Trade Finishers' Strategies — Binding Matters

And speaking about trucking... Rickard claims that the cost of delivering pallets today—through outsourcing—is less than what it cost his firm to do it in-house 20 years ago. And, he says, "the service we offer is much better. If I need six trucks tomorrow morning, I can get them."

Playing the Dealt Hand
Since New England's print market is not growing as fast as the Midwest's, Seaboard Bindery has adopted a more cautious growth strategy than either Rickard Bindery or Finishbinders. According to a November 1999 Printing Industries of America (PIA) survey, growth in the East was second lowest in the country—only marginally ahead of the South. Even though 1999 was a boom year for many New England printing companies, the area still lost two stalwart trade binderies: One permanently shut its doors, and the other was acquired.