BINDERY matters

Vendors Partner for Innovation Days

WESTAMPTON, NJ—MBO America, in conjunction with more than 20 leading providers of digital printing, on-demand finishing, mailing and gluing solutions, hosted aproximately 300 visitors from all over the country during its annual Innovation Days open house held here early last month.

Equipment on display during the three-day mini-trade show focused on real-world transactional printing and finishing applications, personalization, on-demand book/brochure production and sophisticated mailing solutions. In several instances, exhibitors partnered to showcase complete end-to-end production systems featuring components from multiple vendors. And, unlike larger trade show events, the more intimate open house setting allowed visitors ample time for one-on-one discussions and equipment demonstrations.

“Customers no longer go to suppliers to buy one piece of equipment,” points out Klaus Beckbissinger, executive vice president of MBO America. “They require comprehensive solutions that could include two, three or even more suppliers, who need to seamlessly blend multiple products, technologies and services to meet the needs of their businesses.”

Educational seminars were also held daily on topics such as digital finishing, large-format printing, gluing technologies, on-demand book printing, as well as business-building ideas for marketing variable data printing.

Binder Powers Hardcover Production

ASHLAND, OH—BookMasters Inc. is reaping the benefits of a new Muller Martini Diamant 30 hardcover book manufacturing system. Bookmasters manufactures both black-and-white and color books. “The Diamant 30 will give us better control over our case binding schedules and will service both our offset and digital divisions,” notes Raymond Sevin, president of BookMasters.

BIA Issues Call For Award Entries

PITTSBURGH—The Binding Industries Association, a special interest group of the PIA/GATF, is seeking worldwide entries for its 2008 Product of Excellence (POE) Awards. The competition is judged by a team of professionals from within the binding community. These judges come from around the world and are chosen for their extensive knowledge and years of experience in producing loose-leaf and trade bindery products.