Latest News

We had some fun with our staff and turned them into superheroes. Find out how Cliffhanger and crew will save your book from falling into the wrong hands!

Experience our full color printing along with superior customer service all while keeping the printing of your book in the United States. You will have a greater sense of control and far better scheduling - ultimately getting your book to the market faster!

Have you heard the great news? We have been hard at work expanding our manufacturing platform so we can provide customers with high quality book printing and binding services whether you order 1 book or 50,000. Our charge was simple - expand inventory, time to market and cash flow improvement solutions without sacrificing the quality and service you've come to expect of Thomson-Shore and we think our new digital platform delivers. Click here to find out more about our new digital print capabilities or to submit a quote!

Thomson-Shore now offers services to those looking to self-publish.  Our new Book Creation Services Department helps authors get their books print-ready by providing valuable assistance with editing, design, layout, printing, e-book conversion and more!  Click here to check out our offerings!

The Bessenberg Bindery

Thomson-Shore, a leading book manufacturer located in Dexter, Michigan, recently acquired The Bessenberg Bindery, a specialty hand bindery out of Ann Arbor, Mich. Through the new partnership with Jon Buller, founder of Bessenberg, Thomson-Shore will begin offering Books as Art™ capabilities integrated with its already robust offset and digital printing and binding platform.

Featured Video

Joy of books video


In this new section, we will scour the web in search of  fun, educational or informative video clips. This week, it is all about the joy of books. Sit back and enjoy the creativity and vision of this couple from Toronto.


Credit: Type Books - Toronto, Canada

Latest Blog Post

Cliff Hanger Blog

Making print books relevant in an increasingly “e” world is a challenge for our industry. I came across this marketing campaign for JZ’s recent title Decoded and I was really blown away. Talk about using social media to energize print sales… awesome!

Disclaimer: I am not endorsing “BING”...

Ask Thomson-Shore

Q...   Why do you ask if there are any bleeds on the text pages of my project?
A...  

A bleed is a printed image that extends beyond one or more of the page margins. If bleeds fall on certain pages, based on the page count and trim size, it could cost more to produce because the bleeds may cause a double pass at press. To accommodate bleeds a printer may use a larger sheet size to print on.

Q...   Is your paper acid free?
A...  

Yes, Thomson-Shore stocks all acid free paper. Acid free paper can last up to 200 years where as acid papers last around 50 years. To read about Environmental options click here or contact your customer service representative.

Q...   Where is Thomson-Shore located?
A...  

We are located in Dexter, Michigan. You can get driving directions and other useful information on the Our Location page.

Q...   Is there a cost difference between White and Natural papers that you stock?
A...  

Yes, White stocking text papers are generally less expensive.

Q...   What are head and foot bands?
A...  

Head and foot bands are a small piece of silk or cotton which are glued to the top and bottom of a case bound book. These fill the gap normally formed between the spine of the book and the case. The only purpose is decorative. They come in a variety of solid and "striped" colors.

About Us

image of employees sitting at a table with the caption: We're employee-owned!

As an expert book manufacturer, Thomson-Shore prints and binds both perfect bound (paper back or soft cover) and case bound (hard cover) books. While our specialty is short to medium run books, we offer a full range of capabilities.

“Helping you put your best book forward” - it’s our mantra, and it represents our promise to provide exceptional customer service. Our customers are a diverse group of trade & professional publishers, university & religious presses, as well as self publishers. They all tell us that when they work with us, we make their jobs easier. Since we’re employee-owned, each person in our company is accountable for ensuring that our customers’ worries are alleviated, their needs are met, and their jobs are indeed a bit easier.