On-Demand Finishing — One-stop Shops
CMI has long performed its own finishing, including saddle stitching, perfect binding and Double-O wire binding. The same holds true for its digital environment: in-line saddle stitcher with three-knife trimming, handfed perfect binder, six-pocket Muller Martini stitcher, a 27-pocket Muller perfect binder, and high-speed Double-O wire punches and binders.
"By having everything under one roof, we're able to apply whatever technology is the most cost-effective for that particular project," notes Steinberg. "We produce a lot of print-on-demand work, have a Web-based order and fulfillment system, and provide variable imaging and personalization on digital equipment."
Inserting, personalization, mailing, fulfillment and distribution are other services the mid-sized printer offers in order to complete the single-source loop. "Our philosophy has always been to be a one-stop shop for our customers and we've tried to encompass whatever technology is out there to meet their needs," Steinberg says.
Often times, digital and conventional printing methods can serve as mutual catalysts. This has been the case for Seattle-based Emerald City Graphics, a 75-employee printer with sales in the $14 million range.
According to Mark Steiner, president of Emerald City, the sheetfed printer thrives on a number of big-ticket clients in the great Northwest—Microsoft, Boeing and Starbucks. Primarily a general commercial printer, Emerald—also a member of the CGX organization—produces a fair measure of short- and medium-run books and manuals.
Complementary Services
"Not only do we do clients' high-end commercial work, we do their digital work, as well," Steiner remarks. "Sometimes we will start out doing their digital work, and it leads to getting commercial work, and vice versa. They can bring it all to one place. With digital capabilities, it allows us to turn jobs quicker."
On the digital end, Emerald City uses a Xerox DocuTech 6180 and a DocuColor 2060. Finishing capabilities include in-line saddle stitching with face trim. The company can perform corner stapling and tape binding in-line, as well. Custom vinyl binders are also produced in-house. Off-line, Emerald City performs Wire-O and spiral binding.
