For Vinod Printers in Vadgaon Sheri, Pune, the move towards short run perfect binding changed more than the way jobs were printed. It also changed what happened after printing.

The company, established in 1985, had grown through several stages of print technology, from letterpress to offset and then two- and four-colour printing. But as the market shifted towards smaller quantities after COVID-19, the production mix changed too. Commercial, corporate and educational work increasingly included shorter runs, while the company began putting greater emphasis on books.

That created a practical gap in the workflow: Vinod Printers did not have its own perfect binder. Owner Kishore Gore says the company had been outsourcing perfect binding and had to coordinate production around the availability of another facility’s machine. For a printer increasingly handling digitally produced books, he wanted to bring that part of production closer to home.

Why Kishore Gore looked beyond the lowest purchase price

Kishore had seen a number of perfect binding machines at exhibitions in India and overseas, including Drupa in Germany and exhibitions in China and Thailand. Price initially made some of the Chinese machines attractive.

His concern, however, was whether a compact machine would provide the structure and production capability he expected as the business grew. He says he observed that some of the machines he saw were compact but, in his assessment, were not heavy-duty enough for the production he anticipated.

Recommendations from people in Pune’s printing community also influenced his decision. Kishore says he was advised to consider Bindwel rather than the Chinese alternative. He ultimately cancelled the planned purchase and selected the SigLoch ZEN for his short run perfect binding requirements.

Bringing Short Run Perfect Binding in-house

Bringing ZEN into Vinod Printers changed where the binding work was done. Instead of sending printed jobs outside for perfect binding, the company could carry out the operation within its own production setup.

For Kishore, the machine’s compact format and ease of operation were particularly relevant to this type of work. He says that since installing the machine, his production quantity has increased and production time has been saved.

He also says one person can operate the machine effectively. That is particularly relevant for the smaller, more varied jobs that form part of Vinod Printers’ current work.

Handling single-book and small-quantity jobs

One of the practical benefits Kishore highlights is the ability to handle very small jobs. He describes work that can come in as a single book, including magazines, coffee-table books and personalised or birthday-gift books.

He says there was an initial adjustment period while he became familiar with the machine. After that, he found that even a single book could be bound with the required finish.

That matters for short-run production because a small quantity does not necessarily mean a lower expectation for finishing. A one-book order can still require the same attention to the finished spine and overall appearance as a larger production run.

Reported production change in short run perfect binding

Kishore says Vinod Printers previously produced around 40–50 books a day. After installing the SigLoch ZEN, he says production has reached around 400–500 books a day.

Service that stays connected to production

Kishore also highlights the service experience since installation. He says he has not faced an issue with the Bindwel service team so far. When a problem arises, he says he can call and receive an online solution.

He also describes periodic technician visits without necessarily being called. For a production operation where binding has become an internal process, that continuing contact is part of his experience with the machine.

Kishore suggests that the rear ducting could be arranged differently to reduce the space required behind the machine. In a city such as Pune, where floor space is important, he sees this as a useful improvement.

He also finds the gauge system somewhat complicated and believes there is scope to make setting the gauge for different books easier. He says these are manageable once the operator becomes familiar with the machine.

The move towards digital short run perfect binding

Kishore sees the printing market in Pune moving towards digital and shorter-quantity work. He believes smaller businesses can continue to find opportunities by adapting to these requirements.

He also sees inkjet printing having an increasing influence on the industry. For Vinod Printers, the shift towards short run perfect binding is connected with a growing focus on books, including educational books, and a production workflow in which printing and finishing can be managed closer together.

Short Run Perfect Binding as part of the workflow

For Vinod Printers, the decision to install the SigLoch ZEN was tied to a practical production requirement: perfect binding was being outsourced while the company’s work was increasingly moving towards digital printing, smaller quantities and books.

Bringing the process in-house gives Kishore and his team greater control over those jobs, from single-book requirements to larger short runs. The machine is part of a broader change in how Vinod Printers is organising its production around the work its customers are asking for.

That is where Short Run Perfect Binding fits into the company’s current workflow: as an in-house finishing capability supporting a more varied mix of digitally produced books and smaller-quantity jobs.

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