January 2010: When Handwork is the Optimum Finishing Solution

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With all the technology at the fingertips of printers and finishers, why finish jobs the old-fashioned way? In some porjects, handwork is actually preferable to automation. Quality, cost and scheduling all factor into whether or not to use handwork.

• Quality - Die-cut packages and other projects where high quality is of the utmost importance benefit from careful handwork. A soft hand fold is less likely than a machine folder to cause product cracking, scuffing or marking.
• Cost - Sometimes the complicated makereadys necessary for automation result in handwork actually saving you time and money. For example, a project may take four hours to complete automatically and eight hours by hand, but the makeready may take an additional eight hours. In this case, handwork may be the less expensive option.
  
  When it comes to short-run work, hand folding and gluing can often be faster and more cost-effective than automated production.
• Schedule - Applications that require significant handling or preparation by the end user can be costly and time-consuming to organize and engineer. For projects such as gift card or DVD mailers, welcome kits and packaging applications, Rapid Bind can perform hand collating, assembly, inserting and related processes that may be faster and more cost-effective than undertaking these processes downstream.

The Rapid Bind Advantage
Rapid Bind's complete range of post press solutions make us an ideal resource for handwork and fulfillment projects. Our expert team has the capabilities and experience to create point-of-purchase displays, folded cartons, packaging, media holders and much more. Call us today to start planning your next project, whether automated or by hand.

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