MyBinding Knowledge Base
Who are the best manufacturers of laminators
Laminators are essential machines that can come in handy in a variety of work environments especially offices and schools. There are essentially two types of laminators (pouch and roll) and they’re both made by some first-rate manufacturers. These companies range from well-known ones (Fellowes, GBC) to ones that aren’t too familiar to people outside the document finish industry (Drytac, Tamerica). If you’re looking for a laminator, there are some names you should for. Here are seven of them. Check them out so you can learn which names are the best in one area of the document finishing industry.
- GBC. If there’s a go-to name when it come to office machines, it’s definitely GBC. This company, which is headquartered near Chicago, has been in business since 1947 and makes some of the most popular binding machines and laminators of all. GBC makes both roll and pouch laminators, and their pouch models primarily belong to the HeatSeal series. (There are a few roll laminators in the lineup, as well.) This company’s pouch machines are good for office use while the company’s roll laminators are perfect for print shops. Some of their best laminators include the HeatSeal H420 (pouch) and the Catena 35 (roll). GBC is definitely a name you should look for when choosing a laminator.
- Fellowes. Fellowes is another company that’s been around for a long time, having been established in 1917. Originally, the company was known for their high-quality file boxes (which are known as “Bankers Boxes”) but they’ve added more products to their lineup as the years have gone by. Their pouch laminators are extremely popular including items such as the Voyager VY-125, a very stylish device that can process items up to 12.5” wide. It also has HeatSense technology that helps keep the device cool to the touch so you don’t burn yourself when using it. The company doesn’t currently make roll laminators, but perhaps they will in the future. (And they’d undoubtedly be fantastic.)
- Xyron. The name Xyron is well-known in the crafting world for making such popular product as the Create-A-Sticker 150 which can be used to produce your own customized stickers. The company – which was established in 1996 – also makes some great cold laminators including the Creatopia, which can also be used to cut, emboss, and adhere paper. They also make products that are great for business use such as the 2500, a professional roll laminator that can process items up to 25” wide including mounting boards. The great thing about most Xyron laminators is that they’re cold process machines so you won’t get burned while using them. They’re very safe to use and are suitable for use in schools.
- Akiles. If you want a laminator that can withstand a lot of heavy-duty use, you can’t go wrong with an Akiles device. Akiles has been around since 1993 and like GBC and Fellowes, they produce a variety of office tools and devices such as paper cutters and binding machines. The company manufactures some excellent pouch laminators including the ProLam Plus 300, which has silicone rollers for wrinkl-efree results. It also has an all-metal body so you can get as much use as possible out of it. All of Akiles’ laminators are very reliable so they’re definitely good investments.
- Drytac. Drytac is a document finishing solutions company that originated in Canada in the early 1990’s. The company makes some of the best professional-grade laminators currently on the market. Their roll laminators offer both fast, simple operation and great results, so you can gets your materials laminated properly – not to mention quickly and affordably. One of their products is the JM44, a cold laminator that uses pressure-sensitive film and can process items that are more than 40” wide. It’s also capable of working with mounting boards so it might be a good choice if you need to create impressive-looking visual aids for a presentation or class.
- Royal Sovereign. When it comes to roll laminators, Royal Sovereign is definitely a go-to brand. The company, which has offices in places all over the world, has consistently produced high-quality roll laminators that can be used in schools, offices, and copy shops. (They also make some excellent pouch laminators.) One of their best roll laminators is the Royal Sovereign RSH-1651, a rather large device that can process materials that are up to 65” wide. It can do both hot and cold lamination so it’s perfect if you need to work with thermally sensitive materials and still want to process some items thermally.
- Tamerica. Tamerica is one company that’s heralded for making innovative laminators. The company has existed since 1985 and has a presence in both the United States and Latin America. They make both pouch and roll laminators, but their roll devices are really their strong suit. One of their best products is the Versalam 1800, a roll laminator that can do one- and two-sided lamination. It can even process mounting boards so you can use it to make visual aids. Meanwhile, the Tamerica TCC6000 is a pouch laminator that was designed for processing photographs. It can preserve your memories and even make the colors in your prints more eye-catching.
These are seven of the most trusted and respected companies that make laminators. Whether you’re seeking a pouch laminator for basic tasks around the office or your business demands a heavy-duty roll laminator, chances are great that these companies will have a machine that can fit your needs. While GBC and Fellowes are the best known of the bunch, the other manufacturers listed definitely deserve recognition, and you’ll be surprised at how well-made their products are. Check out these companies today so you can find the right laminator for your needs.
< Over the years, a number of customers have asked me whether they can use twin loop wire with their plastic comb binding machine. These customers often don’t want to have to buy a brand new machine but like the look and feel of twin loop wire binding. However, the answer to their question isn’t as simple as it seems. You see, they actually do make twin loop wire that is designed to work with the plastic comb binding hole pattern. With that said, if you want to use these wires you are going to need a way to close the wires. What is Spiral-O Wire? Let me explain a little bit more…There is a product that we carry called Spiral-O Wire. This wire has 19 loops and is designed to work with the hole pattern from a plastic comb binding machine. Spiral-O Wire is sometimes called Wire Combs or Ibico Wire and was originally designed for use with some of the older Ibico binding machines. A number of the older Ibico plastic comb binding machines also included a twin loop wire closer on the front of them to allow users to use both plastic combs and wire. This 19 loop wire was designed for this purpose. What Equipment is Needed? As the Ibico brand has been phased out by GBC and all of the older Ibico plastic binding machines have been replaced with new models, they no longer have the twin loop wire closer on the front of them. This presents a problem in trying to use these spiral-o wires since you can’t use the wires without a way to close them. One of the only options left is to purchase a Twin Loop wire closer. However, since twin loop wire closers are not incredibly cheap this option usually only appeals to users who have larger electric plastic comb binding machines. Otherwise, it is often advisable to simply buy a low end 3:1 pitch twin loop wire binding machine (the supplies are cheaper). This being said, if you have one of the older Ibico binding machines that has a wire closer included you are in luck. The Spiral-O binding supplies that we carry will work perfectly with your machine and you will be able to use both plastic combs and wire depending on your needs. These Spiral-O binding supplies are available in Black, Silver, White, Blue and Red and in sizes up to 1″ in diameter. If you aren’t sure what type of wire binding supplies that you need to work with your machine simply give us a call. Our trained sales representatives will be glad to help you find the correct supplies for use with your machine.(Read More)
