Shengtu’s ST case making machines are known for speed, stability and durability. Mr.Tuo speaks about the company, product range and latest offerings.
Mr.Mingzhu Tuo started the Shengtu Bookbinding way back in 1998, before which he worked in a secondhand bookbinding factory doing maintenance job for secondhand machinery. This was the crucial learning phase when Tuo gained rich experience and groomed himself for understanding basic principles as well as mechanical design aspects of the machines. “We started off with installing/repairing/maintaining secondhand bookbinding machinery and gradually upgraded ourselves to make our own machinery which chiefly included stitching machine, wire-o binding machine etc.,” says Mr.Tuo. “All this while I was thinking that we needed to develop some ‘different machines’ and try and establish our own brand. I had thorough understanding of the folding machine and the case making machine principle, however, the hardcover book making area had good market potential and that is how we eventually, developed the case making machine and created the ST brand,” adds Tuo.
Shengtu machines, especially the case making machine is the multi-functional model which can produce versatile products – cases of various sizes and shapes, window folding, collapsible box side wings, round corner etc. and all these products can be produced on the same machine. The machines are a proven favorite with our customers as they not only meet their high quality requirements but also place their products in the market above competition, thanks to the machine’s capabilities in terms of speed, stability and durability. “The success of these machines can be guessed by the fact that our ST case making machines have been robustly running at customer facilities for more than 10 years and boast more than 20 million cases produced to date,” emphasizes Tuo.
“Today Chinese machines are second to none in the market, be it the European machines or those by the Japanese manufacturers,” says Tuo. “They are not only good in quality but also extremely flexible in functions. They are cost-effective and have been improved a lot in the quality and function compared with what it used to be 10 years ago. Now they are widely recognized and bought and appreciated by the international customers, even from European countries. European and Japanese machines are good, but they are priced quite high. Under the present competitive environment, especially when the profits are narrowing, investing in the European machinery can’t bring profits for many of the small-medium scale printing and packaging factories and so wisely opt for cheaper yet high quality Chinese machines instead. This is equally true where the production volumes are low,” he explains.
“The ST machines are most suitable for customers’ production requirements and are continuously improved with innovative features. We keep launching new models with the latest case making technology. Above all, we are always focusing on the case making solution to serve our customers well. The ST Case Making Machine boasts multi-functional features such as different shape, smaller size, collapsible box side wings, round corners etc. Besides, the popular collapsible box making feature is one of its kind in the industry. This helps our customers to make the jobs on the same machines, no matter how the market changes – the multi-functional capabilities and stability of the platform are the biggest advantages,” continues Tuo.
“Customers are the best teachers for us – we always listen to our customers’ feedback and also look into the demands of the market. All the information and feedback is put into our R&D. For the R&D, I also put a lot of efforts in it and am a firm believer that R&D should be the first priority of any machine manufacturing company. Then there is quality, which is of paramount importance as the market keeps changing continuously,” emphasizes Tuo.
Speaking on the importance of the metallurgy part of the machine and parts he says, “The metallurgy of the machine parts is very important as it determines the longevity of the machine per se. Consequently, at Shengtu we have a dedicated quality control and quality standards departments in house.”
Shengtu machines are known for their ease of operation. Their digital model has a make ready time of 5 minutes. The quick set up device is extremely swift even for operators who don’t have any previous experience of running this machine. “During the Covid-19 period, we installed many machines under our online guidance procedure, therefore, I think operation is not the problem for our machines and most of our customers can handle it well. For the speed of the machines, we have the high speed model up to 3000pcs/h and the medium speed one for 1800-1500pcs/h for the case making machines,” informs Tuo.
Shengtu has got many invention patents and the application patents over the decade. Above all, they are considered to be the pioneers in China and on setting new standards on how to make the case making machines.
The unexpected pandemic of 2020 has changed the industry in general all over the world but then has helped teach many new ways of doing business as well. During the pandemic, Shengtu installed many machines overseas. They also have overseas technicians who carried out most of the installations and trained customers. They provided online guidance as well. “The Covid period was quite challenging for most of us especially the changes on the consuming habits and travelling way. It was quite tough to follow the pandemic prevention policy and serve the customers at the same time and that too on time,” recalls Tuo.
Speaking about his future plans, Tuo says, “We would like to focus on our products and make them well. We need to sell more machines in the international markets especially for the Indian market. The case making machines are always our best sellers. They are widely applicable for the different industries such as hardcover book, stationery, luxury packaging etc. Meanwhile, we would always keep innovating on the case making technology to meet the changing market requirements. Another key focus would be to expand the ST brand in the international markets.”
Shengtu has sold around 1500 sets all over the world and their market share in the packaging box industry is around 40%. With overseas technicians and local service partners, the installations and after sales service has been smooth with their specialization in installing machines as per specific customer requirements.
The company had a successful participation at the recent Print China 2023 exhibition at Dongguan. “During Print China 2023, we have done a very good job. We closed more than 10 deals and many more are expected to follow in the coming months based on meeting prospective customer data. In 2023 we will be attending All In Print in Shanghai from November 1st to 4th. We will also attend the international shows such as Drupa and also some regional exhibitions from different countries including India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, Egypt etc.,” shares Tuo.
The Drupa show next year has already been confirmed by Shengtu. They would be exhibiting at an exhibition space of 200 ㎡ and showcasing their latest machines and technology there. “This would be the fourth time that we attend the exhibition. We always display our latest technology at the show,” concludes Tuo.
For any More information please contact their Overseas Sales Manager Ms.Jenny at +8613825707241 or write to her at [email protected] or visit https://www.shengtujx.com/
