Art Laminating and Finishing, LLC, a full-service custom print finisher in Atlanta, Georgia, has unveiled its Sample and Resource Center, upgrading its 300 sq. ft. sample showroom to a state-of-the-art facility of more than 1,000 sq. ft. The experiential redesign will bridge the finishing knowledge gap between print providers and print buyers, uniting the “Create, Print, Finish” processes for more efficient, cost-effective and higher quality finished print products.
The unique space serves as a professional yet informal setting, where Art Laminating customers and print buyers can generate inspiration, start meaningful discussions and experience the myriad of possibilities that properly executed print finishing provides, through the hundreds of high-quality samples on display.
The Sample and Resource Center caters to the key requirements of Art Laminating’s customer base and their own clients, including:
- A redesigned conference space that can host up to 20 guests
- Meeting facilities that allow customers to meet with sales teams with access to a multitude of samples
- Catered “lunch and learns” for sales teams with finishing experts and sponsored speakers from leading UV, foil and film suppliers
- Plant tours of the 66,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing facility, offering a comprehensive overview of the print finishing process suitable for print providers and their customers
- Private office space for sales representatives who need a professional, comfortable location to conduct business, as well as smaller, private conference rooms for one-to-one customer meetings
- Custom printed prototyping of the ideas sparked by the hundreds of samples on display
- Structural and packaging designer on hand for one-to-one consultations
For Art Laminating’s general manager, Phil Blalock, the idea was simple: Samples sell jobs. A tangible piece of expertly finished print is the most effective way to spark the imagination and generate ideas. However, that is often limited to what a sales rep is able to take with them on a call to a print provider, and even then, the extensive opportunities available to the customer may not truly be conveyed during a brief sales meeting.
Blalock commented: “Printing companies often neglect to take a proactive approach in relation to specialized finishing; at Art Laminating, we understand the importance of collaboration among the ‘Create, Print, Finish’ processes, and believe all parties involved in a project can benefit from partnership and knowledge sharing at the design stage, before putting ink on paper.
“We knew we needed to think bigger in order to more effectively serve our client base, and in turn allow them to provide a more comprehensive, informed service for their own customers. We set the wheels in motion after our mindset was confirmed by a presentation at the Foil and Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) Binding Summit from Print Media Centr’s Deborah Corn, who communicated how crucial it is to foster greater understanding of what finishers can provide. Otherwise, how will print customers take advantage of the incredible opportunities we have to offer?
“We welcome everyone interested in experiencing our full-service Sample and Resource Center to make an appointment for what promises to be an inspirational and informative outing.”
The extensive array of finishing services on display includes film laminations, diecutting, custom folding and gluing, UV coatings, foil stamping and embossing, tipping and attaching, POP board mounting, CNC table cutting, wide-format flatbed printing, small format variable data printing, index tabbing and a wide range of custom handwork projects.
Contact phil.blalock@artlaminating.com to find out more about how the brand-new facility can benefit business, to inquire about utilizing the wide range of services now on offer, and to request a visit and tour of the reconditioned facility.
