In-Line vs. Off-Line — Cross the Finish Line

You really end up breaking even, he notes. "And, at some point, it does become more economical to run it in-line versus off-line. That isn't for a 20,000-piece job; it's got to be near one million pieces. But, then again, certain formats can only be run in-line."

Also at issue with in-line finishing are labor issues, according to the Quebecor World executive. "In-line is an acquired skill. The level of competency required is probably higher than with an off-line system. "With in-line there is a predictability issue on how much you may produce on a daily basis. And because of the complexity and speeds that we are running, there is an opportunity for higher waste," he states.While in-line finishing is geared toward more higher runs, off-line can offer more flexibility and versatility. "There is definitely a versatility that you get when you are running off-line," says Pat Allen, bindery manager at Progress Printing in Lynchburg, VA. This $50 million printing operation has opted to remain off-line, although they have at times considered adding an in-line finishing system to their bindery mix.