BINDERY matters
Gearing Up for 2009 BIA Mid-Management Conference
SEWICKLEY, PA—Trade binderies, graphic finishers and custom looseleaf manufacturers from across the country are preparing to attend the “definitive conference” for the binding industry.
The 2009 BIA Mid-Management Conference, which will be held May 3-6 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, is the must attend event of the year, reports Matt Anson, president of Bindagraphics. “There is no other place where so many leaders in the postpress industry gather to share ideas, learn and network.”
The conference is designed to provide a blitz of information with sessions that include topics such as exceeding customer expectations; automating equipment; increasing productivity with existing equipment; lean manufacturing; financial metrics in a tough economy; and team formulation and leadership.
In addition, some of the binding industry’s leading suppliers—including Colter & Peterson, Hohner, Kolbus, Rollem and Standard Finishing—will be on hand with tabletop exhibits and reps to answer questions and share information on their latest products and services.
More than 100 binders and finishers attended last year’s conference, held simultaneously with the Printer to Printer Business & Technology Conference by Offset and Beyond, pictured here.
For more information, contact Justin Goldstein at (412) 259-1806 or e-mail jgoldstein@printing.org.
New Casemaker Ends Bottlenecks, Stops Delays
SAN ANTONIO—Bottlenecks are no longer delaying certain areas of production at Universal Bookbindery. The installation of a new Kolbus DA 270 casemaker is helping to eliminate previous jams and is enabling faster turnaround on finished products.
The new casemaker is also allowing Universal to take on larger volume projects, according to Frank Barron, plant manager. Universal Bookbindery has invested in technology consistently over the years, upgrading equipment at a regular pace, resulting in continuous growth, Barron explains.
“Business grew 7.6 percent last year alone,” he says. “We’ve also reduced spoilage, while improving throughput and quality in every department.”
Sharpening the Competitive Edge
DALLAS—Lincoln Press recently added a Heidelberg Polar 115 X cutter and Stahlfolder B 30 folder to its postpress operations. The shop was already running a Polar 92 cutter and Stahlfolder B 26 folder but, after upgrading to a 40? press, it needed to update its bindery to accommodate the larger sheet size.
“We had good results with our first Polar cutter, so we decided to purchase another one,” says Gerald Wickliffe Sr., who helps his son, Gerald Jr., run the shop. “We also liked the half-size folder we bought two years ago. We had been sending out double-gate folds, so we got a double-gate fold attachment, and it’s working out great for our shop.”
Pair of Inserters Expand Capabilities
SECAUCUS, NJ—As print production operations throughout the newspaper industry seek new avenues for generating revenues, many of those operations are looking for technological innovation and growth-oriented strategies. An example is AFL Web Printing, a commercial printer that serves more than 300 newspaper publishers. AFL recently installed two Muller Martini inserting systems: an SLS3000 and an SLS2000.
“These machines have enabled us to service the traditional seven-day dailies and still run the equipment on our general commercial work, as well,” says Dennis Forchic, president and CEO. In addition to handling the demands of daily newspaper production, the new inserters were also installed to produce 500+ commercial press transactions each week.
Quick Cuts
Beckley, WV-based Central Printing added two new pieces of Heidelberg equipment to its operation, one in the pressroom, another in the bindery. A five-color Speedmaster SM 74 press with coater was installed, along with an eight-pocket Stitchmaster ST 90 saddlestitcher.
Seattle-based Windward Press, which specializes in complex, eye-catching packaging for the music industry, recently replaced an aging Heidelberg Polar cutter with a new Polar 115 XT cutter with Autotrim.
Operators at Art Bindery in Birmingham, AL, are saving time and increasing productivity with the help of a new Heidelberg Polar 137 XT cutter with Autotrim, which was recently installed.
Livingston, NJ-based Paper Presentation is diecutting pocket folders, tags, boxes and more with its new Kluge EHG Series press, which is equipped with a toggle base hoist and EZ Load magazine.
A new Saroglia 740 FX diecutter, from Diversified Graphic Machinery, is helping Flushing, NY-based Burton Packaging keep up with the demand for half-sheet size diecutting and embossing work.
21st Century Finishing, Saddle Brook, NJ, has installed a Majestic Series M 106-E diecutter from Diversified Graphic Machinery.
Postpress capabilities at DeRoo Printing, in Casselberry, FL, have been upgraded with the addition of a new Polar 92 X paper cutter.
Fry Communications, of Mechanicsburg, PA, has expanded its finishing capabilities by investing in PUR perfect binding technology.
Louisville, KY-based finisher Vivid Impact acquired a Kluge UniFold automatic folder/gluer and is no longer outsourcing pocket folder converting.
Gate folding and other complex folding jobs are being done in-house at Sheboygan, WI-based Boneck Printing with its new Stahlfolder B 26 folder.
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