Articles

Merging Tradition with Progress at Roswell Bookbinding

February 1, 2011

by Amy Bauer, The Binding Edge

From its founding in 1960, Roswell Bookbinding of Phoenix, AZ, has remained nimble to respond to the changing demands of the marketplace. In the process, the company has established its expertise in specialty and high-end binding projects and restorations, in addition to library and trade binding work.

“We have evolved from a hand operation to a fully automated facility with state-of-the-art high-speed equipment,” said President Michael Roswell. “We still use all of the old hand binding techniques and materials in the same building as our 9,000-signature-per-hour sewing machines to create high-end bindings of all types.”

The company serves a wide variety of customers – including commercial printers, publishers, museums, art galleries, authors, artists, photographers, academic libraries and private collectors – throughout the United States and internationally. Jobs range from single books to tens of thousands through Roswell Bookbinding’s three divisions: library binding, which accounts for about 15 percent of its business; the specialty division (limited editions, portfolios and specialty packaging and boxes), which accounts for about 20 percent; and the trade division (new books, both soft- and hard-cover), which accounts for about 65 percent.

Rather than catering only to standard sizes, production for many of which continues to be outsourced overseas, Roswell Bookbinding has remained flexible in its ability to accommodate varied dimensions and all manner of special features.

The Beginnings

Roswell’s parents, Mark and Iris, brought their three children to Arizona from New York City in 1960, seeking relief for one son’s asthma. Mark, a certified public accountant, and Iris, a painter and graphic artist, unsuccessfully looked for work before meeting a woman who was selling part of a small bookbinding company. Using their remaining money, the Roswells created their start-up, the Roswell Bookbinding Company, Inc.

As Mark Roswell learned the binding business, Iris Roswell built up a customer base. “My mom called on every elementary, high school and college in the Phoenix area and was soon able to create a steady flow of work into the bindery,” Michael Roswell wrote in a recent profile of the company, which appears in a Roswell-bound book celebrating Arizona’s centennial.

From its library binding roots, the company grew into rebinding books and periodicals for schools and private collections throughout the western United States. In 1974, the Roswells purchased land on the outskirts of Phoenix and built a 50,000-square-foot complex (two 25,000-square-foot buildings), where the company remains to this day. Short runs are handled in one of the buildings and mid-range to long runs in the other. A 10,000-square-foot warehouse rounds out the plant.

Mark Roswell passed away in 2007, and Iris Roswell, while no longer involved in the day-to-day business, stays in daily contact with son Michael to keep abreast of what’s going on. While his siblings didn’t enter the family business, Michael Roswell began working at the bindery as a youngster, enjoying the hand binding so much that he found his career.

Artists’ Resource

A serendipitous collaboration with a publisher in Flagstaff, AZ in the early 1970s put Roswell Bookbinding on its path to artistic excellence. The owner of what was then Northland Press, which Michael Roswell describes as “the bellwether of the Western Art book industry,” came looking for a source to bind the art books he was printing. The popularity of Western and American Indian artists was growing at the time. The Roswells, who had so far never put together a “new” book, gathered the necessary employees and equipment, and a niche was born.

These high-end, coffee-table books were sought after by collectors. Limited editions of the books were produced, frequently accompanied by original art. The artists often came to the bindery to sign their books, deliver artwork or supervise the process, and Michael Roswell said such collaborations continue today. Roswell Bookbinding also worked with celebrated photographers, starting with Ansel Adams and some of his protégés, and has maintained its niche in art photography books.

These connections created a reputation for the company in the art market and among museums and galleries nationwide. “Painters and sculptors, graphic designers, architects, authors, photographers and commercial printers are regular visitors, coming in to see the birth of their work in print,” Roswell wrote in the centennial book.

Roswell’s interest in the art book genre goes beyond the professional. As a collector of western history and western art books himself, he brings additional insights to his clients goals. “The designers and artists and curators know I have an understanding of where their art is trying to go and what they’re trying to say,” he said.

Out of the Ordinary

The high-end and limited edition books typically are nonstandard, often oblong, sizes with features that require a high degree of skill and may incorporate exotic materials and both hand work and mechanical processes. They exemplify the company’s tagline of “Binding without Boundaries.”

For example, Roswell said, a book may have a regular edition run between 2,000 and 5,000 copies. And its limited edition version will run 50 to 100 copies bound in leather or other upscale material in a slipcase or clamshell box and often accompanied by a piece of original artwork.

Hand work makes up a significant portion of Roswell Bookbinding’s business: 30 percent to 40 percent. This crosses from the company’s specialty division into the library and trade divisions as well, and while some employees are specifically devoted to hand work, they are cross-trained in the mechanical processes and vice versa.

Roswell offered some examples of recent specialty jobs. One, for the International Olympic Committee, comprised 3,000 regular edition volumes plus 400 special editions each encased in a clamshell box stamped with an individual’s name. For St. John’s University, in Minneapolis, the company is producing a seven-volume set of leatherbound books, each measuring 16 inches by 28 inches, with 250 copies of each volume and each book encased in a clamshell box.

The Binding Industries Association (BIA) recognized Roswell Bookbinding with a 2009 Product of Excellence Award for Innovative Use of Materials for “Dancessence,” a book of photos of dancers. The Smyth-sewn soft-cover book was incorporated into a chemise of handmade paper with a custom bone closure, so it included both mechanical and hand worked aspects, Michael Roswell said. The company also was honored with two other BIA awards in 2009.

Diversification is Key

Roswell noted that several longtime binderies in the western United States have shuttered their doors, and he believes that Roswell’s diversification is what has kept it strong. “We’ve always been able to do the different, the obscure, the crazy concept,” he said, “and that’s what has allowed us to survive and flourish, frankly.”

Additionally, while specialized jobs are often more time-consuming, the company continues to find ways to speed the process. “We have gradually improved our capabilities to automate them more, and thus bring down the cost so that we are able to be more competitive,” Roswell said. “This has enabled us to keep work in the United States that previously had gone offshore.” To that end, the company recently installed a Smyth high-speed sewing machine that will handle a 14 1/8-inch-wide signature.

Additionally, Roswell said, the company makes the best use of its equipment. “We’ve got three full-time maintenance people who are very creative in adapting and modifying our equipment to handle unique sizes,” he said. “And we’ve always cross-trained our people,” he continued. “We’ve been cross-training since day one, so we have a lot of people who can do a lot of different things, and we have a lot of creative people who think outside the box.”

Secrets to Success

The bindery runs a single shift and employs about 100 full-time workers, all of whom are selected for their commitment to quality. Roswell said that while the company’s jobs are among some of the most difficult in the industry, the pay scale reflects that standard. “We demand more of our employees, because our customers are demanding more of us,” he explained. “We need the best in the industry, and we have the best, and we compensate them accordingly.”

New employees go through a 90-day trial period, and those who are average operators or helpers typically don’t stay, he said. Existing employees, many of whom have spent years with the company, help to maintain this culture, expecting top performance from those with whom they work.

Another business practice that Roswell’s parents instilled and which has served the business well is a commitment to reinvesting profits into the company. That focus allowed the building of the current bindery in 1974 and has helped the company to keep up with new binding technology. Michael Roswell said his father recognized as early as the 1970s that the company’s original focus – library binding – would not be sustainable for the long-term as its sole niche, so he purposefully went into trade binding as well. “I remember my dad saying that library binding was not going to last 30 years,” Michael Roswell recalled. “And he was pretty much right. That industry has shrunk.”

Today, as digital readers cut into the volume of trade binding across the industry, Roswell Bookbinding’s specialty work serves a crucial role, providing services still sought after by book connoisseurs.

Restoration Services

Though a small percentage of the overall business – about two percent, Roswell estimated – restoration work continues to fill a need for Roswell Bookbinding’s clients. Two employees are dedicated to this work, which Iris Roswell first trained herself in as she began getting requests from the company’s university clients. According to its website, www.roswellbookbinding.com, the company has served collections including those of the Phoenix Art Museum, the J. Paul Getty Museum, Texas A&M University, University of Arizona, University of Texas at El Paso and UNLV Special Collection Libraries, as well as private collectors.

“People have always brought in old books and especially Bibles to be restored,” Roswell explained. The company advertises its family Bible restoration services on its website, and Roswell said a few Bibles come in for repair each week. Roswell Bookbinding also makes custom boxes and portfolios to house rare books and documents.

Looking to the Future

The company has proven itself savvy in the face of a rapidly changing print marketplace. Founder Mark Roswell foresaw some of the challenges evident today – from a move toward more complex and difficult bindings to the trend of shorter run lengths – and this has allowed Roswell Bookbinding to position itself for long-term success.

“The way the market has changed over the years has hastened the demise of binderies that were only capable of standard sizes,” Michael Roswell said. “We have seen an increase in the specialty books and publications that we are known for in the industry, even in a down economy. I believe that there will always be a market for top-of-the-line products.”

Directions for New Leadership

February 1, 2011

by Richard G. Ensman, Jr.

Many centuries ago, leadership positions often demanded the right family connections. Later, an ability to read and compute became a requisite for leadership. Later still, demands on leaders included an understanding of production systems and today, leaders are expected to possess superb people skills.

The skills demanded of leaders will continue to become more diverse and complex, whatever the size or nature of the organization. Ask yourself: do you possess the skills necessary to effectively lead your organization?

Be “relationship managers.”

Leaders won’t simply supervise traditional “9 to 5” employees. They’ll manage constantly shifting groups of workers – including full- and part-timers, people working flex time, independent contractors, temps and even vendors “on loan.”

Become “learning listeners.”

Today, leaders practice the art of “active listening” – communicating with their whole bodies and sharing information. Tomorrow, leaders will use their communication skills to glean insights and information from the vast quantity of knowledge possessed by the people around them.

Broker resources.

Yes, tomorrow’s leaders will have to manage tight budgets – same as now. But the leaders of the future also will have to quickly shift resources from person to person as changing needs dictate. And these leaders will have to formally account for commodities such as morale, customer satisfaction and image, just as they account for money today.

Communicate electronically.

Skype™ Twitter™ Texts™ Tomorrow’s leaders may not see many of their employees and contractors on a regular basis. These leaders will need to learn how to manage people electronically, and to communicate effectively through audio, video and social media communication channels. And these leaders will need to learn how to motivate customers and find new prospects using these electronic tools, as well.

Creatively use technology.

Tomorrow’s leaders won’t have to be technical wizards, but they will have to understand the myriad of ways technology can be used to manage and market – and will need the “hands-on” skills to select the right technical tools and use them appropriately.

Influence behavior through motivation.

Next generation leaders will become masters of motivation. They’ll glean sophisticated motivational skills from the latest human relations and psychological findings, and use those skills to motivate employees. And they’ll rely on sophisticated consumer behavior models to influence buying behavior more frequently than traditional advertising.

Possess emotional stamina.

Today’s leaders feel stressed when events aren’t predictable or when demands come at them fast and furiously. Tomorrow’s leaders will embrace change, conflict and pressure as exciting professional challenges.

Possess tolerance for ambiguity.

Change, in the form of shifting customer demands, governmental regulations and technological innovation, is constant. True leaders will need the stability to remain calm in the midst of so much change – and to poise the organization to function effectively in a sometimes-frantic business environment.

Possess “translation” skills.

Leaders will develop an acute understanding of the business environment and translate complex technological, marketing and management requirements to simple, easily understandable principles for customers and employees.

Possess vision.

Don’t confuse vision with goals. While long-term goals may be based upon a business vision, an authentic vision is an easy-to-articulate principle cutting across goals and rallying everyone in the organization. A traditional goal: “we’ll achieve 5 percent sales growth next year.” A new leadership vision: “Sale or no sale, we’ll position ourselves as a state-of-the-art company in the mind of every prospect.”

Practice role adaptation.

In years gone by, leaders often were encouraged to identify their leadership “style” and practice it consistently. No more. In the years ahead, leaders will be expected to shift their style, depending on the needs of the moment. At one point, for instance, a leader may serve as a coach, at another moment a facilitator, and at still another moment, a strategist.

Provide self-leadership.

Before the leader of tomorrow can lead others, he’ll have to learn to lead himself. Tomorrow’s leaders will develop lifelong personal education programs, obtain their own mentors or coaches to guide them, and find ways to constantly renew their confidence.

Serve as knowledge brokers.

Next generation leaders will spend time studying and training. They’ll often maintain computerized “knowledge bases” of information, and constantly replenish them with up-to-date data. They’ll be quick to retrieve knowledge from the people around them, and repackage it for others.

Subscribe to personal ethics principles.

Bureaucracy has frustrated people the world over and has generated widespread distrust of institutions. Customers and employees will gravitate toward businesses led by principled leaders who base their actions on strong personal values and commitments.

Understand and manage diversity.

The workplace will consist of people of a wide variety of ethnic and social backgrounds. Customer backgrounds will become more varied as well, and even small firms will be doing business internationally. Tomorrow’s leader will understand the traditions and cultures of the people he’s serving and working with – and promote an appreciation for diversity throughout the workplace.

Retain Your Most Valuable Asset: Employees

November 21, 2010

by: Janet Dunnichay

It’s a changing world…a job changing world, that is. Given that the median number of years a person stays in one job is 4.1 years (2008), an average person will have 7 to 10 jobs in his or her lifetime. In light of this statistic, it is important for business owners to know which factors most affect employee satisfaction in order to increase employee retention.

A 2009 survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) looked at 24 factors thought to relate to employee satisfaction. The study found that employees identified these ten factors as most important.

1. Job security. Unless you’re a professor with tenure or your boss is named “Dad”, true employment security is all but dead; however, employees that feel confident in their employment status are among the happiest of employees.

2. Benefits. Employees value their company perks such as paid-time-off, tuition reimbursement plans and health care. As the age of the employee increases, retirement benefits rise in importance.

3. Compensation. Some people work for love, others work for personal fulfillment. Others like to accomplish goals or feel as if they contribute to something larger than themselves. Whatever the personal motivation for working, the bottom line is that almost everyone works for money.

4. Opportunities to use skills and abilities. Get to know your employees. Recognize what they do best and find a way to use that skill.

5. Feeling safe in the work environment. Knowing that the company cares about safety provides peace of mind…not only to the employee, but the employee’s family.

6. Relationship with immediate supervisor. People leave managers and supervisors more often than they leave companies or jobs.

7. Management recognition of employee job performance. Everyone enjoys a pat on the back.

8. Communication between employees and senior management. Silence is NOT golden. Keep the lines of communication open. Foster trust between employees and management by sharing news with them, the good and the bad.

9. The work itself. “You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs.

10. Autonomy and independence. Micro-managers send the message that they don’t believe in the employee’s ability to get the job done right.

With all that being said, what can you start doing today to show employees that they matter? Spend your time, money and energy on programs, processes and factors that will have a positive impact on creating employee satisfaction. These ideas will help you fulfill what people want from work.

Establish a Solid Orientation Program

Get off to a good start from day one with a strong orientation program for new hires. A good orientation program can last one day, one month or even one year depending on the complexity of the job or the organization. Studies show that employees who undergo an ongoing and thorough orientation program get up to speed faster and have lower turnover rates than those employees left to their own devices.

Communicate Expectations

Job expectations should be communicated to new employees well before the first day of work. Make job expectations a part of the interview process. Make certain that goals, roles and responsibilities are communicated from the start, so people know what is expected.

Create a Structure for Advancement

Offer employees the opportunity for advancement by providing on-the-job cross-training. Offer the opportunity for career and personal growth through training and education, challenging assignments and more. If possible, supplement ongoing education through an employee tuition reimbursement plan.

Have Regular Review Meetings

Employees need to know where they stand and that they are a valued contributor to the bottom line. A meeting with the employee every six months to discuss how things are going can go far in helping the employee feel needed and in knowing that the company cares. If performance problems develop, don’t delay in creating an action plan to help. Provide timeframes for the employee to work the plan. Have regular follow up meetings to monitor progress and provide feedback. Give employees the chance to discuss their concerns and listen to what they have to say.

Recognize and Celebrate Success

Everyone appreciates a pat on the back, so implementing a rewards program to recognize good behavior is a way to set the bar for all employees’ performance. Standard award programs include length of service milestones, perfect attendance and perfect safety records, but other unexpected and non-typical awards can be greatly appreciated. Why not allow supervisors to give on-the-spot cash awards that recognize an employees day-to-day efforts that contribute to getting the job done? And while cash is king, other much-appreciated rewards can include gift certificates to local restaurants, grocery stores and shopping malls or movie passes, car washes, gasoline cards and even flowers.

The Bottom Line

Having a strategy to drive employee satisfaction in your business is a key factor in building success. If you create a culture for employee satisfaction, you will set your business apart from all the others and not only attract great employees, you will retain great employees. Invest the time in creating a culture of sharing, giving, recognizing and communicating and you will receive much more than you give. The bottom line is happy employees make for a successful business. Start practicing today.

Finish On Demand Solves Today’s Short-Turnaround Bindery Challenges

November 21, 2010

by: Staff

If you visited Finish On Demand’s website during its first four months in business, you were greeted with the following message: “A New Bindery in 2009? Are You Serious? Yes!” It’s a message that mirrors the attitude of Finish On Demand Founder and President Patty Traynor: enthusiastic, good-humored and candid about the business challenges ahead.

“The economy is going to come back, and when it does, I’ll be ready,” Traynor said in an interview that appeared in the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era late last year. “When people want jobs done, I’ll be ready. When the upswing comes, I’ll be there.”

An Exceptional Challenge

Starting a small business in any industry is an exceptional challenge in a slumping economy. Yet micro-economic realities are precisely what created the opportunity for a company like Finish On Demand. As marketers and other print customers compensate for slashed budgets by reducing run lengths and page counts, printers and their binding and finishing partners are refocusing their capabilities to address these new realities.

Last November, Lancaster, PA-based Finish On Demand opened for business in a 6,500 square foot facility stocked with perfect binding, mechanical binding, folding, gluing and attaching/tipping equipment. All of the company’s services are geared to deliver fast turnarounds on short- and mid-run length jobs.

Though perfect binding remains its marquee service, Finish On Demand has already upgraded its capabilities in response to shifts in customer demand.

“We added round cornering services earlier this year,” said Traynor. “In October, we also brought in specialty saddlestitching equipment that allows us to handle a variety of booklet sizes and run lengths.”

The Value of Flexibility

Finish On Demand’s goal is to deliver value beyond the sum of its services. Over the past year, the company has established itself as a “go-to” resource for commercial and digital printers. Finish On Demand also is committed to discovering new market opportunities for the benefit of its printing partners.

“We sell more than just bindery solutions,” Traynor said. “We sell flexibility, resourcefulness, ingenuity and a commitment to be truly “on-demand” for each of our customers.”

That flexibility and resourcefulness is evident in the company’s equipment and the skills of its staff. On a typical day, a Finish On Demand employee might operate folding and perfect binding equipment; pack and ship completed jobs and walk customers through technical and other job-related questions. Likewise, the equipment at Finish On Demand is capable of handling a wide range of run lengths and format sizes. Traynor has placed an emphasis on equipment that’s easy to set up and, despite the company’s name, isn’t just for short-run work.

“We’re very competitive on run lengths well into the thousands, particularly for folding and gluing,” said Traynor. “Customers are surprised when I say, ‘We can handle quantities with more than four digits.'”

A Culture of Problem-Solving

At Finish On Demand, Traynor has instilled an enthusiasm for doing whatever it takes to solve problems for its customers. Traynor notes that there’s no such thing as a “standard” or “typical” job in the binding and finishing world. But while many trade binderies have experience taking on odd projects that printers can’t handle due to time or resource issues, Finish On Demand is especially proud of its problem solving capabilities.

“We’re like the ‘CSI’ of binderies,” laughs Traynor, referring to the popular television show. “When customers approach us with unusual formats, materials or other challenges they can’t solve, we say ‘Bring it on!'”

It’s a claim Finish On Demand can support with its trophy case. Last May, the company was awarded the coveted “They Said It Couldn’t Be Done” award at the Graphic Arts Association Neographics competition. The winning entry was typical of the type of project Finish On Demand sees: a small-quantity (500 books), fast-turnaround project with unusual production requirements.

“Simply put, Finish On Demand loves to problem-solve,” Traynor said at the time. “Whether it’s pushing the limits of our equipment or working through the night to meet an ‘impossible’ deadline. And if we can’t offer an in-house solution, we’re happy to reach out to our friends – we are an active BIA member – to find someone who can.”

Not an Industry Greenhorn

Traynor is no “newbie” when it comes to the graphic arts industry. Prior to establishing Finish On Demand, Traynor filled several roles for a family-owned bindery in Pennsylvania, including secretary, bookkeeper, estimator and treasurer. She also had plenty of hands-on experience operating a variety of binding and finishing equipment.

Her experience in all aspects of production and management proved invaluable to starting her company on the right foot. In addition to leading day-to-day operations for Finish On Demand, Traynor is heavily involved in the Binding Industries of America (BIA) and Graphic Arts Association, the Philadelphia chapter of the Printing Industries of America. She also spends ample time visiting current and potential customers throughout Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic region.

“The more activity we have in the plant, the more difficult it can be to break away and hit the road,” said Traynor. “But I strongly believe the best way to grow this company is to articulate the versatility and responsiveness of the Finish On Demand brand; that’s why I prioritize face time with customers and prospects.”

An On-Demand Solution for Many Markets

In 2009, 58 percent of digital print providers increased their profit/revenue in 2009, as opposed to just over 31 percent of non-digital providers. In addition, the digital printing and packaging market is expected to grow 182 percent through 2014.

“I think some binderies looked at the trends toward shorter runs, tougher jobs and tighter deadlines and saw the industry caving in on itself,” Traynor said. “I saw a window to start a new business.”

While growth in the digital and quick-printing segment helped prompt Traynor to launch Finish On Demand, she emphasizes that the company is continually on the lookout for new ways to add value for all types of customers. In addition to adding new capabilities and equipment in-house, Finish On Demand has aggressively forged partnerships and working relationships with printers and even some other binderies – whatever it takes, she says, to find the right solution for each customer.

“By acting as the relief valve for certain types of work, we have helped printers with in-house finishing capabilities as well as other binderies focus on their most profitable service areas while keeping their customers happy,” said Traynor. “And, by demonstrating our value, we’ve received more business opportunities than we may have otherwise. It’s been a win-win-win for us, our partners and their customers.”

So far, the strategy has paid off. After six months in operation, the company was profitable. But if the inexorable pace of running an on-demand-style business wearies Traynor, she doesn’t show it. By sticking to its winning formula, she expects Finish On Demand to continue to grow even as the overall economy makes a sluggish comeback.

“There will always be a market for a postpress solutions provider capable of delivering high-quality work in a short amount of time at a competitive price,” said Traynor.

Digital Storm: Digital Print in the Offset World

November 21, 2010

by: Julie Shaffer, Printing Industries of America

Statistics are a funny thing. Depending upon the story you want to tell, you can spin the same data to report almost diametrically opposed stories. To illustrate, consider this March 8 headline from an article reported on the Folio: magazine website: “Print Magazine Advertising to Grow in 2010 Despite Popularity of Online.” The story reports the results of a just-published study, “Marketing and Ad Spending Study 2010: Total U.S. and B2B Advertising,” a survey of 1,000 advertising executives conducted by research and advisory firm Outsell, Inc.

Sounds optimistic, doesn’t it? Advertisers are spending more on print! The report does, in fact, indicate that ad spending for magazines will rise this year by 1.9 percent, reflecting a spending boost of 4.2 percent for consumer titles and 1 percent for B2B.

The bigger news in the report, however, as reported in virtually every other news outlet, is reflected in headlines like this one: “Digital Marketing Spend to Overtake Print This Year.” The story, as reported in minoline, an outlet for media watchdog firm Access Intelligence, begins, “The long-awaited print-to-digital tipping point is about to be passed. According to information industry consultancy Outsell, the level of marketing spent on the web and in print will finally cross over this year, with $119.6 billion of revenues flowing online and $111.5 billion going to newspapers and magazine ads.”

The news shouldn’t be that surprising, considering the accelerated rate at which publications are moving some or all of their content online. The big takeaway from this story for those in the commercial printing space is in those words “tipping point.” We see the phrase, lifted from Malcolm Gladwell’s book of the same name, more and more today, especially in regard to how communication methods are shifting from traditional media (read: print) to newer, mostly digital, media. As Gladwell defines it, tipping points are “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.” It does seem that the shift from print to digital is reaching a tipping point.

This is not necessarily a bad thing for printers that are providing more than just ink on paper, but are rather offering communication services that embrace this digital shift.

The Outsell report offers some news that is much brighter than the report of a slightly increased print ad spend. The study also indicates that 30.3 percent of the $368 billion marketers plan to spend this year will go to print. More notable is that B-to-B advertisers cite direct mail as one of the methods used to achieve the highest ROI, and this group considers cross-media marketing as the most effective option with 78 percent combining three or more marketing methods.

Positive News for Printers

This is actually positive news for the enlightened commercial printer that has opted to recognize this kind of shift in advertising and marketing communication and offer products and services to help these communities connect with their audiences. Whether we call this being a “marketing service provider” or some other name, the basic premise is that we expand our services to be able to provide what our customers (and to a large degree these have always been marketers) see as essential to effective communication. This means becoming a provider of not just the static print portion (in the event that there is one) of a cross-media marketing program, but also personalized communication including variable print, personalized URLs, micro sites, branded web portals and even interactive mobile links via 2-D barcodes.

Of course, personalized printing can’t be accomplished without a digital press (well, not with any kind of positive ROI anyway). That leads to another tipping point within our own industry – the commercial printer that offers only offset has become a thing of the past. Estimates vary, but it is generally believed that more than half of commercial printers now have some kind of production digital printing device on the floor. While we all know that 2009 was not a stellar year for print, those digital devices have proven to be the one bright spot in the economic picture. In his March 2010 Flash Report, Printing Industries’ Chief Economist Ronnie Davis reports that 2009 ink-on-paper print sales declined a whopping 14.8 percent while digital print sales increased, albeit a marginal 1.4 percent (for inkjet and toner).

These printers are increasingly using their digital and offset presses for hybrid projects, in which jobs combine both conventional and digital printing. Davis notes in the 2009 report Beyond the Horizon: Key Dynamics Shaping Print Markets and Printers over the Next Decade, that almost 12 percent of current jobs combine digital and conventional print, a number that increased to almost 25 percent for sales leaders (printers in the top 25 percent of sales growth).

The “New” Printers

Gary Garner, president of GLS Companies, a Minneapolis, MN, printer with 300 employees and $50M in sales, can attest to this. In a presentation at the 2010 Printing Industries Presidents Conference, Garner detailed case studies of three very different digital/offset projects managed by GLS. The company publishes a customer newsletter, including sections printed offset and digital. Each issue features a “crossover” image where the digital and offset forms stitch together to show how close the color matches across printing processes.

Garner changed the name of the company to GLS from General Litho Services in 2004, anticipating the current trend of removing reference to print in a company’s name. The company is devoted to the philosophy “we’ll get it done” and positions itself as a one-stop marketing service provider of Integrated Communication SolutionsSM. “We’ve had a tremendous amount of success integrating various technologies and getting the message out to our customers,” says Garner. “We do a lot of focused direct mail marketing to very targeted lists, data processing and direct mail dimensional packages where customers go to the Internet to find details about the offer – just a whole myriad of things we’ve been able to do as our business has changed.” Garner stresses that it’s important to get away from the transactional-type projects the industry has traditionally worked on and focus on developing programs that help forge partnership with customers.

This transition isn’t happening just for general commercial printers, but in packaging as well. Bryan Hall heads Graphic Visual Solutions, Greensboro, SC, a 20-year-old company that offers a mix of commercial offset, flexo and folding carton work. In 2009, Hall and his management team decided to change the direction of the company, adding a new mix of capabilities including digital printing, wide-format graphics and cross-media services. To reflect the companys new direction, the name was changed to Graphic Visual Solutions. The rebrand, says Hall, was something he felt the company had no choice but to do. “When you’re trying to get a seat at the table with a new prospect, you mention your company name,” he says. “Graphic Printing Services says ‘print’ and doesn’t reflect everything we can do. It’s possible that this prospect will never purchase printing, but may need one of our other services. So we thought that broadening the name would help open doors for us.”

The Digital Tipping Point

The digital tipping point, whether it is adding digital printing options in an ink-on-paper printer or digital/electronic delivery of a communication message, is indeed upon us. While it may not be essential to the success of every print service provider to take part (there are still a few successful letterpress shops out there), for most, getting on the right side of the way things are tipping will be key to future growth and success. Pay attention to what advertisers and marketers are doing – it points to what you need to do to be their service partners.

Julie Shaffer is vice president, digital technologies for Printing Industries of America. She can be reached at 412.259.1730 or at jshaffer@printing.org.

Viewing the Storm from the Binding and Finishing Perspective

November 21, 2010

by: Kris Bovay, BIA Board of Directors President

In Thomas Friedman’s 2005 book, “The World is Flat,” he proposes that companies willing to change and accept change are more likely to do things, than have things done to them. Most business owners want the control of doing things.

The evolution of digital media and technology is driving change in printing industries at a faster rate than at any other time in print’s history, and globalization is enabling that evolution.

As part of the printing industry, binding and finishing companies need to look ahead to how their clients (printers) are doing business and what they need to do to keep pace with those changes. Print used to be part of the big three in communications (television, radio and print advertising represented about $294 billion); now print is a much smaller “piece of the pie”, splitting those advertising dollars with the other new digital entrants (such as the Internet, social networking, mobile media, email marketing and e-ink/e-paper and tablets to name a few).

While many printing companies are changing their business models to adapt to the changing landscape, they have the advantage of direct contact with their end clients. For bindery and finishing companies, the clients are typically printers. The challenge becomes adapting their bindery and finishing businesses without competing with their own customer base.

In large-market environments, such as the Northeastern United States, bindery companies have focused on diversification as their key growth strategy. However, many binderies and finishers operate in smaller (and shrinking) print markets. Their focus needs to be on developing stronger relationships with their clients and adapting to a fast-changing environment.

The first step in developing that relationship is to understand more about what is driving the printers’ business and how printers are handling those driving forces. Then it is important to know if printers are developing digital services and building cross-media solutions and, if so, what are their strengths and weaknesses? Can the bindery or finisher deliver new and/or additional support on the weakness side? Are there clear differences between what the binder or finisher offers and what the competition can provide? Make sure to have conversations with customers and develop strong strategic alliances and partnerships that help both the binder, and the customers, not only survive but thrive.

As Daniel Dejan from SAPPI Fine Papers recently said at a British Columbia Printing Industry Association meeting: “The water is rising but not all boats will float” (that is, some print industry segments will not rise to the level of sales they once enjoyed). The binding and finishing industry needs to focus on innovating, diversifying and developing unique solutions that are continually improving and keeping pace with technology and customer needs.

How can binderies and finishers grow in an increasingly fragmented marketplace? By learning to partner much more closely with printers in selling and providing cross-media benefits. Many companies have built long lasting competitive advantages by taking offense actions and by changing – be one of those companies.

Note: Loose leaf companies have an advantage in this changing environment – they have direct access to end user accounts and typically know their customers’ needs and wants really well. For loose leaf businesses, new opportunities for growth are more likely to come from focusing on environmental materials and in diversifying their products and services.

Print Grows Trees

August 21, 2010

by: Kerry C. Stackpole, CAE

In the turmoil of change, people sometimes misread what they see and hear. While the floodgates of modern media have brought us an amazing array of information, images, and ideas, it also has brought with it a shocking amount of misinformation and sensory overload. If there’s a mantra for the 21st Century, it should be, “take a closer look.” That’s one of the reasons we launched Print Grows Trees, an educational campaign that uses facts to show that print on paper actually helps to grow trees and keep our forests from being sold for development. By connecting the dots between print and the private landowners who own almost 60 percent of U.S. woodlands, Print Grows Trees challenges the widely held belief that by using less paper, trees will be saved.

A surprising number of people believe that not printing on paper saves trees. While being a responsible user of natural resources is important, the paper and forest industry grow and harvest trees specifically for paper making. These managed forests better serve the environment through carbon sequestration and cleansing of the water aquifer. Print creates a demand for paper, which in turn creates a demand for trees and managed forests, all the while holding development or other less environmentally friendly uses of land at bay. It may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s true.

Interestingly, a surprising number of people believe e-devices (smart phones, iPads, laptops/net-books, e-readers, and computers) have little to no impact on the environment. The fact that it’s against the law in 50 states and the District of Columbia to toss our cell phone in the trash ought to tell us something – after all, lithium batteries are hazardous waste. Unfettered access to the online world sucks up huge amounts of electricity and other resources, requiring enormous brick and mortar buildings, high-tech security systems, back-up diesel generators, air conditioning, lights, computer servers, and unfettered access to electrical supplies to sustain 24/7/365 operations. The consumption of electricity to fuel data centers is growing 24 percent a year. The power plants generating this electrical power burn mostly coal and petroleum products. Tack on the premature obsolescence of computing technology and you are looking at 300-400 million tons of non -renewable e-waste every year. “E” most certainly is not free.

While some take newspapers, magazines, and book manufacturers to task for not quickly adopting new forms of content delivery such as e- readers, the argument that paper is used to create scarcity conveniently overlooks the fact that only 83 percent of U.S. homes have computers and only 63 percent have broadband access. In today’s marketplace, e-readers are largely out of financial reach for families and most especially, for children. Paper, in the form of books, magazines, catalogs, and newspapers, is freely available in public libraries, schools, and on newsstands at reasonable prices.

Paper as a metaphor for scarcity seems wildly obsolete. E-devices are here to stay, but that doesn’t mean paper or print must go. If you love breathing fresh air, drinking clean water, and the green vistas of forestland, assuring a steady demand for print, paper, and trees may be the best and most beneficial idea yet. In a world bombarded by electronic images and media, many forget the value of print to our society. It contributes in economic, social, and environmental ways that have not been clearly represented to the public. Print Grows Trees concentrates on the environmental, because the misconception that if we stop using print, we’ll save trees has had a critical impact on not only the print industry, but also on the private landowners who are the keepers of America’s trees. We want people to make their communications decisions based on facts. After all, print is the renewable way a responsible world communicates.

Kerry C. Stackpole, CAE, is the president of Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic. For more information on the Print Grows Trees campaign, call (410) 319-0900 or visit www.printgrowstrees.com.

New Technologies in Cutting and Trimming

August 21, 2010

by: Amy Bauer

Delivering high-quality results and offering the best value to customers in print project finishing are the goals underlying a range of innovations for printers and binders. These new cutting and trimming technologies are streamlining processes and reducing labor costs. The fewer times an operator must intervene during a job, the greater the production speeds and the lower the chance for errors. Here are some of the industry’s latest developments.

Hands-Free Automation

Smaller, on demand book orders require a nimble staff and machinery to fulfill the requests quickly and cost-effectively. The Challenge Machinery Company’s CMT series of on demand book trimmers offers fully automated book-of-one production trimming with the new Txe and TxL control systems. Barcodes printed on the precut book blocks send the job dimensions to the trimmer for complete automated set-up. This exclusive feature requires zero human intervention between books, no matter their size differences.

Standard Finishing Systems has designed its new Standard Horizon HT-80 automated three-knife trimmer to trim books of varying thicknesses, one after another, for on demand book production. The HT-80 can trim books off-line or operate in-line with several Standard Horizon perfect binders. It features the “intelligent automation” built into all Horizon post-press products. An intuitive, icon-based, 10.4″ color touch screen assists with automated setup, including the infeed, jogging, and knives. Up to 200 custom jobs can be stored in memory, and the HT-80 is compatible with Horizon’s pXnet bindery management system.

Push-button programming also is a feature of the Baumcut 31.5 and Baumcut 26.4 programmable cutters, from Baumfolder Corporation, which offer ease of operation and minimal maintenance. The heavy-duty, fully hydraulic cutters can store up to 99 programs with 6,464 cut steps, with a large central liquid crystal display indicating the data in the selected language. Safety features include infrared safety beams; two-hand, timed cut release; and covered rear table. A built-in table light and optical cutting line ensure precision.

Muller Martini’s Orbit three-knife trimmer boasts complete changeovers within three minutes with full automation and can process a wide range of book sizes without special kits. SmartPress technology provides constant, gentle pressure on the materials, allowing more time for evacuation of air for precise trimming. Individual servo control eliminates makeready on many functions and improves performance by separating drive line. The Orbit’s controlled transport system includes special belts and servo motors that lift the books and move them into position. Precise control of knives to stick contact reduces grinding costs.

Sizing up the Job

Accommodating jobs of all sizes can be a challenge, especially when a shop’s square footage is limited. New technology is addressing the varied requirements of wide-ranging print requests. Perfecta USA has introduced the 92 AWR (36″) paper cutter with automatic trim removal. The 92 AWR is tailored for smaller shops that have a large amount of printed jobs with gutters but do not have the available floor space that the larger machines require. The 92 AWR joins the list of automatic trim removal cutters from 45 to 88 inches available from Perfecta.

For the past couple of years, an 18 ½” paper cutter has been the standard for copy centers that work with 12×18″ paper stocks. But more manufacturers now are offering print engines that have a 13×19″ capability, which has created new challenges that 18 ½” cutters can’t handle, notes Matt Roth, vice president of Spiral Binding Co. “Spiral Binding Co. does not manufacture cutters, but we only sell the ‘best -in-class’,” Roth says, “including products from Challenge Machinery, Duplo USA, and MBM Corporation.”

Flexible Features

New innovations are improving the way paper cutters accommodate jobs. Heidelberg has introduced a new generation of POLAR high-performance cutters and cutter models in widths from 26″ to 69″. These machines offer an array of new options for cutting and paper handling, including swivel/tilt back gauge; down-holder in front of the knife to prevent mixing and shingling of multiple-ups; down-holder at back gauge, which holds down curly sheets; and Fix-o-Mat for correct alignment of irregular lifts. Autotrim provides automatic waste removal to increase productivity, and its air knife handles plastic sheets or static-loaded materials, while the AntiStick Knife prevents residual material from sticking.

Duplo USA Corporation also has addressed varied needs with its 800PA Hydraulic Cutter, which is designed to offer precision cutting for documents on a wide variety of paper stocks and weights. Its special low-friction surface aluminum alloy cutting bed requires no polish or waxing and won’t rust over the life of the cutter. It comes standard with an air-cushion table, allowing heavy paper stacks to be moved easily across the cutting bed. A color touch-screen control panel allows for ease of programming. Safety features include a large working area with side table, full light beam curtain, and dual-palm-cut buttons.

Multi-Tasking Machines

Printers and binders also are finding flexibility with machines that perform multiple tasks, sometimes even within a single step, thereby reducing the need for separate operations or outsourcing. Technifold’s Multi Tool originally was made to produce either guillotine-quality trimming or die-quality micro-perforating on any popular folding machine. It now can perform these two functions simultaneously, adding more flexibility in finishing single- or multiple-up jobs on the folder. A slight change to the construction of the perforating anvil allows the cutting and perforating operations to be conducted at the same time. The distance between cut and perforation can vary from ¼” up to 1 1/8″.

Rollem International also is focused on multitasking. The company has introduced its new 2D digital finishing system for multiple-up photo cards, postcards, greeting cards, and more. The two-directional system edge trims the press sheet in both directions, slits each card, and applies fine-quality score and cut-score. This method eliminates the need for guillotine cutting and additional labor as the cards are finished in one process. A folder can be added for complete automation from press sheet to finished product.

Clean Cuts

The condition of a book’s spine, or backbone, is among the first things customers notice, and a strong, unmarred backbone helps ensure a book’s longevity. Jorson & Carlson Company spent about a year of research and development in creating the Back Bone Buster, which eliminates backbone chips and tears. The Back Bone Buster is a unique side knife application for trimmers that pre-cuts the bind of the backbone prior to the side knife cut. The product works for both saddlestitched and perfect bound books and is ideal for any binder that cuts books ½” or less.

Industry innovation, as seen through these companies and their products, reaps rewards for printers and binders, who can use these tools to provide higher-quality printed materials more quickly and more affordably to customers.

The Art of Traditional Bookbinding in a Fast-Paced World

August 21, 2010

by: Renée Varella

Companies that perform traditional bookbinding services are a rare breed indeed – and getting scarcer in our high-speed society. Here, we profile two businesses that still cater to time-honored bookbinding traditions – one that does a lot of handwork with short runs and another that’s found a niche offering traditional bookbinding services with highly automated equipment. You’ll also hear from a supplier who works with the full spectrum of binders.

The HF Group: Preserving and Conserving

For over 80 years, clients of The HF Group (HFG), based in Chesterland, Ohio, have ranged from the government and universities to public libraries and archives. “We’re a diversified services business with book-related and non-book segments,” said Jay Fairfield, company president. HFG book segments primarily focus on: 1) Library binding (rebinding of one-off monographs and hardcover binding of journals and periodicals); 2) Textbook rebinding (repairing textbooks for public and private K-12 schools); 3) Short-run edition and children’s bookbinding; 4) Digital print and binding on demand (as low as 1 per title production for publishers and specialty presses); 5) Conservation treatment (on valuable and historic artifacts); and 6) Digital conversion scanning (reformatting of books, manuscripts, maps, and art-to-digital format).

“The library binding niche is quite unique, and there are only 20 to 25 facilities in the U.S. left doing this specialty-type work,” Fairfield said. Libraries at large research universities, law schools, and small colleges, as well as public and special libraries, send their books to HFG for rebinding or repair or send their journals and periodicals to HFG for first-time binding. “We also do one-offs of old bibles, which requires a skilled-craftsman approach. Our equipment and our plants are geared to production runs of one to 1,000.”

Most of the materials HFG uses in its traditional bookbinding operation are preservation-sensitive, including acid-free papers and acrylic -coated woven and non-woven cover materials. “We also use genuine and simulated leather materials in our handbinding operation,” Fairfield said. Equipment ranges from hand tools and hot lead stamping equipment to semi-automatic machines that provide automation from station to station to computerized, unattended hot foil stamping machines. “In addition, we utilize digitally printed color covers with film lamination.”

On Demand Solutions
Fairfield acknowledged substantial growth in short-run edition binding and the digital, on demand print and bind segment of the book market. Binding methods include perfect binding, side sewing, and Smyth sewing. Case options include custom graphic printed and laminated covers, cloth covers with hot foil stamped lettering or custom die stamping options, and dust jackets. Case options for edition binding and prebinding include custom graphic covers or cloth covers with hot foil stamped lettering and custom, artistic die stamping options.

HFG also uses digitization and imaging technologies to produce archival-quality digital images from damaged or non-circulating bound documents and printed materials and loose pages. Its equipment can digitize bound volumes in black and white, grayscale, and color in sizes ranging from 4.5″×7″ to 19″×19″. The company also can digitize loose sheets and foldouts in black and white and grayscale up to 17″×23″ and up to 11″×17″ in color. Facsimile reproductions of all digitized books are available. Even large format materials such as atlases, maps, art on paper, and blueprints can be digitized and reproduced by HFG.

Preserving the Precious
One of HFG’s divisions includes Etherington Conservation Services, which offers preservation and conservation services for private collectors, libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and other collection-holding institutions. Donald Etherington, a world renowned conservationist, serves as president of the division.

Book rebinding treatments vary in complexity and may require aqueous treatment, some works of art on paper, vellum, and parchment may need matting and framing, while other projects require deacidification and polyester film encapsulation or custom-designed protective enclosures. Past projects of Etherington Conservation Services include the American University of Cairo’s collection of architectural drawings, the Czech Republic’s collection of medieval manuscripts, and the National Archives rehousing and display of the Charters of Freedom, which includes the Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights.

Tradition and Timeliness
In todays marketplace, HFG must balance the need for high-quality, traditional-looking pieces with the increasing demand for fast turnarounds. “Our work and the types of customers we have vary greatly and, therefore, so does the expectation for turn times,” Fairfield said. “We have some customers who require – and pay for – a two- to three-day turn, and some customers that prefer – and pay less for – a four-week turn. In special cases, valuable or rare items can be in our possession receiving very specific and specialized treatment that can take months.

Dekker Bookbinding: Serving Book Printers from Coast to Coast

Founded as a library binder in 1928, the family-owned and fourth-generation Dekker Bookbinding, Grand Rapids, Mich., offers highly automated edition binding services today. However, in the late 1800s, John H. Dekker used state-of-the-art hand tools he’d brought from the Netherlands when the Dekker family emigrated to the U.S. Early customers included public libraries, book collectors, professional organizations, schools, and small publishers.

“The early hand bindery relied on manual sewing, cutting, hot stamping, gluing, and pressing,” said Chris Dekker, a sales executive at Dekker. “The materials used were basic – the bookbinder often purchased full cowhides to produce leather cases for books. I remember my grandfather measuring a hide to get as many pieces as economically possible without blemishes. A blemish might result from the scar left when the cow bumped against a barbwire fence. The process worked because the bookbinder was able to control the quality and craftsmanship of each book as he built the components and assembled the final product.”

New Techniques, Similar Expectations
Although Dekker noted that quality, schedule, and price are still key considerations for customers in 2010, the company’s range of services has changed dramatically over the years. “Our business today is focused on partnering with print customers by providing estimating, specification and planning review, prescheduling, and material purchases, Dekker said. The company also custom cuts its own board and cloth to expedite schedules and control quality; utilizes the internet whenever it’s convenient for a customer; and estimates and plans layouts for printed end sheets, covers, and dust jackets.”

“Casing in is the final step, where all the components come together to make a book,” he added. “While our specialty is hardcover bookbinding, new equipment and new adhesive options, as well as process innovations, have allowed us to offer additional services such as PUR gluing for coated adhesive binding, in-line ribbon gluing, flexible cover options, flex boards, and lined turned-edge covers for mechanical binderies.”

Dekker reported that on June 28, 2010, the plant had 242,000 books (spread over 70 titles) in production, consisting of 24 trim sizes, quantities from 105 to 18,000, text bulk from 1/8″to 2″, 37 adhesive bound, 33 Smyth sewn, six ribbon jobs, two edge-stain jobs, 23 with printed case wraps, 47 with stamped covers, 16 book jackets, and four with slipcases. “All jobs are on schedule,” he said, “and the parts and pieces of each job are on a fast-track schedule, with similar components from different jobs running together.”

Equipment, Materials Make the Project
Dekker runs two complete Kolbus binding lines in its 93,000-square-foot facility. The company generally uses Smyth sewing on books requiring high-quality, long life, and excellent lay flat characteristics, including text books, library books, law books, and high-end coffee table books. Dekker now uses four Astronic Auto Sewers, plus an Astor 2000 sewer with thin-paper attachment running at 12,000 cycles per hour. A high-speed 24-pocket Kolbus Systems Binder and a 20-pocket Kolbus Ratio Binder produce adhesive bookblocks for hardcover case binding and perfect binding for soft cover.

“Over the years we have continued to upgrade and expand our plant to meet customer needs, and to maintain and improve quality and schedule,” Dekker said. “As an independent bookbinder, the only thing we can control is the process, the equipment, the materials we supply, the components we manufacture in-house, and the learning environment that involves all the people. We survive because we take charge of the product outcome, just like our founders did.”

Marketplace Transitions
The backbone of Dekker Bookbinding’s business has always been servicing book printers a group that Dekker refers to as “print-bind partners”: “One of the shifts we see in the marketplace is the growing number of commercial sheetfed and web printers who are printing book signatures for hardcover books,” he said. “With a stronger presence in the four-color markets, we see a growing number of quote requests for bookbinding from commercial houses for everything from trade books to oversize coffee table books. Our emphasis on quality throughout the bookbinding process, as well as equipment upgrades and, most important, developing people skills and learning, has positioned Dekker to survive as an independent bookbinder.”

At Dekker, the production processes are the same whether customers supply printed text from web presses, sheetfed presses, or digital sources. “We have found that schedule concerns are not the turn times, but the fact that print customers and publishers want reliable schedules, and that’s where we are today,” Dekker said. “The majority of bookbinding is not on demand. However, we are seeing shorter quantities but more reprints.”

Dekker added that turnaround times are based on what the publisher wants. “On demand printing has its place; however, the typical case bound book project, with all its components, is scheduled based on overlapping press time and bind time,” he said. “We have to be constantly on alert to produce the exceptional quality and schedules that publishers and printers have come to expect. Traditional book manufacturing is alive and well as long as we as manufacturers continue to improve the craft with better materials and processes.” (See the Fall 2008 binding spotlight on Dekker Bookbinding at www.thebindingedge.com.)

A Supplier’s Take: Meeting the Needs of Binders

August 21, 2010

by Renée Varella

When it comes to the bookbinding industry, Rob Mauritz, vice president of sales at LBS, Des Moines, Iowa, does it all. Not only does the supplier work with equipment manufacturers such as Kolbus, Muller Martini, ODM and GP2 to learn what materials its customers need to operate its equipment, the company offers a variety of cover and reinforcing materials, more than 20 styles of ready-to-use end sheets, and a large selection of binders board, stamping foil, and headbands. Customers include book manufacturers, hand binders, library binders, on demand printers and binders, photo book manufacturers, and edition binders.

“We’re still able to meet the needs of the small traditional binder, enabling such companies to buy in small quantities with quick turnaround of materials,” added Mauritz, who worked in the paper industry for a decade before spending the last 19 years at LBS. “We’re also able to be a resource for folks who call about a piece of equipment or unique material. We’ll try to help them; if we can’t do it, we partner with equipment suppliers that can.” Often Mauritz taps the knowledge of LBS CEO Fritz James and Lang Wightman, company president, both of whom are former bookbinders, as well as long-time binding experts Professor Werner Rebsamen, RIT Professor Emeritus, and Peter Martini of the German material supplier Dr. Günther Kast Co.

“We provide materials to everyone – from the largest library binder that also restores old bibles to the truly small binder that’s still doing work mostly by hand using a traditional bookbinding hammer,” Mauritz said. He noted that all traditional binders need end sheets, cover materials (typically cloth), cover board, and some kind of material to reinforce the spine. “Small binders will buy large sheets of cotton cloth, cut it down to a 3″×10″ strip, and hand-apply it to the book block. Other binders will have a roll and use machinery to produce hundreds or thousands of books a day. LBS offers spine reinforcing material that ranges from 100 percent cotton to nylon to high- elongation stretch paper and even some grades that have the cotton and paper laminated together. We can recommend the proper material for each job,” he said.

A Customer Evolution

According to Mauritz, LBS has approximately 150 U.S. binders in its database that do at least some of their work by hand and employ from one to five employees. “We certainly have seen changes in our customer mix over the years,” he added. “While we do find binders strictly doing traditional work, even these smaller binderies have added some sort of edition or on demand capabilities.”

Mauritz noted that advancements in equipment have allowed binders to automate or semi-automate. This has been especially helpful as binders face greater demands from customers that require shorter turn times. “Technology is turning the industry around,” he said. “In some respects, technology like the Kindle can hinder the bookbinder as more and more books move to electronic formats. But if they follow the example of some of our customers that are embracing technology by using the latest software to produce photo books or even ‘partnering with the enemy’ by manufacturing protective cases for e-readers, you can make lemonade out of lemons. It is not easy, but by combining the talent of a skilled bookbinder and the vision of a successful business person, binders of all sizes can not only survive, but excel in today’s ever-changing business climate.”

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