Bindery Operator - North

Lakeside Book Company; Harrisonburg (VA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Lakeside Book Company in Harrisonburg, VA is seeking a Bindery Operator. No experience is necessary; we provide comprehensive training. Starting rate is $23.30 per hour, with opportunities for advancement.

You will set up and operate a variety of bindery machines, inspect equipment for safety, and coordinate activities to supervise crew, ensuring quality and productivity across shifts.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of setup and operation of bindery equipment.
• Ability to read job orders and ensure dimensional accuracy.
• Capable of adjusting multiple stations for coordinated production.
• Familiar with safety procedures and equipment inspection.

Responsibilities

• Set up, adjust and operate bindery machines for producing finished books, catalogs, manuals, or magazines.
• Inspect equipment for safety issues.
• Operate adhesive binding machines (perfect binders) and coordinate multiple process stations.
• Make adjustments to align multiple workstations on a single machine.
• Direct crew through production and monitor quality, output and productivity.

Skills

Machine setup

Safety awareness

Perfect binding

Machine coordination

Team supervision

Quality monitoring

Tools

Hand tools

Binding machines

Cutters

Collators

Stitchers

Job description

We are looking for a Bindery Operator to join our team at Lakeside Book Company. As the largest bookmaker in the United States, you will help move the finished product out the door and into the hands of readers across the country. No experience necessary! We will provide you with all the training you need to be successful. Advancement opportunities are available!

Starting Rate: $23.30

Work Hours: 6am-6pm M/T/F/S/S/W/Th

Location: 2347 Kratzer Rd; Harrisonburg, VA 22802 and 1025 Willow Springs Rd; Harrisonburg, VA 22801

As our Bindery Operator, you will:

• Set up, adjust and operate a variety of auxiliary binding machines containing several cutting heads, control surfaces or other attachments (i.e. inkjet and mailing devices, case making & decorating equipment, folders, cutters, collators, stitchers, drills, binding/gluing machines and/or set up automatic bindery machines containing multiple functions and station capabilities (power paper cutters, power collators and gatherers, power folders, power speed binder) which can be electromechanically combined with other equipment and devices to produce a complete bindery and finishing unit that processes printed sheets into final books, catalogs, manuals, directories, magazines or other completed products
• Inspect equipment for safety issues
• May operate automatic adhesive binding machines (perfect binders) that contain numerous interrelated process stations that are fed collated sheets or signatures and perform such functions as vibrating, milling, roughening, gluing, covering and delivering or stacking completed books, magazines or catalogs
• Make needed adjustments to coordinate the multiple work stations on a single machine
• Direct crew though all aspects of production. Monitor quality, output and productivity

Qualifications:

• Thorough knowledge of the setup, adjustment, procedures, capabilities and limitations of equipment to perform the full range of standard and specialized binding, folding, collating, and cutting of printed materials to complete a finished product
• Comprehensive knowledge of machinability of different paper weights, sizes, kinds and colors so as to be able to identify paper conditions (i.e. excessive moisture or curling that frequently requires additional machine adjustment)
• Thorough knowledge of limitations and capabilities of all machines used to accomplish unusual set ups or machine combinations to produce unique or one of a kind printed materials
• Ability to use the full range of standard and specialized tools and devices to adjust and maintain the functional accuracy and operating conditions of the bindery machines
• Skill in making difficult adjustments to powered machines using hand tools (i.e. wrenches, screwdrivers, punches, knives) as well as more specialized hand tools, usually furnished by the machine manufacturer
• Skill in operating complicated bindery equipment such as folders, cutters, collators, stitchers, drills, binding/gluing machines
• Ability to read and interpret written work which indicates the number and sequence of machine operations required to complete the work and maintain dimensional accuracy in accordance with instructions provided

At Lakeside Book Company, we value craftsmanship and collaboration by encouraging employees to improve their skills and capabilities. To that end, in addition to meeting the qualification requirements for this position, preference will be given to candidates who agree to participate incross-trainingwhich includes achieving qualified statuswithin the positionand assumingresponsibility as a back-up tolateralandprogressive roles, as needed.