Green revolution in Bookbinding for Print on Demand

Project Information

Ribler Technology

Grant agreement ID: 868108

DOI

10.3030/868108

Project closed

EC signature date 9 June 2019

Start date 1 July 2019

End date 31 December 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

RIBLER GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Ribler Technology (Green revolution in Bookbinding for Print on Demand)

Reporting period: 2019-07-01 to 2019-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

"The state-of-the-art bookbinding is mainly performed with hotmelt and PUR polyurethane.
The core problem of hotmelt bindings is that the whole process chain has to be heated up to 130-200 °C. The hotmelt process has high energy and CO2 consumes, the toxic and partly carcinogenic fumes of the hotmelt process damage the employees’ health. Hotmelt is more expensive in terms of energy, labour, cleaning costs and additional equipment, too. Finally, hotmelt therefore harms the environment.
Ribler from Stuttgart as first mover has developed cold glues and further five components of a patented binding technology for books and paper blocks. With ""Ribler Technology"" on the other hand, the products are bonded at room temperatures almost without energy. Energy and CO2 consumption are reduced by 80%, glue consumption is reduced by 80% and paper consumption by 5%. Thus, the hotmelt production costs exceed our cold glue process costs by up to 30%. Ribler Technology is fully environmental friendly. And Ribler bound books do not have a clinging effect when opened, but remain perfectly lay flat and open.
The Ribler binding machines will contribute to environmental relieves, improve working conditions for the employees and will help bookbinding companies gain more proftitability and stability. This potential is relevant for an estimated number of 1,500 perfect binders, workers and companies in Germany and a number of 7,350 in (Western) Europe and 24,500 worldwide."

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The Ribler bookbinding technology is well detailed in most technical issues, still missing some parts for a full marketable system. The SME Instrument Phase 1 should deliver final feasability steps to successfully enter the market.
By this process, we gathered deeper market insight leading to more detailed customer, product and machine requirements. We have worked on the marketing and sales material and techniques and have developed new services on the value chain. Ribler’s business concept being based strongly on our intellectual property, we have deepened our IP strategy.
By the Phase 1 support, Ribler has redesigned all binding machine parts with great enhancement. Our business concept has become more mature, deeper and more profitable. Now, we will focus on the new prototype production and its market entry.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The greatest effect concerns environmental improvements through savings of a) material, waste, waste air and b) energy and CO2. This means that society will suffer less damage to the living conditions of our and future generations.
The working conditions on our machine will require less manual labour, less load transport, less technical know-how and experience by the machine operator. The work will also be suitable for unskilled and handicapped workers. The work will be less monitored by quality control and increasingly decentralized, the importance of training and finding skilled workers will decrease.
For bookbinding companies, our technology means significant improvements in efficiency and profits, thus providing more stability and potential for new investments.

Ribler innovation and awards

Possible effects per country p.a.

Effects of one perfect binder per annum

Possible effects worldwide p.a.

Ribler Notepadder, seals, D&M award

Ribler product benefits, Ribler Model 100