, and multi-functional equipment like the DC-646 Slitter/Cutter/Creaser completes the finishing process. But, when it came to the production of booklets and catalogs, their in-line bookletmaker had created significant challenges.
“When the digital press goes down, the bookletmaker goes down along with it. We were losing both capabilities,” says Bellia. When in production, the press ran at half the speed and the additional finishing required created a bottleneck. “Although the booklets were being stitched in-line, we needed to take them to our guillotine cutter to be either face or three-side trimmed. It was an extremely labor-intensive process.”
The in-line system proved to cost more than just time as it also limited their printing output. “We were restricted to a maximum size of 12” x 18” and a minimum size of 8.5” x 11”, which prevented us from participating in and winning a lot of projects. It also created a product that left a lot to be desired,” he explains. “Because we were restricted by size, we were unable to run booklets multiple-up on a larger press sheet. This made us use more clicks than necessary and in turn, less competitive.”
Enhancing Production Capacity
Bellia Print realized it was time to explore other solutions and found that the 700i Booklet System would improve their production capacity and efficiency to better meet their clients’ needs. The system, which combines the DBM-700 Bookletmaker with the DSC-10/60i Suction Collator, transforms flat sheets into finished booklets up to 5,200 per hour. With options like square back finishing and three-knife trimming, the 700i allows the operator to be more productive and attend to other tasks. It also accommodates larger paper sizes up to 14.02” x 24.02”, which enables them to process multiple-up applications.
“The 700i delivers a higher quality product while using less labor to produce it. And it runs a larger number of sizes to keep us competitive.”
“It’s given us more throughput capabilities, faster turnaround times, and allows us to manage the ever-rising labor costs,” he comments. “The 700i delivers a higher quality product while using less labor to produce it. And it runs a larger number of sizes to keep us competitive.”
Doubling Speed and Cutting Costs
The transformation of this part of their operation has been a game-changer for the business. “We like having the bookletmaker independent from the digital press,” Bellia adds. “Our presses run twice as fast when running flat sheets. Now we can run projects multiple-up on a single sheet and save on click charges. It has cut our job costs in half and we have gained billable capacity back because of it.”
“Now we can run projects multiple-up on a single sheet and save on click charges. It has cut our job costs in half.”
The team produces all types of jobs from 8-page programs and corner-stapled packets to thick catalogs of up to 50 sheets with a square spine. “We also produce large quantities of flat and oversized direct mail pieces by stitching on a variable data printed cover to a static inside.”
Shifting their bookletmaking off-line has proven to be quite a successful move. One that Bellia attributes to the 50% increase in booklet jobs coming in as they are able to take in work from local print brokers and deliver more on demand. It’s been moves like this throughout their history that have equipped Bellia and his family to continue their grandparents’ and parents’ legacy with passion and solidify their reputation as a top-quality print service provider.
“We’ve had the DC-646 Slitter/Cutter/Creaser for five years and it transformed our finishing department overnight. We’ve had such a great experience with Duplo. From purchasing to the installation to the ongoing service, we knew it was the correct choice.”
The equipment was sold by Canon Solutions America.
