Single-Colour Book Production
The Timson T48A
The press that makes a 1,000-copy reprint worth winning — three minutes from good copy to good copy.
+450 installations worldwide
Why the T48A
Why choose the T48A?
Plates changed in 3 minutes
The Simultaneous Plate Changing System changes both plates at once: under three minutes, good copy to good copy — on every make-ready, all shift long.
Up to 128 pages per plate pair
48, 64 or 96pp per form, single copy or joint pair: fewer make-readies per job, fewer pockets in your bindery, no double passes on fat books.
28–120gsm substrate range
From 28gsm Bible paper to 120gsm bulked trade stock, with a dryer option for coated work. One press covers your whole list.
Web widths 35″–64″
Cylinder circumferences from 34½″ to 53″. We spec the press to your trim sizes — not the other way round.
Roll-away inking units
Roll the inkers clear for full access to inking and dampening. Routine maintenance takes minutes, not shifts.
Built to last decades
Cast iron frames, stainless steel cylinders. Most T48s ever built are still earning, in daily service.
Around the press
Specified to your books, down to the last detail.
In 130 years we've rarely built two identical presses — here's what goes into yours.
01Three-minute plate changes
The Simultaneous Plate Changing System swaps both plates at once — under three minutes, good copy to good copy.
02Print quality at speed
Clean impression across the full web, hour after hour, shift after shift.
03Web Diverter
Ribbon flopping brings facing pages together to ensure no colour variation and lay-flat signatures.
0420–90 lb stocks
From Bible paper to bulked trade — one press covers your whole list.
05One operator, full control
Friendly HMI controls and semi-automatic web threading keep downtime rare.
06Upgrade in place to ZMR
Add a ZMR module to your T48A and change plates at full speed — without replacing the press.
In-line folding
Folded to your format before it leaves the press.
Specify the folder to suit your books, and the T48A delivers signatures ready for the bindery.
Folders
- M5, M6 or M7 folders, specified to suit your books
- 48, 64 or 96pp per form, single copy or joint pair
Signatures
- Three-sides-open signatures: no gussets, crow's feet or head wrinkles
- Ribbon flopping on the web diverter brings facing pages together: no colour variation, lay-flat signatures
Training & Support
We don't leave after commissioning.
A Timson press is a decades-long relationship. Installation, training, remote diagnostics, and lifetime parts all come from the works that built your machine — not a third party.
Installation & commissioning
Print-tested in Kettering, then commissioned to the same standard on your floor by our own technicians.
Operator training
Your crews trained on your press, by the people who built it — until they're running at full speed.
Remote diagnostics
Kettering and North America dial straight into the press for fault diagnosis and control updates.
Parts for life
Dedicated spares stock shipped ground, overnight, or same-day — even for presses built 40 years ago.
Run lengths
From under 1,000 copies to best-sellers — one press.
3min
or less per plate change — good copy to good copy
128pp
pages per plate pair
35–64″
web widths, custom-specified
The range
Purpose-built for books, end to end.
The T48A ZMR
Change plates at full speed. Never stop printing.
- Plate changes at full speed
- 550 m/min (1,800 fpm)
- Under 30 copies waste per change
The Rotary FlexFold
Folds 1.28 million pages an hour behind your digital press.
- Zero-touch format changeovers
- 8–64pp with minimum blank pages
- 20″–60″ webs, 18–90 lb stocks
Timsons
The book press company. Since 1896.
Talk to us about your next press, an upgrade, or support for the Timson press already on your floor.