Finishing Report 2011: Technology - Bestsellers - Machinery stars: the geese that lay the golden eggs.(List)

Some pieces of kit get it just right and deliver top performance in every respect, making money for users and manufacturers alike. Here we highlight some of the best of the best in the finishing sector.

Sometimes, something comes along that has that magical combination of being the right product, at the right time, at the right price, and with a willing market eager to purchase it. Sales directors up and down the country go to bed dreaming of such devices. So we thought we'd ask a selection of finishing equipment suppliers a couple of simple questions: what's your current bestseller that has hit a magical sweet spot in the market, and what product do you have high hopes for?

Despite the diverse array of equipment, applications and price points that emerged, some common themes did too. Whether it's a machine designed for industrial production that costs hundreds of thousands of pounds, or a small desktop system costing a fraction of that, the market requirement for automation and flexibility on both highand low-volume systems is abundantly apparent.

AUTOBOND

Bestseller: Mini 76 laminator, circa pounds 60,000

High hopes for: 36 SUV spot UV inkjet varnish system, pounds 130,000

John Gilmore, managing director, says: 'The Mini 76 is our bestseller, if you ordered one today you wouldn't get it until February 2012 - it's in demand all around the world. The 36 SUV is …