On the other side of the globe, the picturesque China of old still exists in many ways—rice paddies only minutes away from big cities, hand pulled carts on city streets and along heavily trafficked highways, shoulder-harnessed loads hauled on roads, fields and construction sites, and laundry hand-scrubbed on rocks in streams.

Computer integrated manufacturing systems, along with the use of CNC machining, has put Purlux in the company of leading global manufacturers.

A startling contrast is found in Shanghai. Riding along its busy six-lane highways, the backdrop of high-rise buildings rivals the likes of skylines in Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles. Bicycles, still a common mode of transportation, are pedaled by young and old, modernly clad in stylish, colorful western-style clothing. The shopping district boasts the haute couture of Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Louis Vuitton and other designers in boutiques that line the street like Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Not far from this fashionable district is the industrial area of Shanghai where manufacturing enterprises are housed in building after building. One such business is the Shanghai Purlux Co. Ltd., the largest manufacturer of postpress equipment in China for over 50 years.

It is one of a group of four companies, which form a mini-conglomerate of graphic arts equipment manufacturers brought together in the '90s— jointly owned by foreign venture capitalists, a private investor, and the government. Two of the companies are engaged primarily in postpress equipment and two in package and offset printing equipment. The goal is to merge the like companies to pool their resources, resulting in two more-efficient and financially stronger divisions.

In its 172,224 sq. ft. plant, Purlux has about 700 employees, including 120 engineers. It has over 80% of the market share in saddle stitching and book sewing machinery in China. Now it seeks growth in the international markets.

When one of the founders of the Hong Kong based Wingfield, Ltd., embarked on a partnership with Purlux to market its machinery to the European community in 1995, he also took on the challenge of assisting Purlux in adapting their machinery to comply with the continents needs and its stringent manufacturing regulations.

Aware of the arduous task ahead, they chose to begin with one machine—the saddle stitcher, a staple in the graphic arts industry. By 1997, the Purlux saddle stitcher qualified for CE certification, attained ISO ratings, and was introduced successfully to the European and far eastern communities.

Neal Anderson of Vijuk Equipment confers with one of the engineers in the Purlux assembly room where 100 saddle stitchers are produced per year.

COMING TO AMERICA
The American market was the next target for Purlux and Wingfield, and in 1999, they found a suitable agent in Vijuk Equipment Inc. The new market presented new hurdles—some foreseen by Vijuk and some not recognized until the machine was installed and in use. Neal Anderson, Vijuk product manager for the saddle stitcher, frequently spent weeks at a time in Shanghai, advising the Purlux engineers on making a machine capable of competing in the American market.

Vijuk became a design partner with Purlux and Wingfield, and together they have faced the trials common to any machine making its debut in a new market. Together they have developed the VIJUK 321-T Saddle Stitcher, which is not to be mistaken for its predecessor, a tilt-back-pocket-type stitcher which was briefly sold in the U.S. around the mid-90s.

In China, an age-old civilization under strict socialist rule, individual accomplishments are for the good of the whole society. Often in this environment, printers are content running their machines at moderate speeds for adequate production.

By contrast, Americans tend to run machines continuously at top speeds for five or six days a week-sometimes around the clock.

Also, labor is abundant and cheap in China, so businesses do not necessarily rely on machines for cost-effective production.

Living in one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, Americans are also accustomed to the many conveniences and efficiencies offered in machine operation. The real difference in machine requirements comes down to expectations—what Americans expect from the saddle stitcher.

The 172,224 sq. ft. Purlux plant.

AN ENGINEERING PARTNER
Recognizing and understanding the underlying differences and expectations, Vijuk was instrumental in the addition of many features to the 321-T. For operator convenience, signature racks, diagnostic lights, and reset and start buttons have been installed on all pockets.

For production efficiency, high-quality German and Japanese off-the-shelf electronic components are used along with an inverter drive motor for the main and auxiliary drive units. The horizontal feeders, capable of 1:1 and 1:2 feeding ratios with mechanical and adjustable vacuum-assist opening, were improved to accommodate a wider range of signature configurations. The folder feeder now has four-edge air-blast separation and on-the-fly adjustment, as well as in-line scoring.

For consistent quality, the stitcher now has Hohner stitching heads, and the quality of photocells was improved for detecting irregular gathering of signatures. The gatherer chain was replaced with a high-quality German-made chain.

The trimmer design was modified making it accessible from any side of the unit, trim waste is blown down and away from the blades, infeed timing can be adjusted without tools, and lubrication is central.

Because of its massive population, China is sometimes pictured as a mecca for low-cost labor, but its richness in manpower is also the source of its competent economic leadership. Chinese manufacturing processes are as modern as any in the major industrial nations, using state-of-the-art technology in the design and production of machinery.

The metamorphosis began about twenty-five years ago when a new brand of communism evolved in China. The English language was made a part of the school curriculum. Managers of state owned businesses were given responsibility for the quality of goods and services, as well as the latitude to set prices.

An entrepreneurial, capitalist spirit grew—as did the country's prosperity. Though it is difficult to instill this spirit in the aged working class, this new generation of Chinese is well on its way to becoming a super power.

In the forefront of China's economic explosion, Purlux is poised to expand into the graphic arts world market with new offerings in equipment because of its willingness to listen, cooperate and incorporate changes to fit the demands of the market.

Presently, noted officials from Vijuk, the new VIJUK 321-T Saddle Stitcher offers more features than others in its class, but Purlux won't rest on its laurels. Company officials note that they have a three-year plan to further improve the components of the saddle stitcher and to upgrade its CAD systems, manufacturing equipment, working environment, and quality control system.