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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.
How Do I Choose the Right Binding Machine for My Print Shop?
In this series of posts, “How do I choose?”, we will help you take a little of the guesswork out of selecting the best print finish product for your print shop or office. It’s sometimes difficult to find the right machine to fit your needs when there are so many models.
It all has to come together sometime. All those pages in the presentation, the employee manual, the book, the instructional guide, the schematics… They’ve all got to have some sort of binding to meet the customers budget, the readers needs and a style that looks good. But, what kind of binding machine do you need?
Well, the answer to this one is a little trickier. You may even want more than one machine. First you need to determine the type of binding that you think you’ll use most often.
- Comb binders – cheap, effective. Plus, combs can be opened to add/subtract sheets.
- Coil/Wire binders – Comes in a variety of colors and materials. Allows the reader to lay the book open flat and turn pages a full 360-degrees.
- Unibind binding machine – Quick, slick and permanent. A steel spine at the back of the cover allows the paper edges to sink into a heated resin.
- Perfect bound machines – Most paperback books at your local retailer are bound with this method. It’s glue-based and leaves a nice sturdy spine.
Once you’ve chosen a couple binding methods that you’d like to offer at your shop, consider flexibility, speed and cost.
You’ll certainly find flexibility with a combo system. A single purchase will allow you to do both comb, wire or coil (depending on the machine). However, keep size in mind. With comb or coil systems, you may not want to limit yourself to standard 8 1/2″ x 11″, so investigate the machines that can accommodate 14″ or 17″ sheets. Speed is affected by manual or automatic operation and the number of sheets that can be punched at one time.
The most crucial consideration however, is the question of cost. What you can sell and what your customers are willing to pay for may limit your choices. A perfect binding system is expensive initially, but costs little in upkeep. The Unibind thermal system itself is inexpensive considering the nice end product, but supplies are comparitatvily high, per piece. So, remember not to merely look at the machinery that makes the binding happen. Look at the plastics and metals that make up the binding.
MBM 55 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill
Chances are, if you’re working on a job that requires drilling, you’ve got a pretty big stack to go through. The MBM 55 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill will help you speed through those jobs.
How is it Used?
The speed and power of the MBM 55 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill is born from its 1/2 horsepower motor. You’ll also move quickly because the easy-glide table moves on bearings, side guides are self-centering for quick changes, and a quick-release clamp holds your project in place. The MBM 55 Single Spindle accommodates 7/64 to 1/2 inch drill bits and drills to a depth of 2″. Two high quality bits (1/4 and 5/16 inch) included with your order along with sharpener and honing stone. This is a nice machine.
And How Much Does it Cost
The MBM 55 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill is $1,169 at Lloyd’s. Plus, we’ll throw in free shipping and a gift with your purchase.
MBM 25 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill
A truly versatile print shop must have a drill among its many tools. The MBM 25 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill would be a nice addition to any shop.
How is it Used?
The MBM 25 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill will accomodate 5/32, 13/64, 7/32, and 1/4 inch drill bits. A high quality, commonly used 1/4 inch bit is included along with sharpener and honing stone – a nice addition. When you’ve set up your project on the easy glide table and secure your paper with the quick-release clamp, you’ll be drilling 2 inch holes in no time. Plus, the 25 Tabletop Drill features 5 pre-set patterns available at the turn of a dial. I like the fact that its powerful, but only 39 lbs, so its easy to move out of the way if drilling isn’t your most frequent task.
And How Much Does it Cost
The MBM 25 Single Spindle Tabletop Drill is $829 at Lloyd’s. We’ll even throw in free shipping and a gift with your purchase.
Five Tools Print Shops Can Use to Improve Profitability
You can run a print shop with an off-set press or a digital printer, but you can’t run a profitable shop unless you bring in-house the tools that will help you take projects to completion. It’s one thing to print pages, but what if your customer wants you to bind them? You printed 5,000 sales letters, but now the customer wants to take them somewhere else for mailing? You’re losing out on some valuable revenue by not having a couple extra machines around your office. Add extra profitability to your shop by offering each of these services.
- UV Coaters. Adding a UV Coater will give you the capability to apply hi-gloss, satin or matte coating almost on any printed sheet. There are many configurations to the available coaters on the market. Sizes range from 18” to 30” with a modular design to allow for added components like automatic feeders. This is also an environmentally friendly way to apply a finish to your printing. There’s even one line of UV coating that is 99.9% VOC free – exceeding all environmental air quality regulations. Add that to your marketing and get some new green-minded customers.
- Binding Machinery. Whether it’s low volume presentation binding or high volume commercial applications, binding machinery is a low-cost, yet crucial component to a successful shop. Prepare a presentations or proposals, books or newsletters with the look and feel your customers desire by having available comb, coil, wire or perfect binding. If you bind it, they will come.
- Letter Folders. Add fulfillment services to your shop. Every office needs to send mailed statements, invoices and other marketing material. If it’s going out in a traditional envelope style, there’s a folder to automate the process. These machines fold thousands of sheets per hour. There are tabletop models for low volume or floor models for high volume, but they’re all easy to setup and operate.
- Document Mailing Equipment. While you’re folding some projects, you might as well run an inserter for others. Save time and money by speeding up your mail processing. Inserters and pressure sealers keep your jobs in a neat sequential order so they’re ready for outgoing mail bins. Some inserters can fold and stuff up to five different sheets and BRE’s at 4,000 sheets per hour. Plus, a pressure sealer adds a whole new product type to your offerings.
- Laminators. Laminating adds durability and professionalism to any printing project. Toner, ink jet and UV inks alone are not very durable, but by adding even a thin laminate coating you can prevent ink cracking and insures a long handling life to a piece. Lamination also adds to the look and feel of your work You can impress customers and upsell projects like printing for photos, charts, posters and signage.
Improve your profits by adding to your catalog of finishing services. Lloyds of Indiana has competitive prices and a variety of models in each of these categories.