We're excited to announce another significant step forward for Magnum Digital Solutions. Alongside our acquisition of Timsons, we have also acquired the digital assets from Kolbus — specifically the digital folder — further strengthening our position in the digital finishing arena.
This move builds directly on our strategy of expanding what Magnum can offer customers, and it adds a powerful new capability to our growing lineup.
The Rotary FlexFold joins the Magnum family
The centrepiece of this acquisition is the Rotary FlexFold, which will complement the FlexBook digital finishing devices we already offer from our facility in Canada. Importantly, the Rotary FlexFold will be manufactured here in the UK, at the Timsons headquarters in Kettering — reinforcing our commitment to British manufacturing.
It's a machine built for high-speed, high-volume production. The Rotary FlexFold comes in narrow and wide web versions handling widths up to 1,524mm (60in), and runs at 300mpm (1,000ft/min) — perfectly aligned with the high-speed digital web presses it's designed to work alongside.
"In addition to the purchase of Timsons, Magnum have also acquired the digital assets from Kolbus in the form of the digital folder to further strengthen our position in the digital finishing arena," said Jon Walker, our European sales director. "The Rotary FlexFold will complement the range of FlexBook digital finishing devices that Magnum currently offer from our facility in Canada, but will be manufactured in the UK at the Timsons headquarters based in Kettering."
The right opportunity at the right time
A recent restructure at Kolbus created the opening for this deal, and it made perfect strategic sense for us. Jon knows this territory intimately — he spent eight years at Timsons before moving to Kolbus, which had taken on parts of the Timsons product line, including the T-Fold, back in 2015. Bringing these digital assets under the Magnum banner reunites expertise and technology that belong together.
Part of a bigger vision
This acquisition is one piece of a broader ambition. Under the leadership of our founder and CEO Steve Fyfe — who spent nearly two decades as managing director of Timsons North America before founding Magnum in 2009 — we're combining the FlexBook range, the newly acquired Rotary FlexFold, and the revived Timsons press business into a comprehensive digital finishing and book manufacturing offering.
The Timsons headquarters in Kettering brings real manufacturing muscle to the table, with its own foundry and machine shop offering casting, contract engineering and CNC services, and a team of around 60 people. We're investing in that foundation for the long term, including reopening the apprentice scheme.
With the Rotary FlexFold now part of our portfolio, Magnum is better positioned than ever to serve customers across the digital finishing arena. We can't wait to bring this technology to market — and this is just the beginning.
