Bookbinding and Finishing

MFK DIGITAL acquired Petam Bookbinding in 1999 and though now an intrinsic part of the modern MFK Digital operation, it still maintains its traditional way of working.

Our services are flexible enough to complement traditional printing and digital printing alike, and as our binding is based around quality, not quantity, the fading art of true rounding and backing is always kept alive. With the flexibility we are able to offer, we can easily fulfil what are often considered difficult jobs for other binding companies, e.g. tip-ins of folded maps, throw-outs and throw-clears, sprinkled edges and slip cases.

Our binding services include:

* Case binding
* Perfect binding
* Library binding
* Fine leather binding
* Weekly periodicals
* Monthly periodicals
* Theses/dissertations
* Legal journals
* Medical journals
* Handwritten books and poems
* Signature books
* Presentation books
* Handmade slip cases

Short-run case binding

We can undertake quantities from 1 to 1,000 books, whilst the high quality of work is maintained throughout every binding process:

* Cancellations and complicated tipping-in are easily catered for as all forwarding is done by hand.
* Section sewn books are produced via hand fed, semi-automatic and automatic sewing machines, which allow bolted and cut head work to be sewn.
* Book blocks are rounded and backed using a "Crawley" backing machine. The rounding and backing produced by this machine is unsurpassed by any other automated backing machine.
* Cases ranging from 4" x 7" to 14" x 22" (102 x 180mm to 356 x 560mm) are produced using our Kolbus GD casemaker. Case sizes falling outside these ranges are produced by hand.
* We can foil block almost any design or layout required. Artwork and blocking chemacs can be produced if required. Personalised lettering is also an option.
* All books are cased-in by hand and pressed overnight.
* We are happy to produce binder dummies to aid in the production of spine artwork, dust jackets and cartons.