A Stitch In Time

Saddle stitcher manufacturers say time is of the essence in their business, and they're looking to save it on makeready, training, production and, of course, ROI.

by Mike Llewellyn

"IN-PLANTS, LIKE every business, are being challenged to do more with less," says Mark Hunt, director of marketing for Standard Finishing Systems.

But unlike other businesses, Hunt believes, in-plants have a more reliable stream of internal work feeding them. To vendors of finishing equipment, this makes in-plants the ideal customers in slow economic times.

"In-plants are extremely important," Hunt continues. "In-plants have always been important, but especially in difficult times because they have their own internal source of jobs."

And because they are so important to equipment vendors, he says, many vendors are willing to bend over backwards right now to satisfy the needs of an in-plant operation.

Not a bad position for an in-plant manager to be in.

Saddle stitchers are one of the most popular pieces of equipment in in-plants. Some 83 percent have them, according to IPG survey data.

Though some in-plants are feeling the pinch just as much as commercial printers, most manufacturers are hoping to prove saddle stitching is important enough as a time- and resource-saving investment that managers will agree to buy, even now.

Bill Gross is manager for Xerox's finishing programs and marketing partners. He sheds light on the importance of saddle-stitching to the industry this way:

"Every time we install a Xerox toner printer, we focus on booklet making. It's the number one finishing option that our customers request," he says. Gross explains that while his company may not be a major player in saddle stitcher manufacturing, it is eager to offer deals with one of the 24 "partner" companies whose finishing products Xerox recommends.

The message vendors are trying to get out about saddle stitching is simply that with the right equipment, a well-run facility can shave hours, even days, off the time it takes to get a job into the hands of a customer.

Saddle Stitching Made Simple

Standard's Hunt says in-plant managers are seeing run lengths declining and turnaround times getting faster, all with an ever-increasing customer demand for higher quality.

"What that equates to is automation," says Hunt, explaining his company's role in the trend. "That equates to ease of use—the ability to change over the machine for five to eight jobs during the course of one day."

To capitalize on the need for automation, Hunt says Standard has focused on developing what he calls an "intuitive" design.

"You've got to be certain it's easy to train on," he says, adding that when an in-plant is trying to get a job done quickly, it doesn't want to get caught with bindery operators trying to tame a complicated machine.

"An in-plant might be more sensitive to ease of use because they may not have the same level of bindery skill in their shop," he says, adding that commercial shops often enjoy a more robust hiring capacity.

Duplo USA makes saddle stitchers with an understanding of an in-plant's labor needs as well, says Marketing Coordinator José Alvarez.

"Basically, what we're doing is seeing that unskilled operators can use them," he says. "Before, these machines were difficult to operate."

Alvarez says the automation that has become essential to the development of any new saddle stitcher makes in-plant managers more willing to invest in a new one, rather than hang on to an older model.

Michael Venittelli, national sales manager for MBM Corp., says ease of use is so important on MBM stitchers that he has timed how long it will take for an operator to climb the learning curve.

"Training takes two hours, tops," he says. "Especially when you've got a really user-friendly touch-screen operation."

That sounds right to Ron Bowman, vice president of sales for Rosback, who agrees no-hassle operation is the first thing on an in-plant manager's mind. But that's not all, he says. Bowman ticks off a list of important considerations that might temper a manager's selection.

"They all look for ease of use, but they also want ease of setup, predictable downtime, durability and productivity relative to price," he says.

Tom Hagemann, product manager for ISP Stitching and Bindery Products, says in-plants are looking to save money by investing in stitchers that actually stitch—instead of staple.

"Go for a system that utilizes stitching heads instead of a stapler. That's the best way to increase the economy and reliability of stitching jobs," contends Hagemann.

Keeping Costs Down

Speaking of price, in-plant managers themselves will often contend that cost is the primary consideration in selecting a stitcher. Standard's Hunt concedes price is of tremendous consequence.

"Price is important and has never been more important," he says. "It's been a challenging year for in-plants in terms of justifying their equipment."

Hunt admits Standard's saddle stitchers tend to be offered at a small premium over those of other vendors, but he insists the payback comes in the quality of the equipment.

"Standard is responsive to the demands of the market in terms of price," he says, "but we make it part of our business to make customers see long-term advantages."

In other words, you pay for quality.

Hunt says he and the company have little difficulty convincing in-plants to invest in slightly more expensive equipment in return for durability.

"At the end of the day, quality wins," he says.

He recommends that any in-plant manager looking into a long-term investment should research the company he or she does business with.

"You should make sure the company is large enough to have a structure in place for after-sale support," he says.

In considering the cost of a saddle stitcher, managers should also consider the cost of losing saddle stitching business, whether by outsourcing it, or worse, not seeing the business at all. Ron Bowman of Rosback believes that if an in-plant is farming out work to an outside printer, it should strongly consider investing in saddle stitching equipment.

"If you're sending out work, that's number one. You don't want to pay someone to do what you could do [yourself]," says Bowman.

Rosback manufacturers a stand-alone unit and a "complete system," he says. Bowman says in-plant managers should look into putting together a package with a vendor that includes a feeder and a trimmer in addition to the saddle stitching unit in order to save money.

"You'll end up with an 'integrated system' ultimately anyway, but this way is much cheaper," he says.

Duplo's Alvarez has another recommendation for keeping costs down as an in-plant expands its business. He says most of Duplo's saddle stitching equipment is made to allow an in-plant to continually enhance its capabilities.

"The equipment is designed to grow. So if you already made the original investment, you can upgrade easily," he says, adding that he believes it's much cheaper to add to existing equipment than to replace it altogether.

Likewise, Xerox is trying to convince managers that its partnerships with companies like Roll Systems, C.P. Bourg, Pitney Bowes, Bell & Howell and Powis Parker can save them serious money up front and in the long run.

Xerox's Gross believes that purchasing a saddle stitcher in tandem with a printer is important to cut back even further on the time and cash it takes to get a job out the door.

"Managers are up against tight deadlines. They need to produce booklets in a very short period of time. The less complicated these machines are the better," he explains, adding that when a printer and stitcher are designed to work together, a shop saves considerably on labor.

Rosback's Bowman says that in his experience, in-plants approach the purchase of new equipment very carefully, and he's confident an in-plant manager will know exactly what's right for the bindery.

"Usually in-plants tend to plan ahead further. They're much more methodical. That means they allot money for purchases for the future, and when that date arrives, the money is there," says Bowman. "A lot of commercial printers end up operating hand-to-mouth."

The cost-conscious in-plant approach, he adds, has worked out well for Rosback; in-plants represent between 40 and 50 percent of the company's saddle stitcher sales.

Of course, he adds, that cost-conscious approach has worked out well for in-plants too.

Find Out More