Finishing — Caught in a Bind?

Even so, Astins feels that finishers and binders are finding themselves in a precarious position, as faster press speeds have put greater productivity pressure on them, increasing output but putting turnaround times and flexibility in jeopardy.

The trade finisher and binder of the future, Astins feels, will probably become more specialized to produce value-added products that, in turn, will help to improve the bottom line and offer a greater range of excellent production facilities to a greater range of customers. "Perhaps the time has come for expert finishing centers to evolve in an area of the industry, whose skills worldwide have too often been neglected," he says.