Bindery

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.