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CEO TESTIMONIALS BOUND TO STAY BOUND BOOKS, INC.
Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc., a 3rd generation family business, is the world's foremost bindery of juvenile books for public and school libraries and has set the standards for high quality binding for over 80 years. BTSB specializes in the "pre-binding" of books; the company purchases books from publishers, then replaces the books' bindings with stronger methods and materials to withstand the wear and tear of many years of library use. 3.5 million books are pre-bound at the facility yearly with annual sales of over $40 million. The company employs 265 people. The growth of libraries throughout the country and the growth of Bound to Stay Bound (first called New Method Book Bindery) run parallel. The company moved to a new 44,000 square foot location in 1959, and there have been eight additions since, increasing the plant's size to 108,000 square feet. 1.5 million finished books are stored within the facility. An additional warehouse was added in 2000 and the company plans to construct more warehouse space in the near future. BTSB is known for its continuous support of librarians and libraries nationwide, including scholarships for librarians and donations of books to many school and public libraries. As American Library Association Executive Director Susan Roman put it, "Bound to Stay Bound Books is indeed a 'symbol of excellence' recognized locally, regionally and nationally for integrity, quality of product, ethics and generosity." In 1990, the company was among the first to receive Jacksonville's "Industry of the Year" award. "Jacksonville is an ideal location for us, both for our sales operations and for the supplies we need. We get our most critical supplies - binder's board, cover material, paper and shipping cartons - here in the Midwest. This keeps our freight costs to a minimum. And for our customers, we're right in the middle of things. We have many customers on the East Coast, in the South and on the West Coast. Our customers are schools and libraries all over the country, as well as in England, Australia and other English speaking countries." "We buy new children's books from publishers, remove the covers and replace them with our own, much stronger covers, creating a whole new book. A new service we're offering is barcoding and security striping of books. We currently prebind 70,000 to 72,000 books a week. One of my father's innovations was to have employees who fill customer orders wear roller skates, a much faster way for them to navigate through the many rows of shelving and thousands of volumes." "Jacksonville is a very nice place. It's a mixture of things. There's a small town feeling...you know a lot of people...everything's on a personal level. But it's never stagnant. With all the different companies, state institutions, Illinois College and MacMurray College, there are always new and interesting people coming to town. Some might consider small towns to be boring and insular...that is not the case in Jacksonville. There are always new people to meet." "One of the best things about Jacksonville is its emphasis on education. We have the colleges and a wonderful public library which recently underwent a major expansion. Our YMCA facility is a town jewel. There is also a great cultural scene for a town this size... with outstanding music and theatre organizations. I don't have time to attend even half of the town's cultural offerings." "Many of our employees have been with us a long time. Book binding is not taught in trade schools, especially our method; which is somewhat unique. Just as my grandfather, father and I led this company, many of our workers are 2nd and 3rd generation employees. There are many relatives and family connections; it's a family atmosphere. There is a sense of loyalty and pride. The stability of the company and the loyalty of the work force go hand in hand." "When my grandfather founded this company, it was one of the first factories in the area. He knew his employees who came from a farming background were not afraid of hard work and could get the job done right. Although today fewer of our employees are from the farm, they still have that strong Midwestern work ethic." "We're able to hire some of our professionals from the local colleges, especially in computer and customer support areas." "When we recruit outside this area for top level positions, Jacksonville is an easy sell." "We tell prospective executives about our property costs, which are much lower than in the big cities or suburbs, and our quality of life. I also tell them my commute from home to office is 5 minutes." "When we purchased our new warehouse last year, the property needed to be rezoned. Jacksonville's government officials were very helpful and supportive. Our company is busy all through the year; there are no slow downs." "Its great to know our local leaders are pro-business and can get things done when we need them." "I travel extensively in my business, going to trade meetings and meeting with sales representatives nationwide." "Jacksonville's close proximity to the St. Louis airport is a big plus for me. The Jacksonville area provides us with the hard working employees and the central location we need, the supportive atmosphere of government and organizations such as the Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corporation, and an educational and cultural atmosphere." "As I travel, I realize my grandfather and father were right in keeping our business here. They never considered moving the business, and neither have I." Back to top. |
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QUALITY OF LIFE LINKS BOUND TO STAY BOUND BOOKS BRAHLER'S TRUCKER SUPPLY LANDES TRUCKING BACK TO CEO TESTIMONIAL PAGE |
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