Contract Binding
Two trade binderies come together under one branding umbrella, making it a win-win for printers.
By Mark Vruno Executive Editor -- graphic arts online, 9/1/2007
When trade bindery Spiral of Ohio acquired Action Bindery, located near Atlanta, in 2002, it was business as usual. The Spiral people continued to do their thing in Cleveland, while the folks down in Norcross, GA, did things their way. Suffice it to say, like many long-distance business relationships, there wasn't a whole lot of synergy going on.
But things are different now. After operating autonomously for more than four years, the two companies rebranded themselves this year as Finish Line Binderies. Nine months into the branding strategy, its printing customers are reaping the benefits of some big changes.
When postpress customers send projects to Finish Line Binderies, they gain access to the notable resources of both operations. Each company is a full-service bindery in its own right, but their joint ownership allows customers to leverage the equipment flexibility and capacity of both facilities. Finish Line management can shift especially large jobs among both companies to meet aggressive deadlines. John Helline, co-owner and CEO, says this flexibility offers the companies a valuable edge in a highly competitive marketplace.
“The changes that have taken place in the industry over the last few years require trade binderies to be as nimble as possible,” Helline says. “We regularly produce jobs with quantities of several hundred thousand pieces and more. The ability to deliver those jobs faster than other companies is a distinct advantage.”
Founded in 1937, Spiral of Ohio is an institution among Midwest trade binderies. Meanwhile, Action Bindery has been a staple in the Southeast since 1922. The companies have been the premier providers of mechanical binding services in their respective regions, offering Wire-O, plastic spiral, spiral wire, plastic comb binding and perfect binding services.
With more than 100,000 sq.ft. of combined manufacturing floor space, Finish Line Binderies has capacity for short- and long-run jobs. Its mechanical binding equipment includes nine automatic punches from Kugler, Larimite and Sickinger and 13 semi-automatic punches, as well as a full range of collating, drilling, cutting, shrink-wrapping and round-cornering capabilities.
The company also possesses a range of adhesive binding capabilities, including standard hot melt, PUR and layflat Perfect Binding performed on four high-speed Kolbus Ratiobinders.
In 2000, Spiral of Ohio was purchased by ownership group Signet Enterprises headed by John Helline. Far from a dyed-in-the-wool binder, Helline's business experience lay, to that point, outside the graphic arts industry. However, many of the faces familiar to customers remain at both divisions. Almost all of the company's customer service and plant managers have been part of the family for more than 10 years.
According to Helline, the combination of an experienced management team and the potential to reach beyond its traditional marketplace are what intrigued him to make the investment in the company.
“The Cleveland division had enjoyed a long-standing reputation for high-quality, timely production for both short and long run lengths,” he explains. “We saw an opportunity to extend the company's reach without changing the qualities that have earned continual business from many printers throughout the region.”
In 2002 Helline and his partners applied the same development philosophy when they purchased Action Bindery. Both the Cleveland and Norcross, GA operations made substantial investments last year in upgraded equipment and facilities.
One key addition in Ohio was the installation of a Gateway plastic spiral binding system to meet increased demand for mechanical binding. With a peak production speed of 1,400 books per hour, the system joins five other plastic spiral binding units.
Joe Piazza, sales VP for both divisions, also sees the Gateway system as a valuable addition. “Publishers and designers are increasingly recognizing the value of mechanical binding styles such as plastic spiral,” says Piazza. “The Gateway system is one of the fastest machines available, giving us the power to offer quicker turnarounds on large-volume projects. It's also positioned us to take full advantage of future demand.”
Atlanta's new facility boasts 35,000 sq.ft. to accommodate additional equipment. As part of the move and expansion, it added a second Kolbus Ratiobinder—one that includes 24 pockets, electronic signature recognition, standard hot-melt, PUR and lay-flat binding.
“Finish Line Binderies are now positioned among the industry leaders in PUR adhesive binding,” notes Helline. “We believe this is where significant growth will occur, especially for image-heavy books that demand a strong, durable binding style. PUR offers that by creating a strong bond even on sheets with thick ink and coating coverage into the spine area.”
Equipment wasn't the only investment. Finish Line showed a fresh commitment to sales by hiring a new rep in the Atlanta market. The added capabilities of both the equipment and the sales force place the firm in a position to handle a higher volume of work as well as to increase quality without increasing cycle time. “Clients have indicated that as their own need for growth increases, so does the need to be faster, better and more professional-looking than their competition,” says Helline.
As sister binderies, Cleveland and Atlanta have a rare relationship that isn't just mutually beneficial for the two companies but that provides a broad spectrum of services and support, helping customers to advance their goals and save time. Having the extra muscle of a second facility with redundant capabilities provides an element of security. Additional space and equipment translates into more raw power, options and flexibility. The two binderies jointly serve much of the East Coast, complementing each other's efforts, and are able to handle high volumes of work individually or in cooperation with one another.
Both binderies have installed a new open-architecture MIS (management information system) that allows a seamless flow of information between the facilities. Shared access to information promotes quality in service and production—and avoids potential problems arising from information gaps.
Helline and his investment partners at Signet aren't yet finished and may be looking to enlarge their family. “We're still pursuing growth opportunities at this point,” he says. “The success we've enjoyed with the Cleveland and Atlanta binderies has created excitement over future expansion.”
