Instant book printing machine launched by Angus & Robertson

Angus & Robertson, Central Book Services and On Demand Books have launched the first Espresso Book Machine in Australia to be installed in a retail environment.

Angus & Robertson, Central Book Services and On Demand Books have launched the first Espresso Book Machine in Australia to be installed in a retail environment.

The machine is located in Angus & Robertson’s Bourke Street store in Melbourne.

The EBM allows customers to print bound books while they wait. In 2007 the machine was named by Time magazine as one of the “Best Inventions of the Year”. The EBM takes only a few minutes to print and bind a paperback book and will greatly increase the range of books available to customers.

Currently, Angus & Robertson has a few hundred books available to be created, most being previously out of print, with some being personalised versions, exclusive to the company. The available range is expected to grow daily, as tens of thousands of titles become available over the next couple of years.

The aim is to make as many out-of-print books available as possible; to provide access to an wide range of books that could not physically be carried in a book store; and to provide customised, personalised and unique books to customers.

Angus & Robertson MD David Fenlon, said the EBM would deliver a significant enhancement to the range and availability of books that were previously inaccessible to customers.

Angus & Robertson recently acquired 30 Borders stores in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

A&R Whitcoulls’ network includes Angus & Robertson stores in Australia, Whitcoulls stores in NZ, and Borders stores across both geographies. A&R Whitcoulls is investigating plans to have up to 50 EBMs installed throughout its network over the next year

The EBM became available for use at the Bourke Street store on 18 September, and is being marketed in-store as “The Story Maker”.

Inside Retailing