2007 Spring

RFID: The Future in Book Technology

May 1, 2007

by: Dennis Dehainaut, BindTech, Inc.

There’s something satisfying about a book, in a world where technology is revered and most things require the flip of a switch to operate. It’s comforting to crack open the spine, thumb through the pages, and feel the weight of the words written inside. But technology is ever-present and even the good ol’ fashioned book may be getting a hip new upgrade in the area of security.

Consumers have seen white, plastic, rectangular security tags on everything from CDs and DVDs to electronic devices, and even on more expensive hard cover books. The problem is that those tags are secured to the product with a light adhesive, making them easy to remove. In addition, the tags are meant only as a security device, limiting their usefulness. But a new type of tagging is on the horizon. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags are capable of remotely storing and retrieving data, moving beyond basic security and into the realm of inventory control.

How Does RFID Work?

In simplistic terms, RFID technology allows manufacturers and retailers to track products by “tagging” them with a small electronic device that contains information. That information identifies the product and enables manufacturers and retailers to track its movements through the supply chain, from the manufacturing line all the way to the final sale.

For a more technical explanation, Eric Van Osten, managing editor of RFID Product News, describes RFID technology in the following manner:

An RFID system consists of three major parts: tags, readers, and software. Tags are placed on the items you want to track. They contain silicon chips (only millimeters wide) that store a unique identifying number. The chip is attached to an antenna and the entire thing is embedded in a piece of plastic or paper label to create a tag that is placed on the product. The readers, which have their own antennas, are placed at portals throughout the supply chain where the items to be tracked will pass. A reader sends a radio signal out, which is picked up by the antennas in the tags. Each tag responds to the signal by sending back another radio wave that includes the tag’s unique identifying number. Readers can read up to hundreds of tags per second. After a reader has obtained the number from a tag, the software takes that data and organizes it in the company’s network, producing real-time, accurate tracking capabilities in a fraction of the time it would normally take.

Major retailers in the U.S. and abroad have been using RFID technology for a few years now, mainly on pallets, but rarely tagging at the item level. There are three levels of tagging, with most products being tagged at Level 1.

Level 1: Tagging at the skid level. Packaged skids are labeled with one RFID tag, allowing shipment tracking from the manufacturer to the delivery site. Wal-mart began requesting this from its top-level suppliers approximately two years ago.
Level 2: Tagging at the carton level. This is rolling out slowly, mostly at the manufacturing source. Extra effort is required at the manufacturing source to tag each carton, but timesavings are seen at the delivery site when labor costs for shipment verification and inventorying are tracked.
Level 3: Tagging at the source or item level. Tagging the individual product will be the last tagging level to see widespread implementation because it is the most costly and most difficult. In the majority of cases, source or item level tagging has to be done during the manufacturing of the product itself or when the product is bring packaged.

Why Libraries and Booksellers Love RFID

Most binderies aren’t concerned about RFID tagging quite yet. For RFID technology to be widely applicable at the bindery level, Level 3 tagging needs to be more commonly requested by the end distributor of the product at the manufacturing level, rather than being implemented after-market, which is most commonly the case. However, there are signs in the book industry that show a rising awareness in the benefits of RFID tagging for both library and retail applications, namely in timesavings, security, and inventory.

Time Savings: Today, some libraries use RFID tags to automate check in and check out, thereby providing a simple computerized method of tracking which books are in circulation. This process, however, requires library employees and volunteers to hand-tag every book that comes through the door before it can be placed on a shelf. Adding RFID technology as an in-line process during book manufacturing reduces the labor costs associated with hand-tagging, continues to allow automated check in and check out for libraries, as well as providing the ability to locate books that are misplaced on the shelves.

At the retail level, time savings can be seen in the high-speed inventorying capabilities. In both applications, the long tag life associated with embedded RFID tags means no more time spent finding and replacing the tags that have fallen off (or been purposely removed) from books. RFID tags last longer than barcodes because nothing comes in contact with them.

Security: AM (acoustic magnetic) and RF (radio frequency) tags are used commonly at the retail book store level for theft prevention. These tags are hand-applied in the back room of stores, normally placed on the inside flap of the dust jacket or on the flysheet of a book. The adhesive is low tack, so the dust jacket or flyleaf is not torn when the tag is removed. However, this makes it very easy to remove the tag accidentally…or deliberately. Bookstore employees routinely find the security tags stuck under the shelves where books have been pilfered. In fact, most book thefts are not committed by amateurs wanting to read the latest Harry Potter book without paying for it. The majority of book thefts are by professionals, who then sell the books at online auction sites. This is no small problem – total retail shrinkage was estimated at $60 billion in 2004, according to the PMMI packaging intelligence brief. Embedded RFID technology puts a stop to tag removal.

Inventory: RFID tags combine theft prevention with inventory control. Boekhandels Group Nederlands Selexyz (BGN) is Holland’s largest bookseller. Ziff Davis, CIO Insights, reported in its November 2006 article, “RFID: The Book on Item Level Tagging”, that the company recently completed a pilot program that tagged all inventory at its 1,000 square meter store in Almere. BGN’s Jan Vink reported that taking inventory of new books used to take hours, as each box had to be opened. With RFID tagging at the item level, the inventory process was cut from four minutes per box to just seconds. Vink said that the greatest benefits have been improved customer service and increased sales. Sales at the Almere store increased by 12 percent through accurate inventory control.

How does accurate inventory increase sales? A study by AMR Research published in July 2006 on UsingRFID.com reported that retail products are out of stock 7 to 20 percent of the time. And the Grocery Manufacturers Association reports that approximately 75 percent of the time, the “out of stock” item is in the back room inventory. What is the cost associated with out of stocks? According to IDTechEx, the annual cost to retailers globally is $120 billion. With item level tagging, a signal can be sent from the check out counter at the front of the store to the stock room in the back, notifying store personnel to replace the product on the shelf when the last stocked item is sold.

The Evolution of In-line RFID Tagging for Books

The only way item level tagging can provide its full benefits to the retailer and/or library is by incorporating it into the in-line manufacturing of the product or the product package itself. All efforts at doing the tagging as an after-market process has led to high labor cost, inconsistent tagging, and tags that fall off the product (or are deliberately removed). Until recently, there wasn’t a process that allowed in-line tagging for hardcover products.

In early 2004, BindTech was asked to produce 1,500,000 case-made DVD packages to hold two disks of the movie “Saving Private Ryan”, the blockbuster hit starring Tom Hanks. The package was a printed litho cover wrapped around chipboard with a printed liner that was visible through the two clear mating DVD holders. A problem arose when it was decided that an AM security tag had to be placed under the clear tray so it could not be removed. As the liner was printed with copy and graphics, it became apparent that there was no place to put the tag that would not interfere with the design (or cover Tom Hank’s face). The job was finished with the tag covering the image of several soldiers holding a flag, but BindTech wasn’t satisfied that this was the best solution.

As a result of that experience, BindTech spent months working with its manufacturing group, equipment manufacturer, and chipboard manufacturers to conceive a process that embeds a RFID, AM, or RF tag in the chipboard of a hardcover product, fully concealing it in-line during the manufacturing process. This solution allows item level tagging for any type or size of hardcover product at little additional cost, other than the cost of the tag itself. BindTech, Inc. has received its U.S. patent (US 7,183,918 B1) for the Smart GuardTM manufacturing process. Smart Guard eliminates the after-market labor cost of hand applying tags at the library and retail store level, eliminates the inconsistent tagging of books, and prevents the accidental or deliberate removal of the tag, as it’s now fully concealed in the cover of the book.

In terms of in-line manufacturing books with item level tagging, the board can be debossed at the mill or in-house, and there are numerous manufacturers (like Markem Corp.) whose equipment can encode and apply more than one hundred RFID tags per minute to the covers as they come off of a case maker. The investment to book manufacturers wanting to have the capability of RFID item level tagging for books is relatively minor.

Challenges in Implementing RFID

Although the benefits are clear, challenges still remain in implementing RFID at the item level. First, tagging books at the item level (Level 3) is probably several years ahead of the curve, as most industries are still trying to comply with Level 1 skid tagging. Second, the technology has grown in a number of directions, leaving some tags that only can be read by certain types of systems. This creates confusion in the market as to which tag and which system is the best. Thankfully, some consolidation has begun in the industry. EPC Global announced that the International Standards Organization (ISO) has accepted its Generation 2 RFID standards. Now more than a dozen readers, tags, and integration circuits have been certified as Gen 2 compliant by EPC global. Even more importantly, on April 17, 2007, the ratification of EPCIS was announced. EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services) provides a standard set of interfaces for EPC data. This will go a long ways in creating standards-based RFID technologies.

A third concern lies at the publishing level. Publishers may see the benefit to the retailer or library, but adding RFID tags is simply an added cost to them. As the technology becomes more common place and more retailers see the benefits associated with RFID tagging, they will be the ones to put pressure on the publishers, perhaps to the point of sharing costs.

The Future of Books

Item level tagging has begun in the drug and apparel industries, with companies like Pfizer, Glaxo, Smith Kline, and Levi Strauss presently shipping some item-level tagged products. IdTechEx Ltd. estimated item level tagging amounted to 200 million tags in 2006, with the majority being used for apparel, books, and drugs. They estimate item level tagging will be an $11 billion dollar market in 2007.

RFID is now what the Internet was in the 1990s – expensive and with few users – but stick around for a little while. This is the future of books.

Dennis Dehainaut is the vice president of sales at BindTech Inc. He has been in the book manufacturing/graphic arts business for over 30 years, with the last 12 years spent at BindTech, Inc. For further information, Dennis can be reached at [email protected] or by calling (615) 834-0404.

Seidl’s Bindery: Where No Is Not an Option

May 1, 2007

by: Dianna Brodine

In Texas, everything is larger than life. Pecos Bill ropes the wind, the ghosts of the Alamo still echo, and the legends of the Old West stretch into stories that every child knows. In Houston, there’s a company that can tell a few tales of its own, with a determination to be the best and the confidence to back it up.

Reacting to the Customer’s Needs

Seidl’s Bindery is a full service bindery serving primarily the southeastern and southwestern United States. Purchased in 1986 by Bill and Jeannie Seidl, the bindery employed 24 staff members at that time. After facility expansions in 1992, 1997, and 2004, the company now operates with 125 employees over two full shifts, with the ability to work 24 hours a day.

Seidl’s Bindery offers a wide array of post press services, including PUR adhesive binding, Wire-O binding, plastic coil and spiral wire binding, saddle stitching, cutting, folding, fugitive and remoistenable gluing, diecutting, index tabbing, and more. The main structure covers about 60,000 square feet. “We’ve grown into it,” said Bill Seidl. “We kept expanding and now we have the whole building.” The bindery also has another 20,000 square feet off-site that is used for storage and manufacturing jobs for assembly or pack out.

The extensive range of service offerings demands a variety of on-site equipment. Seidl’s Bindery competes with two perfect binders – a Kolbus and Muller, both with PUR and Ota Binding. The facility also boasts two 42 inch high-speed diecutters with hot embossing, a Bobst Fuego 40 inch gluer with hot and cold glue and auto CD and DVD insertion, three Polar cutter systems, and a high-speed pick and place GaVehren tip-on machine, which is used for credit cards, magnets, overlays, signature tabbing, CDs, and more. The bindery also does in-house steel rule diemaking with a CAD/CAM system. “We put that in for response,” said Seidl. “When we got into the over 40 inch market, we had one press. We put in a second press, and then last year we put in another diecutter to relieve the pressure from the first two machines. We can react fast to the needs of our customers – the files come in, we open them up in the CAD system, check them and make adjustments, and don’t have to worry about driving a truck halfway across town to get another die.”

Keeping a bindery full of equipment running at peak performance is a necessity in order to meet customer deadlines. “We have a whole team of maintenance people – a master electrician, a machinist – it’s a seven-person team. If anything happens, from air conditioning to motors to electronics on the machines themselves, they can pretty much get it up and running again immediately. We keep a big stock of replacement motors and that type of thing. The accounting department thinks it’s kind of scary, what we keep on stock, but if you look at the expense of going down for eight hours, it’s worth it.”

Taking on the Tough Jobs

When Bill Seidl says “No is not an option”, listeners will hear a combination of Texas-sized confidence and ride-the-wind exhilaration at achieving the impossible. To meet that bold directive, risk taking becomes part of the daily equation, the available equipment takes on new significance, and employees become the key. Seidl knows that his bindery has distinguished itself by taking on the challenging projects. “When you first start out, you’re competing against everyone with vanilla ice cream,” explained Bill. When a tougher job comes along, “that’s your chance. If you can do this project that everyone says can’t be done, they’ll give you some of the easier stuff and you’ll build your business.”

When asked for an illustration, Seidl pointed to a job the bindery did in 2006 for a company in North Carolina. The company had been awarded a huge project, but was having trouble finding people to bind it. Seidl explained, “It took a little machine work. We had to reinvent some things in the machine shop, making the machine do something it wasn’t designed to do as far as size limitations, but we made it work.” The North Carolina company is now a valued customer.

For Seidl, the most important thing is to provide service to his customers, who are primarily printers. That service philosophy has led to adding on to the Bobst to give it the ability to auto-insert DVDs and CDs. Machines have been added for better diecutting and embossing. The pick and place GaVehren was added specifically to meet the needs for one customer and one project. “We try to never say ‘no’ to a project, even if it means investment in equipment,” said Seidl. “If we have the opportunity to get into a project from a customer that we feel that we can trust, give me 30 days and I’ll be up and running.”

A gift card for JC Penney is a prime example. “One of our customers called and said, “We have a project that’s over 50 million pieces.” I told them we knew how to do it and they said, “Good, because you’ve got the job.” We didn’t have the equipment at the time, but if we did not react to that opportunity, all our relationship-building over the last five years would have been gone. The Ga-Vehren machine hit the floor and two days after it hit, we were running at maximum speed. That was a good door opener for us – it got us into a completely new market.”

If the choice is to win the business or let it pass by, the decision to move ahead has been an easy one for Seidl. “We take ‘no is not an option’ as, at the least, ‘it can always be done’. We might not have the equipment, but we won’t hesitate to invest in a new highly-productive machine. What it comes down to is, are you willing to step up to the plate and get to that level?”

Pushing Employees to Achieve

A never-say-no attitude from the leader of an operation means some interesting days on the job for company employees. Seidl knows his staff puts forth an enormous effort to meet the commitments he makes, and he shows his appreciation through a fair wage, a willingness to provide what is needed to complete a job, intensive training, and a unique recognition program.

“I’ve never been known for underpaying,” Seidl laughed. With a schedule that sometimes pushes the envelope on production deadlines, Seidl depends on the ability of his employees to do what needs to be done. That appreciation can sometimes go beyond the industry wage standards. “When we’re doing evaluations, I want to know what that employee brings to the bottom line. The national pay averages don’t mean anything if I’ve got a guy doing 2 ½ times what someone else is doing and it’s always quality and there isn’t much spoilage. That’s gold.”

However, a fair wage only goes so far if the equipment isn’t available to complete a project. Seidl backs his employees with a willingness to ‘ equipment or staff as needed, and the employees respond. “You can’t tie one hand behind their back and say ‘go make a miracle for me,'” explained Seidl. “Instead you make the expenditures, you give them the tools, and you push their envelope.” Seidl also acknowledges that pushing envelopes isn’t always successful the first time out. His employees receive support then too. “Sometimes you have a guy whos spent three days doing all this design work and it’s not working, and you throw it away and start again.” Seidl enjoys the satisfaction in his employees faces when a challenge has been met, and a project has run smoothly, almost a much as he enjoys knowing that he’s pushed the envelope once more and succeeded.

New equipment means training, which is provided to all Seidl’s Bindery employees. The company does in-house training, sends employees to factory training events, and also brings team work training in-house. Training is especially important for new equipment purchases. “Normally when we do any type of expansion, we put together a team that will be involved in that expansion from preplanning (floor space, utilization, market analysis) to purchase. They go to the factories and they get pre-training,” said Seidl. After the equipment comes in, the bindery takes advantage of the post-purchase training. Then the operators are left alone for a month or two, allowing them to run several jobs. After that adjustment period, the factory training crews are brought back in so the operators can ask the questions that have come up. “You can’t run all the projects in training because you don’t know what’s coming,” clarified Seidl. Employees also are sent on a yearly basis to training seminars from Bobst, Heidelberg, and other manufacturers. Seidl finds that the operators always pick up one machine capability that hasn’t been utilized to its fullest extent.

Like so many other things, employee recognition is done in a big way at Seidl’s Bindery. In 1995, Bill and his wife, Jeannie, realized that several of their employees had been contributing to the company’s growth for years and implemented a ring program in recognition of service. After three years, the employees receive a gold ring. After that, diamonds are added at each company Christmas party. Seidl admitted that at first, he winced at the potential cost but now he’s convinced. “It’s been so successful and it’s really a small reward for all the years of service. Some of these people have been with us 15 or 20 years – that’s a long time,” said Seidl. “They just won’t leave, so we must be doing something right!”

The Perfect Project

Seidl’s drive to achieve doesn’t allow for short cuts on the production line. “There’s almost always something that can be done better,” stated Seidl. Despite decades in the industry, Seidl only recalls one “perfect” project. The job was for a shirt and jacket maker. Seidl recalled, “It had short sheet foldouts, was stair stepped, and PUR-bound. And it had all this diecutting, oval tabs, and extended covers.” The bindery ran a few test books and Seidl called the customer to talk about the samples. “The next thing I knew, here comes six people walking in the front door. Their company takes up an entire block across the street from us and I didn’t know it!”

Seidl continued the tale, “We go to the conference room and they’re all looking at the books. I looked at this piece and I kept looking at it and there was nothing we could have done to improve it. Every once in a while it falls together.” Seidl gave credit where credit was due and bought lunch for everyone in the bindery!

Taking the Risk, Finding the Reward

To continue growing, Seidl is willing to do what needs to be done to make his bindery, and his printing group customers, successful. “We’ve seen the turns getting faster, and the runs seem to be getting larger. Like in every business, response is everything. We adjust by purchasing the best equipment and providing different types of finishing services before the competition,” said Seidl. “It gives us more opportunity, when others are refusing to do specialty work and swearing that run lengths are shortening.”

Bill Seidl also admits that his competitive spirit has something to do with his drive to be known as the bindery that continually exceeds expectations. “I personally enjoy the challenge of trying to do very difficult work. I know my people enjoy it too, because when we press them, they respond. And part of that is that I refuse to get beat by the competition. I don’t want to lose a job because I got beat on price or someone elses relationship was better.”

What it comes down to though, is a belief in himself, a belief in the forward direction of the bindery, and a belief in the capabilities of his employees. You can almost visualize the ten-gallon hat and the flinty stare into the Texas sunset when Seidl says, “If I wasn’t sure about expanding and reinvesting in my company and in my people, I wouldn’t do it.”

Creative Choices for Distinctive Products

May 1, 2007

by: Dianna Brodine

The products you use to attract and retain customers must strike a balance between utility, eye-catching appeal, and efficient production. No matter what format you require – including marketing kits, POP displays, multimedia packaging, ring binders, and book covers – it can be made more distinctive with the right combination of processes and materials.

There are many factors to consider when selecting the proper materials and decoration options for your information packaging applications. The intended audience, end use, longevity and durability requirements, and perceived value all will help determine the appearance of the end product.

The Versatility of Turned-edge

When you’re looking for eye-catching information packaging, turned-edge manufacturing is flexible enough to handle a wide range of products. Ring binders, book covers, slip cases, tote boxes, point-of-purchase displays, and multimedia packaging are just a few of the possibilities.

The turned-edge process involves gluing a cover material to a board, and then turning the material over the edges of the board to create a wrap. A lining is then applied to the inside of the board to conceal the turned edges, creating an attractive piece both inside and outside.

A key advantage of turned-edge construction is the versatility of wrap materials. From printed and laminated paper to book cloth, vinyl, and more, your turned-edge ring binders and other products can exhibit almost any appearance you imagine. Here are a few additional considerations for each of these wrap materials:

Printed paper – Offset-, screen- and digitally-printed paper offers a colorful impact and economical production regardless of the quantity. In addition to offering outstanding appearance for image-heavy applications, digital printing can allow turned-edge products to be personalized for each user. When used as a turned-edge wrap, keep in mind that printed paper should be film laminated for ample protection.

Synthetic paper – Some products require the look of paper, but with better strength and durability. Synthetic papers such as Tyvek, Polyart, and Yupo offer the best of both worlds, and are ideal for ring binder applications where grease and water are prevalent.

Book cloth – Book cloth is an ideal wrap for case-bound books, ring binders, and other turned-edge products. There are dozens of book cloth varieties available in a rainbow of colors, coated and uncoated finishes, and a range of patterns.

Heat-sealed vinyl – As a decoration, vinyl is applied around board or other support substrate and heat-sealed to encapsulate it. Vinyl can be screen-printed, foil stamped, debossed, or UV coated to make your text and images come alive.

Custom wrap substrates – If your objective is to create a buzz with your products, an experienced information packaging solutions provider should offer you a range of custom wrap materials. These substrates include imitation leather or fur, as well as specially-manufactured materials that mimic the surface of a basketball or tennis ball. Keep in mind that these materials may be costly and require ample preparation time to maintain production schedules.

Poly and Vinyl – There are two other major forms of ring binder and information packaging construction, which use poly (a hard plastic) and vinyl. Each of these materials have its own recommended uses and decoration possibilities:

Polyethylene – Also known as a “cut flush” material, polyethylene is a very rigid and durable plastic that is popular for ring binders and marketing kits. Poly is typically available in thicknesses ranging from .016″ to .110″, allowing you to choose the gauge that best meets your application’s needs.

Poly is available in a rainbow of colors, giving you plenty of creative freedom. Also, its rigidity and water-resistance lend durability for products that will be used in harsh environments.

Vinyl – The versatility of vinyl allows it to be used for both construction and decoration purposes. As a construction material, vinyl can be used as an alternative to board in ring binders and other information packaging applications – a key consideration if your products will be handled harshly. It’s available in a wide range of colors and textures, including film vinyl, print grains, and expanded vinyl.

Decoration Time

Once you’ve chosen the proper cover material for your project, it is time to consider the decoration available. Making your project distinctive will help it to stand out from the competition. The processes listed below can be applied to a variety of cover materials and can be easily adapted to many projects.

Screenprinting is a printing process using ink forced through a fine mesh (the screen) onto the substrate. The ink is then cured using UV lamps, allowing products to be handled quickly. Since this process allows for varying concentrations and layers of ink, it’s ideal for decorating vinyl and plastic ring binders, tote boxes, and pad holders, as well as additional packaging products such as slipcases, slantcases, POP displays, and more.

From a designer’s perspective, screenprinting offers plenty of creative choices. Four-color screenprinting is possible, and ink formulas can include pearl, glitter, and other additives that make your products stand out.

Another distinctive choice is foil stamping and embossing. Foil stamping and embossing can be used to augment intricate images or highlight book titles or other text. With an extensive range of available foils and nearly limitless die design potential, this option offers great flexibility.

A third design option to consider is UV coating. Ultraviolet (UV) coating gives pieces a high-gloss finish that makes images “pop” off of the product surface. UV coating can be applied as either a flood or spot coating, making it useful for both highlighting particular areas of a piece and offering protection. A flexible method of decoration, UV coating is available in several tinted and textured varieties. It even can be applied in glow-in-the-dark and raised coating, giving the appearance of embossing without the use of dies.

Turn Your Binder into a Display

Everyone knows that ring binders and other turned-edge products are designed to hold a variety of materials. But ring binders also can be used as presentation or display pieces that enhance your company’s image. The applications for easel-style ring binders are numerous, including flip charts, promotional materials, and catalogs. Below are some of the display options available for ring binders:

Table tents and easels – A table tent is formed by scoring and folding a single piece of turned-edge or vinyl binder cover material that spans both binder covers. When the binder is opened, the tent unfolds to allow the contents of the binder to wrap over the rings for easy display. A larger binder that holds a great deal of materials will require a sturdier easel that can support the increased weight.

Table tent easel designs are the strongest available for ring binder applications. An alternative design involves a two-piece easel stand that is riveted to the binder. This provides the strength to hold even the largest binders and offers the versatility to display the binders in multiple orientations based on the contents.

Break-back binder – With the break-back easel design, the binder board is split horizontally (perpendicular to the ring metal), allowing the binder to fold in half and stand up at an angle while opened. This allows users to turn pages on the rings while the binder stays upright.

Chris Eckhart is the president of Eckhart & Company, is an Indianapolis, Indiana-based bindery specializing in mechanical binding, loose leaf manufacturing, and information packaging. Chris can be reached at (800) 443-3791 or [email protected].

Trade Show Exhibiting: How to Be a Star Performer

May 1, 2007

by Dana King

It’s show time, and you would love to give an encore performance. You want to attract the attention that will keep the calls coming for months. By choosing to exhibit at a trade show, you have an outstanding opportunity to give your company positive exposure, build your client base, or announce your new product to the industry world. Yet, trying to stand out in an exhibitor’s hall can be daunting. Here are some tips to help you plan, implement, and follow-up your days in the spotlight.

Before the Show

1. Decide where to exhibit. If your company has little experience exhibiting at trade shows, do your homework up front to get the most out of your investment. Contact the company or association that is organizing the show and ask for data about attendees and exhibitors. Often, you can find exhibitor lists on the show’s web site. You also may be able to find former exhibitors on the web site. Contact some of these people and ask about their experience at the previous show.

If you are an experienced exhibitor, evaluate whether or not the trade show you have been attending has met your objectives. It can be easy to settle into a pattern of attending the same trade show every year. That’s fine, as long as you are growing your business. A consistent presence can certainly work to your advantage, promoting name recognition and providing a convenient opportunity for customers to speak with you each year.

However, if you have not achieved the results you desired, the first thing to assess is whether or not the show best meets your needs. Could there be a show that better targets your market? Or, then again, could it be that you are not achieving your objectives because you haven’t assessed those objectives?

2. Define measurable objectives. The obvious question to start with is simply: “Why are we exhibiting at this trade show?” This may seem like a ridiculous question, at first glance. But, if you pinpoint your primary and secondary reasons for attending, it will help focus your planning process. The company whose main objective is to increase sales will exhibit differently than the one who wants to use the event to launch a new product, or the one who primarily wants to work on positioning or image building.

“We start months in advance and have brainstorming sessions as to what may attract attendees, what machines we should exhibit, and what machine capabilities we should showcase,” said Jennie Stevens, director of advertising for Vijuk Equipment, Inc. “Sometimes we attend industry workshops or contact a marketing company for new ideas on trade show selling, show promotion, or booth exhibit displays.”

Make sure your objectives are in-line with the company’s strategic or marketing plan. Then, write down a quantifiable, attainable objective to measure the success of your exhibit. An example of a measurable objective would be adding 30 prospective customers to the database each day. If your primary goal is sales, track how many prospects you talk with before making a sale. This will help you set your objectives the next year, as you will know how many prospects you want to meet with per day to achieve your sales objective. (Remember to track sales information over the months after the show so your figures can be accurate.)

3. Take advantage of free publicity. Promote your company before the show so attendees will plan to visit your booth. There are several low-cost or no-cost ways to do this, including the following:

Press releases: Ask the show manager for a media list, and send newsworthy press releases to those publications which are putting out a special show edition or new product guides. New or improved products or services, expanded product lines, and new product applications are all good topics.
Your web site: Check to see if the trade show web site has free or low-cost links to exhibitor sites. Then, when people click to your site, offer an incentive to visit your booth (and list your booth number or location).
VIP passes: Check to see if the show you are attending has free or discounted VIP passes. You can give away VIP passes through your web site, or send mailings to your current customers and prospects. Along with the pass, why not offer a chance to win something if the recipient stops by and registers at your booth?
E-mail and faxes: Use these avenues to promote your booth by offering a reason to visit (a new product, an incentive, etc.). Keep in mind that conference attendees can be inundated with competing messages, so don’t send e-mails often enough to cause annoyance.

4. Don’t neglect traditional advertisement. Direct mail can still be a very effective advertising medium. Be aware, though, that attendees may be swamped with mailings. Make the best use of your advertising dollars by sending to the people you most want to visit your booth-your list of customers and prospects. Then, design a piece that is customer-benefit focused. Don’t forget those incentives!

“We use our allotment of free admission passes by sending them out in direct mail letters to preferred customers and prospects, letting them know what we will be exhibiting and inviting them to our booth – sometimes offering show “specials” or a premium,” said Stevens.

There are many advertising opportunities, including advertising in trade publications, co-sponsoring the trade show, paid advertising on show web sites, or sponsoring a conference break or giveaway (such as conference notepads or lanyards). Look around for opportunities, then choose what best fits your company’s marketing plan and budget.

At the Show

1. Draw them to your booth. It’s show time-and your booth has approximately three seconds to catch and hold attendees’ attention. How do you capitalize on this brief opportunity?

Remember your objectives! Focus your efforts on what you want to achieve (brand recognition, introduction of a new product, etc.). Choose large graphics and pictures that make your point. Avoid lots of words – people won’t stop to read.
Design a booth that is as roomy as possible and that allows access to you. People probably won’t stand in line to see what you have or to speak with you.
Make it memorable by using demonstrations or presentations. People learn in various ways, but the more ways you present your information, the more likely people will remember.
Address the attendees’ needs. They aren’t as interested in your company as they are in what your company can do for them (i.e. lower production costs, increase quality, provide an innovative feature to their market, etc.). And, of course, don’t forget those giveaways or incentives. Just be sure that your giveaway is something that clearly promotes your company and product – and try to choose something people can use again and again.

2. Track your objectives. Keep track of statistics that will help evaluate whether or not you are meeting your objectives for the conference. If the conference is three days, have you met one-third of your goal by the first day? If not, are your objectives realistic? If the objectives still seem reasonable, reassess and determine if there are changes you can make in the booth. Are booth workers spending too much time speaking with weaker potential customers while those who are most interested in your product wait – and move on? Is there something going on at the next booth that is distracting from yours? Perhaps you could rearrange so your information or demonstration is at the opposite side of your booth. Try to pinpoint potential problems and brainstorm creative solutions, or give your booth staff some additional quick training tips.

“An obvious way to track objectives is booth attendance, number of qualified leads, and number of sales,” said Stevens. “We rent the lead recording device to record the attendee’s interest and purchase intentions. We also have direct communication with our home office so we are able to provide any information or service required for sales.”

3. Seek publicity at the trade show. There are several ways you can improve your visibility and name recognition at trade shows.

Try putting your press kit in the press room. Editors look through the press kits and may use the information during and after the show.
Find out if there is a daily trade show newspaper or e-newsletter. If there is, ask the manager who is producing the newspaper. If you have an idea for an article on a product or news item, you should actually contact the editor several weeks before the show. If the editor likes your idea, he might include an interview with a representative from your company.
Be involved in the show. Considering reading a paper at the trade show, being a speaker, or paying to enter your company in an awards competition. All these things give your company’s name exposure. Plus, attendees have another chance to ask you questions or meet you outside of your booth.

After the Show

1. Follow-up promptly! The curtain is down and the show is over. But, the week after the trade show is not the time to relax. This is the best time to follow-up on the leads you obtained at the show. It’s important to talk to people when their interest and enthusiasm is high. Plus, this is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your company’s prompt, thorough customer service.

“During the week following the show, we will send out letters with literature per the attendee’s interest, thanking them for their interest in Vijuk, and letting them know that within the next few days one of our bindery consultants will be in touch with them. It is required of our bindery consultants,” commented Stevens.

You will have a head-start on the competition if you organize a system for follow-up before you go to the trade show. Decide who will follow-up on leads and set a timetable.

2. Take another look at those objectives. Spend time looking at the results of the show. Have an employee meeting to garner feedback. Did you meet your objectives? Don’t forget to continue tracking and adding data through the coming months. Use the data you accumulated to adjust and/or redefine your objectives for your next exhibit.

If you met or exceeded your objectives, you deserve a standing ovation for your careful planning, wise implementation, and great follow-up. If you fell short of your objectives, start planning now to present a show-stopping exhibit when it’s time for the curtain to rise on the next show.

Q&A: Challenges in Perfect Binding

May 1, 2007

The Binding Edge

Perfect binding is an economical, attractive way to present information in a bound book format with both short and long runs. Once looked at as a binding method for thick books or publications only, perfect binding equipment can now work with minimum page counts as low as 24 and thicknesses as small as 1/16 of an inch. This, coupled with advancements in equipment, has caused perfect binding to become a popular option. However, it doesn’t come without challenges.

Knowing where the potential problems lie can help operators allow extra time for set-up or run-time difficulties; and can help customer service staff and sales teams guide the customers in creating appropriate expectations.

The Binding Edge contacted three companies for insights on the challenges in perfect binding. Contributors include Jody Harrison, product manager of book and publication binding, Muller Martini; Jim Kaeli, division manager of book and publication binding, Muller Martini; David Young, Technical Sales, Deluxe Stitcher; and Don Dubuque, Marketing Manager, Standard Finishing Systems.

Question: What challenges are there when doing layouts for perfect binding jobs? How are they overcome?

There are some things that are just understood when it comes to layout for perfect binding jobs. Page counts must be divisible by four. Binding on the landscape side can cause problems with certain machines. Glue adhesion is generally best if the product doesn’t have a spine of more than three inches.

One of the most common challenges with layout comes when there is a read-across section (where the image must align across two consecutive pages), particularly if they are in two different signatures. It is recommended to try to avoid this if possible by working with the layout and moving pages so the read-across falls in the same signature.

Also, when you are working with gate folded pages and the image on the gate is the same as underneath (or similar), very accurate folding is required.?If this takes place, it is best to try to ensure that the margin area where the match must be made does not have very precise tolerances, since there would be detailed images or print that would clearly show off-fold register. Paper grain is another key to successful perfect binding. Cross-grain pages can cause waves or cracking at the spine, or reduced spine strength. Less paper fiber also is exposed during milling, leading to less-than-optimal glue adhesion. Again, working with this during the layout stage can help decrease a lot of problems during the perfect binding process.

Question: What difficulties arise when a binder needs to accommodate a customer’s request for inserts? (CDs, pull-outs, etc)

From the point of view of layout, the location of the insert in the book can create issues, and the type of carrier can create a “hard to bind” situation. It is suggested to avoid the placement of multiple inserts in a book in the same relative location since that creates significant localized buildup of thickness.

In addition, when running inserts or “gimmicks” (as they are sometimes called), much more time and effort is required to get a machine ready to run. There is usually a pre-determined slow down percentage allowed for the production run, including more time to ramp up to an acceptable running speed. This makes production numbers much harder to reach. Each machine has certain limits of what type of paper, cards, CDs, etc., that it will run, and more and more printers are accepting difficult work. Every printer wants to make the customer’s advertisement look unique, and the customer continues to push the envelope so its advertisement stands out in a book or magazine, making more modification and adjustments to the perfect binding process necessary.

Question: How does stock thickness / spine thickness affect the way a perfect bound job is done?

Stock thickness can greatly affect the run speeds of the machine used to produce it, with thicker books requiring slower speeds and greater accuracy in setting up the trimmer. Thicker paper stocks usually run a bit easier, but the machine requires more workers to keep it full as it can run out of stock much faster. This may not be an issue for shorter runs, but thicker paper can certainly add time and cost to larger runs.

Generally, the spongier the stock, the more of a challenge it can be to perfect bind as it does not compress well unless under pressure (in a clamp for example). For thicker products, this can be an issue and cause multiple passes on the perfect binder. It is recommended to consider this when selecting the paper stock and avoid the more spongy stocks for thicker books or publications.

Question: When are glue adhesion issues most likely to occur?

Referring back to the previous question, stock thickness also affects adhesive selection. Heavyweight coated stocks will make using a PUR adhesive more attractive. PUR adhesives are many times more costly, but may be necessary for certain applications. In addition, cross grain signatures can cause adhesion issues, and other issues can be caused when printers/designers do not allow for the proper masking off of the spine area on covers when varnishes and heavy ink coverage is being used. This refers back to the first question where these issues can be avoided if the layout is properly done.

Stock or covers with slick coated surfaces make surface adhesion of the adhesive more difficult as well. Often, running a quick binding test will determine if the paper will need extra attention.

Question: What benefits does automation bring to perfect bound jobs?

Automation in perfect binding equipment is driven by a decline in run lengths, quicker turnaround requirements, and the need to easily train workers. As run lengths get shorter, set-up time becomes a bigger percentage of total job time, driving up labor cost per unit produced.

In addition, short production runs leave little margin for error or on-the-fly equipment adjustments. That’s where new software makes a difference. Touchscreen technology guides equipment operators through each step of the setup procedure, reducing the likelihood of waste due to errors. Advanced automated systems deliver shorter set-ups, less set-up waste, and faster turnaround, which translates into higher profits.

With today’s run lengths becoming shorter and shorter, binderies and printers must look at newer, more automated equipment to decrease downtime and set-up time from job to job.