2010 Summer

Print Grows Trees

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

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

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

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.”

Job Costing: Know Your Costs, Know Your Profits

by: Mark Porter, Diemanic MIS

There is a simple equation in business that must be followed:

PROFIT = SALES – COSTS

If a business doesn’t know its costs, then how can it know its profits? In good economic times, companies must know their costs to maximize profitability. In tough economic times, they must know their costs to survive.

These days, understanding true costs is more important than ever. As competitors constantly lower prices to keep work in their plant, they put downward pressure on your prices. It can be difficult to know when to say, “No” and walk away from a job.

The simple truth is that if a business is not using job costing to determine the true costs for each job, then it will never know when a job doesn’t make sense from a cost standpoint. This affects overall profit. If the profit made from each of last year’s jobs was graphed, we would likely see a graph similar to the one below. Because the true costs of each job were not understood, the business simply took each job that was won. As a result, these jobs fall above and below the profitability line.

If the costs had been understood at the time of estimating the jobs, the orders that had no chance of being produced profitably could have been walked away from and more of the jobs would have fallen above the profit line. Job costing can help identify the type of work that can be done profitably, so the sales and production efforts can be focused on that type of work.

Job costing needs to encompass three areas:
1. Calculating the true costs.
2. Applying costs to the estimating process.
3. Monitoring and analyzing the costs on a continuous basis.

Calculating the True Costs

Costs associated with any job-oriented manufacturing business, of which the binding and finishing industries are members, require the monitoring of direct labor, direct materials, and the application of overhead costs (both factory and administrative). The direct labor and material are easy to calculate, but the overheads must be applied based on accounting principles associated with the direct labor hours or Activity Based Costing. Without accurate hourly rates that ensure all overhead costs have been encompassed, then job costing will be useless. Hourly rates can be calculated using either budgeted hourly rate software or an accountant. These hourly rates are not static. Adding or deleting a piece of equipment, adding a new shift, or changing the employee benefit package all can require a recalculation of hourly rates.

The job costing system also needs accurate production standards. Information such as run speeds and makeready times must reflect the times required to perform specific tasks. Most operators of bindery and finishing companies have a good handle on this information. With accurate cost rates for machines and speeds and times for processes, the costing system is ready for use (see Table 1).

Applying Costs to the Estimating Process

Estimating and selling are two different processes. This is probably the most misunderstood concept in the binding and finishing industries. Most companies use “sell” rates to produce estimates, rather than using costs and then marking up the estimate to reflect selling conditions. The advantage of using true costs in an estimate is that the business knows at the estimate stage if the job will make or lose money.

If the estimate states that it will cost $100 to produce this job, but also wants a 20 percent markup, the sell price is $120. This puts a business in a position to make a more educated selling decision if the customer says another company will do the job for $95. The business does not have to walk away from the job, but at least it knows it is paying $5 for the privilege of doing the work and that there’s no profit on the horizon (see Table 2).

Monitoring and Analyzing Costs on a Continuous Basis

Cost and production standards must be monitored and analyzed on a continuous basis. It is vital that businesses ensure that standards used for estimating accurately reflect the standards being achieved on the shop floor. It is of no value to estimate a machine as producing 5,000 pieces per hour if it is actually only achieving 4,000/hr – that loses money before the job comes through the door. Conversely, if a business is estimating at 4,000/hr and actually obtaining 5,000/hr on the shop floor, jobs are being lost that could be produced profitably.

To continually monitor costs, staff must record the time and materials used in the production of each job. This has several advantages. At the end of each job, an actual v. estimate comparison can be run that will show any differences in cost or production between the way the job was estimated and the way it actually ran. Any variances should be investigated and analyzed to determine if it is a change that needs to be accounted for or a one-time occurrence.

Time can be collected via time sheets or shop floor data collection devices. The shop floor data collection devices have many benefits over the time sheets, but either method will work. Businesses must track every minute of each employee’s day – both chargeable and non- chargeable time.

There are many other benefits of collecting data for job costing, especially in the current economic conditions. Monitoring the time and material usage of all employees brings an increased level of accountability to the shop floor. Accountability leads to increased profitability and decreased waste. If a business has $2 million dollars in labor and material being processed in its plant each year, even a cost reduction of 5 percent can result in $100,000 savings.

The information collected can be used in other formats as well. Productivity can be analyzed to determine average speeds and makereadies. Average speeds being obtained by individual employees can be tracked, as can chargeable and non-chargeable times. If an employee has only 60 percent chargeable time, his role may need to be evaluated. A solid job costing system is critical in good times and essential in tough economic times.

Mark Porter is president of Dienamic MIS Software, Inc. Dienamic offers a wide variety of software products and services designed specifically for trade binderies and print finishers. Dienamic can offer full systems, including estimating/management information/e- commerce and individual software tools such as delivery management, die management, foil management, and budgeted hourly rates. For more information, call (800) 461-8114 or visit www.dienamicmis.com.

Advantage Book Binding: 25 Years Young

by Dianna Brodine, The Binding Edge

Advantage Book Binding Inc. founder and CEO Jerry Nocar is a true American success story. Recently inducted into the Binding Industries Association (BIA) Hall of Fame, Nocar started working in the bindery business as a teenager. He began by sweeping floors (a job his mother got him when he left school before finishing the eleventh grade) and worked his way up, running the equipment and eventually moving into sales. Nocar’s work ethic, charisma, and high energy powered his success in the industry, helping him create relationships that would prove invaluable when, in 1985, he opened Advantage Book Binding in Glen Burnie, Md.

These days, Nocar and his wife, Chris, are enjoying the semi-retired life while their daughter, Christine, and her husband, Christopher Webbert, run the binding business. With a young management team and a dedication to quality, on-time production, Advantage has positioned itself for a strong future in the traditional book binding business.

A Silver Anniversary

Celebrating its 25th year in business in 2010, Advantage Book Binding still follows the mission set by Jerry Nocar when he opened shop: “We do a quality book on time.” With 40 employees operating from the original 36,000 sq. ft. building, the bindery’s primary capabilities include case binding, perfect binding, and mechanical binding. “While we have stayed true to our mission, we also have made numerous changes to our business philosophy over the years to be more flexible to meet our customer needs,” explained Chris Webbert, president. These changes include adding new services to the bindery’s existing product lines. For instance, Advantage added PUR glue to its adhesion capabilities, adding three new product lines for its customers. “Listening to our customer needs over the years has helped us grow our business, investing in new equipment that has expanded our capabilities and product lines,” said Webbert. The company also has the ability to provide Smyth sewing, wire-o, drilling, tipping, stamping and embossing, folding, cutting, diecutting, and shrink wrapping. A fully automated dust jacket machine simplifies hardcover book production.

Advantage Book Binding services commercial printers, digital printers, book printers, and publishers, with the book market as its biggest niche. 75 to 80 percent of its work is focused on the local market, but Advantage also competes nationally in the softcover and mechanical binding markets. These days, approximately 40 percent of its total business is in hardback book production, creating art books, legal manuals, and high-quality coffee table books. “We’ll produce anywhere from one to one million books,” Webber stated. “We’re doing a lot more short run digital or custom books, but the average run size is going down so we have to be ready to do 50 books or 500,000.” With trim sizes ranging from 3×5″ to 12×15″, Advantage prides itself on its flexibility, quick changeovers, and ability to adapt for difficult jobs.

“Kindle” is a Bad Word

With research firm Forester predicting that e-reader sales in 2010 will exceed 6.6 million devices and Amazon.com reporting that ebook sales have outpaced hardcovers, the book industry is obviously facing a challenge. Webbert has been watching the trend. “Kindle is a very bad word in our family,” Webbert laughed. While Webbert acknowledges the need for e-readers for people who travel a lot or who are avid readers who go through several books at a time, he also believes there’s room for both methods of book publication. “There’s no doubt about it – the industry is shrinking,” said Webbert. “Technology is going to affect us, but I think ink and paper books are going to be here for a long time, especially for certain product lines.”

Pointing to the marketing and advertising industries, where email, direct mail, radio, television, and the internet all coexist, Webbert believes casebound binding still makes sense for businesses that approach it wisely. “The market is shrinking and the business is changing, so if we don’t change with it and make the right decisions, then we’re not going to be here either,” he explained. “However, we are positioned very well because of the decisions we’ve made over the years.”

In addition to the threat from electronic media, print also has been attacked by those urging environmental consciousness. Advantage Bookbinding has partnered with the Printing & Graphics Association MidAtlantic (PGAMA) and other print and design partners in the Print Grows Trees educational campaign. Advantage has bound more than 2,500 books that have been used to promote the truth that print on paper actually helps to grow trees, keeping forests from being sold for development. (Read the message from Kerry Stackpole, president of PGAMA, on page 9).

In fact, at Advantage, the emotional attachment that people have for bound books has provided additional opportunities for business. “We’re doing a lot of repairs for Bibles on a local level,” said Webbert. “Over the years, families have journaled events and put so many notes into the family Bible that there’s an attachment to it. They are willing to spend the money to repair the book. That’s a market I never thought we’d get into, but we listened to our customers to find out what they wanted.”

Adjusting to a Changing Business Model

Lean economic times, digital book production, and short runs have impacted casebound binderies. At Advantage Book Binding, the company has responded by becoming more open-minded toward the small run custom work that it might not have quoted in years past.That type of work has helped compliment our sales during the tough months, Webbert explained. “It’s also made us better at listening to the customer’s needs and exploring ways in which we can get the job done, as opposed to saying ‘no, we don’t do this service.'”

As a result, Webbert feels that his company is evolving into a marketing service provider for its customers. “Five years ago, PIA (Printing Industries of America) was telling us to find a niche, but now with the economy, we need to figure out how to grow sales. The whole model is changing,” he said. At Advantage, the company is taking on projects that it wouldn’t have entertained five years ago.” The key is making sure that the work we’re entertaining is work our customers want us to do. If we have a solid relationship with a customer, we’ll figure out a way to get the job done. In recent months, Advantage has taken on a fulfillment role for certain customers and also has created custom boxes for customers wanting an impressive presentation.

To ensure profitability, Advantage has invested in a customized software package that will allow its management team to make better decisions when evaluating the production costs for new projects. The team also has committed to implement lean manufacturing. “These management decisions will continue to help our employees become more involved with the processes in the plant,” said Webbert. “Our customers and company will benefit.”

Young Management Team

Advantage Book Binding’s leadership has a positive outlook and believes it will be servicing the printing and book industry for many years to come. “We are well-positioned for the future with a young management team. Our youth is one of the reasons we’re going to be doing this for quite some time – we have to! We want to build our business to sustain both us and our customers over the years,” said Webbert.

The bindery feels fortunate to have a very healthy customer base in an industry that is struggling with the tough economic conditions, handpicking its customers and servicing them well. A willingness to re-invest in the business with the newest equipment and best automation plays a critical role in maintaining those relationships. Fiscally conservative, Advantage evaluates each purchase in terms of return on investment. “We will not buy something if we can’t afford it or we cannot justify the ROI,” Webbert explained. “At the same time, if it makes sense for our customers and allows us to meet their needs, then we try to move forward. Our “sell” to potential customers is that we listen, communicate effectively, understand their expectations, and try to exceed them.” For Advantage Book Binding, its dedication to doing what it says it will is its biggest selling point.

Webbert also is aware that there aren’t as many resources for traditional hardcover book production as there had been in years past. “Because of the economy, there’s been a reduction in the number of casebinders, but there’s been a reduction of pretty much everybody in our industry,” he said. “We have a lot of competition in this area, but I don’t think there are many people who will get into casebinding fresh because it’s heavily material- and labor-intensive. Margins can be tough.” The bottom line, according to Webbert, is that the fittest will survive. With the company celebrating its silver anniversary this year and a management team ready to adjust as business models for the binding industry evolve, the potential for gold is bright!