Perfect Binding and PUR Binding for brochures and catalogues

It is important when you have your brochures and catalogues printed that you choose the correct type of binding for the job. The following are factors to consider:

How many pages will the finished product have. The number of pages along with the weight of paper will determine the size of the spine. For most brochures and catalogues under 40 pages then stitching the document will be the ideal solution. Stitching with 2 wires is neat, durable and allows the document to lay flat on the table or desk.

Saddle-stitched programme for pantomime

If the catalogue is more substantial and you require a spine then there are a two options: Perfect binding or PUR binding. The main difference is the adhesive used in the binding process.  Perfect binding uses ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) adhesives whereas PUR uses polyurethane reactive (PUR) adhesives. PUR adhesive offers better adhesion over EVA and also the ability for the bound book to lay flat without compromising the binding strength. PUR binding is more expensive and also requires longer to 'cure' therefore taking longer to finish.

PUR Binding for Wine List

Wiro binding is ideal when you require a the brochure to lay completely flat on the desk - you lose a spine but wiro is fantastic for presentations where you need everyone to 'stay on the page'.

Wiro binding for Suzuki Document

Effective use of metallic inks for brochure printing

Metallics inks such as gold and silver can enhance the impact of your brochure but you must follow the tips below:

1). Always print onto coated stock. To achieve the desired iridescent effect the metallic ink must sit smoothly onto the paper surface. Uncoated papers and boards will kill the effective and the ink will look very flat.

2). Never cover the metallic inks with a Matt lamination. Printed brochures and catalogues usually have a lamination to the cover. Howver if you have metallic ink on your cover, a matt lamination will kill the iridescent effect. You will find, metallic silver will look grey, and gold will appear to be a standard brown.

3). Use Spot UV: if you do have to have a matt lamination to your brochure or catalogue and you want your metallics to stand out and not look flat then apply a spot UV to the metallic area - you will find that the metallic iridescent effect will return. Gloss lamination enhances the metallic effect so if you need to laminate and spot UV is not in your budget then go this option.

4). Increase metallic coverage area: the larger the printed metallic area, the better the metallic effect. So for example, if the inside of your product catalogue is plain then this is an opportunity to cover with a metallic.

5). There are other metallics other than gold and silver: ther are some great metallic ink colours on the market - choosing one of these can make your marketing brochure stand out out from the rest.

Catalogue printing builds customer loyalty

Catalogue printing can appear to be something of a luxury when it's so easy to pop your products up onto your website and wait for the orders to come in.

OK, you've got to make sure you can be found by the search engines or you may have emailed prospective clients a link to your website. This is standard practice but it also means that everyone else is doing the same as you and that when your prospect searches for a product you may not be in the Google top 5 and never get a look in.

A printed catalogue is an invaluable tool to send to customers and prospects. Only last week, Next reported 11.8% increase in their Directory business as opposed to 3.5% fall in profits in the rest of their business. Once someone has your catalogue they are no longer looking at the competition. This helps ensure you not only keep their bsuiness but also helps maintain your margins.

So next time you think "can I afford to produce a printed catalogue"  or invest in brochure printing , the question you maybe should be asking is, "Can I afford not to?"