A bindery is a workshop or factory where books are bound. More broadly, it encompasses the process of assembling and securing written or printed sheets inside covers to form a book, magazine, or other bound publication.
The term "bindery" also refers to the department within a larger printing company responsible for finishing processes.
The bindery process includes a range of operations, which may vary depending on the type of binding, the size of the edition, and the equipment available. Common bindery operations include:
- Folding: Creating signatures by folding printed sheets.
- Collating: Assembling signatures in the correct order.
- Gathering: Collecting individual sheets (for example, for perfect binding).
- Sewing: Stitching signatures together to form a book block.
- Trimming: Cutting the edges of the book block to create clean, even edges.
- Adhesive Binding: Applying glue to the spine of the book block to hold the pages together (e.g., perfect binding, case binding).
- Case Making: Constructing the covers for hardcover books.
- Covering: Attaching the covers to the book block.
- Finishing: Processes such as embossing, debossing, foil stamping, and applying coatings.
Modern binderies utilize a mix of automated machinery and manual labor. Large-scale binderies often have sophisticated equipment capable of handling high volumes of work efficiently. Smaller binderies may focus on specialized binding techniques or custom projects.
