July 2009: Attaching in a Challenging Business Environment

Today's poor economy is putting a damper on every corner of the graphic arts industry. But one positive trend has caught our attention: the volume of attaching work, at least among Rapid Bind's customers, is on the rise.

At Rapid Bind, we can attach items such as plastic coupon and membership cards - and much more.

Frankly, we're not surprised to see attaching rise in popularity. Marketers love its ability to cost-effectively put items such as gift cards into the hands of end users. Consumers love its convenience; plastic cards are easy to remove and slip into a purse or wallet for later use. And from a production standpoint, attaching is easy to execute - if you keep a few important planning tips in mind.

What are we attaching? - At Rapid Bind, we can attach items ranging from plastic cards and magnets to sleeved CD/DVD discs. The size, weight and bulk of your item will dictate how your pieces can be folded, glued and packed, so communicate these details with us in advance.

Don't forget the glue - Fugitive glue is used to attach items to a carrier piece securely, yet allow end users to easily remove it. Be sure to remove inks and coatings from the target placement area on carriers. Items such as digital media discs should be protected with sleeves.

Consider placement tolerance - Attaching at Rapid Bind is highly accurate, but it's not exact. Be sure to leave sufficient space around the target placement area to allow for slight variation. We recommend a perimeter of 1/4".

The Rapid Bind Advantage
Under-one-roof production is a significant advantage for your attaching applications. Services such as folding, remoist gluing and die cutting round out a complete attaching production workflow. And if your pieces will be entering the mailstream, our inkjet imaging and mailing services can save you serious time and money.