September 2006 - Product Spotlight: World Almanac

This reference book used its Otabind binding as a key selling point.

The use of a product will often dictate the best binding style. Reference materials can pose a challenge, as their bulk and usage environments require a binding solution that offers sufficient strength without compromising flexibility.

A portion of this World Almanac project was bound using the Otabind layflat adhesive binding method, which allowed such a thick book to lay flat when opened. Here is an in-depth look at how this decision was made:

Meeting User Needs
One of the pet peeves of reference material users is the tendency of those materials to “trap” shut when opened, which can limit functionality. Books that are relatively thick for their format size – such as this Almanac – are particularly susceptible to trapping.

Otabind was selected specifically for its ability to avoid trapping. In addition, the cold-set adhesives used in the Otabind process allow sheets of varying thickness and surface treatment to be bound securely. To help the publisher and end customer with design and planning, © 2010 Muscle Bound Bindery produced several prototypes of this project, as the World Almanac included papers ranging from newsprint to coated offset stock with four-color printing.

We also helped our customer with project logistics ranging from custom carton sizing to pallet ordering, enabling the Almanac to hit the market by its scheduled date. The initial run of the Otabind version of the Almanac was successful enough that the customer specified a print volume nearly sixteen times greater the following year.

The Muscle Bound Advantage
At Muscle Bound Bindery, we recognize true customer service goes beyond the binding itself. We work with our customers to ensure their projects are designed and engineered properly to meet the demands of their intended end users. Contact Muscle Bound today to put your next important book project in our knowledgeable hands.