Finishing — Caught in a Bind?

Automation and flexibility are the two key issues facing Quad/Tech International (QTI), according to Randy Freeman, vice president of sales and marketing. Reducing tougher and more mundane jobs on the line, namely material handling, is being demanded by customers.

"There's a range of specialized material handling equipment being developed for the bindery," Freeman says. "Namely, in terms of stream feeders that handle the signatures as they're being fed into the bindery machines, and the stackers and palletizers in the pressroom which, in turn, feed the bindery."