Connections
Build Print Finishing Profits in 2011
Are you sending your digital printed materials out to be finished? Are you looking for ways to speed your turn time and increase your profits on post print projects? These are a couple of the questions you should be asking if you want to increase your profits in 2011.
OK, you have the digital press and can do short or large run printing profitably. What is your process for that job when it leaves the press? Do you send it out of house for folding, drilling, corner rounding, laminating and binding? I suggest that you work on bringing those services in house to build more profit into your jobs.
Increase your bindery profits in 2011
For the past few years I have seen a change in the size of jobs being printed and the expectations of the customer to have it yesterday. With digital presses, jobs are now being printed on a small project basis with shorter lead times. This means, now more than ever, it is more economical to purchase finishing equipment and increase your profits.
Start by evaluating what part of post print finishing do you send out the most. Is it scoring, folding or binding? Usually the print runs are smaller than in the past and there are many manufacturers of short run finishing equipment to meet those demands. You no longer need to invest in large pieces of finishing machines that cost in the thousands and have large footprints. These machines are now available in modular platforms with prices that are more in line with most shops budgets. This will allow your post print finishing equipment to grow with your demand without breaking the bank.
For example, if you send out for short run scoring / perforating jobs then you may want to look into a manual scoring / perforating machine like the Handi-Scor. With the HS-100 Handi-scor, now you can do short run scoring and perforating jobs in house without interrupting the press, with quick and easy setup.
If you send out for short run binding then think about keeping those profits by bringing in house a manual punch binding machine like the Akiles Coil-Mac or Wire-Mac. Both machines are easy to use, have easy setup and are priced to fit most budgets. Or, if you bind using different types of punch binding on a daily basis, consider a punch machine with removable die heads like the Akiles FlexiPunch. This machine allows the operator to change from coil binding to wire binding simply by releasing two levers and removing the die, then inserting the die of choice and locking the two levers back in place all in about 1-2 minutes. The only other additional piece of equipment needed for coil binding is a coil inserter and crimping pliers and for wire binding supplies, a wire closer.