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Ho ho ho! Everyone get attached!
No, we at Rickard Bindery aren’t starting a matchmaking service. Rather, we want to take this opportunity to show that interactive, awareness generating, attached products are a great way to make many printed projects more attractive and effective. Attaching can be an ideal solution for pieces that include printed inserts such as instruction sheets, promotional information, membership cards or gift cards, which are especially popular during the holiday season.
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This example of attaching is just one of the many projects handled by Rickard. |
Gift cards are typically attached to a paper carrier substrate with spots of ez-release glue, also called removable glue, which can be easily rubbed away by the end user after the piece is detached. When planned properly gift cards are easily incorporated into mailing projects. Once position is determined, the card is affixed to the carrier, which then continues down the production line for folding and sealing. Projects that include cards and other flat product inserts are often able to be buckle-folded, while thicker or more rigid attachments (ie: Pharmaceutical Inserts or CD’s) may require plow folding or tipper plate techniques.
When planning an attaching project, be sure to take into account the glue. As with all gluing projects, the chemistry between the glue, ink, and any coatings simply can’t be overlooked. It’s important to get detailed information about the product that is being affixed. All magnets, cards, or envelopes are not created equal. Their thickness, weight, or texture will all factor into how the project folds and glues. Don’t forget to talk with your bindery early in the design process to make certain all materials are properly prepared and ready for automatic inserting.
Communicate early and often:
- Communicate your card position to your finisher during the estimating stage because this may determine not only how the piece folds but at what speeds it can run.
- Industry standard for positioning is to allow a .25” safety zone around the product.
- Always ask your client the end use of the piece so the bindery will best know how to produce it.
- If an attached piece is going to have another post press operation after attaching, such as saddle stitching or envelope insertion, tell your finisher up front because additional savings may be possible.
The Rickard Advantage
One of our recent attaching projects deserves a mention, not because of complexity, but because of volume. One of our customers needed a generic 2”x 3” gift card affixed to an 8-1/2”x 11” carrier sheet, which subsequently was letter folded. We affixed these cards with four spots of ez-release glue and created an in-line production workflow from the attaching unit directly into and through the folder. Why do we mention this seemingly normal job? How about three million pieces in about two weeks? In other words don’t forget about Rickard Bindery for projects with aggressive delivery dates.
At Rickard Bindery, we can attach almost any thickness of plastic card onto a wide range of substrates. We can also attach much more than plastic cards, including product sample packages such as shampoo, toothpaste and aspirin; product inserts; pharmaceutical inserts and more.
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