2016 May/June

Just the Right Time for Diamond Packaging

June 17, 2016

by Brittany Willes, editor, PostPress

Diamond Packaging’s grandfather clock calendar won Best of Show in the 23rd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards competition.

Few people are unfamiliar with the structure of the grandfather clock. The name alone typically conjures images of an old-fashioned, yet regal, piece of furniture. Perhaps it is a memory of a highly-polished clock standing proudly in the home of an older relative. The imagined clock is most likely tall, made from elaborately carved wood with glass panels for viewing the heavy pendulum drifting lazily from side to side. Most people will even hear the tell-tale gong as the clock announces the hour. For Diamond Packaging, the grandfather clock no longer is just an hourly timekeeper. The Rochester, New York-based packaging supplier has created an ornate, three-month corporate calendar set within the long-case body of an old-fashioned grandfather clock.

Diamond, founded in 1911, is a global industry leader which specializes in developing innovative and sustainable packaging solutions. Diamond engineers use state-of-the-art technology to design and manufacture paperboard and plastic folding cartons, countertop displays, blister cards and sample packaging. Every year, Diamond creates a corporate calendar to be sent to the company’s customers and suppliers, showcasing Diamond’s creative abilities. In fact, 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the popular promotional piece. As such, the Diamond team knew it needed to come up with a particularly special design to combine a sense of tradition along with the capabilities of modern special effects technologies.

Diamond engineers began planning for the 2016 calendar as early as January 2015. Several themes were discussed and mock-ups laid out within a few months; however, it was clear that the chosen design would need to meet several distinct objectives set forth by the design team. First, the team wanted a piece that would showcase several of the company’s creative design abilities. Next, it sought to highlight decorative effects, specifically cold foiling, its customers’ could consider in future projects for their own brands. Finally, Diamond was determined to create a colorful, beautifully decorated structural and ornamental piece that users would want to have near their desks. In the end, team members decided on the highly decorative grandfather clock design as meeting all of these objectives.

From head to base, the designers labored to simulate the unique visual character of a long-case grandfather clock, complete with carved ridges along the sides, raised panels framing the clock face and woodgrain swirls for a feel of old-time elegance. The dimensional header features a multi-level embossed and debossed woodgrain pattern and a striking clock face insert enhanced with UV gloss spot coating, cold foil and multi-level embossing, creating a dramatic sense of texture and depth. Just above the clock face, the words “Diamond Packaging” create a half-moon arch, beneath which sits a combination of world maps and constellation illustrations set against a dark blue background.

The debossed 2016 date flows unobtrusively across the header, slightly darker than the surrounding wood to give the appearance of having been carved into the clock. The header also incorporates a short length of black ribbon which serves as a door pull, allowing users to open the rigid window panel and further simulating a real grandfather clock. Inside the window panel, the gold foiling used for the numbers and decorative embellishments of the clock face complement the subtle hues of brown and black in the wood frame.

Within the body of the clock are the three calendars showing the current, previous and coming months. Concealed behind the calendar pages, a heavy golden pendulum patiently waits for the clock hands, poised at approximately a quarter till six, to strike the hour. The middle backers also feature a multi-level embossed woodgrain pattern. Framing the pendulum, a backdrop of three unique sets of foil embossed gears and cogs, enhanced with UV gloss spot coating, further simulate the appearance of a true-to-life grandfather clock.

“The grandfather clock theme, with its perfectly balanced inner mechanisms, was chosen to represent the collaborative and precise nature of Diamond’s work,” stated Dennis Bacchetta, director of marketing. In the spirt of Diamond’s design objectives, the calendar features multi-color UV printing, UV gloss spot coating, cold foiling, multi-level embossing, debossing and intricate diecutting. Decorative foil accents were created using Diamond’s state-of-the-art cold foiling technology to achieve inline metallic and holographic effects that also are cost-effective. “An overwhelming majority of our customers and suppliers prefer the three-calendar view design format. As a calendar, it can be enjoyed by users all year long, continually reinforcing our brand,” Bacchetta said. “As a capabilities piece, it can be used longer than one year, which increases its shelf life.”

Planned, designed and produced by the entire Diamond team, the clock went through several versions before the final design was selected. Design Engineer Renee Guercio was responsible for creating both the graphic and structural designs, producing a number of mock-ups from which the team could choose. The graphics themselves were comprised of actual images of grandfather clock components and enhanced with additional flourishes to add authenticity and flair to the final design.

The production process was nearly as elaborate as the calendar itself, with Diamond Packaging reaching out to several key suppliers. For instance, when it came to the different substrates needed for the project, Clearwater Papers provided its Clearwater Candesce® .018 SBS paperboard for the header, insert and backers, which then were offset printed with 4-color process inks, UV matte coating and UV gloss spot coating. Clearwater also provided its Candesce® 010 SBS paperboard for the shipper. “Clearwater’s Candesce® 010 SBS paperboard was chosen due to its performance characteristics and the fact that it is 100-percent recyclable and made from a renewable resource,” explained Bacchetta. Jamestown Container provided corrugated case shippers for the completed calendar.

The calendar pages were converted using Domtar Cougar Natural Smooth 80# and offset printed with one color (black). Finally, Klöckner-Pentaplast .015 APET paperboard was chosen to form the rigid window. All of the inks for the 4-color process were provided by the Huber Group, and offset printing was performed on a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 offset press (with Compact Foilers’ cold foil unit).

To complete the embossing, Diamond consulted with Metal Magic, which provided all of the embossing dies after reviewing the graphic and structural design layouts with the production team. “A collaborative effort between Metal Magic’s designers and Diamond’s lead embossing operator, Bill Poniatoski, led to suggestions on optimizing the embossing dies to add realism to the overall clock design,” Bacchetta stated. Diamond manufactured the cutting dies in-house. The embossing was done using a Bobst BMA hot foil stamper/embosser, while the diecutting was performed on a Bobst ExpertCut 106 PER diecutter.

Just as impressive and elaborate as the embossing is the use of cold foiling for the clock face and accent gears, all of which was completed inline utilizing Compact Foilers CF1000PM cold foil module, which is mounted on the Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 offset press. ITW provided the CFS 100 silver cold foil, which was overprinted with 4-color process inks. According to Bacchetta, “The tightly-registered foil accents lend authenticity to the piece and were achieved using state-of-the-art, inline cold foiling technology. They also showcase the type of decorative effects that can cost-effectively elevate our customers’ brands.”

Engineers at the Rochester, New York-based packaging supplier began planning for the 2016 calendar as early as January 2015.

Unsurprisingly, such an intricate project was not without its challenges. For example, when it came to constructing the header, engineers considered multiple approaches on how best to add dimension to the design. They opted to use a folding carton for the header in order to achieve both dimension and space for the insert. The design team also wondered at the best way to recreate a clock face. “For the clock face, we decided to use a separate printed, stamped and embossed insert,” Bacchetta said. “The insert then was erected and placed within the folding carton.” In order to create a functioning clock door, a scored panel was designed in the header with an APET window glued to the doorfame.

Challenges arose in the production process as well, such as maintaining consistent color among all four of the components (header, insert, backers), all of which were on separate forms. “Tight color control was maintained by using closed-loop scanning spectrophotometry,” explained Bacchetta. Furthermore, the calendar design also required extremely tight registration of the UV gloss spot coating, cold foil and multi-level embossed areas. “We also strove to incorporate all of the value-added processes in as few production steps as possible,” he said. To do so, Diamond optimized the structural design and layout of the calendar, which reduced the number of forms and press passes and helped to conserve raw materials and energy, reduce greenhouse gases and minimize discards. “We achieved production efficiencies through the use of more sustainable inline converting methods,” said Bacchetta, “including cold foiling. This resulted in less material and energy usage compared to an offline foil stamping process.”

In the end, Diamond Packaging produced 2,500 finished calendars, with this year’s design becoming one of its most popular ever. As Bacchetta noted, dozens of recipients requested additional calendars after seeing the finished piece. They also reached out to Diamond to share their awe and appreciation, offering such compliments as, “I received a BEAUTIFUL calendar from your group and wanted to send my thanks and my compliments. It’s absolutely beautiful. Great job!” and “Thank you so much for the clock calendar!! Just received it today. It is the coolest calendar I’ve ever seen. Really shows the awesome work you guys can do!”

In addition to customers’ praise, Diamond’s calendar has received numerous awards and accolades. The grandfather clock design received both Gold Calendar and Bronze Self Promotion – Display awards during the Foil & Specialty Effects Association’s 23rd annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards competition this year. The popular calendar also won the coveted Best of Show Award. The Best of Show is selected from all of the gold winners in each category and judged by a panel of industry peers and suppliers.

23rd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards

More than 300 entries were received from around the world, including works from the US, Canada, Australia, Finland, India and Denmark, for the 23rd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition. See a gallery of winners »

BIA News

June 17, 2016

by Kayleigh Smith, manager, marketing, Printing Industries of America

Each Sappi Standard 6 book focuses on an important aspect of the printing and design process and is a resource for designers and printers throughout the world. The newest book is The Standard: Bindery Techniques.

In May of 2016, designers from all over the world joined together in Atlanta, Georgia, for five days of intensive education, networking and inspiration. According to the HOW Design Live website, the event offered the creative inspiration to refuel a passion for work combined with the practical knowledge attendees need to achieve and advance in their careers. One of the great things about HOW Design Live is that it doesnt only talk about graphic design, it also includes all the necessary elements in the graphic communications industry – including bindery.

Although there was only one session dedicated to the importance of bindery, conference organizers did a great job of acquiring the talent needed to give such an important talk. Kit Hinrichs, principal and creative director of Studio Hinrichs, presented the session “Binding from Start to Finish.” In the short time given to him, Hinrichs presented a rundown of bindery techniques, as well as the history of binding. He even took the time to explain how designers can use bindery as another design technique. According to Hinrichs, “As long as we have the printed book there will be binding.”

In his session, Hinrichs also spoke about the newest Sappi Standard 6 book, The Standard: Bindery Techniques, which he helped create. On the Sappi website, its Standard Series is explained as “an invaluable resource for designers and printers throughout the world.” Each book focuses on an important aspect of the printing and design process.

In issue number six, The Standard: Bindery Techniques is broken down into five parts: the history of binding, binding as design, binding techniques, a guide to binding materials and the binding glossary. While the whole book is bound with wire-o, each of the sections uses its own binding. From techniques like side stitching to pronged fasteners, it’s almost like five books in one.

“The Standard Series is truly one of the best things I’ve ever done,” said Hinrichs. As a special treat, each of the attendees for this session got to take home their very own copy of The Standard: Bindery Techniques for free.

At the end of his session, Hinrichs opened the floor for questions. Here, the attendees got an inside look at how he really feels about the printed piece and binding. When asked about ways to become more knowledgeable about bindery, he mentioned that, “there’s nothing like going to a bindery yourself. They love to talk to people but no one ever asks them.”

“Printed documents are something that will really represent our culture in 100, or even 1,000, years from now,” said Hinrichs. “It’s a tremendous artifact we have of our culture.”

For more information about the Sappi Standard Series, visit www.na.sappi.com/education/probookshelf/the-standard. To learn more about the BIA, visit www.printing.org/bia.

Cold Foil Enhancement in the High-End Spirits Market

June 17, 2016

by Lara Copeland, assistant editor, PostPress

Photo taken by Sean Fenzl and supplied by Hired Guns Creative.

Honey has been used as food and as medicine since ancient times; today, it is typically used as a sweetener for both food and beverages. While it may commonly replace cane sugar in baking or enhance the flavor of tea, its use in the production of alcoholic beverages is sometimes overlooked. Due to its high sugar content, honey is easily fermented into spirits such as vodka. Unruly Vodka, from British Columbia-based distillation house, Wayward, is one such spirit utilizing honey in this manner. As the only distillery in Canada to incorporate the sweetener as its spirits’ base, the company wanted this unique quality reflected on its product label. Hired Guns Creative, a Nanaimo, British Columbia-based design firm specializing in packaging for the alcohol industry, designed the label’s unique look. Glenmore Custom Print & Packaging, Richmond, British Columbia, was then brought on board to assist with the intricate cold foiling and paperboard packaging.

Founded in 1981 by Glenn Rowley, Glenmore focuses on packaging for food, confectionary, pharmaceutical, beverage and nutraceutical brand owners, designers and end users. Now run by son James Rowley, the company spends half of its time doing commercial print – including high-end custom projects; the Wayward Vodka label and bottle wrap being one such job. The complicated design with intricate detail makes the bottle stand out from the crowded shelves, and Glenmore recently received an FSEA Gold Leaf Award for its use of cold foil on the bottle wrap.

While craft beers have enjoyed the high-end packaging spotlight for quite some time, craft distilleries are just starting to be known for similar trends. When the Canadian government began relaxing liquor laws in 2013, the production of artisan spirits became a viable means to make a living. Following this policy change, British Columbia alone has seen the number of craft distilleries nearly double in the past two years. Printing and packaging companies, like Glenmore, have seen this growth echoed in their production demands. Glenmore Operations Manager Stefan Congram, explained, “While commodity food grade packaging keeps the presses running at Glenmore on a more consistent basis, a large portion of our customer base comes from ultra-custom high-end products for beer, wine and spirits.”

Glenmore is the only company in its area that provides cold foil on packaging and ultra high-end paperboard packaging. Though this market is new to the company, Congram shared that it has certainly received a lot of interest recently. “Foil and print enhancements lend themselves very well for spirits and wine because these vintners and distillers are selling a premium product at a premium price and have the extra budget for these enhancements,” he stated. Both Wayward and Glenmore understand the impact foil plays in shelf appeal and thus product sales. Using print enhancements, cold foil included, helps clients convey a brand message that resonates with the consumer. Cold foil attracts attention from customers in well-lit retail locations and “once you have their attention on your product and it looks as amazing as this piece,” Congram added, “the natural reaction is to pick it up to admire the packaging.”

Considering the market for craft distilleries is still in its infancy, Wayward needed packaging to be appealing and affordable. Some spirits come in costly high-end boxes or wooden crates, but a bottle wrap can provide the same high-end effect at a more reasonable rate. Ultimately, the customer decided that a bottle wrap would create more shelf appeal than regular labels provide.

After going into full production on its new Eagle Systems Eco-Eagle cold foiling unit that is mounted on a new Heidelberg XL106, the Wayward label was among the first live jobs printed at the shop. Congram revealed that the process proved to be very smooth with few challenges. The label was originally printed as a double hit metallic copper ink plus two varnishes, but as Congram noted, “We happened to see this piece and instantly knew we could make it special with our inline cold foil. We approached the customer and showed them some other cold foil samples. They were interested immediately.”

The unique combination of blankets, adhesive, foil choice and stock ensured that lines can be held to .25pt with consistency. “Doing this project with our inline cold foil system allowed us to achieve the insane detail in the hair on the bee’s back, as well as hold the fine lines that are prominent throughout the piece,” stated Condram. He continued that overprinting the foil to achieve the copper color allowed for the hue of the copper to align with the customer’s requirements. Furthermore, the high-contrasting varnishes on the label lend themselves to highlighting the foil and adding depth to the already rich background. This makes the foil on the Wayward bottle wrap almost look three-dimensional. “Unseen is unsold, and with print enhancements like these, your chances of selling your product increases exponentially when compared to un-enhanced products,” Congram asserted.

Utilizing its technology to the fullest potential, Glenmore is “an A+ press team who had no problem with the challenge of cold foil once the system settings were dialed in with the right substrates,” Congram highlighted. When conducting the press check to see the finished piece, he emphasized the customer was very pleased and reportedly grinning from ear-to-ear. Considering the ultimate goal is to persuade the buyer to not only pick up the bottle, but to also buy it, both companies believe this work is a success.

Cultivating Leadership – 2016 FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Mike Graf

June 17, 2016

by Lara Copeland, assistant editor, PostPress

Mike Graf, with wife, Linda, accepts Lifetime Achievement award from FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson.

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), announced Mike Graf of Letterhead Press, Inc. (LPI), New Berlin, Wisconsin, as the recipient of the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. Upon receiving his award at the FSEA National Conference in April, Graf attributed much of his company’s growth to the people who have stood by his side at one point or another in its journey of 30 plus years. Graf disclosed, “Our people were our key to success over all these years.” Graf has advanced his leadership in the industry by maintaining a commitment to his customers, employees and high-quality production.

Graf enters the industry

When his partner at the time, Mark Mulvaney, first talked him into the foil stamping business, Graf was an auditor traveling the country representing the asset-based lending division of the bank for which he worked. It was his duty to look into the books, equipment and inventories and evaluate the direction a company was headed. Essentially, this two-year experience in assessing risky companies afforded him the opportunity to learn how business was conducted.

He took this knowledge to the farm fields of Wisconsin in 1984 and started a small company specializing in business communication. Thanks to Graf, who proclaimed “never say never” as his business motto, LPI now consists of more than 60 pieces of equipment providing foil stamping up to 50 inches, diecutting and mounting up to 80 inches, perfect binding, gluing, folding, stitching, box making, puzzles and game manufacturing, as well as a wide variety of hand-assembled processes. It produces over 5,000 jobs annually ranging from a handful of pieces to tens of millions. Grafs initial $9,000 investment has grown to include $15 million of equipment today, and this growth is something Graf said he did not do by himself. “I’m just a risk-taker and the organizer here,” he suggested, crediting his partners and employees with much of the success LPI has enjoyed. “I didn’t do this by myself by any means, and it’s the people who work for me who are the ones who made this happen.”

National Geographic changes the game

Graf understands the crucial role risk-taking plays in developing a company, as demonstrated in the mid-eighties when he received a game-changing phone call. National Geographic was searching for a company to stamp a hologram project – more specifically a skull hologram on its magazine cover. Admittedly, Graf reasoned, “We didn’t even know what a hologram was – I was only 25 years old.” At the time, American Banknote was the sole company that controlled the foil, owned the register systems, put the register systems on the foil stamping machine and ran the jobs. So, when Graf and his partner were asked to take on such a significant assignment, the duo realized the potential of this opportunity and accepted the job. Shortly thereafter, Graf received one register device, set up the press and proceeded to create the first successfully produced commercial hologram in the world, working with several industry partners. Considering the accomplishment of his first major project, Graf said, “It got us into decoration on cartons, security and so many different things.”

At the conclusion of the National Geographic job, a gentleman by the name of Augie Presty explained that he was going to start his own company building register systems for holograms. When presented with the opportunity to buy some of these register systems, Graf jumped at the chance. Recognizing the significance of this move, he reflected, “First, we took a risk by taking on this big project that we had no business taking. And second, we said we’d buy three register systems and that was a big financial risk. But boy, did the business come.”

Kellogg’s adds to infrastructure

Since it’s beginning, LPI has grown by leaps and bounds becoming a world-class manufacturing company.

Through the latter half of the 1980s, Graf built on his success that came not only with the National Geographic cover, but also through purchasing the register systems. The company was doing more magazine covers and catalogs when, in 1988, Kellogg’s called with an offer that would prove to be difficult to turn down. “Kellogg’s said they were bringing in American Banknote to make some holograms and they wanted us to come in and talk about stamping holograms on their cereal boxes,” Graf explained. He and his partner decided to meet with Kellogg’s to discuss the proposal – a job requiring production of 1,000,000 cartons a week for three months straight. Knowing they did not have the means to complete such a task, the team decided to take it on anyway. As they left the meeting, Graf turned to his partner and confessed, “There’s no way we can produce a million a week; we’ll have to build a whole new plant.” Instead of succumbing to defeat, the man who never says never found a way to make this job happen. He agreed to work with American Banknote and designed an environment that would accommodate such a job.

Without enough machines or square footage to undertake such a monumental job, Graf organized his resources to advance the company and enable it to fulfill the request. As a response to the new demands, LPI redesigned a business plan by building enough money into the price of the Kellogg’s job to pay for a new infrastructure. To successfully tackle the requirements set forth by Kellogg’s, Graf built a 20,000-square-foot plant, found new and old Kluges and register systems to stamp the holograms, set up the space with air conditioning and electricity, purchased fork trucks and put QC procedures in place now that LPI was working with food products for the first time. To this day, he says that the Kellogg’s project was one of his favorites because “we had to build the whole plant in three months. To see that whole thing come to fruition and to walk around and see all the equipment running all those cereal boxes – that was “WOW!” That was something nobody has ever done before.” Moreover, the business continued to flourish following the Kellogg’s job.

Holograms prove successful

From magazine covers, catalog covers and advertising pieces, to Polish stamps, Russian bonds and Finlandia Vodka advertising – Graf stayed busy supplying other companies with holograms well into the 1990s. “Customers would come to us and ask if we could do other things, like very high-end foil stamping,” Graf recalled. Upper Deck was one such customer, asking for a foil-embossed trading card. LPI took trading cards a step further by incorporating memorabilia into the cards. “We did some with rubber tires or lug nuts from racing cars and incorporated them into trading cards. Seats from Yankee Stadium and Babe Ruth’s bat and Tiger Woods’ shirt – we’d take all these things in, in full-form, and condense them down to wafer-thin pieces of material and incorporate them into trading cards,” he explained. Being on the leading edge of this industry provided millions of dollars of revenue throughout the ’90s when entertainment cards were all the rage. Comic book company Marvel Comics Group also asked LPI to incorporate holograms into its products. Graf says the company foil stamped, embossed and used holographic foil on several comic book covers during this decade.

As business continued to evolve, other food companies looked to LPI not only for stamping food product cartons, but also for other types of foils and embossing. General Mills, Post Foods, LLC and Kraft Food Group, Inc. turned to LPI for hologram stamping on their food products as well. “We were foil stamping, embossing and decorating cartons, and this is what really led us into shelf visibility. These sophisticated customers are all about increasing sales by putting these decorations on their products,” said Graf. Knowing something remarkable was happening, Graf wanted to explore how foil stamping was affecting visibility and the likelihood of somebody buying a product that had foil on it. LPI decided to invest tens of thousands of dollars to conduct a grocery store study that did just that. Graf confided, “We didn’t want to be somebody who just says ‘Stick foil on here for us.’ We wanted to know there was a reason and we wanted to make the products more successful.” This idea, one of creating the most successful product, was the angle LPI took well into the 2000s.

Graf and Reindl make a perfect team

Mike Graf attributes his company’s success to his partners and employees.

Graf is astounded at the growth the company has experienced in the last several years. Commenting on the difference between LPI today as opposed to the year 2000, he exclaimed, “It’s mind-blowing. There’s so many different processes we do now,” and he attributed much of the transformation to the people he works with – especially his vice president.

In his speech at the FSEA National Conference, Graf acknowledged several of the people and companies who played a role in getting the business up and running in the early days, while also noting those who have stayed by his side throughout his career. Referring to him as the “creative juices,” Graf described one such person, Dick Reindl, as the one who “is very instrumental in getting us in the doors and getting projects in here that we wouldn’t have unless we had somebody who truly understood what I’m talking about.”

Reindl is known for his strong technical background. With his sales and manufacturing experience and Graf’s understanding of business, the two complement each other quite well, or as Reindl said, “Mike grounds things and makes sure that we’re on track from a financial and manufacturing perspective while I’m out there hunting down as many projects as I can on a day-to-day basis.” He continued, saying that he focuses on speaking the language of marketing, in turn creating a trust between the customer and LPI to get the job done right. Instead of talking about foil stamping and embossing, Reindl discusses impact, tactile sensation, marketing messages and visibility with clients. This trust is built because “we are a world-class manufacturing company. We do what we say and we say what we do and it works out pretty well,” Reindl proclaimed. It’s that can-do attitude that compelled LPI to move forward and continuously improve its manufacturing practices.

LPI continues to improve

About 10 years ago, Graf changed the company’s culture and, therefore, its manufacturing techniques. Originally intended to help the business become more efficient in areas such as electrical usage, what developed is something Graf called a “lean journey” that spread throughout many areas of the plant. Reindl and Graf both noted the biggest culture change to come out of the lean journey was getting into Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification.

SQF is a management system that monitors and regulates food quality, and Graf wanted this certification in order to handle food packaging processes. This all-encompassing program assures buyers and customers that food has been handled according to the highest standards. As a company always on the forefront of improvement, Graf appreciated the opportunity to better his business. Preparing to become SQF certified and meet the requirements for cleanliness, equipment maintenance and much more took about a year for the company. When audited last year, LPI received a score of 98 out of 100 in attaining level two SQF certification. Graf said the companys success is due to the employees accepting this culture change. Jokingly he added, “Do you know how difficult it is to get a bunch of guys from Wisconsin – guys who are hunters and fishermen – to wear hair nets? But, they’re accepting of it.”

The idea of continuously improving the company has spurred on other initiatives especially those that made LPI an environmentally friendly company. Reindl said he and Graf spend a lot of time improving manufacturing and credited Graf with implementing green company programs – like installing solar panels and decreasing waste.

By adding solar panels, LPI has worked hard to cut its electrical consumption. Utilizing the 10th largest array of solar panels in the state of Wisconsin, LPI receives annually about 25 percent of its electricity from this source. Graf also instituted a waste handling program for the plastics and paper that enter the building. Much of the waste produced now is taken by vacuum tubes from all the different pieces of equipment and is transported to the recycling and bailing area. Graf reported, “We calculate that between 98 to 99 percent of the stuff that comes through our doors leaves LPI either as finished product or recycled material.” This generates a large amount of dollars in recyclable revenue. The company cited over 4.2 million pounds of recycling last year and is on track to recycle 5.5 million pounds of material this year. The lean management technique has been beneficial for LPI as Graf pointed out, “We’ve cut our electrical usage in half the past six years while experiencing double-digit growth over the same period of time.” These lean practices also are what helped save the company during the recession that began in the last decade.

Accomplishments and giving back

Graf cited making it out of the last recession as his proudest business accomplishment. Like many companies, LPI lost money due to the collapsing economy. Industry peers and trusted individuals attempted to convince Graf to file bankruptcy, but he refused. “You beg and borrow, you do what you’ve got to do and you come out a lot stronger,” Graf asserted, and that’s exactly what he did. At a tremendous cost, he kept the bulk of his team together while other companies did not fare so well, and LPI still is standing today. Reindl remarked on Graf’s leadership saying, “Mike’s been a great leader, and he inspires us to keep moving forward and keep taking opportunities. I think businesses have to have a guy like that.”

While he celebrated his employees for making the company what it is today, Graf also noted that having a family has been his biggest accomplishment, personally. He recognized the role his family has played in his success and acknowledged, “I have a very nice family – my wonderful wife, Linda, my two great kids and my three excellent golden retrievers.” Graf’s caring and appreciative nature spilled over into his work, too.

For the past 15 years, he has been giving back to the community by donating food at Thanksgiving and, more recently, at Easter. The recipient of Graf’s generosity is a local charity called House of Peace in Milwaukee. It is a Catholic organization that serves the poorest of the population, and Graf admired its community-based formula. Helping families celebrate the holidays by providing boxes full of food is a tradition LPI employees participate in, too. “My wife and I, and some people from the company, will pack and then unload a truck full of 500 to 600 boxes – about 5,000 to 7,000 pounds of food,” said Graf. Feeding between 100 to 200 families is something Graf took on because he simply wanted to “help some people out.”

Lifetime achievement

Growing from a small company with a few employees and one Kluge into what LPI is today, Graf recognized the valuable opportunities he has been given over the years. He credited the National Geographic project with affording the company its big break. “So many people from the hot stamping industry are known in their city or state, but, from an early period of time, we were known for being one of the premier foil stamping companies in the country, if not the world,” he said.

Winning the FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award is the culmination of decades worth of work. For 32 years, Mike Graf and LPI have embraced a variety of challenges but have never wavered from core beliefs – intense devotion to people, the open embrace of change and innovation, a dedication to continuous improvement and always pursuing a solution to the customer’s need.

Reindl stressed his respect for Graf. “It’s interesting to see how people grow,” he said. “Some people hit a plateau and level off and other people just keep on growing. Mike’s one of those guys who continues to challenge himself and the people around him, and I think that’s helped us continue to grow in our business.”

Direct Mail Makes a Comeback

June 17, 2016

by Brittany Willes, editor, PostPress

Conference organizers continue to use printed mail pieces to drive attendance.

The direct mail industry may be sympathizing with American writer and humorist Mark Twain, who once was said to declare, “Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

After years of lower volumes affected by the predicted takeover of digital communication, direct mail has re-established itself as a vital means of connecting marketers to their potential customers. Strategic consulting group Winterberry Group forecasted direct mail to be a $47 billion industry in 2016, up again after a 2.9 percent increase in 2015. This year’s increase will be driven partially by the presidential election cycle and the Olympic Games, but much of the resurgence is driven by neuroscience that has proven consumers remember the message of printed pieces better than information found online.

Driving sales with touch

Contrary to popular belief that humans use only 10 percent of our brains, more than half of the brain is dedicated to processing and storing sensory experiences. “Touch is the only sense that puts you in direct contact with your subject,” said Dr. David Eagleman, host of the PBS series The Brain. “Unlike sight and hearing which operate at a distance, our sense of touch provides a very up-close and personal way of interacting with the world. With 2,000 sensory receptors in our fingertips alone, it’s little wonder that so much of our brain is devoted to tactile sensations and associations.”

In a series of short videos distributed by Sappi North America, Eagleman explains how haptics, or the neuroscience of touch, can affect decision-making. According to Eagleman, after an eight-year decline, paper catalogs have experienced a comeback after businesses discovered that online marketing alone led to decreased sales. Why? Because approximately 75 percent of online purchases were made after customers looked through the paper catalog.

“The research suggests that catalogs are enough to drive ownership imagery,” Eagleman said. “Touching a nicely crafted catalog is sufficient to trigger the ‘Endowment Effect.’ Somehow the tactile experience of touching a piece of paper is a surrogate for touching the thing itself. Touch ends up being a really important part of our decision-making.”

Even as more people flock to place orders online, printed materials continue to be a driving force behind those sales. According to statistics compiled by the Print Industry of America, printed materials ” including brochures, ads and direct mail pieces ” account for more than 85 percent of print industry revenue. By contrast, only 13 percent is derived from non-print revenue. As the novelty of Internet ordering and paperless settings fades, people are once again craving the physical interaction of printed materials.

Digital communication not always favored

Perhaps because we live so much of our lives online, it’s understandable to assume most people prefer digital communication over paper. Recent studies, however, show the opposite is true. Even millennials, who have mostly grown up unaware of a time before cellphones could be used to take and share pictures of your dinner with hundreds of people instantaneously, have been found to prefer print over digital in many situations.

In 2013, the American Forest & Paper Association prepared “Documenting the Value of Paper: Literature Review,” which examined several studies showcasing when and why students who have grown up with digital still prefer print medium. For instance, when looking at college students:

Students prefer to study using print texts rather than study on screen. (Ackerman and Goldsmith, 2011)
A study of 91 undergraduate students found that they do not prefer e-texts over print textbooks regardless of their gender, computer use or comfort with computers. (Woody, Daniel and Baker, 2010)
In a 2009 Student Public Interest Research Group survey, 70 percent of students preferred print textbooks to e-texts “when cost was not a factor.” (Weinman, 2009)

Despite their familiarity with digital communication, millennials perceive paper as being the more trustworthy medium. After all, anyone can post anything online, but print requires time and money on behalf of the distributor and therefore is seen as more likely to be factual and, in the case of direct mail advertising, more official.

When it comes to marketing communication, customers still prefer direct mail over email and internet advertisements. Surveys show that direct mail is still responsible for the majority of customer contact and retention. According to the AFPA’s prepared document:

74 percent of consumers surveyed by Pitney Bowes in the US, UK, Germany and France “welcome a monthly offer sent to them via postal mail.” (RIT, March 2012)
According to the DMA 2011 Statistical Fact Book, over 50 percent of U.S. consumers report they read direct mail received from retailers and find it useful. Sales driven by direct mail other than catalogs increased $20 billion from 2010 to 2011. (RIT, 2011)

In fact, customers who have access to a printed catalog are likely to spend more money online than those who did not.

Environmental claims disproved

The phrase “go green” has been widely circulated the past few years, with more and more companies urging customers to go paperless as a way to become more environmentally friendly. Many companies moved away from paper advertisements and promotional materials, relying heavily on email and websites to connect with customers. As a result, many people grew to assume digital communication produced less waste and less toxicity for the environment. As with most things, however, the truth of the situation is not so cut and dried.

According to a 2013 report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council, “Small Network Equipment Energy Consumption in U.S. Homes,” approximately 88 million households have a high-speed Internet connection, which necessitates use of a modem and (most often) a router. These two small devices “consume an average of 94 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity every year,” which is “more than twice the annual consumption of a 14-inch ENERGY STAR-certified laptop computer.” That’s a lot of energy draw for a supposedly green device, considering the amount of energy used when transmitting data is virtually the same as when sitting idle.

As reported by the NRDC, in 2012 alone the US “consumed approximately 8.3 billion kWh of electricity, equivalent to the annual output of three large (500 MW) coal-fired power plants. This resulted in 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, or the equivalent annual tailpipe emissions of 1.1 million cars.” There’s no denying that digital communication has an environmental cost and cannot claim to be the only sustainable option. Paper communication, in fact, is much more sustainable than digital and is not nearly the environmental hazard that many believe it to be.

Two Sides North America, a global initiative devoted to promoting sustainability and dispelling common environmental misconceptions, has long argued that paper is in fact one of the only truly sustainable products. As stated in Two Sides’ Myths & Facts brochure: “Paper is made from wood, a natural resource that is renewable and recyclable. These features, combined with the North American paper industry’s advocacy of responsible forestry practices and certification, use of renewable biomass and advances in efficient papermaking technology, make paper one of the most sustainable products on earth.”

While some might argue that not enough people recycle to justify the continued use of paper, the reality is that recycling in the US has increased dramatically as a result of increased access to community recycling services, including curbside and drop-off access. According to the AFPA: “Paper recovery has fostered a dynamic marketplace that allows recovered fiber to find its highest-value end use. That, in turn, helps to encourage more recycling.” In fact, people in the US recycle paper more often than any other material. The AFPA reported that 65.4 percent of all paper consumed in the US in 2014 was recovered for recycling.

Thus, the common misconception that paper communication is less green is simply that: a misconception. It is far more likely that the true motivation behind companies pushing to go green is related to cost. No doubt it can be cheaper for companies to deliver advertising and promotional materials digitally. However, it’s important to remember that the cheaper delivery method has been shown to have a negative impact on sales without a coordinated print component – not the desired result.

Opportunities for print finishers

Humans are incredibly tactile beings, and the look, feel and smell of paper engages our senses in a way that digital just can’t. However, that doesn’t mean the two can’t work well together. We buy online because it’s typically cheaper and faster, but we still enjoy the physical sensation of flipping through a catalog or admiring a creative piece of direct mail advertising. And, as it turns out, those physical sensations drive increased sales.

The current US Postal Service incentives offer a terrific reason for print finishers to remind print customers, ad agencies and graphic designers of the resurgence of direct mail (see article).

If we were to ask Mark Twain what he might have to say on the subject, it’s possible he would have replied with another of his famous quotes, “I was seldom able to see an opportunity until it had ceased to be one.” In this case, the opportunity is right in front of you.

FSEA News

June 17, 2016

FSEA National Conference Perfect Setting For Networking and Education

Dreyer Kilché accepts its award for Best Ink Over Foil from FSEA’s Jeff and Gayla Peterson.

The 2016 FSEA National Conference took place April 3-5 and was deemed a huge success, with many of the attendees expressing that it was the best content ever at an FSEA conference event. Taking place at the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida, the conference provided a great combination of educational sessions and time to enjoy the resort and surroundings. “FSEA would like to thank all of the members and others who took their valuable time to join us and stay informed on the ever-changing landscape in the postpress/finishing industry,” stated FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “Those who take advantage of educational opportunities, such as our FSEA National Conference, will certainly be a step ahead of others in the industry.”

Odyssey Returns to Schaumburg in May 2017

Daniel Dejan, Sappi Paper, presented a fascinating program on the neuroscience of touch.

The IADD•FSEA Odyssey will return to Schaumburg, Illinois, May 17-19, 2017. In 2015, the largest Odyssey in the history of the event was held, with 163 exhibitors, 30 running machines in the hall and a record number of attendees at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center and Hotel. Just 25 minutes from downtown Chicago, this 148,000 square foot facility offers 500 convenient hotel rooms connected to the Convention Center.

The multiple reasons for record attendance in 2015 hold true for the 2017 event, and Odyssey organizers are expecting excellent attendance yet again. Outstanding exhibitor participation drove excitement from the number of diemakers, diecutters and print finishers within a days drive of the event, and the convention center’s easy access from O’Hare International Airport assists in attracting international attendees and making the event more global. Education once again is a focus of the programming committee, with a continued focus on what’s new in the world of diecutting, diemaking, folding cartons, foil and engraving, while also expanding content to include more information for those in corrugated, plastics, foams, gaskets and more. Many of the educational programs will take place in the Techshop™, offering attendees a one-of-a-kind experience with live, operating equipment available for informative programs and hands-on teaching.

More information will be coming soon, but mark the calendar now for the 2017 IADD•FSEA Odyssey, May 17-19, Schaumburg, Illinois. Details will be released through media outlets and at www.odysseyexpo.org.

2016 Economic Survey Available For FSEA Members

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association periodically conducts surveys to gather information for its members and the industry as a whole on relevant business topics, including wage comparisons, market conditions and economic updates. In 2009 and 2011, the FSEA asked its members to answer a series of 20 questions designed to assess the effects of the economic recession and subsequent recovery. The 2016 report, conducted through a third party system specializing in online surveys and email marketing, provides a follow up to those surveys with an eye to benchmarking the state of the print ?nishing industry.

The 2016 survey addresses issues our FSEA Members face such as sales volume, workforce size and primary business concerns for the upcoming year. Key findings indicate rising concerns over labor and healthcare costs and finding new employees. At the same time, a solid increase in sales levels for the majority of respondents has led to increased wages for existing employees and the purchase of new assets to support the businesses.

To access the new 2016 Economic Survey, visit www.fsea.com and click on the Members Only section. You will need your updated FSEA Username and Password to access the full survey.

23rd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards

June 17, 2016

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) proudly announces the honorees in the 23rd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition. Gold, silver and bronze winners in 38 categories were recognized at an awards reception during the FSEA National Conference, held in Orlando, Florida.

More than 300 entries were received from around the world, including works from the US, Canada, Australia, Finland, India and Denmark. Judged on design, execution and level of difficulty, the competition assesses submissions utilizing specialty finishing techniques from foil stamping and embossing to specialty coating, film laminating, laser cutting, diecutting, cold foil application and more. With a commitment to gaining visibility for the processes and those companies that execute the decorative enhancements, the competition celebrates the quality, added value, shelf presence, security and brand recognition that these finishing processes lend to the printed sheet.

Special thanks to the sponsors

Platinum: API Foils; Bobst North America; Crown Roll Leaf; h+m USA, L.P.; ITW Foils; Infinity Foils, Inc. – a UEI Group Co.; Kurz Transfer Products; Masterwork USA Inc.; Metal Magic; Univacco Technology Inc.; Universal Engraving, Inc. – a UEI Group Co.

Gold: Brandtjen & Kluge, Inc.; Brausse Group; Eagle Systems Inc.; MGI USA; Matik, Inc./Gietz; Owosso Graphic Arts, Inc.; Sakurai USA; Sun Chemical; Dreyer Kliche/Foilco; Compact Foilers Ltd.

See all of the winners at www.fsea.com.

Class of 2016: Jostens Takes Yearbooks to a New Level

June 17, 2016

by Brittany Willes, editor, PostPress

The Francis Parker Upper School, San Diego, California, 2016 yearbook.

Every year, high schools across the country collaborate with Jostens’ art departments as they set out to create a yearbook cover. For Francis Parker Upper School, San Diego, California, this was achieved with a deceptively simple design that leaves a big impression. “This particular cover was the culmination of the yearbook staff at Francis Parker and Jostens’ art department in California,” stated Tim Beymer, cover plant manager for Jostens, Inc. Combining old and new application styles, the 2016 yearbook boasts burnishing and metalay to create a truly unique design that practically jumps off of the cover.

For this hardback cover, Eska .145 board was used for the front and back lid as it would allow the deep embossing needed to make the burnished design pop out from the cover. The cover was casemade on a Kolbus 270 and wrapped in a special material from Ecological Fibers called mirage pescera. “Every hardbound cover goes through our casemaking department,” remarked Beymer. “The front and back lid covers and the cover materials are married together, meaning the material wraps around the board to form what physically looks like a book cover.” At the same time the cover was being wrapped around the board and hot glue applied, a liner was placed into the cover to support the middle of the book block.

The most difficult part in creating the cover was applying the golden metalay used to depict the image of a knight charging across the front and back lids. “There’s a process in metalay called pick-out,” Beymer explained. “When you have a lot of sharp edges and corners to a die, it has to be peeled off by hand, and that was the case with this cover. While there weren’t a lot of sharp edges in the design itself, we still had to be careful in pulling off the metalay so that it didn’t pull the cover material up with it or leave any gaps.”

Naturally, the care and attention required in peeling the die means applying metalay is a fairly time consuming processes. While not necessarily a difficult production, it was certainly one which required a slower process than normal. Furthermore, the cover is fairly unique in that it makes use of two passes of metalay as the school’s lancer mascot is seen jumping from the back lid to the front. “It’s not uncommon to see a single pass on the front lid, but rarely do you see it on the back as well,” said Beymer. “It’s a very unique feature to have the metalay break across the backbone like it does. From a looks perspective, it gives the cover a whole other dimension.” The metalay was supplied by General Roll Leaf, and the dies were supplied by Western Engraving, Jostens’ embossing die provider. The metalay was applied using a Sheriden Emboss Press.

In addition to the metalay, the entire cover also was burnished using a burnished die from Owosso. “Burnished dies,” stated Beymer, “are foil dies that are Teflon coated.” Instead of the die being copper in color, it is copper with a black coating on the top. Increased heat on the press enables the branded look on the cover, and the Teflon coating ensures the dies won’t stick to the material. This also is why the cover material itself is so important. “You can’t do the burnish on just any kind of material,” he said. “Something in the material receives the dies in a way that will burn into the cover. If you do it with another cover, you’ll just scorch it or it won’t look like a brand.” The Francis Parker cover features a prominent brand on the front lid as a beautiful contrast to the metalay knight, as well as further burnishing along the spine and the back cover.

“The burnish is pretty new to us,” Beymer stated. “We’ve completed almost two full seasons offering it. We really got into it for the first time because of a book cover that we did for a well-known country singer. He was going on tour and wanted to use leather from his tour bus as the cover material and a likeness of a brand from his ranch.” To achieve the desired look, Jostens partnered with its material and die vendors to come up with a cover material that had both the look of leather and could hold up to the branding process. “That’s really what got us thinking about how we could offer burnish as an actual application on a cover,” said Beymer.

While burnishing hasn’t been around as long as applications such as metalay, many schools are taking advantage of the opportunity it provides. From one year to the next, burnishing has grown by nearly 80 percent, according to Beymer. “We’ve had schools use foil stamp and burnish, emboss and burnish, silkscreen and burnish and more. They’re mixing the older styles of applications with the new and coming up with some very creative, very cool covers.”

Managing Foil Inventory

June 17, 2016

by Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

A foil inventory system can reduce waste, avoid downtime and save time.

In the print finishing world, having a sophisticated inventory system never has been of upmost importance. Finishers, as a general rule, do not have a great deal of inventory of paper or other products because many jobs are brought in by the printer/customer and then sent back before being shipped to the end user.

One area where inventory management can be important, however, is with hot stamping foil. This has become even more critical in recent years with the growth and use of new paper stocks and coatings, which has created more foil formulations for different substrates. Creating a system that will help estimators, salespeople and operators keep track of the foil on hand can save money and production time in many cases – but, this is more easily said than done. “Managing foil inventory is a difficult task,” said Brian Bowland, Great Western Foils, Simi Valley, California. “There is no easy way to keep track of it without physically checking it on some type of consistent basis.”

Inventory software

One way to keep better track of foil inventory is to use a software system. This can be effective in managing foil, but it takes a concerted effort to track not only the number of rolls in inventory, but also the feet left on each roll. “A quality foil inventory system will know how much material is on each roll,” said Mark Porter, president of Dienamic MIS Software, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. “If the next job comes in and requires 1,500 feet, the operator will want to choose to finish off the 500-foot roll in inventory and then start another 1,000-foot roll for the balance.” Knowing that a 500-foot-long roll of the specific foil for the job is on hand potentially saves the finisher the cost of purchasing an entire master roll. The savings can be passed to the customer or help drive a higher profit margin on the job.

A foil inventory system also can force structure with the management of the foil rolls, because it can specify the exact location from which foil is taken and returned. This structure results in less time looking for foil and less waste from possibly having to repurchase it.

Utilizing a software system to help manage foil inventory can provide many benefits, including:

reduce waste during production;
help ensure sufficient quantities are available for production to avoid downtime;
manage batches of foil received by specific foil suppliers so if there are quality issues, they can be traced; and
reduce time looking for foil rolls and costs associated with purchasing foil that may be in the plant but cannot be found.

Reducing and controlling foil inventory

Another way to keep foil inventory manageable is to have policies that help the foil stamper use it in creative ways, such as producing a foil color chart for customers, using it for a finisher’s self-promotional piece or donating a foil stamping project for a nonprofit event.

Another way to keep foil inventory manageable is to have policies that help the foil stamper use it in creative ways. For example, an inventive idea would be to produce a foil color chart for customers. “Producing a foil color chart has been an excellent tool for promoting our business and minimizing the number of foil colors that we keep in stock – especially in the gold and copper range, where there seems to be an unlimited number of shades available,” said Paul Adametz, president of The Letterpress Shoppe, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “We produced a large quantity of color charts several years ago and distributed them to all the printers, designers and ad agencies in the Pittsburgh region. Because of the mass distribution, my competitors regularly have to deal with their customers specifying Letterpress Shoppe foil color numbers.”

Adametz said his company controls foil inventory by specifying that quotations are based on using Letterpress Shoppe standard foil shades. “With this policy in place, we rarely have to buy a custom shade without being able to charge the customer accordingly,” Adametz explained. The Letterpress Shoppe also tries to quote “off-the-shelf” foils when customers indicate they want something a little different than what is shown on the color chart. “Our customers have access to hundreds of end rolls that we have sorted by color without paying for a custom foil purchase,” Adametz added.

Yet another idea to use leftover foil in inventory is to use it for a finisher’s self-promotional piece or for a nonprofit event where the finisher would donate the foil stamping of the project. In addition to using leftover foil, donating the foil stamping for a special invitation can provide great free publicity for the foil stamper.

Bowland said foil stampers do not need to stock very many foils in inventory, especially if they have easy access to a selection of foil through a distributor or foil manufacturer. “Every roll a foil stamper keeps in inventory hurts the company’s bottom line,” he explained. Bowland suggested keeping on hand general gold and silver foils that can work on a broad range of substrates. He also recommended that foil stamping companies stock clear foil. “With the increased popularity of spot coatings and other specialty coatings, clear hot stamping foil has gained in popularity as well,” he said. “Many of our foil stamping customers now inventory it along with gold and silver and sometimes a black and white foil, too.”

Bowland added that calculating the correct foil for the particular job also is important in controlling foil inventory (see Figure 1 on Foil Calculation Formula). This can help control the rolls left over from a particular job.

Conclusion

Whether a foil stamper uses a software system and/or creates specific policies to help control foil inventory, the key is that it is important to do something. Utilizing a software system of some type, as well as doing things like having a color chart with limited foil colors and controlling the foils that need to be inventoried, can go a long way toward keeping money in the bank instead of on the shelf.

PostPress would like to thank Mark Porter, Dienamic MIS Software, Inc.; Brian Bowland, Great Western Foils, Inc.; and Paul Adametz, The Letterpress Shoppe L.P., for their assistance with this article.

Foil Calculation Formula

To figure the correct foil for a particular job, three specifics are needed:

Total # of impressions/sheets. Remember to count total sheets, not finished pieces. Also, be sure to not calculate from the total sheets received. Provide the needed quantity asked for by the printer or customer and do not stamp an unnecessary amount.
Length of pull. Determine which direction the foil will run on the press and then measure the length of the image being foil stamped. Take the image size and, to be safe, add ½” to all sides. If the foil stamper can be involved early in the project, many times a small adjustment can help decrease the total foil usage and save the customer foil costs.
Number of cut rolls needed out of a master roll (24″ or 25″ wide). Once the size of each roll has been determined, calculate how many rolls can be cut from a master.

Formula:
# of impressions times the length of the pull (in inches) divided by 12 (divide by 12 to convert from inches to feet). Take this number and divide by the number of cut rolls out of a master.
This will provide the foil stamper with the footage needed in master rolls. As an example:

# of impressions: 10,000
Length of pull: 6″
Cut size: 3″ (8 rolls out of a master)
10,000 times 6 divided by 12 divided by 8 = 625

This calculates to 24″ x 625′ needed to complete the job. Since foil is commonly sold in 200′ increments, and sometimes 1,000′ masters are the minimum, one master 24″ x 800′ or 1,000′ will be needed to complete the job.

Print Influencer: Daniel Dejan

June 17, 2016

With over 40 years in the industry, Dejan is devoted to proving just how effective print communication can be when enhanced with tactile sensations.

Daniel Dejan is the Sappi etc. (education, training and consulting) print and creative manager for Sappi North America, providing value-added marketing, sales and technical consultation. As a graphic designer with over 40 years in the industry, Dejan developed a fascination with paper and its ability to create dramatic pieces of marketing communications. In his work with Sappi North America, Dejan strives to educate and inspire the graphic arts community on the ways in which print communications can utilize tactile sensations to compete in a market continually overloaded with digital content.

How did you find the printing industry as a career?

I grew up in the industry. My father owned an advertising agency and felt it was good for me to learn production. When I was 16, I did an apprenticeship for one of the largest hot type shops in Chicago, which gave me a very strong foundation. I learned type, ink, paper and print production. Of course, most of that now is obsolete, but it was exactly the right kind of indoctrination. Later, I went to college and design school before starting my own graphic design and marketing firm. I ended up buying my father’s advertising agency and merging it with my own company. The rest is history.

What are haptics, and how do they relate to branding?

Haptics is the science of touch and how what we touch shapes what we feel. Humans are a very tactile species. We love to feel things that stimulate a response. At Sappi, we got together with Lana Rigsby from Rigsby Hull, a communications design firm in Houston, Texas. She brought in Dr. David Eagleman, one of the top neuroscience researchers in haptics. Together we created The Neuroscience of Touch: Haptic Brain, Haptic Brand. The book looks at communications through the lens of neuroscience, exploring how media shapes the brain and, consequently, the way a brand is perceived. Addressing haptics specifically, we look at the science behind why our haptic brains respond so well to haptic brands.

How did Sappi first become involved with haptics and the neuroscience of touch?

Sappi was doing research looking at the last ten years in marketing communications since the dot.com revolution. We came across a research study exploring what happens to the brain, from a neuroscience perspective, when we read ink on paper vs. the same content on a digital tablet. What researchers found was that, unlike reading on a tablet, reading ink on paper stimulates four of the five senses: visual, auditory (sound of differing papers as well as the pages turning), haptics (touch) and olfactory (the smell of ink and paper). Additionally, volunteers retained the content for much longer than when reading on a tablet. It was the first time we were better able to understand how strongly the senses play in our experience with reading. We now know that we read ink on paper differently than an electronic source, but we also assimilate that content very differently. For Sappi, this was a very important way of differentiating media, which led to the Haptic Brain, Haptic Brand project.

How can printers, finishers and binders use haptics branding to connect with their customers?

The beauty of foil stamping or the feel of soft-touch or quality paper impacts how we regard the company and the brand. By effectively engaging the senses, we can differentiate ourselves from our competition. Ink on paper is storytelling. We often see companies commoditize their communication due to budget restraints. However, when companies take the time to design and create a truly lovely catalog or piece of direct mail, consumers will value not just the content but the company and the brand for spending that capital to produce an aesthetic and impactful piece. People know that print costs money. Psychologically, it shows pride and also says to the recipient, “This is important and valuable. Please pay attention.”

What does it mean for the future of the print industry?

We need to understand the trends. We’re seeing a greater demand from the public for having their senses engaged, which can’t be done on a smartphone or tablet. We get very excited about new technology, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best and only way to connect with customers; it’s just the newest. What we are coming to realize is that while technology is wonderful, 75-84 percent of online orders are stimulated by magazine advertising, from catalogs and direct mail or a piece of collateral. Companies that migrated away from print a decade ago are coming back to it because they’re seeing it’s the best way of engaging their audiences. As humans, we love all the marvelous things the senses bring us. We may order online due to our expectation of “immediate gratification,” but we often are stimulated through print first.

What do you see for the industry five years into the future?

The print industry is growing and will continue to do well. Technology has opened up possibilities to do beautiful work, and that’s going to continue. The industry’s job is to help our customers differentiate their products or services from the competition in their markets. At one time, 4-color enabled that because everyone else was doing 2-color. Then, everyone was doing 4-color, and it became a matter of what to do next. The industry started taking advantage of special effects, such as foil stamping, diecutting and embossing, as part of the brand. It also started promoting soft-touch and sandpaper on magazine covers as part of the brand. It defined who they were. The minute end users saw that little flash of foil or felt that soft-touch cover, they reacted and knew who the company was. I think were going to continue to see that, as well as other yet-to-be-discovered techniques.

If we want to stand out from the crowd, we have to stop commoditizing. It’s not about the cost per unit. It’s about response rates and, more importantly, about conversion rates. It’s about getting people to buy the packaging off of the shelf and making them believe that you are the right company to do business with. Psychologically, as soon as we start to show that we are different by using special effects, our customers believe us and they buy more products and services.