is easier to consider a recognised brand as opposed to a different manufacturer you have not necessarily heard as much about,” O’Brien says, continuing: “This is something we come across quite often with our Grafcut Guillotine range. Grafcut may not be as well-known as some of the more established brands even though it has been trading for over 20 years. “However, Grafcut’s build quality and proven reliability track record is second to none. Just ask any of our long list of Grafcut customers about their machine and the feedback speaks for itself. Going into more detail on the Grafcut range, O’Brien picks out the G52H and G73H hydraulic options as the machines most popular with customers. Both models have been recently upgraded by Grafcut to include more ergonomically designed cut buttons. The G73H has also had extra features added, including a larger 250mm colour touch screen as standard, as well as the new back gauge control dial located on the front on the machine. Further to this, a newly redesigned Servo-Driven back gauge has been added offering back gauge speeds of up to 135mm/s. “In our opinion, both the Hydraulic models from Grafcut offer the most powerful package in their target markets,” he says, adding: “Fully hydraulically powered knife & clamp make cutting even the hardest of materials effortless. Furthermore, these hydraulic models power the blade and clamp in both the down and return movement, guaranteeing performance in even the most demanding environments, a feature not found on all models in this target market.” Development on the range continues and in early 2026, a new flagship model will be added to the Grafcut family in the G80H. With the ability to handle sheets up to 800mm wide, the machine will incorporate the same 250mm colour touch screen as the G73H but with a faster servo-driven back gauge offering speeds up to 160mm/s. Further to this, the blade and clamp drive have been redesigned for faster operation of up to 16 cycles per minute. Decisive Investment Also active in this market is Friedheim International, whose finishing sales manager, Howard Cherry, says a modern guillotine remains one of the most decisive pieces of equipment in any print operation. “No matter how strong the pressroom performance, poor cutting can destroy the saleability of the finished product,” Cherry says, adding: “Mistakes here are also very easy to spot as sharp edges, accurate trimming, and cleanly finished stacks are what give printed work its final sense of completion. “Operator tools, such as software, pre-programmes, as well as the ergonomics of the machine can give the operator the confidence to cut quickly, whereas old guillotines require a reliance on experience. “It is also important to note that the proper GUILLOTINES | ROB FLETCHER The word “guillotine” comes from the name of Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, an 18th-century French physician, who first proposed the use of a mechanical method for execution Factoid ▼ AfterPrint picks out its G52H and G73H hydraulic options as the machines most popular with customers Ensuring you are purchasing a high-quality guillotine is essential to the success of any print business 52 Issue 358 - January | February 2026 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk
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