Catalog Binding Options

At SpeedBinder, many of our customers use custom looseleaf binders as their catalog publishing strategy. In this post, we try to describe some of the various binding options for catalog publication, and how looseleaf fits into the picture.

Publishing catalogs is expensive! Duplication and binding costs are significant, but don't overlook the base cost of preparing the camera ready artwork for each product. That cost is constant no matter what catalog publishing strategy you use.

Over the past ten years, we have seen a rise in the number of companies that are publishing catalogs on CD/DVD or on the Internet. Interestingly, we believe that that trend has peaked, and that more and more companies are returning to paper catalogs. The reasons are simple: Consider the typical "City Sales" counter at a distributor. If one manufacturer's product is in a paper catalog, and one is on CD or the Internet, who's catalog do you think the sales person will pull out to show to the customer? For general browsing, people still prefer paper!

For paper publication, there are three realistic binding options: Looseleaf, plastic binding, and perfect binding.

Plastic binding takes the form of GBC binding or spiral binding. It is useful for low volume jobs, where only a few hundred catalogs will be produced. It is economical and easy to do. Durability is mixed: GBC binding is prone to pull apart, and spiral can get caught and snagged.

There are two fundamental drawbacks with any form of plastic binding: First, the resulting book can not stand on its own. Second, there is no imprint on the spine of the book. Both of these mean that the plastic bound catalog has poor "shelf presence".

Perfect binding is the term used for binding that is similar to what you find in an ordinary paperback book. In sufficient quantity, it is very economical, although for smaller runs it can be quite expensive.

There are several drawbacks to perfect binding. The books will not stand on their own on a bookshelf, and it is impossible to replace individual pages. The entire catalog must be replaced for any change.

Looseleaf binders provide a flexible, long-term solution to all catalog publishing needs. The drawback to looseleaf is apparent: It costs more. But the advantages are many:

1. Looseleaf binders are free-standing. This means that your company name is on permanent display on your customer's bookshelf.
2. With looseleaf binders, you can add, remove and change pages quickly and easily. Many companies send a monthly or quarterly update packet to their customers and distributors. This promotes "front of mind" presence for the company.
3. Looseleaf binders lay flat and are easy to read.
4. Looseleaf binders are durable. In typical applications, custom vinyl looseleaf binders will last for years.

Taken as a whole, many companies are deciding to use looseleaf binders for their catalog applications. After the initial investment, they enjoy superior customer presence, superior flexibility, and lower long term costs.