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Must Have Equipment for Your Office

Not having all the necessary tools in your office can limit your ability to complete a job on time. It’s likely you can think of many of the important elements of your office immediately, like computers, printers, paper, pens and pencils, but what else do you need? Be prepared before you need to complete the project by including a laminator, binding machine, and paper cutter in your office. If you anticipate handling currency or disposing of confidential documents, also consider picking out a money counter and/or paper shredder.

I have chosen these five office products because of the frequency in which they can be used to complete projects, organize documents, maintain security, or be more precise. All of these utilities are important in creating a successful work environment and can be added to your office at a reasonable cost. I have put together a list of very brief buying guides for each of the five categories below.

Laminators
Laminators can be used in conjunction with binding machines to create professional-looking booklets, or by themselves to protect documents and images. The type of laminator you choose will greatly depend on the size of documents you intend to laminate.

There are two main types of laminators: pouch and roll. Pouch laminators are best for smaller documents that require a sturdy laminate, like ID cards. Roll laminators are best suited for wider formats, thin paper, and photographs. Roll laminators are less restricting because a the dimensions of a page are limited only by the length of the roll of film. For a pouch laminator, the page you wish to laminate must fit inside a pouch before you proceed.

For general office use, a moderate sized roll laminator is usually sufficient. Check out the GBC HeatSeal Ultima 65 which is easy to use and perfect for most standard sized documents.

Binding Machines
Binding machines are vital in creating professional presentation and marketing tools for your business. There are a variety of binding styles including: coil and spiral, comb, glue, stitch, and staple. Typically, coil, spiral, and comb binding are used in business settings. These machines are the easiest and least expensive to operate and can be stored in a relatively small space.

Before you decide on a specific binding machine, consider the types of binding that may be common in your office. Determine the necessary maximum specifications in terms of the machine’s punching and binding size capabilities. For instance, if you will be binding legal size documents, the binding capabilities must be 14” or more. Depending on the number of pages you will typically binding, consider machines that are capable of punch more or less sheets at a time.

Finally, investigate the cost of supplies needed for a normal job. How much are covers and coils or spirals for your new booklets? Will you be making hundreds or just a few? Generally, plastic binding options are less expensive and easier to use, but for binding larger documents or to prevent breaking a binding, metal may be a better option. For small to medium size work loads, you can find a sufficient binding machine like the Akiles Coilmac for under $400.

Shredders
Paper shredders are imperative to maintaining the security in your office. When you are dealing with a client’s or your own confidential documents, don’t second guess yourself, use a shredder to ensure the information is safely disposed of. There are many shredders that are capable of providing at least a minimal level of security in an office. Shredders range from desk side models to departmental models. Choosing the right shredder will depend on your business’s shredding scope and size.

Desk side shredders are best for one to three users with minimal shredding needs. Commercial office shredders are intended for use in larger departments with higher shredding demands. Depending on the necessary security level within your office, you may want to consider purchasing a high security paper shredder with a locking waste basket. High security shredders use cross cut technology to cut paper, and other materials, into indecipherable bits.

Paper shredders also come with extras like the ability to shred CDs and DVDs or an automatic shut off feature to prevent paper jams. Consider GBC’s Shredmaster line of shredders to fulfill your office needs.

Paper Cutters
Paper cutters help cut down time for completing large projects or help straighten edges for smaller scale presentation handouts. Either way, paper cutters are an important addition to any office. Decide on the paper cutter that is right for you based on the amount of paper you intend to cut at one time and how wide the documents are that you intend to cut.

The most common type of paper cutter is the guillotine cutter. The guillotine cutter uses a large swinging arm to cut through paper laying flat beneath it. These cutters come in various sizes and cutting capabilities that are perfect for small to medium work loads. Guillotine cutting blades are replaceable in most cases and if not, they a removable to enable sharpening.

If you intend to cut large amounts of paper frequently, electric and hydraulic powered paper cutters are capable of making identical cuts repeatedly with little to no manual operation. Also, these models typically have LCD displays so the user always knows what the machine is doing. Check out the Duplo 490 Hydraulic cutter for large scale precision cutting.

Money Counters
Money counters are vital to the success of any business that accepts currency, particularly cash, especially in large amounts. Money counters increase precision and productivity, and reduce the time needed to count bills. Counters are available with counterfeit detection capabilities that can cut down on fraudulent activities and reduce potential losses as well. Don’t continue to count and recount when you can make a small investment in ensuring you’re always right!

Currency counters are available with a variety of individual specifications and features including: a certain number of bills per minute, UV/MG counterfeit detection, LED displays, and variable counting speeds. Additional features will increase the price of the unit, but may greatly increase your business’s productivity. Consider the Industria MX-2000 Dual currency counter with counterfeit detection for your office or business.

I hope this list was helpful in clarifying the reasons why your office may benefit from the addition of one or all of these tools. If you have any other items that you have found made your life easier in the office, let us know with a comment below!

Tips to Create Professional-Looking Coil Bound Menus

Creating your own menus for a cafe or restaurant isn’t as difficult as you may have thought! All you need is the materials - coils, covers, and a binding machine - and you’re ready to save loads of time and money by making your menus in-house. The best part about binding on your own is that you’re free to make changes in design and layout whenever you like.

Coil bound menu pages are easy to turn and can lay flat on a table or counter while a customer is reading them. It’s possible to incorporate either soft or hard covers with coil binding and pages can be added or omitted from a menu fairly easily. Also, if you’re concerned with cost, some of the materials including the coil binding and the covers can be reused as long as the basic dimensions and design of your menu remain the same. Here are a few suggestions for creating professional grade menus at a fraction of the cost:

Create your menu design and layout.
Unless you have already compiled the information you’ll need for your new menus, begin by developing item descriptions and gathering photographs (only if you intend to include them in your menu). Develop a design you are comfortable with and print a test copy to bind before you make a commitment. For less formal restaurants and cafes, smaller menu dimensions and more pictures are generally accepted and expected from your customers. For formal menus, refrain from using pictures and provide more detailed item descriptions. Dimensions will be important for deciding on a specific binding machine so initial design steps should be taken before you choose an inserter or machine.

Purchase a coil binding machine.
A variety of coil or spiral binding machines are available that have the necessary features to meet your needs. Depending on the coil material you wish to use, plastic or metal, choose the machine that is capable of binding one or the other, or both. Coil and spiral inserters are also an option for those wishing to automate the entire process. These machines are more expensive than a typical coil binding machine, but can greatly reduce the time needed to bind, especially when producing large quantities. Binding machines and inserters have maximum paper capacity as well, in terms of both the number of sheets they can punch and the size of paper they can accommodate for punching and binding. Be certain the machine you choose meets all of the size and material requirements you demand before you purchase!

Decide on the materials you’ll need to finish your menus.
To bind your menus you will have to decide on the color and size of the coils and covers you wish to use to complete your menus. As you’re shopping for these items, be sure to double check the size specifications, compared to the number of pages you’ll be binding, before you purchase either coils or covers. Coils are available in sizes from 1/8” to above 1”, most likely your menu will have a small number of pages and the smallest sized coil will be sufficient. Have an idea about the number of menus you want so you can purchase the necessary amount of coils and covers; plan on picking up a few extra so you have replacements for menus that are lost or damaged.

Binding and finishing your menus.
Now that you’ve decided on a design, a machine, and the materials, you can begin the process of actually binding your menus. Begin by punching and binding the test copy you printed after designing the menu. If you like the way this copy looks after binding continue with the rest of the menus!

A few final tips.
To help your menu pages last longer, consider laminating them. A sufficient laminator can generally be purchased for less than the amount of a coil binding machine and will help your menus last significantly longer. For less formal restaurants especially, laminating pages, as well as pre-designed covers, can dramatically cut costs and provide your menus with a very professional look.

When designing something like a menu, which a number of people will see everyday, it is a good idea to consult a business partner, customer, or friend before deciding on a final design. Often times others will have suggestions to make a design more user-friendly or visually appealing.

Finally, once you have all of the necessary materials, don’t hesitate to redesign your menus and create a new look. Refreshing the style, layout, and items within your menu can attract new customers and add to the excitement surrounding your restaurant.

Save Money by Creating Business Cards In-House

For employees who are in contact with clients or vendors on a regular basis, business cards are a must.  Depending on the frequency of meetings or encounters, some employees can go through business cards at a rapid speed.  The constant ordering of cards can be an impressive expense for your business, but can be easily  offset by making them in your office.

The process of making a business card is fairly straight forward, anyone can do it.  The two most common computer word processors, Microsoft Word and Macintosh Pages, both have the capability of manipulating business card formats.  The hardest part of the process will be deciding how to design your cards.  Make sure the logo, fonts, and colors on your card are acceptable for your company and its image and the rest is up to you!  If you’ve had business cards made in the past, creating a card with a similar design can be completed very quickly.  Keep in mind, the design process is a one-time task.  After the main design is created, save it as a template in the document you are manipulating so all you’ll need to do next time is add a name and phone number.  Most office printers are capable of printing business cards so purchasing a new printer is unnecessary.


The one item you’ll probably need as you begin to create your business cards is a business card slitter.  It is very important your cards are uniform and evenly cut to ensure a professional look.  To maintain a professional look while saving yourself money, it is imperative your cards are cut with a card slitter.  Using rudimentary cutting tools such as scissors or a guillotine cutter will most likely lead to uneven cutting and a waste of your time and money.  Consider the Tamerica Instant Card Desktop Slitter; it has the ability to cut typical 8 1’2” x 11” card stock at up to 40 cards per minute.  This means after your initial design work, creating hundreds of personalized business cards can take less than 10 minutes.