Printing companies that offer bindery services are competitive, but approximately 90 percent of their capabilities are similar, says Larry Mead, sales executive at Menasha, Wis.-based manufacturer Banta Corporation. These companies deliver high-quality binding on time and cost-effectively, but companies that effectively differentiate themselves are the ones that make money and gain clients.
One way Banta distinguishes its bindery is by offering co-mailing services. The company, which has one of the largest catalog bindery units in the country, has for years produced a variety of consumer and business catalogs, and offered content management, digital workflow, one-to-one communication programs and mail distribution. It uses high-speed presses--from narrow webs to wide-web M-3000s--to produce a variety of catalog formats such as standard, digest, oblong, slim jim and square tab, and to develop new alternatives, Mead says. Banta can produce more than 1,500 books in a short run of 300,000, and approximately 900 million books a year.
To save its customers money, Banta allows them to partner with other firms and combine their individual mailings into a larger one. Co-mailing qualifies both companies for a greater U.S. Postal Service discount, Mead says.
Banta looks for customers with similarly formatted catalogs
or publications, distribution quantities and mailing schedules. The firm then combines mailing lists for both catalogs into a larger list, and re-sorts the new list to qualify for postal discounts. Larger mailings bring greater discounts. Both catalogs need to have the same mail date, trim size and ink jet areas because both go through the bindery and ink jetting at the same time, and must enter the mail stream together. Banta coordinates these specifics between co-mailing partners.
The company runs partners' catalogs
through its bindery as part of the same bindery/addressing process. Banta binds
and addresses the catalogs in a single production system that reduces mailing
expenses by increasing ZIP code saturation. The key is that the two catalogs are
combined into one carrier route-sorted mailing.
Although Banta tries to find co-mailing
partners for near-term projects, it recommends long-term planning for savings.
Long-term planning allows partners to adjust formats to standardized trim sizes,
ink jet areas, order forms and inserts, order form versions, scheduling and
other details. The company says customers can save thousands of dollars by
co-mailing. Banta's biggest challenge is delivering on time, Mead says. "You
need to have enough bindery equipment to do that," he says.
--Preeti Vasishtha
SUPPLIER NEWS
MeadWestvaco Corp., Stamford, Conn., added several products to its Meadware® digital printing papers. It introduced Meadware Digital Board, which is available as sheets and rolls in 10 pt. and 12 pt. C1S and 14 pt. and 16 pt. C1S blanks. It added Meadware Ink Jet papers that offer 6 pt. Photo Shots Soft gloss C1S text, 7 pt. Photo Projects Soft gloss text and 8 pt. Photo Pro High gloss C1S text. The company also added Meadware Desktop Laser papers, which include 80 lb. gloss and dull text, and cover. Call (800) 638-3313.
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MeadWestvaco Corp.'s upgraded
Meadware® digital printing papers.
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Xetex Business Systems Inc., West Lawn, Pa., recently held its annual users' conference. The company presented its latest software enhancements, including its new Uniform system, mirrored database, ODBC functionality and e-commerce enhancements. Call (800) 356-2772. Email sales@xebra.com.
RISO Inc., Danvers, Mass., will introduce in the fall its HC5000 full-color printer with FORCEJET™ technology. HC5000 prints up to 105 11 x 17-inch pages per minute, and delivers vivid colors cost-effectively, according to the company. It can print from 15,000 to 250,000 copies per month and is ideal for a variety of industries, including the education market, it said. Call (800) 876-7476.
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HC5000 full-color printer from
RISO Inc.
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Tekgraf Corp., Greenville, S.C., introduced Nova XP 36 color and monochrome scanner. The 36-inch scanner offers monochrome scan speeds of 10 inches per second, 48-bit color, 16-bit gray tone capture, advanced image enhancements, all-wheel drive for effective grip and smooth feed, an automatic maintenance system, and built-in basic color calibration, according to the company. Call (888) 550-8543.
Neopost, Hayward, Calif., introduced its SI 62 folder/inserter and AS series of address printing systems. The SI 62 can insert up to 15,000 mail pieces per month and automate all types of mailings, including invoices, statements, checks and letters, according to the company. It's available in three configurations: SI 62 Starter, SI 62 Standard and SI 62 Professional. The AS printers can produce up to 26,000 envelopes per hour and handle jobs ranging from post cards to 14 x 14-inch mail pieces, the company said. The fully automated printers can produce variable addresses, return addresses, bar codes and custom messages that appear to be hand-written. Call (888) 636-7678.
Nazdar, Shawnee, Kan., introduced the NSC UV Crystal Clear Transparent Ink Series for printing colored windows on membrane overlays. It consists of 10 high-density colors, a mixing clear and a reducer, according to the company. The colors have maximum colorant loads and offer exceptional performance in color matching, it said. Additionally, the company announced that its NDI 500 Series digital imaging inks can now be used with VT II 62 and VT II 92 printers from Digital Graphics Inc., Bethlehem, Pa. Ideal for back-lit applications, the inks are resistant to UV degradation and color fading, and maintain high-intensity colors outdoors for up to two years, it said. Call (913) 422-3290 or (913) 422-1888 (fax). Visit www.nazdar.com.
Trace Affex, San Jose, Calif., introduced the SUPRA family of DVD/CD automated duplicators with DVD recorders to record CD-R/RW discs. The duplicators have a high throughput, minimum maintenance and a high-performance auto loader, and eliminate 3- to 5-day turnaround time, according to the company. Call (408) 441-8040 or (408) 441-7259 (fax).
Kyocera Mita America Inc., Fairfield, N.J., introduced its KM-1815 imaging system. The digital, multifunctional KM-1815 contains a 250-sheet paper drawer, a 50-sheet multipurpose tray, 96 MB print and copy memory (scalable to 320 MB), electronic sort and color scan to email, according to the company. Ideal for small offices, it can process 18 pages per minute and 15,000 pages per month. Call (973) 882-4480.
Spiral Binding Company Inc., Totowa, N.J., introduced the Rhin-O-Tuff HD4170 heavy duty plastic coil inserter. The HD4170 can insert plastic coils from 6 mm to 40 mm, and can be used as a stand-alone unit or mounted on punching machines. It offers accurate and smooth coil insertion, and prevents scuffing, according to the company. Call (800) 631-3572, (973) 256-0666 or (973) 256-5981 (fax).
MAN Roland, Westmont, Ill., introduced an air station that provides a soundproof enclosure for press' floor pumps and blowers. It insulates the units against noise, saves floor space by vertically mounting pumps and blowers, and offers easy maintenance, according to the company. Call (630) 920-2015. Email crawley@mru.com.
