Unibind Vs Punch Binding Which is More Cost Effective?

Unibind Vs Punch Binding Which is More Cost Effective?

If you re considering a purchasing a binding system so you can produce high quality books in the comfort of your own office, cost is probably a major factor in your decision. Times are tight and it s more important than ever to choose a system that will make financial sense for you. While the initial investment in the machine is probably at the forefront of your mind, you also need to consider the costs of labor and materials. And, when it comes right down to it, Unibind is one of the most cost effective solutions available, especially when you compare it to punch binding systems.

But first, you need to know a bit about Unibind. This is a thermal binding system that allows you to make your own hard and soft cover books. When you use a Unibind machine, you can bind multiple documents at the same time and the time it takes to finish the process is unbelievably short. It will only take 90 seconds for the machine to bind your book. It s a really innovative system that s fast, simple, and it eliminates the mess and hassle of binding with wire, plastic combs, or coils.


To be honest, the machines themselves can be a bit pricey, especially if you get one of their top of the line devices such as the ST1025 which can bind up to 50 documents at once. However, the cost of the machine will be offset by the fact that many Unibind supplies include both the spine and cover. Plus, the Unibind system can save you so much time that the labor savings can be substantial.

For example, let s say you want to create a book that s 1/4 thick. If you were binding your document with a comb or wire spine, not only will you need paper, you ll also need the spine or comb itself, as well as a front and back cover. And then if an employee is putting your book together, you ll also need to pay him or her. Right there, that s several dollars spent on time and labor and that s just for one booklet because the vast majority of punch binding machines can only bind one document at a time. Not only is this counterproductive, it s expensive too, especially since the more booklets you need, the more you ll need to pay your employee for his/her time.

On the other hand, let s say you want to use a Unibind SteelMat or SteelCrystal cover for your book. As of December 2009, these covers cost about $1.20 each, so already you re saving money. And you won t need to spend as much on labor because these machines can not only bind lots of books at once, they complete the job quickly and automatically. Typically, it will take a worker more than 3 hours to bind 100 documents with a punch binding system. Meanwhile, depending on the machine your company has, it will only take 5 to 45 minutes to bind that many documents. Quite the difference, huh?

As you can see, Unibind is the method to use when you need to save money on materials and labor. Plus, it provides your documents with a much more professional look and you won t have to deal with the mess and hassle of a comb, wire, or coil binding machine. So when looks and your bottom line count, Unibind is the way to go.

OPUSalbums.com is indebted to Jeff McRitchie of MyBinding.com, Hillsboro, OR, USA.  Jeff may be contacted via
 sales@mybinding.com or +1-800-944-4573   www.MyBinding.com