Ashgate Automation was formed by Managing Director John Price in 1989. The range of print finishing equipment sold by Ashgate has a wide range of appeal. Whilst remaining Litho friendly, in recent years the direction of the range has been towards the Digital print market. Ashgate provide a one-stop solution to Digital printers, often supplying complete finishing packages, including guillotine, card creaser, folder, bookletmaker, perfect binder and wire binder.

Ashgate place an important emphasis on after sales back-up service. Engineers are all factory trained. Sales from existing customer referrals, and repeat multi-product sales to existing customers, confirm the quality of back-up service from Ashgate.

Ashgate are based in Chalgrove, Oxford. Offices, extensive showroom facilities and the warehouse are all on the same site. The showroom is always fully stocked and customers are given a warm welcome when they visit Ashgate.

Fastbind Perfect Binding machines are developed and manufactured in Finland by Maping Co, a family-run business that has grown from a small workshop into a leading company of the finishing sector in digital printing environment. Market leaders of digital printing, like Xerox and Océ, have chosen Fastbind as their partner.

Today, Fastbind products are distributed through company owned sales offices and certified dealers in more than 80 countries all over the world.

In North America, corporate office Fastbind Inc. provides American dealers with customer service and sales support.