A bindery is a finishing department at print shops or firms that completes printed products.
Bindery services provide printed products with their final form. Binderies collect loose pages of books or pamphlets into the correct order before stitching, gluing, or otherwise binding them together as one cohesive whole for final production.
Bindery machines, also known as “binders,” exist to aid these activities; each is designed to perform one or more specific binding processes.
Binary refers to a department within a printing company that performs binding services.
Bindery refers most frequently to bookbinding, an ancient practice performed using numerous techniques that have endured for centuries.
Bookbinding can be broken down into its core elements: stitching the pages together using thread and either manually or with a sewing machine; glue is then added between pages on the spine of the cover for secure attachment of the book to the reader.
More sophisticated bookbinding techniques involve using machines with specific functions to stitch, glue, and add decorative features such as a gold leaf.
Bookbinding is one of many services offered at binderies; magazines, pamphlets, catalogs, and calendars may also require binding.