.smi-preview#smi-preview-10580 { --smi-column-gap: 10px; --smi-row-gap: 20px; --smi-color: #ffffff; --smi-hover-color: #90c43c; ; ; --smi-border-width: 0px; ; --smi-border-radius: 0%; --smi-border-color: #3c434a; --smi-border-hover-color: #3c434a; --smi-padding-top: 15px; --smi-padding-right: 0px; --smi-padding-bottom: 0px; --smi-padding-left: 0px; --smi-font-size: 20px; --smi-horizontal-alignment: flex-end; --smi-hover-transition-time: 1s; ; }

    PostPress

    Print Decorating, Binding and Finishing

    2014 Summer

    GRAPH EXPO Preview

    The Binding Edge
    GRAPH EXPO 14 will take place Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 at McCormick Place South in Chicago, IL.

    Embrace technology at GRAPH EXPO 14 from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 at McCormick Place South in Chicago, IL. GRAPH EXPO, an all-encompassing commercial printing, publishing, mailing and transactional exposition, is where top executives come to learn, network and make informed purchasing decisions.

    Over the course of four days, attendees will see the full spectrum of the newest equipment, products, technologies, applications and services, from more than 300 exhibitors on seven specialty show floors. More than 50 educational seminars will be offered in 28 categories, plus numerous special presentations throughout the event. GRAPH EXPO features a large display of equipment demonstrations and an unprecedented number of industry networking opportunities.

    For more information, visit www.graphexpo.com.

    The following GRAPH EXPO exhibitors may be of interest to The Binding Edge readers:

    ACTEGA Kelstar
    Booth #3243
    Displaying coating technologies, including strike-through, MiraFoil® silver, grit, raised, pearlescent, soft-touch, glitter, OptiOne white and ACTDigi® digital coatings.

    AzTECH Converting Systems
    Booth #4413
    Showcasing the MATRIX, a modular laser finishing system offering many finishing features for processing flexographic and digitally printed labels and related applications. Additional processing capability includes varnishing, printing, lamination, rotary diecutting, slitting and sheeting.

    B&R Moll
    Booth #3218
    Demonstrating three systems – the Premier 36 folder-gluer, which will be folding and gluing a complex product; the Vantage 720 inline folder-gluer, which will fold a carton at high speeds; and a mailing system featuring scoring, inserting, folding and gluing.

    BAUM
    Booth #4704
    Showcasing its latest equipment introductions, including the BAUM 20 VFM versatile finishing modules, as well as other bindery and finishing products. In addition, BAUM also will be featured in other booths at the show with live demonstrations of its feeding and finishing equipment.

    The Binding Edge
    Booth #3949
    Displaying issues of The Binding Edge, a quarterly magazine from the Binding Industries Association. Each issue features a range of business topics, a profile of a bindery or loose leaf operation and information on the latest technologies, new products and industry trends. Free subscriptions are available for qualified readers.

    Bobst North America Inc.
    Booth #4327
    Learn about the new BOBST NOVACUT 106 ER diecutter. Explore with BOBST experts how BOBST’s range of innovative equipment, services and training solutions can be customized to benefit the productivity, efficiency and profitability of postpress operations.

    Brandtjen & Kluge
    Booth #3617
    Exhibiting a ComFold folding/gluing system and a remanufactured 14×22″ EHD foil stamping, embossing and diecutting press. A laser cut box will be foil stamped and converted in live demonstrations.

    Breit Technologies LLC
    Booth #4422
    Featuring the Cast and Cure™ process, a low-cost, sustainable and highly-effective decorating process designed to enhance the shelf appeal of a wide range of products. Also showcasing the FoilSave™ feature that reduces foil waste for inline cold foil applications on a sheet-fed press, as well as offline Cast and Cure™ finishing for the small-format market.

    Capital Adhesives
    Booth #3948
    Meeting specific customer needs by providing quality product, outstanding customer service and excellent technical support on a consistent, ongoing basis. A leading manufacturer of industrial liquid and hot melt adhesives.

    The Challenge Machinery Company
    Booth #3621
    Manufacturing graphic arts equipment since 1870, The Challenge Machinery Company will display paper cutters, trimmers, folders, single- and multiple-spindle drills, joggers, cornering machines, stock trucks, padding presses and other bindery equipment.

    Colter & Peterson, Inc.
    Booth #3617
    Introducing two new Microcut® automated backgauge programs for paper cutters. The Microcut® COLOR WS and Microtrack II can improve productivity by as much as 50 percent. Also displaying the C&P Microsystems B-65 control system and a Saber® 45″ paper cutter.

    Compact Foilers Ltd.
    Booth #4227
    Launching its new low-cost CF1000PM press-mounted module, which enables customers to transform their printing with cold foil to create metallic colors, fine detail, half tones and large areas on paper, plastics and board. It also can produce 3D holographic effects in UV varnish (Cast and Cure™).

    D & K Group
    Booth #4055
    Showcasing its range of automated laminating systems and wide-format laminating and mounting equipment. D&K’s range of premium laminating films and adhesives also will be exhibited.

    Dorstener Wire Drawing
    Booth #461
    Displaying the complete line of low carbon POWERBIND™ stitching wire, as well as Flat Wire and specialty coated wire. In addition, the full line of BINDSERVICE™ de-spooling and transport accessory products will be available.

    Duplo USA Corporation
    Booth #2613
    Exhibiting the latest in digital color finishing, including the new DC-616 PRO and DC-646 slitter/cutter/creasers, as well as the UD-300 diecutter with a new separator/conveyor unit.

    Eagle Systems
    Booth #2461
    Showcasing the Eco-Eagle Cold Foil machine, as well as Eagle Foil Sync. The Eco-Eagle is a fully automatic module designed to eliminate wasted product caused by improper tension and foil pressure. It accepts multiple foil widths from 2″, runs smoothly without operator intervention and installs in two days. Foil Sync allows for the reuse of foil for significant savings.

    The Foil and Specialty Effects Association
    Booth #3949
    Distributing InsideFinishing magazine, the 2014 FSEA Membership Directory, The Designer’s Guide to Foil Stamping & Embossing and more. The Foil & Specialty Effects Association serves as a resource and education platform for print enhancement technologies, including foil stamping, embossing, cold foil, specialty coatings, laminates and laser cutting.

    Gluing Machinery and Systems
    Booth #4204
    Displaying the HM25, HM10, micromailer® and microgluer®. The microglue hot and cold glue systems feature a wide range of controllers, applicator valves and accessories.

    Masterwork USA Inc.
    Booth #3802
    Displaying the MK21060SER Duopress automatic platen foil stamping and diecutting machine with stripping and the MK420 Mini Q carton inspection machine.

    Match Machinery, Inc.
    Booth #4613
    Offering sales and service of used converting equipment, exclusive North American agent for SBL Platinum folder gluers/ foil stampers and Platinum diecutters. Western Regional agent for Heiber+Schröder window patching/tray forming machines and Goodstrong GMC-TC 1600 sheeters.

    Matik, Inc.
    Booth #4819
    Offering innovative, high-quality European solutions, including hot foil stamping/embossing machines from Gietz, such as the Foilcommander and ROFO 910 web-fed; MABEG reel sheeters for sheet-fed presses and sheeting inspection and individualization systems; and ESS Technology high-performance web finishing and stacking solutions.

    MBM Corporation
    Booth #4051
    Offering Destroyit paper shredders along with Triumph paper cutters and other state-of-the-art finishing equipment for the graphics and printing industries.

    MGI USA
    Booth #3013
    Displaying the JETvarnish 3D spot UV coater with iFOIL module, along with various other MGI equipment. The iFOIL is a 100-percent digital hot foiling and embossing module for use with the JETvarnish 3D.

    Mohawk Paper
    Booth #3240
    Showcasing Mohawk Synthetic Paper with i-Tone, Strathmore Pure Cotton Letterpress (for digital printing), new swatchbooks and inkjet media, as well as new embedded, dimensional and pressure-sensitive substrates and more.

    Nordson Corporation
    Booth #3840
    Nordson PURfect adhesive binding equipment offers efficient EVA and PUR dispense systems for digital printers or full-scale commercial binders. Closed dispense systems help protect adhesive bonding characteristics and reduce production waste and maintenance time.

    PVC Spiral Supply
    Booth #3819
    Offering high-quality plastic coils, as well as binding equipment and supplies. Trained experts can help customers choose from an inventory of more than 50 colors and 100 diameters of pre-formed coil.

    Roland
    Booth #4253
    Showcasing its next-generation VersaCAMM® VSi Series printer/ cutters; its flagship Pro 4 XR-640 and XF-640 wide-formats; innovative VersaUV® LEJ, LEC and LEF series printers; the VersaStudio® BN-20 desktop printer/cutter and the new Roland DisplayStudio® digital sign system.

    Rollem International
    Booth #2640
    Demonstrating automated finishing demonstrations, including the new Delta, a sheet-fed rotary flexo magnetic diecutter; the Mailstream automated direct mail finisher; and the Jetstream high-volume 36-up business card slitting system. Each system demonstrates economical and efficient finishing automation for today’s high-value products.

    Spiel Associates
    Booth #4036
    Debuting two new double-loop wire binders: The Sterling Looper, a semi-automatic, tabletop wire binder capable of binding up to 500bph and the Sterling Wiremaster Pro, an economical, fully-automatic wire binder that can bind up to 3,000bph. Also displaying the Sterling Coilmaster and Coilmaster Jr., two automatic plastic coil binders, and the Sterling Digibinder Plus perfect binder.

    Spiral James Burn
    Booth #1941
    Featuring the complete James Burn International® line of automatic punching and binding solutions, the Foliant® line of laminating solutions and other postpress finishing solutions.

    Standard Finishing Systems
    Booth #1923
    Featuring Horizon and Hunkeler inline and offline feeding and finishing solutions for both the conventional offset and rapidly expanding digital print markets. The new Standard Horizon RD- 4055 rotary diecutter also will be featured.

    THERM-O-TYPE Corp.
    Booth #4031
    Demonstrating two new products – the RAS-mc right angle slitter and the NSF Excel platen press – as well as the Zip-CSCL and TS2L programmable finishing machines and foil fusing equipment and supplies.

    WCJ Pilgrim Wire
    Booth #3625
    Showcasing various wire sizes and spool weights along with the proper de-spooling equipment, including the new Smart Pull Wire System.

     

    Pacific Bindery Services Showcases Its Own Skills

    by Dianna Brodine, The Binding Edge
    The Big Book, a promotional piece for Pacific Bindery Services, received a 2014 Product of Excellence Award from the Binding Industries Association (BIA) in the self-promotion category, and the bindery was declared BIA’s Graphic Finisher of the Year.

    It’s the greatest maxim of marketing: don’t tell the customers what you can do… show them what you can do. Pacific Bindery Services, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, took the old saying to heart and created an award-winning piece that has impressed not only its peers, but also the company’s customers.

    Pacific Bindery is a finishing and bindery services company that has built a strong reputation as a postpress services organization known for excellent quality, efficient services and quick delivery. Now one of the largest binderies in the Pacific Northwest, Pacific Bindery employs 50 staff members, many of whom are long-term employees and all of whom are well-trained and experienced in the bindery trade. Pacific Bindery’s vision has been clearly focused on providing customers with excellent products, technology and services.

    With a full range of bindery and finishing services, including perfect binding, lay-flat binding, mechanical binding, stitching, collating, folding, gluing, diemaking, diecutting, embossing and foil stamping, the bindery wanted to find an effective way to communicate those capabilities to its customers and prospects. “The Big Book,” as it is known internally, was the answer. Formally labeled as “Finishing & Binding Guide: a Diverse Range of Services for Exceptional Results,” the book provides a detailed look at the specialty finishing options provided by Pacific Bindery Services.

    Self-promotion at its finest

    Pacific Bindery had previously produced a number of self-promotion pieces, according to General Manager Kris Bovay. “What was different about this one,” she explained, “was that, with the acquisition of a specialty finishing company in April 2012, we added some new services. This piece was developed and designed to highlight the integration of those services into our overall services list and to demonstrate that integration in a very visual way.”

    The concept originated with Bovay, but it was all hands on deck to develop the full promotional piece. Bovay involved employees who directly produced the services highlighted on each page, including the laser cutting operator, diecutting operator, foil stamping and embossing operator and the operators from all other departments. “Their input was really the foundation of the production tips found throughout the book,” said Bovay. “We all wanted to inform clients of the best uses, design parameters and constraints for each specialty technique.”

    In addition to the operators, key input was obtained from the Pacific Bindery Services production coordinators. “Their experience with projects and clients was integral in the development of this piece,” Bovay explained.

    Constructing the capabilities piece

    Each two-page spread features a description and illustration of a finishing process, along with production and design tips. Processes include laser cutting, laser etching and rasterizing, diemaking and diecutting, foil stamping and embossing, embossing and debossing, perfect binding, stitching, mechanical binding and folding/gluing. Also discussed are laminating, d-taping, cutting and value-added products such as easels and business card boxes.

    Services that were not well understood or known – such as the intricate detail provided by laser cutting (including etching and rasterizing) – were highlighted. Many of the pages included a fold out so the technique could be fully appreciated, and a one-word description drove home the marketing advantage. For instance, the laser cutting page folds out to reveal the word “precision”, while the foil stamping and embossing page proclaims “depth”.

    “Pacific Bindery’s services are well-known in our markets,” Bovay said, “so the focus of this piece was to highlight the integration of the new finishing services with the existing services. The front of the book is “heavy” with these new services, while the back of the book features our well-known binding capabilities.”

    The Big Book’s text was written by Bovay after she developed questions and circulated them for input from key staff. Final content was circulated amongst a core group of eight for edits and feedback. Once ready for design, Bovay contacted Mia Lupton of Millennia Graphics. Lupton has been the graphic designer for Pacific Bindery on a number of projects.

    Production details

    The production notes in the back of the book provided information to customers and prospects wishing to recreate a specific look. The project utilized 130lb and 100lb Cougar Opaque Cover throughout, which contains 10-percent post-consumer waste and is FSC® certified. Other production details include ink colors and foil colors used. All varnishes and inks were wax-free, and soft touch laminating was provided by R & M Trade Laminating Ltd. The book was Wire-O bound in gloss black. Diecutting, embossing, debossing and foil stamping were used on pages throughout the book, as was laser cutting and fold outs.

    Pacific Bindery Services took the opportunity to offer design advice as well. For example, in the embossing and debossing pages of the book, information is provided on minimum paper thickness, substrate type and embossing depth. To provide additional information, separate booklets on the Pacific Bindery Die Shop and a Designers’ Guide can be pulled from diecut sleeves. The Designers’ Guide provides general binding and finishing guidelines and a frequently asked questions section.

    Targeting the audience

    The primary audience for the promotional piece was the print community in British Columbia and Alberta. Distribution was accomplished through face-to-face presentations, allowing Bovay to present the features and benefits of each service in person to client groups. The secondary target audience is graphic designers, according to Bovay. “Many of these designers have limited awareness of specialty services,” she said. “Pacific Bindery is focused on raising awareness and understanding of the importance of finishing services to the overall success of clients’ projects.”

    With 5,000 books printed, response has been phenomenal, both from prospective customers and from the finishing industry. “Pacific Bindery certainly has seen an increase in requests for laser cutting, which – prior to The Big Book – had a very low profile with corresponding low sales,” Bovay explained. “We’re also focusing on increasing sales in diecutting, foiling and embossing/debossing.” These are services that integrate well with the binding departments at Pacific Bindery, since a client’s project may have a cover that is foil stamped, embossed and diecut before moving on to the perfect binder to be bound with the text pages. “Brand recognition and awareness of the services we offer have increased significantly since the book was produced and distributed,” she said.

    In addition to customer accolades and a bump to the bottom line, Pacific Bindery Services was recognized by its peers. The book received a Product of Excellence Award from the Binding Industries Association (BIA) in the self-promotion category, and the bindery was declared BIA’s Graphic Finisher of the Year. The recognition is simply one more thing for Pacific Bindery Services to show its customers as an illustration of its exceptional work.

    BIA Notebook

    The Binding Edge

    Subscribe to the BIA Informational Enewsletter

    “Bound for Excellence” is the monthly enewsletter for those professionals interested in and wanting to find out more about the Binding Industries Association. To get the latest information on BIA, contact Mike Packard at 412.259.1704 or mpackard@printing.org to start receiving your electronic newsletter today.

    2014 BIA Product of Excellence Awards – Best of Show

    The BIA presented the Manufacturer of the Year Award to Holum and Sons Company, Inc. for its work in the 2014 POE Awards as being “Best of the Best” in the Loose Leaf Category. Richard Holum accepted the award on behalf of Holum and Sons Company, Inc. during the Tuesday general session at the BIA Annual Conference in Dallas, TX.

    2014 Product of Excellence Awards’ Top Winners Announced

    The following companies have reached the highest pinnacle in the industry – the Product of Excellence Award (POE): Bindtech, Binding Solutions, C&C Offset Printing Co., Duraweld Limited, Holum & Sons Company, Leo Paper Products Limited, Pacific Bindery Services, Reindl Bindery Company, Seidl’s Bindery, Silvanus Products and Trends Presentation Products.

    Winning this prestigious award ensures that the industry recognizes your achievement, and that your colleagues, executives, customers and partners know that your work is branded as the “best of the best.”

    Start gathering your best work now for the 2015 Product of Excellence Awards.

    Printers Need Excellent Partners: Get Listed on Findabindery.com

    Is your company listed on www.findabindery.com? Companies on this site have the distinction of being recognized as “official binderies.” How do new companies get listed? It’s simple! Join the BIA, and join our coalition for binding excellence. Printers need excellent finishing partners, and there is only one place they turn to when they need help. Contact Mike Packard at 412.259.1704 or mpackard@printing.org for more information.

    Related Link