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    PostPress

    Print Decorating, Binding and Finishing

    2013 Spring

    BIA Annual Conference Held in Indianapolis

    Binding Industries Association

    More than 200 members of the Binding Industries Association converged in Indianapolis, IN, for three days of sessions, awards presentations and plant tours during the BIA Annual Conference.

    The 2013 BIA Annual Conference was held April 8-10 in Indianapolis, IN, in conjunction with the PIA Continuous Improvement Conference. More than 200 members of the BIA converged for three days of sessions, awards presentations and plant tours, coming away with the knowledge, resources and connections necessary to make an immediate impact on their businesses.

    Sessions Provide Actionable Information

    Conference sessions included a keynote address shared with Continuous Improvement Conference attendees by Dr. Alan G. Robinson. Entitled “Capturing Workforce Knowledge and Creativity”, Robinson’s presentation discussed the importance of tapping front-line employees as a source of business innovation. Since those workers often are the ones dealing with production issues on a daily basis, shouldn’t they be the ones to develop the solutions? With support and training from upper management, employees could be developing and implementing ideas that could have a significant impact on the bottom line. Another shared session walked attendees through “A Day in the Life of a Lean Supervisor.” Presented by Mike Wroblewski, director of the Kaizen Institute USA, the session showed supervisors how to improve their own performance while promoting lean throughout the organization.

    BIA-specific sessions included sales strategies aimed at finding and keeping the correct customers, preparing for the inevitable OSHA inspection (Rick Hartwig, manager for Environmental Health and Safety Affairs, PIA, has written an article on this topic. See page 11.) and mastering the personality gaps that exist between what nature has created and what is needed to succeed in a particular job type.

    Two new members of the BIA Hall of Fame were inducted during a presentation at Tuesday morning’s general session. The award is given to individuals who have been strong supporters of the BIA through lifelong careers in the trade bindery, graphic finishing and custom loose leaf industries. The class of 2013 included Richard Senior of Duraweld Ltd and Vernon Schwent of Silvanus Products. (Read more about Schwent and Silvanus Products).

    Plant Tours Offer Insight into Three Indianapolis Companies

    On the final day of the conference, attendees were treated to in-depth tours of three Indianapolis-based binding and finishing companies. The first stop of the morning was at D.E. Baugh, a print finisher with capabilities ranging from foil stamping, embossing, debossing, diecutting and UV coating to film laminating, remoistenable glue stripping, folding/gluing and other special processes. Attendees were divided into groups and given personal tours through the facility, with special attention paid to the types of equipment on the floor and the company’s unique capabilities. The second company toured was Ross Gage, Inc., a provider of indexing solutions that include thumb cut, European cut and step cut indexing in many styles. Indexing is a finishing process not performed in many facilities, and tour participants were intrigued by the processes, which include both automated equipment and detailed handwork.

    The third tour was given by BIA board of directors’ President Chris Eckhart of Eckhart & Company. Thrilled to be hosting the BIA members in the company’s hometown, Eckhart led attendees on a tour of the facility’s mechanical binding, casebinding, perfect binding and information packaging solution capabilities.

    2014 BIA Annual Conference – Save the Date!

    Binding Industries Association

    The Binding Industries Association is thrilled to announce that it will be heading to The Fairmont Dallas, in Dallas, TX, March 31-April 2, 2014 for the BIA Annual Conference.

    The 2014 conference will feature educational sessions, networking with peers from around the world, plant tours and some of the world’s best suppliers to the industry. Don’t miss the meeting that means business, featuring refreshing content that is practical and informative and attendees who are willing to share their opinions to assist you with the questions that keep you up at night.

    Stay tuned for more details at www.printing.org/biaconference.

    BIA Notebook

    Binding Industries Association

    BIA Thanks Members for Conference Success

    The Binding Industries Association had its annual meeting April 8-10 in Indianapolis, IN, at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. More than 216 attendees enjoyed unparalleled networking, interactive presentations and informative roundtables that will help develop solutions to everyday challenges. This was the largest BIA meeting since 2000 and the largest display of vendor tabletops, with more than 53 top suppliers exhibiting.

    “I would like to thank the BIA members for their continued support of this conference. Every year our numbers grow, and it’s a direct result of the passion of this industry,” said BIA Director Justin Goldstein.

    In addition, the 2013 Conference offered attendees the opportunity to tour three signature companies: D.E Baugh, Eckhart and Company and Ross Gage. Two new members also were inducted into the BIA Hall of Fame: Richard Senior, Duraweld Ltd, and Vernon Schwent, Silvanus Products.

    “I thoroughly enjoyed the 2013 conference, I thought the sessions were highly practical, and the networking was invaluable – not to mention having all of the top industry suppliers in one convenient location. I can’t wait until next year,” said Tina Tyson, Space Age Laminating and Bindery.

    BIA Resource Project – Donations and Authors Needed!

    The Binding Industries Association is developing an industry resource binder that will have descriptions of all major binding processes. This will be a major marketing tool for trade binderies, graphic finishers, custom loose leaf companies and information packaging companies. If you are interested in contributing articles or supplies for this project, please contact Justin Goldstein, BIA director, at 412.259.1806 or jgoldstein@printing.org.

    Printers Need Excellent Partners – Get Listed on Findabindery.com

    Is your company listed on www.findabindery.com? Why gamble with your success in 2013? Companies on this website will have the distinction of being recognized as “official binderies.” How do new companies get listed? It’s simple – join the BIA and its coalition for binding excellence. Printers need excellent finishing partners, and there is only one place they turn to when they need help. Contact Justin Goldstein at 412.259.1806 or jgoldstein@printing.org for more information.

    Book Trimming in the On Demand Age

    The Binding Edge
    Book trimmers from Challenge Machinery feature modular pieces to adapt to a variety of configuration needs.

    Historically, book trimmers were designed for long-run production environments; however, today’s on demand marketplace is dominated by short-run productions, which carry distinctly different production requirements. Trimming technology needs to be able to reduce or eliminate makereadies so that book size changes can occur on the fly, with little or no human intervention, said Britt Cary, director of marketing/sales for The Challenge Machinery Company in Norton Shores, MI.

    In today’s on demand environment, the efficiency and versatility of automated trimming technology is much more important to on demand book printers than fast production speeds. Cary offered his opinions on the latest technology in book trimming and a glimpse into what the future holds in this arena.

    How has book trimming equipment evolved over the years?

    The old book publishing business model focused mainly on titles for which publishers expected to sell thousands – if not millions – of copies, and typical trimming run lengths were correspondingly large. High-volume three-knife trimmers meant that manual set-up was required every time you changed the trimmer to a new book size position, which could take hours. This method of production was acceptable at that time because typical run lengths were so long and the need for size changes were relatively infrequent.

    As on demand, digital, variable data and similar print models began to flourish, the need has shifted for quick makereadies and size change technologies to accommodate the much shorter runs – down to quantities of one.

    How has the popularity of digital print impacted book trimming needs?

    Primarily, digital printing has driven the need for book trimming technology to evolve. Digital printing allows book printers to cost-effectively print titles in very low volumes. This has created a corresponding need for trimming equipment that can keep up with the ultra-short-run, quick-turnaround demands of today’s digital markets. Therefore, trimming equipment has evolved to offer automated technology that creates makereadies very quickly with little or no need for operator intervention. This feature helps digital printers efficiently produce ultra-short runs to meet the quick-turnaround demands of their customer base.

    Automated workflows are critical to increased productivity in the bindery. How has book trimming technology kept up?

    Book trimmers now are available with full automation features. Using barcode reading technologies, certain trimmers now can read the trimming specifications from a barcode on the book block and can completely set up the job without direct operator intervention. This technology is ideal for digital printers that produce dozens – if not hundreds – of different book jobs each day and need to reduce makeready and book size change times down to the absolute minimums.

    What advantages do modular solutions offer?

    Trimming equipment must adapt in response to changing on demand book printing technology, as well as adapt to the changing needs of individual publishers. Book trimmers have adapted by providing inline, nearline and offline configurations. Each configuration features modular pieces, which create a perfect fit for current trimming needs and will adapt to future needs. With this modularity, customers purchase the configuration that best fits their current production demands and then they have the ability to adapt to future needs without purchasing a whole new system. We recognize that our customers’ trimming needs are constantly changing, and our versatile CMT series is designed to accommodate this reality. Being able to adapt through modularity is a key competitive benefit that Challenge provides.

    What needs does Challenge anticipate in the future for book trimming?

    We anticipate that advances in book trimming will continue to be driven by the growing on demand market. This means that book trimmers will become faster, smaller – in terms of both size and footprint – and more affordable. We also anticipate that barcode or similar automation technology will become more widely adopted as on demand printers realize the significant benefits for their production workflows.

    Building a Defense for Your OSHA Compliance

    by Rick Hartwig, Printing Industries of America

    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) never can announce an enforcement inspection ahead of time, but it does provide a host of indicators that can be used to predict the chances of an inspection. OSHA collects a vast amount of data on specific industry sectors that are used in part to develop materials such as compliance directives, emphasis programs and injury and illness trends, among others. Combined, this collection of information paints a picture for a particular industry or sector as to OSHA’s focus, and therefore, probability of being selected for an inspection. For companies within the printing and printing-related sectors of manufacturing, the probability for enforcement inspections is high. Ultimately, (OSHA) has the legal authority to develop and issue standards and enforce those standards through on-site inspections.

    What Triggers an OSHA Inspection?

    OSHA inspections occur for a number of reasons such as a programmed inspection policy, employee complaints, other agency referral, the Site Specific Targeting (SST) program or through self-reporting requirements.

    Programmed inspections are the result of OSHA’s emphasis programs, which are designed to address specific hazards or industries with particular risks and are the main trigger for inspections these days. These could be either local emphasis programs (LEP) or national emphasis programs (NEP). While there are several programs concerning General Industry, the two main NEPs impacting the postpress industry include the Amputation NEP (addressing injury potential associated with running certain equipment) and the Combustible Dust NEP (addressing fire and explosion hazards associated with paper dust generated within the bindery operations). Employee complaints remain the second largest reason for enforcement inspections to occur. The Site Specific Targeting (SST) program is a database of injury and illness data collected by OSHA through a survey of companies, and it identifies companies that have higher than average injury or illness rates. Both states following the Federal OSHA plan and those with OSHA-approved state plans are required to implement a targeting system. Agency referrals occur via first responders, police, fire rescue or others that report to a company incident because of an accident or emergency. Self-reporting of accidents or fatalities are self-explanatory.

    Understanding Inspections

    Those involved in the printing industry need to recognize and treat compliance of OSHA standards as a true legal issue that has the potential for legal action. Days or weeks prior to an inspection, OSHA begins to make its legal case by collecting information about the company and continues this effort throughout the inspection process. This can include records of previous violations, corporate structure of the company, operations performed at the company, equipment used and applicable industry standards. OSHA will be working to prepare a case that would hold up in court if necessary. Will your compliance program?

    Once at the facility, OSHA will hold an opening conference and then begin the physical inspection, which will include a records review of injuries and illnesses forms, a facility tour, photographs, written notes and confidential employee interviews. A closing conference is held at the end of the inspection process, which can be anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks depending on the circumstances or scope of the inspection. Finally, the Area Director for OSHA will determine whether any citations should be issued and assess the appropriate penalties.

    If citations are issued and a notice of penalty is issued, there are opportunities for discussion to clarify or contest either a citation or penalty; however, a company’s best chance of success is with a fully compliant safety program already established.

    What are some of the core materials to have developed for compliance?

    • Written programs
    • Company policies and guidelines
    • SOPs
    • Sampling/test results
    • Audits and assessments
    • Medical records
    • Injury and illness recordkeeping
    • Accident investigation reports
    • Training records
    • Discipline records

    In order to be sure a company is in compliance, the company must have a strong knowledge and understanding of the applicable OSHA regulations. There are over 130 general industry rules that could apply to postpress operations. Some of the regulations have very specific elements that often are overlooked and cause increased and unnecessary citations to be issued. Further, to effectively defend the company’s compliance program, an understanding of all supporting evidence is needed. This can include letters of interpretation, OSHA directives, case law precedence, compliance strategies, ANSI standards, ISO standards, NFPA standards and much more. An OSHA inspection can be well-managed if the facility understands the scope of the inspection, has a compliance program in place and understands which regulations do and do not apply. Effectively communicating the compliance program to all employees and having documentation to support the safety program that was implemented can go a long way toward ensuring compliance and making it through the OSHA inspection process.

    The Best Offense is a Good Defense

    A review of 100 companies cited by OSHA showed that 58 percent had not developed a required compliance program. Of those with a compliance program, 71 percent were found to be generic, missing several key elements and/or seriously inadequate. Eighty-two percent of those with generic programs were unaware of any of the standard requirements. The citations and penalties associated with these companies easily could have been avoided.

    A commitment must be made to ensure OSHA compliance. The first step toward that commitment is assessment. Inventory your facility and operation; find out what is actually occurring and measure this against the regulations. Initial development of a compliance program cannot begin without support from all levels of employees, so seeking staff input is vital. Additionally, compliance requirements must be woven into everyday business operations and should be handled just like any other personnel matter in order to be effectively maintained and monitored.

    Compliance does not have to be “THE” priority, but it must be “a” priority. A leader must be appointed to walk the company through the requirements, and that leader should be given thorough training and support.

    As previously mentioned, all employees should be involved in compliance efforts. Explain the need for compliance and ask for input from the front-line employees. Find ways to combine OSHA requirements with everyday procedures, and make those procedures consistent throughout the facility. Then maintain oversight, whether through safety committees, production meetings or scheduled walk throughs of the facility. Violations should be addressed with consistent and fair disciplinary measures that demonstrate – both to the employees and potential OSHA inspectors – that compliance is active and a priority.

    Remember, inspections cannot be prevented, but preparation can greatly improve the outcome.

    Rick Hartwig is manager, Environmental, Health and Safety Affairs at Printing Industries of America. With over 27 years’ experience within the printing industry, he has been directly involved with operations management, regulatory compliance and sustainability. In his capacity, Hartwig works closely with all regulatory agencies on addressing related EHS issues at the federal, state and local levels. Hartwig provides assistance to print members, including regulatory and standard interpretations, industry representation, enforcement and penalty engagement, sustainability consultation, facility and operation assessments and compliance program reviews. For more information, visit www.printing.org.

    Challenges in Perfect Binding

    by Jen Clark, The Binding Edge
    Employees insert items into books that were perfect bound at Pacific Bindery.

    In the last decade, declining run lengths and quicker turnaround requirements have left little room for error in the bindery. Long-standing binding methods, including perfect binding, have had to evolve because offline production machines and shorter turnaround periods result in expensive short-run applications. Recent innovations in machinery have made the process of completing a printed book much more efficient, which saves time and expense. But that same technology also has brought challenges for binderies trying to keep up – not only with the technology, but the competition as well.

    Printing with digital technology is an economical and efficient way to disseminate information, but digital printing has had an effect on all aspects of bookbinding, said David Reindl, president of Reindl Bindery, Germantown, WI. “In perfect binding, many small run jobs have switched from offset printing to digital printing,” he said. “Many printers with digital printing capabilities also can bind the smaller quantities, taking work out of our shop.”

    Some digital printers, especially those that are relatively new to the print industry, don’t have a strong understanding of bindery, said Kris Bovay, general manager of Pacific Bindery Services Ltd., Vancouver, BC, Canada. One of Pacific Bindery’s clients is an architectural firm that prefers to print its content in-house, but then sends the documents to Pacific Bindery for binding.

    “They are not printers by trade – they are architects,” she said. “Working with them to produce their bound books requires more assistance and training than would be necessary if our client had hired a printer to do the work. However, with the entry of affordable digital print equipment, some customers like the flexibility of doing some of the work in-house.”

    Roswell Bookbinding educates its clients on the 12- to 24-hour drying period required with PUR glue.

    Mike Roswell, president of Roswell Bookbinding, Phoenix, AZ, agreed. “The learning curve steepens with the lack of experience,” he said. “Trying to educate a novice is difficult at best, especially trying to convey specifications that require terminology that they have zero experience with.  The ability to educate and inform the client has a direct effect on how smoothly the job runs.”

    For example, he noted that digitally-printed books that come in as pre-collated book blocks make feeding more difficult, especially on perfect binders that are designed for signatures. But Reindl pointed out the biggest challenge that digital printing presents has to do with the ink used, which has a direct effect on the type of adhesive binders should use. “We need to consider the proper adhesive when binding any digital product,” he said, adding paper quality is another concern.

    “Paper quality is not as good as it was in the past,” Reindl said. “Choosing the proper adhesive for binding these difficult stocks can be very challenging.”

    Since there is no ink absorption with digitally printed books, that creates many issues – especially with hardbound books, Roswell said.  “Since the text cannot absorb much moisture, it tends to go directly into the cover, which creates the potential for warping. Softcovers have not been as much of a problem,” he explained.

    Bovay agreed, noting some digital processes leave an oily film on the sheet that interferes with the gluing process. “One solution is to bind those books with polyurethane reactive (PUR) glue both on the spine and on the side. However, not all binding equipment has that capability,” she said.

    For binderies that deal with many different kinds of stock papers, PUR is the best adhesive option. “PUR allows us to create solid bonds on nearly all paper types,” Reindl said. “In fact, we are able to bond directly to coatings and some plastics.”

    Added Bovay, “The challenges the industry faces in working with adhesives for perfect binding is really tightly connected to changing substrates, inks, solvents, varnishes and coatings and other inputs that can affect the chemistry of the adhesive. We’ve found that for the most part, PUR is the most successful adhesive for a variety of uses; however, working with PUR has its own challenges in terms of operating efficiency.”

    Roswell noted that since the advent of PUR, his company has had little problem with adhesion. “It’s been minimal,” he said. “We don’t have much difficulty with adhesion. The only problems in using PUR are the expense and curing time. Some clients do not understand that the book is not usable for a period of 12 to 24 hours until the adhesive has cured.”

    Perfect bound books require adequate binding strength to prevent the pages from being pulled from the binding. Spine preparation and adhesive choice is critical because inflexible adhesives can result in books not lying flat, and the spines often can be distorted with repeated use. “The newest machines do a much better job of preparing spines for whichever adhesive the bindery is using,” Reindl said. In the last two years, Reindl has installed Kolbus’ newest perfect binding machine. “Quality and run rates improved immediately.”

    Roswell said manufacturers have developed more equipment geared toward handling pre-collated, short-run jobs, “and we have purchased one,” he noted. “We will be installing another short-run binder with PUR in the coming months.”

    Pacific Bindery has a 21-pocket Muller Martini Corona binder with PUR and lay-flat capability, an 18 pocket Muller Martini Starbinder and a Horizon BQ for short-run work. “Our five-year capital expenditures plan includes a commitment to changing some of that binding equipment to better integrate with anticipated changing customer needs,” Bovay said.

    Perfect binding, according to Bovay, is in the mature phase of its life cycle. “There is a growing market for short-run, self-published books, whether those publications are photo books, journals, diaries, etc. Within that market, there is a need for perfect binding, along with casebinding,” she said. “There still is a market for perfect bound magazines, books and even catalogs.”

    In the last couple of years, catalogs, for example, have fallen out-of-fashion, but Pacific Bindery has noticed a change-of-heart from clients. “They had stopped producing print catalogs and went online,” she said. “Those customers came back after finding that their sales dropped with only online media delivering the sales and marketing messages. Now, they are doing shorter, more targeted print runs that complement the online marketing efforts.”

    Roswell said there is no reason to believe the steady decline in perfect binding volume over the past 10 years will not continue.  “Annual reports, statistical abstracts and many other single-color publications have either disappeared or grown smaller,” he said. “The influence of technology seems to be the reason for this and does not appear to be stopping any time soon.”

    But, while technology and attitudes may change, Reindl and Bovay agreed that perfect binding always will have a place. Roswell believes that long-run perfect binding has peaked and runs will continue to shorten. “It will not disappear completely, and I think that the demise of the book in general has been greatly exaggerated,” he said.

    Investing in new technologies is the key for binderies to “win the race,” Reindl said. “Those companies will be able to offer better quality in less time and at lower prices.”

    The reality is that binderies need to keep looking for new partnerships and services that complement their existing capabilities and provide stronger opportunities for growth, Bovay said. “That commitment to adapting and evolving will enable us not only to survive, but also to grow,” she stated.

    Added Reindl, “Those companies that don’t or can’t invest in the future will more than likely be left behind or will just go away.”

    The Binding Edge would like to thank David Reindl, Reindl Bindery, Germantown, WI; Kris Bovay, Pacific Bindery Services Ltd., Vancouver, BC, Canada; and Mike Roswell, Roswell Bookbinding Phoenix, AZ, for contributing to this article.

    Advocacy Agenda for the 113th Congress

    by Lisbeth Lyons, Printing Industries of America

    Printing Industries of America is pleased to announce its Advocacy Agenda for the 113th Congress. Advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry are multi-faceted. Direct lobbying, grassroots advocacy, media relations, industry research and political advocacy through PrintPAC all support the organization’s mission to promote public policy that benefits the health and growth of the print and graphic communications industry, while also working to block legislation deemed harmful to the industry’s viability and success.

    Postal Policy

    Postal reform continues to be one of the top priorities heading into the new Congress. Strides were made at the end of the 112th Congress, but postal reform never made it past the finish line. With that effort still somewhat fresh, postal reform will be one of the more urgent matters before the 113th Congress. After a recent default in the summer of 2012 and announcement to end Saturday mail delivery in August 2013, the need for Congress to act is more urgent than ever.

    The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an essential supply chain partner for the printing and graphic communications industry. Over half of printed paper products are delivered through the USPS, putting the industry’s future at stake without postal reform legislation. Postal reform also is a critical manufacturing jobs issue. More than eight million private sector jobs are connected to the mailing industry and depend on a viable USPS to be a key delivery channel. Of that eight million, more than 700,000 jobs are in the printing and graphic communications industry alone.

    Printing Industries of America is committed to working with Congress and with the USPS to ensure that modernization efforts move forward quickly to adapt with the changing communications marketplace and to ensure a viable USPS remains well into the future.

    Tax Policy

    The top tax priority for printers in the coming years will be achieving comprehensive tax reform. This means both individual and corporate taxes must be reformed in order to maximize the economic output of the printing and graphic communications industry. Some steps have been taken toward achieving this goal. The deal struck at the very end of the 112th Congress to avoid the “fiscal cliff” included some, but not all, of printers’ priorities. Significantly, the permanent nature of the provisions in the tax package will provide much-needed certainty to many businesses and families.

    The plan permanently extended current lower tax rates for individuals making less than $400,000 and families with incomes below $450,000. Accordingly, many of the small businesses organized as S-corporations or other flow-through entities which pay taxes at the individual level did not see their tax rates go up. Similarly, the agreement avoided a significant increase in the estate tax burden on small businesses, and its permanent nature provides small businesses with certainty in planning costs moving forward. While the estate tax rate increased from 35 percent to 40 percent, the current $5 million exemption remains in place and will be indexed for inflation. The deal also permanently extends current policy on portability and unification.

    Health Care Policy

    Now that President Obama has been elected to a second term and repeated attempts to repeal his signature health care legislation have failed, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) looks like it’s here to stay. With that knowledge in mind, Printing Industries of America will focus its efforts on pending regulations within the bill set to take effect over the next two years, in addition to compliance issues resulting from those regulations. Specifically, PIA will be looking at the employer mandate set to go into effect in 2014. As it stands now, the employer mandate will impose large financial penalties on certain employers who do not provide health insurance coverage and, in some cases, on employers who do provide coverage, but not in full accordance with the new regulations.

    Language like this prohibits small business growth because it makes crossing the 50-employee threshold extremely expensive and forces businesses to spend real resources to navigate through all the new red tape. Accordingly, PIA will lobby for a balanced solution that is cost-effective for businesses and promotes growth for its member companies.

    Labor and Employees Benefits Policy

    Issues concerning labor relations – particularly the regulatory actions and legitimacy of rulings at the National Labor Relations Board – will be top of mind, as will Department of Labor actions set to define a second term of the Obama Administration. OSHA’s rulemaking on a pending new Injury and Illness Prevention Program will be monitored closely as some are describing it to have the potential impact of “Ergonomics 2.0.” Printing Industries of America also will focus on legislative fixes to problems dealing with multi-employer pensions, as provisions of the Pension Protection Act passed in 2006 are facing a sunset period and must be renewed, changed or expire.

    Environmental and Energy Policy

    Regulatory oversight of EPA and changes to the Clean Air Act will be a focus for Printing Industries of America. Efforts to support and promote voluntary recycling efforts of paper will continue, as will efforts to appropriately dispel myths surrounding print’s supposedly negative impact on the environment. Likewise, Printing Industries of America is at the ready to identify, respond to and defeat efforts by environmental special interests to ban or restrict advertising mail (a.k.a., “Do Not Mail”).

    Immigration

    Entering the 113th Congress, immigration reform has become a hot-button issue for both Congress and the Obama administration. Printing Industries of America will monitor all proposals and legislation closely to make sure that unnecessary burdens are not placed upon its member employers. One of the four principles initially proposed calls for a strong employer verification system that could include new mandates, fines and/or criminal penalties for companies found to be operating outside the law. While Printing Industries of America will not defend “bad actors,” the association is committed to ensuring that legislative language is crafted in a way that does not unintentionally sweep employers acting in good faith into expensive or burdensome consequences.

    The New Congress

    With a Republican House and Democratic Senate, expect the common theme of “Washington Gridlock” to continue in the 113th Congress. While it will be hard for legislation to become law, the bills that do pass likely will not be too lopsided. There are many new representatives and senators, and PIA encourages its members to reach out to their lawmakers whether they are new to the job or not. A congratulatory letter on their election or reelection is great way to engage. Printing Industries of America will keep members informed about the legislation that will affect their businesses.

    Lisbeth Lyons is vice president, Government Affairs for Printing Industries of America. To keep abreast of the news from Washington, sign up for imPRINT newsletter, published weekly whenever Congress is in session and available on the website. Also look for Printing Industries of America advocacy alerts for opportunities to contact lawmakers and make your voice heard.

    Reprinted with permission from the Printing Industries of America: The Magazine. Copyright 2013 by the Printing Industries of America (www.printing.org). All rights reserved.

    2013 BIA Product of Excellence Awards Presented

    Binding Industries Association

    The Binding Industries Association presented the highest pinnacle in the industry – the “Best of the Best” Product of Excellence Awards – to Holum and Sons Company, Inc. and Bindtech, Inc. The glass crystal awards were presented during the general session at the 2013 BIA Annual Conference.

    In addition to Holum and Sons and Bindtech’s Best of the Best awards, the following companies were presented with Product of Excellence Awards in 2013: Binding Solutions, C&C Offset, Duraweld Ltd., Leo Paper Products Limited, McGraphics Inc., Pacific Bindery Services, Pack Appeal, Reindl Bindery, Seidl’s Bindery, Silvanus Products, Space Age Laminating and Bindery and Trends Presentation Products. Photos of the award-winning pieces will be featured in the summer issue of The Binding Edge.

    Start collecting your award worthy pieces for the 2014 Product of Excellent Awards competition. The entry deadline will be March 7, 2014. Check www.bindingawards.com for more information.

    Related Links

    • Click here to get a complete listing of the winners.

    Silvanus Products: Artisans in the Custom Packaging Market

    by Jen Clark, The Binding Edge
    Silvanus Products won a 2012 BIA Product of Excellence Award in the Innovative Use of Materials category for its work on the Blue Wine Menu.

    Old-fashioned work ethic and attention to detail have made Silvanus Products, Inc. a leader in the loose leaf industry, not only for the products it produces, but for the expert craftsmanship of its long-time employees. Located 60 miles south of St. Louis, MO, in the historic town of Ste. Genevieve, Silvanus has been providing innovative custom products to merchandising groups, dealers, banks and knowledgeable buyers since 1929. It manufactures vinyl specialty items, loose leaf binders, checkbook covers, portfolios, custom-made indexes and turned edge binders, as well as bank passbooks and more.

    The company, along with its employees, has become known across the country for providing high-quality decorating techniques and service. The secret, according to Cathy Elliott, Silvanus’ customer service and purchasing manager, is its equipment, processes and people – who have “years and years of experience honing their craft.”

    “Our rich heritage as a leader in creative packaging ideas for custom binders and banking products has helped us become a direct source manufacturer for “second-to-none” quality and economically priced custom binders,” she said. “Every Silvanus binder product features expert craftsmanship acquired from a rich history of manufacturing a wide variety of binder products.”

    Humble Beginnings

    Ed Schaefer founded what then was known as the General Passbook Company on Nov. 29, 1929. The plant had six employees who manufactured bank stationery products, passbooks, savings books and other paper-related items. In the early 1950s, the company began manufacturing vinyl loose leaf binders, check book covers and related products. In 1977, Schaefer sold General Passbook Company to The Georgia-Pacific Corporation, National Cover Division – a company that had been a long-time competitor. Corporate restructuring in 1983 took almost immediate action to discontinue operations that were not closely associated with Georgia-Pacific’s building and paper product business.

    The Ste. Genevieve facility was sold on April 27, 1984, to a local group that included five former Georgia-Pacific employees. The principle financial backer was Robert Rottler, a life-long Ste. Genevieve resident. Renamed Silvanus Products, the company officially began production of stationary and index products on May 2, 1984. After purchasing new equipment and materials, the company began producing vinyl products in September 1984.

    Silvanus Products continued to grow and added turned edge products to its long list of offerings. The company now produces a variety of binders; custom- or standard-format index tabs; bank and financial items; and other products including menu and diploma covers, writing portfolios, clip folders, pouches, custom turned edge boxes, presentation kits, various custom-made vinyl products and more.

    Silvanus’ customers are more than pleased with the workmanship on their projects. “True artisans in custom vinyl and turned edge binders, boxes and informational packaging products,” one customer wrote in a testimonial.

    “Our customer set a timetable that was next to impossible to accomplish and your company performed in an amazing fashion,” said another, noting the knowledgeable staff “rolled with the punches without complaint or hesitation.”

    Another client reiterated that sentiment: “Silvanus Products is the company I turn to when clients come up with seemingly impossible designs. The company will tackle new designs, work with unusual materials, develop new techniques to accomplish our client’s goal and deliver the product our competitors say can’t be made.”

    BIA Honors Longtime Leader

    Former CEO Vernon Schwent was inducted into the Binding Industries Association Hall of Fame in April 2013. He is shown here with Cathy Elliott, Silvanus’ customer service and purchasing manager.

    In April, Silvanus’ former Chief Executive Officer Vernon Schwent was inducted into the Binding Industries Association Hall of Fame. Since 2008, the Hall of Fame highlights industry pioneers whose hard work and determination have created a vibrant, growing and changing industry. And, while Schwent was honored for the accolades, he didn’t feel that he deserved all the credit. “I alone did not contribute to the success of the company,” Schwent said. “Everyone who has worked hard here earned this award. It took all of the Silvanus employees to make it a great company to work for.”

    That humble attitude is Schwent’s character, Elliott explained. “He worked many long hours and on weekends for years,” she said of his dedication to the company. “That is why we are known in the industry for our superior decorating techniques. He spent hours developing these techniques. He learned by trial and error because he wanted success for the company, not on his behalf, but for the employees.”

    Schwent received nominations from industry peers, including Earl Vogt, retired president and CEO of Mecom Ltd., Indianapolis, IN; Connie Jones, president of Rimco Marketing Products, Inc., Orlando, FL; Rick Seibel, president of Binder Graphics, Inc., Lees Summit, MO; and Melvin Weight, owner of Di-Mel Associates, Fountain Valley, CA.

    Vogt supported the nomination with a letter detailing his experience working with Schwent. The pair worked together for more than a decade at the General Passbook Company. Several years later, when the company became known as Silvanus Products, Schwent became its vice president. “Vernon spent his entire career in the loose leaf industry, and he led Silvanus to become one of the top and most respected companies in the industry with products and service that have no equal,” Vogt wrote.

    In announcing the nomination, Justin Goldstein, BIA director, said Schwent was being honored “for his excellence, creative abilities and service to others in the industry. He has produced some of the most creative and unique binders and accessory products in the industry, and many decorative techniques used today were developed by Schwent and his staff.”

    While Vogt and Schwent worked together at General Passbook Company, Vogt noticed Schwent’s great work ethic. “It fit in with my desire to make (the company) a major player in the loose leaf industry,” Vogt wrote. “During those 12 years, Vernon developed into an excellent leader. He would take any and all challenges and work his heart out to provide great products for our customers – with a 99 percent on-time delivery record. In those 12 years, we never had a month that our output did not exceed the previous months.”

    Vogt left the company in 1977, shortly before Georgia-Pacific purchased General Passbook. Schwent assumed the duties of the commercial group, which included all loose leaf and a wide variety of vinyl products, along with some purchasing and tool design, Vogt explained. In 1983, when the Ste. Genevieve facility resumed production of loose leaf and bank products, Schwent was elected to the vice president position and took charge of the commercial aspects of the company.

    In 1990, the pair again began working together, but with Vogt as a Silvanus customer. “Sometimes we asked for almost impossible deliveries, like calling late on a Friday for delivery on the following Tuesday. Vernon would work all weekend to get our orders to us on time with excellent quality.”

    Schwent, who retired in 2004, made hands-on learning and development a mainstay for every employee. “He wanted you to learn and understand each product construction and the various ways we could use decoration,” said Elliott, who worked with Schwent for 17 years. “With customer service employees understanding the product, we then could teach our brokers, who then could sell the item to the end user. We were very much hands-on with product design and decoration. It was fun looking at new artwork or a logo and coming up with an idea that would make the design be over the top. It was very unique, hands-on training.”

    Despite his retirement, Schwent still has a hand in the business and remains on Silvanus’ board of directors. “He helps guide with decision-making based on his years of expertise and knowledge,” Elliott said.

    Family Atmosphere Keeps Employees Engaged

    The company’s board of directors include, from left: Steve Rottler, president; Vernon Schwent; Norma Rottler, owner; John Burgert, retired sales manager; Rick Schaefer, accountant; and Terry Rottler, attorney.

    Executives at Silvanus are quick to point out the secret to the company’s success is its employees, many of whom boast tenures of 20, 30 or 40 years. The employees are passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their craft and work hard to meet and exceed customer expectations. “We are excellent at what we do because our employees have so many years of experience,” said Paula Kuder, a customer service representative for Silvanus’ commercial products. “I’ve been here for more than 20 years, and there are many with more tenure than me.”

    That’s because the culture is built around product quality, starting with the members of its team. Every Silvanus product features expert craftsmanship acquired from its history of manufacturing a wide variety of products. “The atmosphere is that we are a family,” Elliott said. “Our employees have a long-term relationship here. They take pride in the jobs they produce and enjoy working together. People stay if they like what they are doing and where they are working.”

    Even though recent struggles with the economy hit many businesses hard, Silvanus was able to weather the storm thanks, in part, to its dedicated employees. “We are located in a small town in Eastern Missouri. There are many people without a job in this small community due to business closings over the past few years. Thankfully, we have not had to look for new employees with the dedicated workforce we have here,” said Elliott.

    Plant operations include a full-service office staff, with accounting, human resources, sales, customer service, estimating and order entry. The Vinyl Manufacturing group consists of graphics, cutting, silkscreen, stamping, sealing, diemaking, turned edge, vacuum forming and assembly departments. The Bank Manufacturing group consists of the printing department, dark room, layout and both offset and letter press printing presses, while the Passbook group consists of sewing, cutting, tipping, diecutting and folding. Also, there is an index tab department that makes standard or custom index tabs.

    “Our team is very knowledgeable about our products and decoration techniques,” Elliott said. “We are able to help customers with product design, materials and decorations. When we send out samples, people are sold on the quality and service.”

    Decorating Techniques Take Center Stage

    Specialty decorating techniques have become a niche for Silvanus. “We offer the finest decorating services in the industry,” Elliott said.

    For each job, Silvanus employees challenge every age-old standard of binder decorating that exists. An eye for detail and familiarity with the equipment helps produce designs that are enhanced with multi-color silkscreening, 4-color process screening, foil stamping, embossing or debossing (blind or color filled), reverse screen overlay, picture perfect and applique. In addition, Silvanus offers digital printing for short-run 4-color binder needs.

    Specialty techniques that were developed by Schwent and his staff include reverse applique, reverse screen overlay and picture perfect, to name a few. “Our registration for silkscreen debossing and foil stamp debossing is perfect,” Elliott said. “The keys are knowing how to order the dies and being able to get the guides set-up on the machines so they are dead on. You have to train your people to have a good eye, which is exactly what Vernon did.”

    Workers are trained on a variety of equipment that fills the shop floor, including electronic sealing, cutting, riveting, sewing, creasing, foil stamping, diecutting, embossing and Mylar reinforcing machines; sheet fed printing presses; silkscreening presses; turntables and autoloaders; casemakers for oversized and high-volume turned edge products; a vacuum former; and several units dedicated to creating index tabs, in addition to miscellaneous printing and manufacturing machinery.

    Silvanus has won several industry awards for its work, including three first place awards in this year’s BIA Product of Excellence Awards. Last year, it earned a first, second and third place award in the BIA competition. Previously, Silvanus was honored with two SCROLL Golden Ring Awards for Best of Show; two BIA Awards of Merit; and it earned BIA Decorative Reproduction of Excellence status.

    Last year’s Product of Excellence winner was entitled “Blue” – a turned edge binder that was to be used for a wine list in an upscale restaurant. Silvanus also created companion pieces for lunch, dinner, dessert and drink menus. “What is unique about Blue is that the customer wanted to use a real copper material,” Elliott explained. “We had never worked with copper before, so I had sample material brought in so we could see how it could be applied with no sharp edges or corners. The decoration the customer wanted was a blind deboss – a little more of a challenge as we did not know how the material would accept our typical application.”

    An Eye to the Future

    While Silvanus has led the industry through numerous rounds of innovation, it remains poised for future development. The company recently began offering eco-friendly binders.

    The cover and liner material is FSC®-certified and is made from 30-percent post-consumer waste. No harmful coatings are added in the manufacturing process. The chipboard interior is made from 100-percent recycled fibers, including a minimum of 35-percent post-consumer waste. The binder can be decorated with images, such as a company logo. The ring metal can be attached in a traditional manner or in a clip-on fashion. The clip-on metal easily can be removed and reused or recycled, making the binder completely biodegradable.

    Adjusting to the current business climate of declining orders and quicker turnaround requests is something that all binderies are faced with. “Like all corporations, we’ve had to adjust to fit the customers’ current needs,” Elliott said. “Orders are smaller, yet we still maintain the quality, service and on-time deliveries our customers expect. We want to remain in business so we adjust to the demands. Previously, business came to us by word of mouth, and now that the buying markets have changed we are seeking new partnerships.”