Kent Larson · President/Chief of Growth · Bridgeport National Bindery · PRINTING United 2025

At Printing United 2025 in Orlando, Morten B. Reitoft from INKISH visits the Standard Finishing Systems booth, where he meets Kent Larson from Bridgeport National Bindery. This company has evolved far beyond its traditional roots while staying true to the craft of bookmaking.

Kent explains that Bridgeport began as a bindery but later expanded into printing, a move that strengthened its understanding of both disciplines. “We’re a bindery first — that’s in our DNA,” he says. “We moved backward into printing, which means our focus on quality binding has never changed. Consumers still want a well-made book.”

He points out that the quality of digitally printed books has improved dramatically. “Years ago, digital print and hot-glue binding didn’t hold up,” he recalls. “Today, with the right engineering and partners like Horizon and Standard, the books look and feel just like traditionally produced ones — they last.”

Kent emphasizes that time-to-market has become the key competitive factor. “That’s the antidote to warehousing,” he says. “If you can print and ship on demand, you eliminate inventory and speculation.” He also highlights how digital printing has revived the book market, once thought to be in decline. “The physical book is thriving again. Short runs, backlist reprints, and print-on-demand are driving a new model — print what you need, when you need it.”

Drawing a parallel to streaming media, Kent compares today’s publishing landscape to the evolution of audio and video. “Just like Spotify or Netflix changed how we consume entertainment, digital printing lets publishers deliver books directly to readers. E-books didn’t replace print because people want something tangible — they want to hold it, gift it, and disconnect from screens.”

He notes that in recent months there has even been a spike in Bible sales in the U.S., underscoring that printed books still carry cultural and emotional weight. “You can read a Bible online, but people want the real thing,” he says.

At the show, Kent explains he’s mainly there to meet friends and see what’s next in finishing technology. “It’s a dynamic time in publishing,” he concludes. “The physical book isn’t going anywhere — people still want something they can touch and feel.”