2011 Fall

Holum & Sons Company, Inc. – Innovating Into the Future

November 21, 2011

by Melissa DeDonder, The Binding Edge

For 78 years, Holum & Sons Company, Inc. has been a leader in the binding industry. President Richard Holum reflected on the company’s earliest beginnings in his grandfather’s basement. “Arthur, my Grandfather, worked as a casemaker for RR Donnelly in Chicago. He and my Uncle William, known as ‘Bud,’ dreamed about starting a bindery business. They made that dream come true in 1933 when they founded Holum & Sons in Grandpa’s basement,” Holum said.

The fledgling company’s goal was to pick up some of the smaller orders, 50 to 100 pieces, that the larger bookbinders were not competitive at producing. While Arthur worked at his day job, Bud prospected for work, picked up needed materials and delivered the finished product. “After working all day, Grandpa and Uncle Bud would meet in the basement to make bookcases and ring binders by hand,” Holum said. After many late nights, they moved the business into a 500 sq. ft. facility north of the Chicago Loop.

Six years later, Bud was drafted into WWII. Arthur sought to keep the business going, so he turned to his oldest son Leo, who agreed to leave his current job and join the family business. “Arthur’s son Edward, my father, had graduated high school, joined the Air Force and also was drafted to WWII,” Holum said. Years passed, and fortunately both Bud and Ed survived the war and returned to Chicago.

Bud immediately returned to Holum & Sons, but Edward wanted to go to college. “Grandma talked my Father into buying a share of the business instead, and he went to work running the plant,” Holum said. With Arthur’s two sons on board, the partnership of four family members could then officially be called Holum & Sons.

From Turned Edge to the Vinyl Revolution

Holum & Sons maintained a simple operation in the beginning, with one person producing about 15 to 20 books per hour. Foil stamping, binder board cutting and round cornering were contracted out, but all other processes were completed in-house. Once material preparation and decoration was complete, the gluing and casing began. Then, the books were cleaned, packed in boxes and delivered.

As the company expanded over the years, the production process remained the same until the vinyl revolution in the 1960s. Vinyl was much cheaper than book cloth and it required one quarter of the labor – one person could make 75 books an hour. Then, polyethylene came along. It was even cheaper than vinyl and featured covers that were already diecut and scored. As Holum & Sons invested in high tech materials and machines, it maintained the company’s traditional turned edge capabilities.

New Opportunities Lead to Diversification

By 1974, the bindery business was booming and new technology increased production up to 1,800 pieces a day. The company spent the next few decades trying to meet demand while broadening its capabilities and investing in the most high-tech equipment available at that time. “We purchased a screen printing company, a company that converted polyethylene, a company that specialized in audio packaging and an advertising specialty company,” Holum said. Eventually, all services were moved in-house.

“By 1996, we felt that we were state-of-the-art in every area except our tuned edge department. Books were still being made the same way that Grandpa made them, and deliveries were long, costs were high and we were loosing big orders,” Holum said. The company purchased its first automatic gluing and casing line, which blew 60 years of tradition right out the window! Two people were now able to make 2,500 books a day.

Two other important equipment acquisitions occurred at that time. The Euro Creaser allowed the company to create a durable product from inexpensive materials that otherwise would have never been used – a capability that makes Holum & Sons’ products stand-out even in today’s marketplace. A pick and place robotic feeder increased vinyl sealing production by almost 50 percent. Even while running two shifts, the company finds it difficult to keep up in the turned edge department.

Weathering the Storms

Although Holum & Sons has experienced substantial growth and success throughout the years, it has faced its share of challenges. “In 2001, the company was shaken to its very foundation when our leader of more than 35 years, my father Edward, died. Everyone worried about the future of the business. Some doubted its very survival and left,” Holum said.

The employees who stayed behind banded together and forged ahead. “My brother Ed and I became co-presidents and we focused our attention on taking the company to new heights. We took the business online with a website and we launched a product catalog unlike any other in the marketplace,” said Holum. The brothers lead the company together for four years. In 2004, they agreed that partnerships were difficult and they decided to part ways.

In mid-summer 2007, another boom in the turned edge department facilitated the largest equipment acquisition in the company’s history. A new custom casemaker and robotic board placer were poised to double capacity and cut manufacturing costs dramatically, but three months later the stock market crashed. Phones stopped ringing and new production orders were cancelled or drastically reduced.

“Once again, we were dealt a tremendous blow as uncertain clients slashed their budgets and tried to make do with less,” Holum explained. Holum said that during that time, China became their biggest competitor and remains so today. “We watched client after client take their high volume work overseas because one day’s labor overseas doesn’t buy one hour’s worth of labor in the US,” Holum said. “Given this situation, it doesn’t matter how talented and efficient your company is. You are going to get crushed.”

Innovating Into the Future

Despite all of the challenges, Holum & Sons has survived and thrived, largely due to the high-quality binders that have been the foundation of the company since its inception. “We have positioned ourselves to competitively produce custom-made binders – our biggest market niche – but we offer so much more,” Holum said.

Today, Holum & Sons refers to itself as a custom packaging job shop. “As times changed, we discovered that much of the equipment used to make custom binders also could be used to produce rigid packaging, so we have dedicated ourselves to becoming packaging specialists,” Holum said. “We’ve developed custom packaging products that compete directly with corrugated sample packaging – offering an alternative product that we feel is superior in style, construction and function.”

Holum said that the turned edge department has been completely transformed in the last 15 years to meet the demand for casemade goods. The gluers and folders have accounted for a larger percentage of the business – about 60/40 binders to packaging. Silk screening and foil stamping account for a lot of work, but that has been overshadowed recently by laminated litho printing. “Unlike some of our competitors who have chosen to print litho in-house, we have chosen to partner rather than compete with litho printers,” Holum said.

Holum stated that the company’s most common products are literature and sample packaging, but construction varies dramatically based on the needs of the client. File boxes, slipcases, book style boxes, tote boxes, spirit boxes, portfolios, pad holders, menus, directories and binders also are popular products, again with style and construction varying dramatically based on the client’s needs.

Bosch wanted a display easel box that looked and felt like concrete.

When asked what makes the company unique, Holum replied, “Many manufacturers specialize in a single decorating or converting process, but we have invested in multiple manufacturing processes and decorating techniques to create unique products in-house. At times, we use materials that were never intended to be used for that particular application,” Holum said. For example, Holum described one of his favorite projects – a display easel box for Bosch concrete saw blades.

When Bosch was introducing a new diamond saw blade for cutting concrete, they wanted a display easel box concept that looked and felt like concrete. “Creating the look was simple ‘we used a litho print ‘ but making it feel like concrete was a different story,” Holum said. “How do you make a package feel like concrete? We knew that we needed to add sand, but how do you that without compromising the integrity of the color or the ability to view the print?”

To tackle these challenges, Holum & Sons sourced different types of sand for color and weight, desiring a light-colored sand with a fine particulate that would stick to the litho print, but not obscure it. The company built a “shaker box” with a screen mesh, similar to those used by archeologists, which allowed only the finest sand to fall through. One hundred pounds of sand were shaken to produce the five pounds of sand that were needed for the application.

To get the sand to stick to the print, a heavy coat of clear top coat ink was silk screened onto the print, which was then placed under the mesh screen of the shaker box. Sand was gently sifted down onto the print, and once an adequate amount of sand had settled into the ink, the print was removed and the extra sand was shaken off. The ink was set in a UV curing oven. Once removed, the sheet was gently brushed and shaken to remove excess sand. Finally, traditional turned case techniques were used to fashion the materials into a table top easel display box.

This is an example of why Holum & Sons has been recognized by the Binding Industries Association with numerous awards, 18 in the past four years alone, including awards for Product Design, Innovative Use of Materials, Creation of Special Products, Decoration Abilities and Custom Boxes and Totes.

The company currently resides in a 40,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility just outside of Chicago. Holum, who’s celebrating his 25th year with the company, cited a few secrets to the company’s success. “Our employees are one of our greatest assets, and our average tenure is 14 years. Most employees have been cross trained on how to perform multiple production techniques and how to use multiple types of equipment, Holum said. He credits the custom-built casemaker, ‘the largest in the country that I am aware of,’ as one of the company’s greatest investments. This casemaker can glue and fold cases up to 28×54”.

Another secret to success has been the company’s partnerships with vendors, clients and even competitors. “We have built strong partnerships to get the best pricing and service, which we then can pass on to our clients,” Holum said. “Through these partnerships, we may get a portion of an order that we might not have received otherwise. I view these partnerships as an extension of our sales department,” Holum said. “And, if I can help a competitor obtain a few orders each year, then I see it as a win/win situation,” Holum concluded.

With its creative partnerships and products, dedicated employees and a new website launching soon, Holum & Sons has positioned itself to navigate future opportunities, as well as any challenges that may present themselves along the way.

Mechanical Binding Reacts to Changes in the Market

November 21, 2011

by Staff

The demand for short runs and quick turnarounds has impacted every type of binding process, from saddlestitching to perfect binding to mechanical binding. For this Q&A, The Binding Edge contacted mechanical binding experts Gateway Bookbinding Systems, Ltd., Spiral Binding Company and Spiel Associates for their perspectives on how the on demand market has changed mechanical binding and the ways their companies have reacted to meet the needs of customers and end users.

How has on demand printing changed the market for mechanical binding?

“On demand is basically synonymous with short run,” said Anna Massey, sales and marketing manager for Gateway Bookbinding Systems. “The days of a book run being a half million copies are no more – or most certainly few and far between. To react, mechanical binding needs to be able to handle two books to 200 books quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.”

In an interesting trend that speeds the finishing process by reducing diversification, punch patterns are being standardized and paper houses have started to supply pre-punched paper. “We have seen some standardization for specifications within this level of the market,” explained Massey. However, David Spiel, president of Spiel Associates, noted that buying pre-punched paper can be problematic when covers, tabs or odd-sized sheets need to be intermixed with pre-punched body copy. “Often, punching dies will not match the pitch of the pre-punched paper. Even worse, the paper size of the pre-punched sheets may not match the paper size of sheets that you punch yourself, throwing off the pitch and making coil insertion difficult.”

Matt Roth, vice president at Spiral Binding Company, noted, “As a manufacturer of binding supplies, one of the biggest changes to the marketplace we have seen is that the customer base has shifted from large binderies to smaller print shops.” With customers demanding fast turnarounds and requiring smaller print runs, printers are bringing binding capabilities in-house rather than sending uncomplicated jobs to binding partners. With new digital print shops opening almost daily, Massey also has seen the customer base increase for smaller equipment manufacturers, and the trend shows no sign of stopping.

What changes in either equipment or wire/plastic coil will we see in the future?

“The trend is definitely for equipment to be smaller, easier-to-use, faster and less expensive,” stated Roth. “The most common request we get is for more automation, but binders also want quick set-ups because many of the jobs are short-run.” Spiral Binding Company’s line of James Burn/Lhermite equipment is well-positioned to meet those market needs. Massey concurred with the need for automation, “The on demand printer wants a level of automation that is simplified for ease-of-use to maximize productivity.” Automation also reduces the amount of operator training and intervention that is needed, reducing labor costs.

“The customer is concerned with three things: speed, automation and labor reduction,” said Spiel. “We’ve reacted by introducing machinery designed for speedy, short run mechanical binding, while keeping the need for labor reduction in mind.” Spiel’s Sterling Coilmaster Jr. binds books with either round or oval punch holes automatically, doing the work of six manual binders with operators.

Roth also noted that binderies and printers are looking for a smaller equipment footprint. Massey agreed: “On the equipment side, historically the customer had the choice of either extremely automated high-volume equipment or simple countertop setups. The demand for smaller countertop machines has increased steadily, and in today’s market, the challenge is to build equipment that is fully or semi-automated, but capable of handling the shorter run.” Gateway has built equipment specifically for the digital print market, including the Koilmatic Auto Inserter, a simplified, fully electric version of the company’s more industrial PBS 3000 QS Auto Inserter for trade binderies.

Gateway Bookbinding also is a supplier of plastic coil, and the shift to on-demand book production has signaled a change in the way product is ordered. “The concept of packing coil in 100s is not new, but that option has become important to the on demand customer,” Massey stated. “Minimizing inventory while maximizing availability is the goal.”

Mechanical binding has traditionally been seen as a practical way to bind, rather than an “attractive” option. What can be done to change the perception of spiral coil in terms of design appearance?

“We’d have to disagree with the statement that PLASTIKOIL isn’t an attractive option! With 45 different colors to choose from – along with the option of custom color matching – plastic spiral is a strong, durable binding choice,” said Massey. She continued, “Mechanical binding is selected by the customer for a reason – whether it’s ease of use, durability, application or distribution method – so the customer schoosing mechanical binding view it as their best option and not just as an inexpensive way to bind.”

Roth also defended the appearance and decorative options available with mechanical binding. “It is easier than you think to create custom binding items to make a presentation more attractive. In 2011, Spiral Binding Company purchased a new high-speed pad printer, which allows us to produce more detailed artwork that can be printed right on binding combs and covers.”

Spiel noted that mechanical binding isn’t just plastic coil – double loop wire can enhance end-product appearance as well. “When a plastic coil book is opened, the left page is one half of a pitch lower than the right page,” he explained. “Double loop wire allows the left and right pages to line up, which is especially important when binding books like ledgers or maps. However, plastic coil is much more durable and very kid-friendly, so children’s books that are mechanically bound are most often bound with plastic.”

What is the biggest challenge during production for those using mechanical binding equipment?

“The on demand customer may still view mechanical binding as a tedious task,” explained Massey. “Today’s equipment, however, really does provide very viable solutions. The paper punching process seems to be a stumbling block for many, but there are good, affordable machines on the market that should be considered.” Gateway recommends a .2475″ pitch oval hole pattern as the best choice. According to Massey, the hole spacing fits nicely with the common 8.5″ or 11″ binding edge without the need to pull pins or trim books.

Massey went on to note another stumbling block for operators – ease of use. “The staff of today’s digital print shops often wears many hats – they are customer service reps, purchasing managers, estimators, print production and bindery operators all rolled into one. They don’t operate one machine day in and day out, so today’s equipment has to be user-friendly and easy-to-operate.”

“Like it or not, the market has changed for all binding to demand shorter runs with quick turnaround,” Spiel concluded. Those creating and selling mechanical binding equipment and supplies must react to the shifts in the market by increasing the level of automation available, continuing to champion the pleasing appearance of mechanically-bound products and remaining aware of the trends that will impact both the print customer and end user.

Thank you to Matt Roth, Spiral Binding Company (www.spiralbinding.com); Anna Massey, Gateway Bookbinding Systems (www.plastikoil.com); and David Spiel, Spiel Associates (www.spielassociates.com).

From Partnering with Printers to Achieving Independent Certification

November 21, 2011

by Amy Bauer

In the three years since its launch, Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) certification has been awarded to 35 printers, designating their commitment to environmental, social and ethical standards of operation. Today, binders, finishers and loose leaf companies also can pursue this certification specifically tailored to the graphic arts industry.

While there are a number of quality management and paper sourcing certification labels in the marketplace, in 2008, top print industry trade associations came together to form the independent, nonprofit Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership. The SGP was formed to create “the only whole-facility sustainability certification program for the graphic communications industry,” as the SGP website states.

Gary Jones, assistant vice president of environmental, health and safety affairs at the Printing Industries of America (PIA), helped develop the program as a member of the partnership’s board of directors and vice chair of its technical advisory committee. “It’s not just soy inks and recycled paper,” Jones said. “This is everything from A to Z. It looks at janitorial supplies, it looks at water consumption, it looks at energy use. From an operational perspective, SGP gives companies a framework for improvement,” he explained. “It gives them a lot of tools that they wouldn’t have otherwise and provides a more formal approach to managing their operation.”

Adding Post-Press Certification

In September 2010, the SGP expanded to include binding, finishing and loose leaf operations, and in May, newly integrated criteria were unveiled to apply across the board to any operation – from printer to post-press – applying for certification.

“There was a natural fit,” said Kris Bovay, general manager of Pacific Bindery Services in Vancouver, British Columbia, and an early proponent of including post-press operations in the certification process. She is a board member of the SGP and past chair and board member of the Binding Industries of America (BIA), as well as active on the board of British Columbia Printing and Imaging Association (BCPIA).

“If you are a binder or finisher, you do not ‘own’ the paper you process or finish,” she said. “However, from a bindery’s perspective, we work with the products and hold ourselves accountable for using sustainable methods and processes in our daily workflow.”

Bovay’s company is currently preparing its application for SGP certification. “It’s important for us to be part of an organization, like SGP, that recognizes the effort that needs to be invested and managed,” she said. “I think there will be an early adopter advantage to printers, binders and finishers who become SGP certified. The world is heading in this direction, and it makes good business sense to invest in this process.”

Working with Certified Printers

As more companies carry the “SGP-certified facility” label, it is important for binders, finishers and loose leaf facilities to know how this affects them and their operations. While Jones said the certification doesn’t preclude printers from working with binders and finishers who don’t have the SGP stamp of approval, or vice versa, it will require some cooperation.

For example, Jones said, certified printers have to work in their supply chain and discuss with customers sustainable options for each job. He used the example of a coil in a spiral-bound project where both nonrecyclable coil and coil made from recyclable or renewable materials is available. While the SGP certification standards don’t dictate which ingredient customers must choose, an SGP-certified printer has to make that information available to the customer. So binders, finishers and loose leaf manufacturers will be asked more and more to supply documentation about materials used and sustainable alternatives offered.

Bovay says binders and finishers are, in most cases, accustomed to working with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified printing partners in today’s printing environment. “We have learned to understand and follow the rules of FSC; we can learn to understand and follow the rules of the more broad-reaching SGP,” she said. “Printers will be looking for metrics: Can you demonstrate your commitment to the environment and to social responsibility and to economic viability?”

Chain of custody requirements, like those for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification label, aren’t a part of the SGP certification requirements. “However, there are ethical considerations for all certified printers,” Bovay said. “Do they need to disclose that their binderies/finishers aren’t certified? That is a question for printers to answer. Coming from an ethics background, I’d say that there is a duty to be transparent and open on this issue.”

She expects that certification numbers among post-press operations will grow. “As SGP and SGP-certified printers begin to drive more businesses to making sustainable choices – i.e. creating demand – the suppliers (binderies, finishers, loose leaf companies) that are committed to sustainability and that have gone through an independent, third-party certification process will have a competitive advantage. It’s also the right thing to do for all of us in the industry.”

Why Consider Certification

In some cases, Jones described, printers – or even the end clients themselves – will be looking for more detailed metrics about a company, beyond just the materials to be used in a particular job. He gave the example of a PIA member working for a large brewery customer that is very focused on water conservation. The brewery was asking the printer about its own water conservation efforts.

“This is not unusual from these very large companies, and you’ve got to put in place a program,” Jones said. PIA counseled its member. “They’re going into the supply chain, and it’s a supply-chain management issue. What the brewery wants to do is pull that forward so they can say, “Look, as a company we’ve reduced our water consumption by X amount. We did our internal operations. We went to our supply chain. We got reductions out of our supply chain.” So they can report metrics that are very favorable.

He said sustainability initiatives – and the credibility that comes along with certification allow printing and finishing operations to pursue new markets and customers who value sustainability and “green” practices.

As another example, he pointed to a PIA member looking to print for a large retail department store chain. In order to qualify as a vendor, they not only have to pass print quality requirements and have a quality control system in place, but also must have an environmental standard and be audited on both their print quality and environmental standards. “Now we’re waiting to see if the printer will approach the retailer to see if they are going to accept SGP as an alternative certification,” Jones said, because the environmental standards the printer was given were tailored to the apparel, mill and textile industry, and the retailer does allow alternative environmental certification programs.

Bovay pointed to an October announcement from toymaker Mattel, Inc. that set targets for sustainable paper and wood fiber sourcing. By the end of this year, 70 percent of the companys paper packaging is to be composed of recycled material or sustainable fiber. By the end of 2014, the goal increases to 85 percent.

As this type of demand grows from these largest of customers, Bovay explained, companies will find stronger incentives to put time and money into investing in sustainability efforts and pursuing certification. “Just because you get certified, that doesn’t mean people are going to beat a path to your door,” Jones said. “However, it becomes a very powerful tool that you can use to get people to beat a path to your door.”

Where he sees the largest demand so far for sustainability certifications among vendors is with Fortune 1000 or Fortune 100 companies, schools and universities, hospitals, government and the financial sector. Though that list is growing, he said. “We had another printer who said, ‘Without the certification, I couldn’t have even approached some of the customers I have now,'” Jones described.

Becoming Certified

SGP certification is open to stand-alone and in-plant printing, binding and finishing, loose-leaf facilities and printing departments within schools or government agencies in the United States and Canada, according to the SGP certification criteria, which can be found at www.sgppartnership.org. In the case of in-plant operations, only the printing or post-press portions of the facility are certified.

Among the requirements for certification are that companies create a sustainability team, implement a management system, develop an annual Continuous Improvement Project (CIP), use SGP program metrics, take steps to reduce the facility’s environmental footprint, implement pollution prevention activities and commit to social and ethical norms. Annual reporting and biennial audits by independent, third-party auditors are required.

“It’s not a how-to. It doesn’t say, ‘Step 1, do this and Step 2, do that.’ That’s for you to figure out how you work relative to your culture,” Jones said. “But it gives that framework that provides the ability to go through and lay out the steps. It allows a lot of flexibility and freedom for companies to put in the way that they do business or the way that the culture is set up in their company.” Jones said that those familiar with quality programs like ISO 9000 will find the approaches similar. ‘It’s built on a ‘plan, do, check, act’ approach,” he described.

From the time of application, a company has 12 months to request its initial audit. Jones said the paths to certification have varied so far, with some companies taking the entire 12 months – or in some cases, asking for extensions in the case of personnel changes or other hurdles – and other companies achieving certification within 30 days. It all depends on how much of the groundwork is laid before an application is submitted. If a company were to devote a person full-time to the certification process, Jones estimated it would take four to six weeks. But few, if any, companies have that luxury, and Jones said most have agreed that six to eight months is a fair estimate of the initial time required.

Application fees range from $295 to $595; base audit fees (not including auditor travel expenses, which are required) range from $1,500 to $3,000 and Corrective Action Report (CAR) fees – required if the audit finds corrective actions needed – range from $75 to $150 per hour. Annual renewal fees range from $250 to $400. The different pricing structures depend on a company’s membership in trade associations – several offer discounts for certification. Jones noted that the auditors SGP contracts are required to have familiarity with the print industry, attend a training class and pass a written test.

Certification Results

SGP-certified printers are reporting cost savings already related to their completion of certification. Jones described one company that chose for its continuous improvement project to focus on reducing its solid waste. “They were able to save almost $200,000 a year on solid waste, and essentially they’re just about done throwing things away,” Jones reports. “They went from dumping a 30-cubic-yard dumpster about eight times a year to not having one at all, period.”

That’s why Jones objects to those who call SGP just another certification label. “If you look at it and you look at how people have been successful with it, and those who truly embrace it, they have actually found it to be very rewarding,” he said.

The most successful companies, he says, are those where the entire workforce has been engaged in the effort. When the SGP certification program was being beta-tested, those companies that relegated the program to the marketing department struggled, Jones said. “We have to overcome the myth that this is just another certification. I think it is much deeper than that,” Jones said. “It actually can be transformative.”

Application Highlights

November 21, 2011

by Staff

Three companies take loose leaf applications to new creative heights by working with complex topics, difficult materials and unique customer requests.

Pittsburgh Binding Brings Conversation to the Pharmacy Counter

When a high-end point of purchase display was needed for the pharmacy counter, Pittsburgh Binding, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, assisted in creating the Abreva – Phases of a Cold Sore flip chart. The concept for the project was to educate the consumer and facilitate conversation between the consumer and the pharmacist.

The flip chart was designed with two sheets of 100# gloss cover and two clear vinyl overlay sheets bound to a 24-point tent stand backer with a clear plastic coil at the top. The first two sheets, the 100# gloss cover, contain information on one side for the consumer. When the sheet is flipped over, the back side features information for the pharmacist to help answer any questions that the consumer might have.

The next two clear vinyl sheets were designed to illustrate the different phases of the cold sore virus and how Abreva works to heal the virus. A small pad of 50 discount coupons, for $2 off, was glued to the back of the tent stand for the pharmacist to give to the consumer.

The design execution was very straightforward and involved scoring and trimming the table tent, cutting and collating the four sheets, padding and trimming the coupons and punching and coiling the book. The final phase involved affixing the pad to the back of the table tent. This project utilized a tremendous amount of hand work and several pieces of bindery equipment, including the Sterling Punchmaster 20 and the Sterling Coilmaster, Jr. from Spiel Associates, Inc., Long Island City, NY.

Every press sheet was cut to size on Pittsburgh’s automated cutting system. The clear overlay vinyl sheets were provided with a slip sheet glued to each press sheet. For this project with a quantity of 84,000, all slip sheets had to be removed by hand. Due to the static in the vinyl overlay sheets, collation by hand was required for all pieces. The pad was small, 2x 4″; it was racked up, padded and sliced by hand.

The next step was the automated process. All table tents, measuring 5×18″, were punched separate from the text sheets, which were 4×5″. Punching was completed on the Sterling Punchmaster 20. “The Punchmaster’s changeover from one size to the other in less than two minutes allowed us to change from punching table tents to punching the text sheets quickly, keeping the project moving along as fast as possible,” said Rich Mirarchi, president, Pittsburgh Binding, Inc. “Once all pieces were punched, clear plastic coil was inserted using our Sterling Coilmaster, Jr., which inserts the coil and crimps it at both ends at one time,” Mirarchi said. The final phase was to hand glue the coupon pads to the back of the tent stand.

Mirarchi said that the project moved along smoothly, with all phases taking place simultaneously. The most challenging part was keeping enough people on the hand working side to keep up with the automated cutting and punching side. In the end, a functional, unique end product was created.

Binding Solutions Scores a Home Run for Rawlings

When Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. needed to make a high level presentation to the executives at Major League Baseball, they turned to Binding Solutions, St. Louis, MO. Rawlings wanted to make an unforgettable first impression with a product that would speak directly to the company’s high quality materials, workmanship and innovative design.

The concept was to design a casebound leather book with the same look and feel as Rawlings’ top-of-the-line baseball gloves, the “Primo” line. To achieve this feat, Binding Solutions knew that they needed to use the exact materials – the leather hides and lacing, thread and Rawlings brand patches – that are used in the actual production of the Primo gloves. To make the book as authentic as possible, Binding Solutions also incorporated each element of the glove’s design and leather working techniques, so that the finished book was essentially a replica of a Primo glove, in casebound leather book form. As a finishing touch for Rawlings’ presentation, each book was presented along with a new glove, custom embroidered with each MLB executive’s name.

To produce this casebound leather book, almost every step of the binding process was completed by hand, with two exceptions. To prepare the materials, a skiver was used to reduce the thickness of the leather and laces. Then, a Casco overhead press was used to decorate the materials with blind debossing. The book block was double-fan perfect bound with PVA and then reinforced with three evenly spaced threads across the spine, which were placed into sawn groves. For the case, three panels of leather were used. The first panel was wrapped from the back, around the spine and then covered only a portion of the front cover – ending in a graceful curve with piping, cream stitching and leather lacing. The second panel was a plain smooth piece covering the front board. The third and final piece, found in the lower right corner, was blind debossed and featured double cream stitch, piping and an embroidered Rawlings patch. To finish things off in style, the end sheets on the inside featured suede from the hides.

Binding Solutions CEO Fred Taussig shared that the biggest challenge of this job was using materials that were never intended to be used in bookbinding ‘leather hides and laces. “We knew that we had a great concept, but actually making it happen was another story. To see it come alive without compromise, to actually hold it in your hands, took the experience to an entirely new level.”

“It is without question a crowd pleaser, especially when seen together with the gloves that inspired the design. It is one of our finest projects to date, and Rawlings was ‘blown away’ with our results,'” Taussig concluded. This project won a Binding Industries Association 2011 Product of Excellence Award in the Special Products category.

Fastkit Generates Excitement for a Destination Wedding

When a bride and groom wanted to generate excitement about their upcoming nuptials and convey that their wedding was an event not to be missed, they turned to the company known for creating products that deliver a “Wow! How did they do that?” reaction – the Fastkit Corporation, in Doral, FL.

Initially, the couple wanted to generate a sense of mystery about what the package contained on the inside, so Fastkit created a copper-colored slipcase with a cream-colored drawer. The outside of the slipcase featured a simple embossed sun image and no additional information. Inside the drawer, rested a silver case with the words An Occasion to Remember embossed on the outside. The inside of the silver case revealed a formal invitation to the Alexander Cabo Wedding celebration on the right side and a pocket that contained additional wedding details and RSVP materials on the left side.

A variety of equipment and multiple finishing techniques were used to create this award-winning piece, including diecutting, foil stamping, silk screening, laminating, mounting and hand work. Company President Jose Fernandez said that the slipcase was an example of the type of work that Fastkit produces on a regular basis, so the project didn’t create any unique challenges for the company; however, he did share a secret of the company’s success. “Because we strive for all production processes to be perfect, we typically run at slow speeds and take extreme measures in quality control as needed for each project,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez said that the bride and groom were very happy with the finished product and, like many of Fastkit’s products, the Alexander Cabo Wedding Invitation set received multiple national awards, including the Binding Industries Association’s 2011 Product of Excellence Award as a Best of the Best Custom Loose Leaf Manufacturing in the Innovative Use of Materials category.