The DocuMaster Pro
Although now Swedish-owned, Morgana Systems retains a rich British manufacturing pedigree.
Morgana Systems celebrated 35 years in the printing industry this year. The business has recently been acquired by Sweden’s Plockmatic Systems, part of the Grimaldi group of Companies.
Morgana will still manufacture its industry leading range of folders and creasing machines at its UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, and this will continue to be the key base for operations. Quen Baum of Morgana Systems sees Plockmatic as an ideal partner for the future. ‘The combined businesses and brands will be even stronger in the market and will better serve our customers and staff,’ he said.
Over its 35 years, Morgana has been a key supplier to both the UK market and to overseas customers, with more than 80% of its manufactured goods going to export markets.
In its early days, the company focused on developing innovative products for a thriving small offset market sector, producing thousands of UFO, Junior, and Major folding machines, many of which are still in production world wide. The company developed a reputation for building reliable, high-quality machines, offering great value for money.
However, Morgana was quick to see the rapid development in digital print and to understand some of the challenges this would present from a finishing perspective. With the launch of its original AutoCreaser at drupa 2000, the company focused its R&D resources on the digital sector, producing solutions to deal directly with the problems found in finishing digitally printed products. The DigiFold followed soon after.
This was the first machine to crease and fold in one pass and was specificallydesigned to prevent the cracking of toner.Probably the most significant change in the general architecture of the Morgana products during the last few years has been the addition of the company’s own ‘SmartScreen’ technology.
The DigiFold
The seven-inch touch-sensitive control panel has been designed in-house. SmartScreen aids fast and efficient production, including set-up with ultra-minimum wastage. ‘Digital printers do not want to produce the overs that are easily and cheaply produced with offset,’ said Ray Hillhouse, sales manager at Morgana Systems. ‘It is normal for every sheet to carry a click-charge with digital printing, and so finishing kit that can produce saleable product within one or two copies has to be seen as the standard now.’
The current AutoCreaser Pro and the DigiFold continue to be the company’s strongest selling products. Now supplied with SmartScreen control, they also have significantly higher productivity than the earlier machines. Morgana believes that the DigiFold Pro sets the industry standard in this class of product in terms of accuracy and productivity.
At the recent North Print & Pack show, the company launched its latest bookletmaker: the System2000S, complete with a new feeder designed to feed both pre-collated sheets from digital print engines and un-collated litho printed sections.
In summary, Mr Baum added: ‘We have to aim to be one step ahead of the improvements in digital printing technology. With our acquisition by Plockmatic and their links with the key digital engine suppliers, it gives us the ideal opportunity to combine our R&D resources and continue to develop industry leading, innovative products to meet our customers’ growing and future needs.’
