PHILIP COLLIER BOOKBINDING
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Testimonials

Here are just a small selection of my testimonials.

"Excellent service, fast, friendly and reliable!"

S.OM., February 2020
“It has been a pleasure to deal with Phil. He is a true craftsman who takes a real pride in his work. He provides a superb quality of service which is personal, yet professional. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”

Julia, May 2018
"A responsive, very professional, speedy and wonderfully flexible service and a lovely bound and finished thesis. Phil's customer service is second to none even when he is out of the country!"

Peter Reddy, Psychology, Aston University
June 2016
"The quality of the work was absolutely impeccable and to a very professional standard. The service I received was very prompt and flexible around my schedule.  Each and every detail was thoroughly checked to make sure the product was perfect and I’d happily use Phil’s bookbinding service again."

Jon D., January 2016
"I was absolutely delighted with the end product of the dissertation and the quality of the binding and final presentation. The work was completed professionally and within an especially quick timeframe. I would not hesitate to recommend Phil Collier and would use his service again if required."

Aaron T., October 2015
 "Quite simply, a great service! Phil communicated with me every step of the way and even sent pictures of the finished bound thesis - ideal when I am a distance learning student. The recipients were very impressed with the packaging! After the stress of writing the PhD, the final hurdle was very, very stress-free. I would highly recommend using Phil to do your binding."

Andy B., July 2015
"I've been meaning to email for a couple of weeks to thank you again for the wonderful work you did in binding my three personal copies of my thesis.  They are all very lovely!  

Phil printed and bound three copies of my thesis, each of which was in a different colour to suit the people for whom they were intended.  Every copy was beautifully bound and lettered with great care and the finished theses all looked absolutely lovely.  They are far superior in quality and looks to those bound for the official library deposit copies at the University of Birmingham and so I am really glad that I asked Phil to do these rather than use the in-house service.  In a recent email my PhD supervisor even commented that several colleagues, all used to seeing finished theses, have admired the copy that Phil bound for her.  


Throughout the process Phil was highly efficient, organised and eager to get every detail of the finished theses just how I wanted it to be.  He was always friendly and helpful, even when I was changing my mind about quite what I wanted.  I would say that his service goes far beyond professionalism to being really personal.  He even thought to take photos and send these to me so I could see what each copy looked like and offered to meet me on campus with my completed theses, which was incredibly kind and far beyond what I would have expected.  In part, these are the benefits of using an individual craftsman who takes pride in his work and in every single book he binds, rather than just using a large company who churn out tens of theses each day.  All that, and yet the cost was virtually no different from the bog-standard option at the University print shop!

I would not hesitate to recommend using Phil to other students as they seek to get their thesis bound: you won't regret it!"

Alison
After searching online and locally in leicester for a thesis binder and printing service I was unsuccessful in finding a service who can print and bind 4 copies of my PhD thesis within 3 days. Philip was recommended by Aston University. 
Philip was so efficient as he got my thesis printed and bound within two days and asked for payment after he had personally submitted my thesis on my behalf. Philip reduced my stress levels by taking on the responsibility of printing, binding and hand delivering my thesis to the head of research department and had also posted my copies first class to my home address. 
I would highly recommend Philip Collier without any hesitation as he provided an OUTSTANDING service.  I am so grateful for all your help Philip. Thank you so much 😊

Dr. Jas Johal
Leicester 
"I was extremely pleased with the quality and service provided by Phillip Collier. He was recommended by my fellow PhD colleagues and rightly so. Not only did Phil meet me at my University to pick up my printed thesis (which was extremely convenient) but he also submitted the bound copies to my supervisor for me as I was unable to do so myself, which I thought was fantastic! He offers a high quality product, at great prices and is extremely friendly and easy to contact. I would not hesitate to recommend him!"

Sandeep Dhallu
"With a hard deadline looming, I casted about Warwick, Leaminton Spa, Coventry, Solihull and Birmingham for a binder for my 400+ page PhD thesis. None of them could bind a thesis this large and I was about to head to London in desperation when I stumbled upon Phil's establishment. A couple of days later, I picked up four copies of my bound thesis and they were perfect! It's not just that Phil was flexible enough to do the job outside the normal working hours, he did it with evident joy and with a delicate touch that is rare. I highly recommend his services."

Usman Bagudu, PhD
Subsurface/Reservoir Engineer
"Phil was recommended to me by a colleague, and I was very pleased with the excellent service he provided in binding my thesis. The service was very quick and efficient with no hassle, and Phil has extensive knowledge of the University binding regulations. I will be recommending him to my fellow PhD students."

Lauren Gascoyne
"Brilliant service, brilliant quality thesis binding. I used another thesis binding company initially but was really disappointed by the quality. Phil was actually cheaper & the quality & service he provided was far superior. I have already recommended him to all my colleagues." 

Debbie Laughton
"I have been using Phil's bookbinding services for several years now and cannot recommend him highly enough. I am a book collector and I frequently come across books which are in a distressed state. I would not usually buy them in view of condition but now I don't hesitate to buy as I know that with his skills, Phil will be able to transform them into excellent additions to my collection. He has rebound about 70 books so far and hopefully many more in the future. I have used other bookbinders in the past and Phil's work is the best I have come across. Apart from the quality of his work he gives first class friendly customer service. Nothing is too much trouble for him and he is very flexible as regards the delivery and collection of items. Do not hesitate to use his services as you will not be disappointed."

Steve Taylor, February 2019

"Simply put, Phil is a master craftsman. Every aspect of the binding was flawless and precisely to my personal specifications. Furthermore, he consistently answered my questions very promptly and fully via email, personally delivered two copies of my thesis to nearby Aston University and arranged for international shipping for my own personal copy to Japan. He itemized the bill clearly and wrapped my thesis very carefully ensuring that it arrived in perfect condition. Given the superb quality of his work, the fact that he goes out of his way to provide an extremely high level of personal service and that all of this is done at a very reasonable cost due to low overheads, I can very strongly recommend his services."
 
Paul Moritoshi, PhD
Japan
April 2018
​I  am a PhD student and really wanted to share my experience with the best bookbinding store that I do highly recommend to all students. I dealt with Philip Collier Bookbinding and I can confirm that it was my best experience. He has the pick/collect option which helped me a lot as I am an international student and not familiar with the area. My work was done in no time, with the best quality and most importantly he was the cheapest among all other bookbinding shops.  In addition to that, he was very understandable and supportive which we all do need when heading for deadlines. Thanks Philip Collier for this great experience ... You made it very smooth. 

Rasha, June 2016
"As a seasoned grumpy old man it is a rare occasion when I can take pleasure out of writing about excellent work and customer service. I am pleased to say that Phil Collier scores ten out of ten on both. I have been looking for a good bookbinder locally for quite some time and am so pleased that I have found him. During my years as a book collector I have used the services of numerous bookbinders and the work carried out by him is probably the best I have come across.

Apart from the excellent quality of his work he is friendly, professional and fast. I was notified the day after I left the volume with him that it was ready for collection! You can’t get better than that. I have waited weeks and even months with other binders. He is currently working on another volume for me and I have a couple more to take over when I collect it. Thank you Phil! It is a real pleasure to do business with you."

Steve T., December 2015
 "I needed an urgent local binding service for my Spanish PhD thesis in the Shropshire/ Birmingham area and found Philip Collier's details on the internet. I called him because I had many questions about the type of binding and materials, and he took the time to explain everything in detail. He even offered to arrange for my thesis to be printed (most in black and white, with some colour pages in between) which was a great help as I live an hour away from his workshop. The binding work is exquisite, using very good materials, and each of the five copies looked perfect. He also agreed to print very detailed information on the front board, as the specifications are different in Spain from the standard UK theses. 

A few days later I needed to bind three additional copies for the jury, and he completed them over the weekend with the same immaculate finish as the first ones. This time, he protected and packed each copy individually and I arranged a courier service to pick them up from his workshop, which saved me another two-hour return trip. 

Throughout the process, Philip demonstrated great professionalism. He offers a very friendly and personalised service, and was very flexible and responsive to the requirements we had, even when we needed to make some last minute changes just before printing. I am grateful for all his help and highly recommend him."

Claudia M., October 2015
"Philip Collier was recommended to me by Aston University as an excellent and reliable binder who would send the finished theses direct to Aston, very useful as my doctorate was completed as a distance learning student.
The level of service and care provided by Phil was of the highest level. I really could not have asked for anything better.

I am absolutely happy to recommend Phil to anyone wanting to get their thesis bound (he also organised the printing via a third party).
He made what could have been a complicated process very simple and stress-free and the finished theses look fabulous."
​
John C.
"Excellent friendly service, fast and efficient, highly recommended."

Michelle B.
"As a distance student who needed to have her thesis bound, I relied on the Internet as well as recommendations from Aston University. I had a tight deadline to meet and Phil Collier was able to print and bind my thesis in only a few days. He also provided photos of the binding process and since I could not see the thesis in person, I very much appreciated a photo of the finished product. He also delivered the thesis to Aston. From start to finish, four days - impeccable! I would definitely recommend his services to other PhD students. Thank you Phil!"

Suzanne Bonn, PhD
"Dear Phil, 

5 stars out of 5 for your *E*X*C*E*L*L*E*N*T* customer service. There's no greater satisfaction than to see my PhD thesis bound to absolute high quality and sheer perfection. I  just cannot tell you how pleased I am with the finished result. Furthermore, I am mighty impressed with your quick service in having to bind 3 copies of my thesis (336 pages each) in no less than 48 hours! You could not have been more helpful, kind and considerate, and I am enormously grateful. Brilliant work, thank you! I highly recommend this service to anyone."

Mohamad Cassim
PhD Research Student, Aston University
"I went to Phil to get my doctoral thesis printed and bound for my first submission. He was extremely helpful and bound it to my University's specifications. I was amazed at how quickly he was able to get everything done and was extremely accommodating to my requirements, even when I had a last minute emergency. I can't recommend the service enough, he was absolutely outstanding."

Nick S., September 2018

"Phil was brilliant from start to finish. And the quality of the binding was absolutely outstanding. I'm thrilled with both the product and the service that I received. I searched far and wide for a book binders that could accommodate everything that I wanted, and Phil was the only one that didn't cost an absolute fortune! His dissertation binding service is easily the best for university students in Birmingham and the Midlands. Thanks again for everything, Phil!"

Ben, April 2018
​"Very good quality thesis binding, just as I wanted, and experienced as they were familiar with Aston Uni's rules and regulations, so not much explanation needed. Their delivery service to the required address proved to be extremely useful and convenient, especially for students not in UK at the moment, like me. I contacted them via telephone and later by email, which was quite convenient too. The process of collection and delivery took 2 working days only, which to the best of my knowledge, takes much longer with other services. Thank you and keep it up!"

Komal, June 2016
"I would not hesitate to recommend Phil to anyone wishing to have their work bound. I chose Phil to create three permanent hardback bound copies of my thesis for final submission, and I was impressed with the work done. My university style required two line lettering on the spine and Phil was the only binder out of several local services able to do this. The quality of the binding work is excellent, even on close inspection – the lettering, cloth quality and pages all look neat and tidy. I would highly recommend front cover lettering on personal copies as this came out looking very good. Phil has extensive experience in academic binding and this shows in his work. Also, his price list is competitive and he completed my job quickly! I’m very happy with the result."
 
Raj Banik, EngD, January 2016
"I can fully recommend the binding service provided by Philip Collier. I found the service professional, efficient and friendly. I found the quality of the binding work high and excellent value for money. I will be using the service again at some stage in the future and will be recommending Phil to my friends."

​Kevin H., October 2015
"Brilliant, friendly and fast service. Not only were the thesis copies bound quickly, but Phil also collected the prints from the department reception and returned the bound copies to my supervisor as I was not available to collect them, which was most appreciated. Phil also gave recommendations on the requirements and style for the binding that I needed, and they look great. Overall, highly recommended, thanks!"

Nathan B.
"I was very pleased with the speed with which my thesis was bound, and the quality of the final result. The thesis was a two-volume DSc thesis that required a little more thought than the more usual PhD thesis. The final copies for the university were exactly in line with university requirements, but my own copies were slightly adapted and in so doing improved. Philip was also able to deliver the bound thesis to the university as they were completed. Overall a five star service. I recommend Philip without hesitation or reservation."

Geoff Sheard DSc
"Phil has been very helpful, friendly and his quality of work is excellent. I would recommend his services to everyone with no doubt that the work will be done very well."

Marija Sakalauskaite
"Having work undertaken by Birmingham Bookbinding was a very pleasant experience.
The reception was friendly and efficient with plenty of options on materials etc.  The job [binding a Church record] was undertaken in two days and I was very satisfied with the product.  I was delighted to be able to display the books I had had bound."

Elizabeth Mason  
Newport, Shropshire
"Great quality stitched binding for my thesis. Phillip Collier came recommended as he used to bind at Birmingham University and I was not disappointed.  Other colleagues of mine have been using online binders but all have come back substandard quality with some of the titles a little wonky on the front. The binding itself took less than two days (I dropped it off at his premises but I was informed that there is a collection service from the Birmingham area). Phillip was very approachable and easy to contact. Would recommend to anyone at Aston University."

Alec Kingsnorth
"I didn't want to use a faceless online binder. It was important to me to be able to meet the person who was binding my thesis. I was very happy with the friendly, professional and efficient service I received from Phil Collier in binding my PhD. I would definitely recommend his services."

Dr. Sally Austen
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
"Every five years since 1975 I have had my publications for that period bound. Phil was recommended to me by a colleague and he has recently bound my publications for 2010-2014. His work is of excellent quality and, although I was in no rush, handled my job effectively and efficiently in just three days. I have no reservations about recommending Phil and his work."

Frank Berry
"I was delighted with Phil’s work on binding my doctoral thesis.  The quality was very good, he worked speedily, and the cost was very competitive.  He was careful to check points of detail, which was reassuring.  Not only that, Phil put himself out to organise printing, pick-up and delivery around my own and the university’s requirements.  I would recommend him without hesitation."

Dr. Jane Gravells
Thesis binding, dissertation binding, bindery, bookbinding, Birmingham, Aston, university
  • Home
  • Services
  • Thesis binding
  • Thesis price lists
  • Temporary bindings
  • Cloth colours
  • University of Birmingham students
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • International customers