Meet Kortez Brown, Book Enthusiast and Division Manager with Roswell / Bindtech Bookbindery
Despite living in a digital world, print is far from obsolete. Book manufacturing continues to grow as people seek out the tactile, timeless experience of holding a beautifully crafted book.
That experience doesn’t happen by accident. It takes care, collaboration, and craftsmanship—something Kortez Brown knows intimately. As a manufacturing leader at Roswell / Bindtech Book Binding, Kortez helps bring designers’ and publishers’ visions to life through expert techniques and a deep understanding of the bindery process. From perfect and case binding to Smyth sewing, foil stamping, and complex finishing, every detail is handled with care. His bespoke approach reflects a time-honored craft that continues to evolve, connecting us to stories in a meaningful and lasting way.
Curious how designers can collaborate with Roswell / Bindtech? So were we. Join us for a thoughtful conversation with Kortez and a behind-the-scenes look at where the magic happens.
Kortez — we’re so excited to sit down and chat with you about all things bookbinding. For those who might not be familiar, can you give us a quick intro into Roswell / Bindtech?
Bindtech-Roswell manufactures some of the coolest books you’ll ever see—rooted in Arizona hometown pride and American manufacturing excellence. The company was founded in 1960 by Mark and Iris Roswell. The couple left the fast pace of New York City to start a new life in the desert with their three young children with a vision of crafting high-quality, bespoke books. Since then, the company has grown while staying true to its roots. Today, we collaborate closely with commercial and boutique printers across the US and Canada, as well as designers and custom publishers, crafting hardcover books and rigid boxes—including slipcases and clamshells—bringing creative visions to life.
As a company steeped in history, how would you explain the continued relevance of print and bookbinding in a world that’s more digital than ever?
I believe people still desire to hold a book in their hands. It represents something tangible and real. Think about a nice, soft leather-bound book with an intricate foil decoration. The smell of the leather and the visual appeal of a shiny metallic gold foil that matches the gilded gold edge of the book pages. Maybe it’s a nostalgic purchase!
From what I’ve gathered, you’re one of the few bookbinding specialists in the U.S. offering truly custom solutions—including one-of-a-kind pieces and small-batch runs. Can you share why that approach feels so central to your practice?
KB: We have the capabilities and talent within our walls to produce what most people would never think possible. It’s the pure challenge of the project—and the smiles we see when a customer receives their book and holds it in their hands—that makes our small-batch approach meaningful to us. The previous owner, Mike Roswell, and mad scientist Jim Menke (retired ops manager) almost never said no. “Figure it out!” was the motto they preached to us. This is what we were taught—and what we continue today. We take pride in that mentality.
It sounds like saying ‘yes’ often means you have to get really creative and solve some tricky problems. How does working closely with clients, other designers, or your team help drive that?
When we get to collaborate with the customer or designers, we can lead in a direction that is best for production and the end user. The manufacturing process becomes an extension of the design process, and the project becomes a collective solution from all parties. I’d like to believe that is utopia for everyone involved, because we all “WIN”.
“The manufacturing process becomes an extension of the design process, and the project becomes a collective solution from all parties.”
Besides the “figure it out” mentality, what other values or philosophies from 60 years ago continue to guide your work today?
I’d say there are a handful of values we’ve continued on through the 60 plus years of being in business. Our employees and their desire to do their best is the heart of our company. It’s kinda funny because I don’t know if they truly understand how special their work is. We collectively do our best every day with every project no matter who the customer is. We LOVE a challenge and thrive on producing the best quality product. There are a lot of hands that touch each project. Our level of care, service, innovation, and quality is how we’ve managed to become a staple in the industry.
Love that. That’s rare to find today. With that said, why should designers come to you as their partner of choice?
When you listen to the designer and you know your capabilities, materials, and are focused on serving the customer, you can’t go wrong. Also…if we’ve never done it before, we will try! If designers are looking for a partner with whom they can innovate alongside, well — there’s synergy there. I believe that’s what drives a successful partnership.
Is there a current niche that you feel especially passionate about?
The influencer projects are at the top of the list for sure. They are usually short runs with a high level of intricacy or design. I’d say the hospitality, gaming, and spirits industry are some of the coolest projects
And what does your vision for the future look like? What do you look forward to doing more of?
I’d like us to grow our custom publisher customer base and grow the hospitality industry. I am looking forward to attending some hospitality tradeshows to see how our menus stand up to what is already out there.
What do you think is the biggest benefit of being part of a creative community?
Simply put…ALL the creatives that we could work with — the new and fresh ideas that will push our limits and challenge us as an organization. All you have to do is visit our facility once, and you will see what I mean. A designer has no idea what they are able to produce until we show them what is possible. Creativity is a two-way street. The more dialogue we have, the more we can understand about each other. That’s where those small ‘aha’ moments happen and where we can push the boundaries.
“Creativity is a two-way street. The more dialogue we have, the more we can understand about each other. That’s where those small ‘aha’ moments happen and where we can push the boundaries.”
With bookbinding skills becoming increasingly rare, how does your business work to mentor or train new talent? What challenges and opportunities do you see in keeping this craft alive?
We have some young talent at our shop, and we are always on the lookout for new talent. We have been fairly successful with using temp agencies and word of mouth through our current employee pool. The biggest challenge is keeping the craft alive in a digital world. We have school tours throughout the year, and we always have people who show interest. We’ve hired previous students who have toured before, so I’ll take the win.
We’re definitely looking forward to some exciting AIGA Arizona + Roswell / Bindtech collaborations (wink, wink) and hopefully the opportunity to grow that interest! In the meantime, what’s the best way for people to follow along with your work?
I’d say our LinkedIn and Instagram marketing is the most consistent, and we do have a lot of activity on both platforms
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