Applications

Collotype Labels Honors South African Vineyards

June 17, 2015

by Brittany Willes, PostPress

Collotype Labels, Napa, California, recently was awarded the Gold Award in the Creative category for Sheet/Rotary labels in the 22nd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards.

From the Western Cape of South Africa, winemaker Graham Weerts uncorked the limited production Capensis Chardonnay. In order to create packaging as sophisticated as the wine, Capensis partnered with Collotype Labels, Napa, California, the wine and spirit arm of Multi-Color Corporation. Both corporations sought inspiration in the ancient soils, dramatic landscapes and historic vineyards that honor the greatness of South Africa.

Once the initial design was in place, Killer White paper stock was chosen as the label’s base. With background texture created by rotary debossing, the proprietary, wet-strength material is made exclusively for Collotype by Fassion. The solid, cream-colored background serves as a contrast to the darker colored foils of the text. Despite the limited color palette, the final effect is one of understated elegance.

Production of the Capensis label required a combination of rotary foil stamping, rotary texture debossing, flat-bed sculpted embossing and flat-bed diecutting. With the exception of the sequential numbering, which was completed on a second, offline pass, all of the processes were done inline, in a single pass on a Gallus TCS 250 semi-rotary offset printing press. When asked about the use of semi-rotary versus flexo printing presses, Tim LaPoint, TCS technical coordinator for Collotype Labels, explained, “Offset printing differs from flexo printing in how the inks are transferred from printing plates to paper stock. The advantage of semi-rotary technology is faster set-up and changeover times. Also, offset printing offers a higher print quality that is achieved by using a finer dot size.”

The advantage of a finer dot size was utilized in the label’s embossed images. Infused with intricate images of plant life, such as vines, leaves and flowers, the label also is decorated with an image of an antelope, evoking the wine’s South African heritage. In order to create these highly detailed images, the solid background was offset printed in cream with reversed illustrations, as well as positive plate and conventional dot-and-line work. Furthermore, in order to better ensure the Capensis name and supporting text stand out against the cream-colored background, “Capensis” was foil stamped using Kurz 347 brown foil with MTC release. The sequential numbering was done with MTS release in Kurz 362 black foil.

With its complex production process, the Capensis label proved to be quite a task for Collotype. “The flat emboss was a challenge,” stated Lapoint. “It required a high-level of expertise to achieve the customer’s desired result.” Despite the difficulties presented by the label, Mark Schmick, one of Collotype Napa’s leading sales representatives, reported that both Collotype and the customer were pleased with the final result. “Our client and its brand managers worked collaboratively with our production and prepress teams to engineer a stunning label,” Schmick stated. “We are all thrilled with the final product.”

As evidence of Collotype’s confidence in the label, the company chose to enter it in the 22nd Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards, where it was honored for excellence by being awarded the Gold Award in the Creative category for Sheet/Rotary labels. Capensis wine and its award-winning label will be released to the globally in late spring of 2015.

2015 Narrow Web Supplement

Off the Radar: Creative Mail Ideas

March 25, 2015

by Trish Witkowski, foldfactory.com

I’ve been studying mail for quite a while now, and I’ve learned some neat tricks that I wish I had known back in my studio days. Yes, for those who don’t know, I’m a designer – a designer with a master’s degree in printing. So, my blood runs cmyk, but my soul is all flowy and creative. I was a creative director at a design firm back when making a living off of folding and mail strategy was a dream and a decade away. At the time, sending mail was just something we did: think up an idea, send it out, sell something, turn that marketing brochure into a mail piece…

Mail, to me, was a drag – risky, annoying in its requirements and completely uncreative. Now that I study mail, I realize how little I understood about it. So, I’m writing the article I wish I could have read back in those days.

Fun with the envelope flap

Modify the envelope flap to add interest and increase open rates.

Did you know that if you’re ordering custom envelopes, the shape of the flap can be changed to create interest? For instance, a pull tab can be added or the angle could be altered – or a curve even could be added. People are so used to seeing the same sizes and shapes that small details can catch the eye and send a message that something interesting is inside.

One thing to note: if the envelope contents will be auto-inserted by machine, ask the printer before modifying the flap. There are strict tolerances required for the process to work, and the flap size and shape have a lot to do with it.

A design also can be printed on the envelope flap, since First-Class Mail doesn’t require a return address. The USPS does recommend that a return address is included so it can return any undeliverable mail, but the placement can be on the front or back. So, why not make the back flap interesting? There’s also a lot of nice space below the flap, so why not put color or imagery there, too?

The back of the envelope is grossly underutilized, in my opinion. I’ve actually been noticing a trend over the past few months, and I call it “party on the back.” These envelope mailers are plain white window envelopes on the front, with full color designs on the back. Since you don’t know which way the recipient will pick up the piece, and since the non-address side with the envelope flap is the side the recipient needs to open, it’s clever to print a message, a pop of color or a pattern on the back.

Think outside the clear zones

Don’t send a plain envelope. If you want to put imagery or a message on the face of the envelope and it will be mailed at First-Class Mail rates, you have creative flexibility. Flexibility also can be found in the flats category, because there are far fewer regulations and the size is larger, which gives designers more area in which to be creative.

In general, the biggest thing to be concerned about is clear zones. Space must be left for the address, the postage and the barcode clear zone, which pretty much takes up the entire right side of the envelope.

But, once space has been allocated for these items, the rest is yours to play with – within reason. To be safe, don’t push too close to any of the clear zones, but have some fun. As you get into other classes of mail, the regulations get tighter, so ask the printer for guidance.

Add a repositionable note

Repositionable notes are a fun addition to an envelope. Handwriting graphics courtesy of Copydoodles.com

Sticky notes, called repositionable notes (or RPN) by the USPS, are a fun, personal-looking and mail-friendly addition to an envelope. A print service provider can print a sticky note and apply it by machine with standard labeling equipment. Common practice is to print a message on the note that looks like it’s a handwritten personal message. By the way, if you need handwritten graphics, try copydoodles.com.

Sticky notes can be applied to the outside of envelopes for letters or flats, and there are different guidelines for each type of mail. And, if you’re on a particularly tight budget but love the sticky note idea, an image of a sticky note can be printed on an envelope for a similar effect.

Custom windows

Windows on an envelope most commonly are used to show the address and the return address; however, windows can be a creative tool, too. Did you know a custom window envelope can be ordered? A custom window design can create something unique that gets a lot of attention – a unique shape, a larger view of the contents or a compelling fragment of an image. A trend right now is what I call the keyhole window. It’s a tiny little window that shows just a peek of what’s inside. Curiosity does wonders for increasing the opening rate on a mail piece.

Creative opening mechanisms

How many ways can you get into an envelope or a folded self mailer? More ways than you think. By adding a clever opening device, some intrigue and a little bit of fun can be added to opening the mail. Add a zip strip, a string pull, a snap off end or a pull tab. Ask the printer for help with the placement of the opening mechanism, because there often are production details to deal with to make it work, but these can be really fun.

Related to this, I’ve noticed a trend for using engaging pulls and zip strips to reveal messages, instead of as opening mechanisms. For example, a zip strip across the back of an envelope can reveal a message or the answer to a question. It doesn’t get the reader into the envelope, but it adds interest in the content by giving the reader something fun to discover.

Creative postage and address strategy

There also are some neat things that can be done with the postage and the address. These include custom stamps and limited edition stamps that catch the eye, precanceled stamps, multiple-stamp strategies, mailer’s postmarks, creative addressing techniques and more. You’d be surprised at what you can do to make your mailpiece look important and personal. Ask the printer or mailhouse for options.

Flaps on FSM

I like using flaps on folded self-mailers – flaps make for fun opening mechanisms and add interest. A flap is created when an extended portion of the address side panel is folded over to the non-address side for the closure of a mail piece. The edges must be sealed with tabs or glue to USPS specification for mailability/machinability, and there are requirements for length and height based on whether they’re off the top or side, so pay attention to those.

My favorite thing to do is to add a diecut shape to a flap. Shaped flaps require a continuous glue line along the edge, but you can do some really eye-catching things with a short flap that has a fun shape to it.

Postage-friendly creative mail formats

The format options for direct mail only are limited by your creativity, budget and the mail service level that is chosen. I could write for days about the different things that can be done, from simple to complex to dimensional and more.

One thing that tends to happen with creative mail formats is that people get excited about the design possibilities, but forget all about postage costs. Very commonly, the final product is in the shape of a square. I know designers love square-format design projects – I love them, too. And, hey, if money is no object, make a square, send it out and enjoy every minute of it. I think all designers have project-envy over those types of fortunate scenarios, but that’s not usually the case. Clients typically want to save money, so don’t pay the non-machinable letter surcharge if you don’t have to.

The Fall 2014 issue of The Binding Edge contained an article I wrote about the need to find ways to cut costs on postage so you can splurge on the format, while not compromising on the “wow factor.” The basic concept is something I call a Splurge/Save strategy. A Splurge/Save strategy involves converting a specialty format into a mail-friendly (i.e., machinable) size and shape. As a result, the customer gets a specialty format, but it can be mailed at normal, machinable or even bulk rates. In my opinion, it changes everything.

Rethink the Iron Cross fold to make it mail-friendly.

The Iron Cross fold is a great example. It’s a popular fold and commonly is designed in a square format. I think it’s the only proportion most people have seen it in, so by force of habit (or the chance to produce something square), the designer makes it square. However, the classic Iron Cross easily translates into a machinable, self-mailing rectangular format.

This is an excellent reminder to look at specialty formats differently and approach them with the intention of making them more mail-friendly.

Have fun (within reason)

Mail doesn’t have to be a drag. Yes, the regulations are daunting, but if you know what the options are and how to manipulate the medium of mail, great things can be created that sail through the mail stream and get the attention they deserve.

Trish Witkowski is chief folding fanatic at foldfactory.com. An educator, author, speaker and award-winning designer, Witkowski specializes in creative solutions for mail and marketing. She hosts the online video series “60-Second Super-Cool Fold of the Week.” Witkowski has an MS in printing and a BFA in graphic design from RIT. For more information, visit www.foldfactory.com.

Application Highlights

March 25, 2015

DataGraphic Wins Big with its NFL Friday Night Party Mask

by Melissa DeDonder, PostPress

DataGraphic created the Gold Leaf Award-winning NFL Friday Night Party Mask.

When a special invitation was needed for the team owners of the National Football League (NFL) – who would be hosting a themed Friday night party prior to Super Bowl Sunday – DataGraphic in Hempstead, New York, was chosen to create the Gold Leaf Award-winning NFL Friday Night Party Mask.

New Orleans was the host city of Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013, so the party was going to be a Mardi Gras celebration. The invitation’s design concept was to create a reveal by diecutting a window in the shape of a Mardi Gras mask. Once the invite was inserted into the sleeve, the elaborately embellished 4-color image was visible through the diecut mask.

Production consisted of two parts. The first part featured a sleeve that was made of two sheets pasted together. The outside stock was Black Curious Skin Cover and the inside was Curious Gold Metallic. After the sheets were pasted together, DataGraphic foil stamped two colors, and certain parts of the gold foil stamping were embossed. The sleeve then was diecut and glued using Kleen-Stick® pressure-sensitive tape.

The second part – the rigid invitation – was made from a stiff black board center core pasted with the Black Curious Skin Cover on the back, which also was foil stamped. The face of the invite featured Curious Metallic Gold stock, which had been litho printed in eight colors and also foil stamped.

Four hits of white base were offset printed, then the 4-color process image was overprinted on top of the white base. Foil stamping then was added to complete the effect. All of the finishing work was completed on DataGraphic’s Kluge and Intaglio die stamping presses.

Needless to say, the elaborate project created some challenges. “The art director wanted the tiny holes in the mask to be steel rule diecut or laser diecut; however, due to the tight time frame, we were not able to achieve those very small diecuts,” said Glenn Schuster, founder and president of DataGraphic. “We improvised by changing those small holes into circular graphics and foil stamping them in an additional metallic purple foil.”

Another production challenge was the sleeve itself. “The Black Curious Skin Cover was too stiff to run through the folder-gluer, and it presented a scuffing challenge as well, so we taped and assembled the sleeve by hand,” Schuster said.

He said the client also had originally specified to print the 4-color image directly on the metallic gold surface of the Curious Paper; however, the company was not able to achieve that desired look. “We suggested printing a white base as an alternative, and the results were exactly what the client imagined.” Schuster said the client was thrilled with the outcome, and they achieved success mainly because the client was open to suggestions, allowed for the processes test runs and provided quick feedback.

The NFL Friday Night Party Mask invitation won a bronze award in the Decorative Diecutting with Foil/Embossing category in the 2013 FSEA Gold Leaf Awards competition. In addition, the company won a bronze award in the Self Promotion: Best Use of Foil/Embossing category for its Bubbly Puzzle project celebrating the company’s 86 years in business.

Reindl Bindery Flawlessly Navigates Perfect Binding in Non-Traditional Sizes

by Melissa DeDonder, PostPress

Reindl Bindery Co., Inc. created a small, multiple language product and usage booklet to fit inside the packaging of a 1.7 oz. sized product for La Mer, a high-end cosmetics brand.

For Reindl Bindery Co., Inc., in Germantown, Wisconsin, full-service means navigating a trend for perfect bound books that are non-traditional in size or thickness. The company managed this challenge with ease when La Mer, a high-end cosmetics brand, needed a small, multiple language product and usage booklet to fit inside the packaging of a 1.7 oz. sized product.

The resulting PUR perfect bound book featured a 75x75mm trim size. The production process involved folding the signatures on Stahl folders, binding the books 4-up on Kolbus binders, splitting them from 4-up to 2-up and then trimming them on flat Polar cutters.

David Reindl, president, said the project’s biggest challenge was the final trim size, which was well below machine specifications and required some ingenuity. “We worked closely with our customer to ensure the components would be large enough to feed on our folders and binders. Then, our operators and managers spent some time with our in-house maintenance department to develop a “bolt on” clamp for our flat cutter, which allowed us to trim down to the final size,” Reindl said.

The customer was so pleased with the first production run that the company placed four additional orders over the next six months. In addition, the customer designed some new books with smaller trim sizes that Reindl Bindery will be tackling later this year.

Reindl said the project opened doors for the company to produce other cosmetics-related books. “We’ve run several other perfect bound titles, but none of them have been as challenging as the LaMer books. I assume the whole reason we were awarded the other titles is because we didn’t say “No” to the challenges the LaMer project presented,” Reindl said.

Reindl Bindery strives to keep up with the latest trends, and in doing so the company reports binding books as thin as 1/16″, as well as completing a successful test drive for an 8-page perfect bound book featuring a 100# cover and 80# coated text interior pages.

“I never know where the industry will lead, but I’m thrilled to be working with people both internally and externally who are up for navigating the challenges and trends,” Reindl said.

Bert-Co Towers Over the Holidays

by Brittany Willes, PostPress

This holiday card from Bert-Co consisted of a hinged box promoting edge-to-edge deep embossing and an illuminated APET pop-up dome. The black “quilted” box was designed to promote texture, something the company believes all luxury packaging brand owners should consider.

For more than 30 years, Bert-Co has challenged itself to create a uniquely structured holiday card for its clients. In years past, the design team has created innovative pop-up cards, mobiles and cards that are actual boxes, always striving for a “wow” factor. For instance, the 2013 holiday card consisted of a hinged box promoting edge-to-edge deep embossing and an illuminated APET pop-up dome. The black “quilted” box was designed to promote texture, something the company believes all luxury packaging brand owners should consider.

While the card’s structure changes from year to year, the overarching message promoting peace and joy remains the same. With the basic theme already in place, the design team set out to create a thoroughly unique structure to rival the previous years while also mimicking Bert-Co’s growth in 2014; namely, a move by the Los Angeles plant into a new, larger facility and an expansion at the Tennessee plant to add automated rigid box capabilities. As a backdrop to the main theme of peace and joy, it was decided the 2014 card also should send a message about becoming larger and better. The final result was a folding carton that started out small, as just a cube, before surprising the receiver as it opened into a telescoping tower with a removable flat card decorated with an original poem for the sender to sign. A final surprise of a snowflake dangling in the bottom completes the card.

Production was fairly straightforward. All sections of the card were combined on one print form. The design team used an 18pt paperboard laminated on one side with metalized polyester, which then was printed on two sides. The white uncoated side provided a “quiet” feeling in order to contrast the inside and make it appear all the more dramatic. Next, the “Happy Holidays” greeting and image of a dove were foil stamped in red on the uncoated side. White ink and 4-color process were used to make a gradation in the background and to better showcase the white type. The removable flat card was printed with high rise silk screen UV snowflakes on a Sakurai press for added tactile detail. All of the processes were done in-house. The base of the card was an auto-bottom style that was automatically glued, while the rest of the structure was hand glued.

Customers who have received the holiday card in the past readily will recognize the foil stamped dove, which helps to further reinforce the card’s traditional themes. While the 2014 card places the foil stamped dove prominently on top of the tower structure, in years past the dove’s placement has not always been as obvious. According to Suzan Kerston, executive vice president, “Some years we hide the dove a little. Our long-time customers know when they receive that year’s creation, it’s a little bit like playing ‘Where’s Waldo?’ to find the dove.”

Not surprisingly, Bert-Co’s holiday cards have proven to be quite popular with its customers and sometimes spark packaging ideas for their own products. “Often, someone wants to buy a structure very similar to what we’ve produced,” said Kerston. “For instance, the 2014 card could house a small fragrance bottle or something like it where the snowflake currently dangles.” Past designs have seen similar repurposing by clients. The 2012 card structure was adopted by one of the company’s beauty customers as a limited edition package. The structure was a rigid box that folded in such a way that the images on the outside completely changed to form a new image. “Those are the best experiences,” stated Kerston. “It confirms that we’re producing the kind of work that brand owners want in order to help give them great retail shelf presence.”

Holum & Sons’ Holiday Box Earns Industry Accolades

November 26, 2014

by Jen Clark

Holum & Sons Company Inc., Westmont, IL, picked up a Product of Excellence Award for its work on the 2014 Holiday Box.

When the staff at Holum & Sons Company Inc. set out to build a holiday-themed promotional gift, Richard Holum, president, said the design team started thinking “inside” the box to create a one-of-a-kind candy box that featured two levels of treats for its clients and prospective clients. “We wanted to reach out and get their attention in the most creative way,” he said, adding the gift box was well-received.

Holum & Sons has been a leader in the binding industry for more than 80 years. Located in a 40,000-square-foot facility in Westmont, IL, the company has been family-owned and -operated for four generations. For this project, Holum wanted clients to experience the companys craftsmanship and creativity in rigid packaging.

“We had a great number of responses from clients who informed us they had showed our gift to multiple people and all had some fun with it,” Holum said, adding the box was intended to be a little tricky – “a puzzle, so to speak” – so that it would grab and keep the recipients attention. “We wanted them focused on our product. We wanted to “wow” them with our creativity.”

Holum’s team certainly “wowed” the judges of the BIAs Product of Excellence Awards. The 2014 Holiday Box picked up a POE award in the Self-Promotion – Loose Leaf Manufacturer category. The BIA also recognized Holum & Sons with the Manufacturer of the Year award, as well as POE awards in two other categories. The company also was named Manufacturer of the Year in 2013 and has won a total of 30 POE Awards between 2008 and 2014.

The burgundy box features a silver foil-stamped holiday greeting and looks like a traditional two-piece rigid box with a lid that can be removed vertically.

“To get to the second level of treats, you have to pull the box open horizontally, thus revealing a second tray located under the first,” Holum said. “All design, sizing and manufacturing were done in-house using our skilled tradesmen.”

Like most projects, the boxs creation involved round-table discussions with the creative team. Once a plan was devised, the engineering team calculated all the sizes for a production prototype, Holum explained.

“After initial engineering, the plant produced a mock-up and worked very closely with engineering to keep track of any design changes necessary for fit, form and function in a production run,” he said. “Once any production and engineering obstacles were dealt with, we produced two prototypes using the material requested. One was for final approval, while the other was kept for reference, communication and insurance that we produced a product exactly like the sample piece. In the end, there were no surprises. Everyone knew exactly what to produce and what to expect upon delivery of the finished product.”

Materials used in the project included Gane graphics board, Fibermark Shimmer by Corovon, API foil, Wisdom adhesives, Ampelco ribbon and Adams magnets. Production aspects included sheeting, guillotine cutting, diecutting, foil stamping, casemaking, box wrapping and hot melt gluing on equipment from Kolbus, Polar, Brausse, Acromark, Nordson and Pot Devin, as well as casemaking and box miter machines.

The project did present some challenges – “fit, form and function,” Holum said. “Let’s face it. There are some things in this world that just can’t be done by a piece of equipment with a computer on it.”

Communication and attention to detail also were important aspects of the holiday box’s creation, as they are on pretty much every project the custom creative presentation packaging house produces.

“Every size on every piece of material is critical to the fit, form and function of a product,” Holum explained. “Prototyping is an essential learning tool on every job to expose any issues long before production. During prototyping, you can get close, but rarely get 100-percent correct on the first try. Custom work always has its idiosyncrasies hidden in the details, which dont show up until you actually produce a piece and learn from that experience. Once you see an issue, then you can adjust the design, materials or production methods to achieve the desired result.”

Holum & Sons takes great pride in having maintained its roots in handmade, turned edge products.

“What started a long time ago in my grandfather’s Chicago basement continues to this day,” he explained, adding that there is a willing desire to continue to create one-of-a-kind, elegant, handmade products of the highest quality available.

“While we have advanced and modernized with the times, we’ve never lost touch with our roots in old-world craftsmanship. Our challenge here simply was sizing our parts correctly. Our manufacturing talent took care of the rest.”

Collaboration Brings Brian Wonders to Life

August 27, 2014

by Jen Clark, The Binding Edge

Brian Wonders is a word-free children’s book illustrated by Victor Robert, a California-based artist who also works for DreamWorks Animation. The book was created for little storytellers with big imaginations.

Over the course of the last year, Los Angeles, CA-based illustrator Victor Robert took his concept for a new children’s book from prototype to reality with the help of a yearbook printer in Minnesota and a pair of Binding Industry Association-member companies. Brian Wonders was created for little storytellers with big imaginations. The book that Robert said was “years in the making” has no words, yet empowers kids to dream up their own stories. It is the first in what will be a series of limited-edition picture books.

“Brian Wonders is a modern children’s book designed to engage kids as authors and storytellers from an early age. Since the book has no words, the sequence of illustrations becomes a sort of creative puzzle,” he said. “My hope is that the open narrative inspires kids to tell dazzling stories, in their own words, or that they simply get lost within the pictures.”

By day, Robert is an artist for DreamWorks Animation and is credited for work on “Shrek 4,” “The Croods,” “Mr. Peabody and Sherman,” “B.O.O.” and “South Park the Movie.” He said a “completed dummy of the book sat on a shelf” at his home for years before he started showing it to his niece and nephew, who were two and four years old at the time. “Last year, my older brother (Jorge Robert) insisted I finish the illustrations and we publish it ourselves, rather than wait for a traditional publisher to pick it up, which wasn’t happening. He took the lead as the project manager,” Robert explained.

“The actual book production is really interesting,” Victor Robert noted in his blog. “The first edition book will have a special slipcase to protect it.” This prototype, shown in red, was created by a San Francisco, CA, company when Robert’s brother, Jorge Robert, was researching manufacturers. The pair later contracted with Silvanus Products, Ste. Genevieve, MO, to create the custom slipcases.

While researching their options for publishing the book, the brothers found a partner in Blossom Books, a printer in Minnesota that specializes in yearbooks. “They expressed love for the challenge of working on a book like this with so many parts to it, and it was their enthusiasm for the project that we responded to when making our decision to go with them,” Robert said.

Blossom (www.blossom-books.com), a division of In*Tech Integrated Marketing Services, Winona, MN, then contracted with Houchen Bindery, Utica, NE, to bind the book, foil stamp the covers and apply a specially folded dust jacket. Martin Pugh, director of development, sales and marketing at Houchen, reached out to Cathy Elliott, customer service and purchasing manager at Silvanus Products, Ste. Genevieve, MO, for help creating the book’s custom slipcase. Both Houchen Bindery and Silvanus Products are long-time BIA members.

“In*Tech (via Victor) had asked us about producing a slipcase for the books,” Pugh said. “We dont produce slipcases as our specialty here, so that is when I called Cathy to ask if she could help on that part of the project.” Pugh provided Silvanus’ information to In*Tech, which in turn contacted Silvanus for a quote. Elliott said she could tell “right away that the woman I was working with was not familiar with our products or materials. I explained each piece of the puzzle, walking her through what I needed in order to be able to make our slipcase fit the book Martin had produced.”

Elliott also worked closely with Robert to ensure the finished product matched his vision. “In this particular case, it was necessary for me to talk directly to him instead of talking to (In*Tech), since the company was not familiar with what I was trying to accomplish,” she said. “Using photographs, sending samples and speaking to him was a pleasure.”

The BIA connection

The custom slipcases for Brian Wonders were created and foil stamped at Silvanus Products, Ste. Genevieve, MO. Houchen Bindery, Utica, NE, bound the book, foil stamped the covers and applied a specially folded dust jacket.

Since 1935, Houchen Bindery has provided book binding and preservation services for universities, public libraries, schools, printers, publishers and individuals all over the country. It specializes in short-run binding projects ranging from a single book to thousands. Pugh was comfortable suggesting Silvanus as a partner in the Brian Wonders project because he had seen its high-quality work first hand during a tour of its facility during the 2012 BIA Annual Conference. The BIA began offering plant tours as part of its conference in 2010, providing attendees an inside look at member companies in or near the conference’s host-city. “We got to see exactly what type of work Silvanus specializes in,” said Pugh. “When this project came up, I thought of no one better than Silvanus.”

Located 60 miles south of St. Louis, MO, Silvanus has been providing innovative custom products 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 and its employees have become known across the country for providing high-quality decorating techniques and service.

“This was my first project involving Martin,” Elliott said. “Martin had remembered, from the 2012 plant tour, that we had the capabilities to produce slipcases and thought we’d be a good fit for the project. I felt we had a very good connection right away, as we both understood what was expected of each other. We were both willing to make a high-quality product. Since this project, I have referred people to his business, and he does the same for Silvanus.”

During the plant tour, Pugh said it was made clear that Silvanus prefers to work with others in the trade. “I always try to collaborate with others throughout the industry as opposed to viewing them as competitors,” explained Elliott. “Our shops don’t have the same exact machinery and don’t turn out the exact same products, so we really complement each other.”

It was important for the two to exchange prototypes throughout the process. “Cathy was a pleasure to work with,” Pugh said. “I think she was working with some tight deadlines. I know, for us, it was a little bit tight on the timing once we finally got all the components from the printer.”

While Houchen tries to keep most of its work under its own roof because it is easier to control, Pugh acknowledged outsourcing projects like the Brian Wonders book is something theyll do, “if I have the knowledge of where to get it done. I certainly will try to help with an outsourcing situation.” Keeping friendly, open lines of communication is paramount, he said. “I have yet to meet two binderies that really have all the same capabilities. This is true even among the case binderies I am aware of. Most of us have our own distinct niche, even if there are a few similarities. The BIA has been a great source of meeting others in our industry for this type of thing.”

Pugh added the book was a great job to put on Houchen’s list of accomplishments. “The project had a lot of “moving parts,” so to speak. We had to make sure to always communicate well through rapid prototyping, iPhone pictures, diagrams and phone conversations to make sure the meaning was clear,” he said.

Robert didn’t have any reservations about having different companies working on the project. Hes even planning on working with the companies on future projects. “It was such a pleasure to work with Cathy and, when we spoke on the phone for the first time, I knew I was in good hands – she totally got it and understood that although the final slipcase would be simple in look, it would be deceptively tricky to get all its pieces lining up and working together.”

Technical aspects

In his blog, Victor Robert details his illustration process, which is a combination of acrylic paint and digital 3D modeling elements. He utilized a “big board” to keep track of the 48-page book’s progress on each page. He noted green tags meant the page was done, while pink tags indicated there still was some work to do.

Robert detailed the making of Brian Wonders over the past year in a blog at www.brianwonders.com. “The Making Of” section details his illustration process, which is a combination of acrylic paint and digital 3D modeling elements. The blog documents his inspirations and shows the book’s progression through time-lapse video and journal entries.

He utilized a “big board” to keep track of the 48-page book’s progress on each page. “The spreads get printed out and posted up so I can stand back and get a look at the big picture at once,” he wrote in the blog. “It’s incredibly helpful. This also helps me get a sense for the pacing of the images and how they flow from one page to another.” He noted green tags meant the page was done, while pink tags indicated there was still some work to do.

“From the moment my brother jumped on board, it took about one full year,” Robert said. “He drew up a timeline for the illustrations and began interviewing printers. Once Blossom came on board and the illustrations were wrapping up, we began sampling an array of paper stocks and book finishing details, and we started the color proofing process.”

Robert’s goal with printing was to maintain the large dimensions of the illustrations, “so that in the hands of a little kid, the images would completely fill their view,” he said. Fully opened, the book has 12×24″ spreads and there is an extra-large page in the center – a double-gatefold measuring 12×48″. It showcases a fold-out map revealing the inner workings of the Ship Monster, Robert explained. Theres a glowing boiler room; a churning, roaring furnace and soon-to-be digested captives, along with lost treasure. “When pitching this to traditional publishers, this was always the first thing they wanted gone. “Books need to be small so they can fit on the shelf,” ” Robert recalled them saying. “I also wanted the book to have the feel of an art book, meaning true, bright colors printed on a heavy stock. Lastly, I wanted the book to be fully crafted in the US.”

Victor Robert works on the illustration for the ending of Brian Wonders. He said the end to the story had gone through much iteration, but he finally decided it would end with a kiss.

In*Tech, Pugh explained, had been a customer of Houchen Bindery for about five years. This project entailed a 12×12″ full-color, hard cover children’s book with a denim-color Arrestox B cloth bound cover material and foil stamping on the front and sides. “The binding method was side sewn,” he said. “There also were two separate gatefold spreads within the book for us to be aware of and printed end sheets, all of which required some special handling and planning.”

Robert said the slipcase was the final piece of the puzzle and when In*Tech inquired about creating a custom slipcase, Pugh knew Silvanus would be the perfect match. Elliott sourced the materials and supervised the slipcase construction, which included diecutting and foil stamping. “Martin sent over a book so that we could make the slipcase the correct size to fit the book,” Elliott explained. “We produced a sample slipcase for the customer to see and then began to tweak the material, decoration and diecut window.”

Since neither In*Tech nor Robert were familiar with the materials available, Elliot asked Robert to describe his vision for the slipcase and then she began researching materials that Silvanus could work with – and that Robert would like. “I called my representative at Ecological Fibers (Glen Schelich) to ask his advice on what materials might work for our application that also would satisfy the soft feel that the customer was looking for,” Elliott recalled. “He suggested a new material, Ultima Revell, and sent us material to make proofs and show the customer.”

Robert said he knew nothing about creating slipcovers. “Conceptually, I wanted the slipcover to echo a recurring motif in the book – the telescope vignette,” he said. “The cover artwork features the title character, Brian Wonders, front and center, and I thought it would be cool for the slipcover to frame his face. I came up with the idea of cutting out a circular window in the slipcase, so that Brians face would peek through when the book was inserted. The slipcase had the additional detail of a foil-stamped pinstripe and stars. This little detail would add a bit of sparkle against the matte black.”

This cell phone image shows the slipcase prototype and long-distance collaboration between Cathy Elliott at Silvanus Products and Victor Robert.

Elliott said the diecut hole needed to be positioned in such a way that if someone who purchased the book removed its jacket, the title would still show through the window. “Fortunately, Martin did not have the covers of the book foil stamped with the title yet,” she said. “Since I already had a book with the paper jacket, we could make the diecut circle match, but I needed to make a template and show Martin exactly where the foil stamping should be placed so that it was centered inside the circle. Our slipcase also had a foil stamping that went around the perimeter of the diecut window. Foil stamping it in the correct position was easy, but we took extra time to make sure that the diecutter was right on target with each case.”

Robert couldn’t be more pleased with the results. “It took about three months, working over the holidays. We went through several rounds of prototypes before landing on the final material and specs, but the final product was spot on,” he said. When the storybook is inserted, Brian’s face “locks” into place through the circular window. The book also can be inserted in reverse so the back cover, featuring a string of colorful balloons, shows through the window. When the jacket is removed completely, the Brian Wonders foil stamp on the hardcover also locks into place, perfectly. All of these elements had to be aligned and work in unison with each other without much margin of error. I credit Cathy and her team for coordinating all these pieces.”

Robert also noted that each slipcase has a perfect fit. The book slides in and “is held snugly inside. A gentle push releases the book and it slides into your hands,” he said, adding 250 copies were printed.

Brian Wonders currently is for sale at www.brianwonders.com. “Each copy comes inside its own custom slipcase, is signed and numbered and has the option of being dedicated,” Robert said. “I feel very proud of the book, its finish and its presentation. I feel fortunate to have collaborated with Blossom, Houchen and Silvanus – all of whom lifted the book to a higher degree of polish and craftsmanship.”

Low-Budget Wonders: Get the Look of Specialty without the Price Tag

May 29, 2014

by Trish Witkowski, foldfactory.com

Everyone loves the specialty folds that I share on my “Fold of the Week” video series – they’re so creative! However, I get the same comment over and over when I’m out in the field: “We love all of the ideas you’re sharing, but we’re never going to get to do any of them. We don’t have the budget.”

Hey, I can relate. I lived the agency life for six years, and I truly understand that often the desire to do something exciting is squashed by the reality of a super-slim budget. The good news is that I’m always in hot pursuit of low-budget wonders. To me, a low-budget wonder is something that feels especially engaging, but comes with an economical price tag on the production side. I love sharing these types of things, because I enjoy proving to people that some of the most powerful formats come in low- to moderate-budget packages. The other reason I like the low-budget stuff is that anything can be done when the budget is generous, but it takes some real smarts to do something exciting when there’s not much money to throw around.

It was actually very hard to decide what to feature, as my collection is so large and I have seemingly endless solutions to choose from, but I decided to focus on clever options for folded self-mailers for this article. Each of these solutions also was featured on “60-Second Super-Cool Fold of the Week,” so I invite you to visit the videos to really get the full experience.

Dual-purpose freemium self-mailer

Photo 1: This format, courtesy of Westland Printers in Laurel, MD, was featured in Fold of the Week episode #230.

This first format (Photo 1) is great for non-profits and fundraisers. When the objective is to raise money, often the strategy is to include freemiums, or free token gift items, as a motivator. The freemium, often address labels, calendars and the like, becomes an extra expense in the campaign. This particular format uses a simple and ingenious idea that makes the folded format itself become the gift, so to speak.

Think of it like a tri-fold where the fold-in panel is trimmed a bit short and fugitive-glued on two edges to form a pocket. The pocket holds the letter and response mechanism, and then when you remove these items and peel open the pocket, the interior of the format becomes a commemorative poster. It’s an amazing, fun and practical idea that truly does double duty.

Glued gate fold self-mailer

Photo 2: This format, courtesy of Standard Press in Atlanta, GA, was Fold of the Week episode #214.

Now that I frequently speak about mail ideas and strategies, I am getting a lot of questions about simple mail solutions that go a bit beyond the basic card/postcard format. This piece (Photo 2) is as easy as two panels glued together at the edges. A fun zip strip – one of my favorite mail engagement strategies – is embedded down the middle, enticing the recipient to tear it open. Once torn, the zip strip releases two interior gate panels that reveal the marketing message. With one easy pull, you’re giving the recipient a fun and interesting way to get to the content. The powerful “card” mailer is simple, mail-friendly and loaded with creative possibilities.

Poster fold self-mailer

Photo 3: This format, courtesy of John Roberts Company in Minneapolis, MN, was Fold of the Week episode #229.

Now, let’s go large and blow things out of the water. To me, it’s really inspiring when I see a format that is very efficient to mail, but also offers a tremendous amount of real estate for graphics. This format (Photo 3) is, in my opinion, a stroke of genius. They figured out that with the addition of a small flap with a zip strip opening mechanism (there it is again!), they could take a huge poster, fold it down and it would self-mail with style.

Pull the zip strip to open, and the piece takes on a tri-fold into tri-fold poster fold format. This sample also is really well-designed and uses wonderful paper and printing techniques to give it pop. Great stuff.

Pull-tab self-mailer

Photo 4: This format, courtesy of Specialty Print Communications in Chicago, IL, was Fold of the Week episode #169.

I have one more for you, and this is another “super card” format (Photo 4). Again, two panels are glued together at the edges, but this time there is a perforated pull tab that is lifted to reveal the interior contents. What I like about this is that it could have been two panels wafer-sealed shut, but instead they chose an interesting way to reveal the content – in this particular instance, little tipped-on coupons. Clever little opening mechanisms can be truly irresistible, and that’s what you want.

Tip: Peek-a-boo windows add engagement

One thing that all of the samples have in common is that they utilize techniques designed to get people engaged or interested in the piece. If you’re looking for something simple to get started, add a peek-a-boo window.

Photo 5: This piece, courtesy of Rider Dickerson in Chicago, IL, was responsible for drawing a sold-out crowd for the event it was promoting.

This can be done with any folded format – all you need is two panels to glue together. This sample card mailer (Photo 5) from Rider Dickerson in Chicago, IL, glues two panels together to create three peek-a-boo windows that reveal QR codes which jump to promotional videos for a college. This piece was responsible for drawing a sold-out crowd for the event it was promoting.

I hope these “low-budget wonders” have given you some great ideas for your own promotional opportunities and also for your clients. After all, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a great result.

Trish Witkowski is chief folding fanatic at foldfactory.com. An educator, author, speaker and award-winning designer, Witkowski specializes in creative solutions for mail and marketing. She hosts a popular e-video series “60-Second Super-Cool Fold of the Week.” Witkowski has an MS in Printing and a BFA in Graphic Design from RIT.

The Secrets behind Award-Winning Projects

November 15, 2013

by Melissa DeDonder, The Binding Edge

What does it take to create an award-winning piece? Four companies share production details, including secrets of success and challenges faced while producing their 2013 BIA Product of Excellence Award-winning pieces.

McGraphics manufactures CMT Music Awards’ big reveal announcements

CMT was looking for a “And the winner is…” printed piece that would complement the award show’s overall design concept. McGraphics, Inc. in Nashville, TN, worked with the designers at CMT and the print specialists at Buford Lewis to create the colorful, vibrant reveal cards.

When the Country Music Television (CMT) network wanted a colorful, vibrant way to reveal the winners of the 2012 Music Awards, they knew just the company to call – McGraphics, Inc. in Nashville, TN. CMT was looking for a “And the winner is…” printed piece that would complement the award show’s overall design concept to the audience attending the show in person, as well as to the audience watching along at home.

“The project was conceptualized by the CMT team,” said Fred Weisbrodt, lead salesperson, McGraphics. “It was brought to life and tested in a collaborative effort between the designers at CMT, the print specialists at Buford Lewis and the McGraphics team,” Weisbrodt said. The process included a diecutting dieline concept that was provided to McGraphics. First, McGraphics cut CAD samples to ensure the concept intricately glued together and slid open in a manner that worked for CMT’s production team. Then, CMT’s design team worked with Buford Lewis to ensure the metallic paper and interior color functioned properly and provided the look they desired.

The foils were selected after completing a few color tests on sample stock. The exterior foils highlighted the award show’s bright and vibrant stage set designs. The pigment yellow and metallic red foils complimented each other well against the blue paper. The clear foil provided that extra “pop” to complete the look.

The pieces were foil stamped on Brausse and Kluge presses and were diecut simultaneously on a Thompson press. The diecutting and all three foil passes had to be done together to ensure everything worked in unison with the tight registration. Then, interior metallic printed pieces were glue mounted together on the Potdevin to showcase the bright metallic on both sides. Finally, the pieces were hand assembled.

Weisbrodt said the project’s biggest challenges included its time sensitivity, tight registration and sliding element. “The design team and print production team worked with us throughout the color selections and the CAD sampling process to ensure that we had our plan in place to produce the pieces in the limited time frame that we were given,” he explained.

McGraphics met its challenging production goals head on, and the hard work paid off. “We’ve heard a lot of comments such as, “Wow! McGraphics did those?” and “That is so cool! I noticed them on the show,” as well as many others,” Weisbrodt said. “Ultimately, the finished product exceeded our expectations. When something is planned and tested so many times prior to production, the final product seems to exceed both your initial expectations and the client’s expectations, too.” The piece won a 2013 Product of Excellence Award in the They Said It Couldn’t Be Done category.

Silvanus jet sets to new heights with a French Turned and Sewn binder

The French Turned and Sewn binder by Silvanus Products, Inc. in Sainte Genevieve, MO, quickly became the company’s signature high end product.

Many years ago, a customer asked Silvanus Products, Inc. in Sainte Genevieve, MO, to manufacture a binder that had a trademark. “Since we could not duplicate the binder, we made modifications to create our own design,” said Cathy Elliott, customer service and purchasing manager. Silvanus’ custom-created binder quickly became the company’s signature high end product. “People who want an upscale product love the French Turned and Sewn look, and we have been able to apply that same construction technique to many of the other products that we offer,” Elliott said.

What makes the French Turned and Sewn binder stand out from a traditional binder is its construction and quality, especially on the inside of the binder. It has an additional board thickness that provides both sturdiness and aesthetic appeal, which creates a different look overall. “It’s all about the look,” Elliott said. From the manufacturing standpoint, the French Turned and Sewn product requires more labor and materials, and it is a more difficult job to produce overall. “You have to be 100 percent on top of your game – every step of the way – on the production floor,” Elliott said.

For the Global Jet Sales Binder, Silvanus used a combination of heat sealing, sewing and foilstamping/debossing to register. Special care was taken during set-up and in quality checks to ensure the strictest production standards every step of the way. The biggest challenge for this project was that everything had to be precisely lined up – from the placement of the boards, the sealing and sewing to the assembly of the metals. “If even one detail would have been slightly off, it would have sabotaged the entire production,” Elliott said. The end result was a product that the aviation-based client was proud to showcase, according to a letter of gratitude that was sent to Silvanus.

The Global Jet Sales Binder won a 2013 Product of Excellence Award in the Sewn Products category. In addition, the company won awards in the Applique category for its Curriculum Teachers Guide and in the Turned Edge Casebound category for its Frederick Binder.

Holum & Sons reaps what it sows with M-Seed Training Kit with Binder

The M-Seed Training Kit with Binder created by Holum and Sons Co., Inc. in Westmont, IL, includes a package to house a variety of training materials – a binder, wire-o book, CD/DVDs and a business card.

If your client’s first idea doesn’t succeed… This was the case with the M-Seed Training Kit with Binder created by Holum and Sons Co., Inc. in Westmont, IL. The goal was to create a training kit to the customer’s specifications, and the concept included a package to house a variety of training materials – a binder, wire-o book, CD/DVDs and a business card – in a functional and attractive kit. Originally, the package was going to be constructed from corrugated material rather than a turned edge product, but the end user was dissatisfied with the original sample created.

The designer’s initial concept included two large angled “pockets” with Velcro flaps to house the wire-o book and binder within the box. The team at Holum and Sons knew that a paper pocket would not offer enough stability to hold the weight of the book and binder, so the company’s challenge became how to construct the pockets to make them functional.

Richard Holum, president, discovered the best solution was to create two separate angle boxes with a magnetic flap closure to form the top and bottom of the overall box. The angle boxes were constructed with a full back panel, and the lid and flap were built off of that panel. The CD/DVD and business card pockets originally were specified to be PSA-backed clear vinyl. To complement the clean lines of the design, the pockets also were turned into tipped-in paper pockets. “Since the lining of the boxes needed to precisely match the overall box lining and outer edges, we really needed to work closely with our customer, Fey Printing, to provide them with accurate templates for all of their printing,” Holum said.

One of the greatest challenges for this project was its very small production window, especially for a product with so many components. “The project required a lot of cooperation from our client (the printer), our diemaker and our laminator,” Holum said. The multi-faceted challenges in production included the fit, form and registration of multiple parts. Each piece of the puzzle had to be sized and registered perfectly so that the end product came together as one solid package. Holum said there really were not any equipment issues to overcome. “Our team is accustomed to producing the unusual and supplementing our equipment with hands-on craftsmanship,” Holum said. “Sometimes the “old way” is the only way to achieve a high-quality, one-of-a-kind piece.”

He said this project was one of the rare occasions where the company got the chance to meet the end user. “They were extremely happy with all aspects of the finished product, and they appreciated the group effort that it took to get the job completed on time,” Holum said.

The M-Seed Training Kit with Binder won a 2013 Product of Excellence Award in the category of Special Products. In addition, Holum and Sons’ Diversified Real Estate Concepts piece won in the category of Product Design, and the Stranger and Stranger Card Box won in the category of Foil Stamping/Debossing.

Binding Solutions nails it with innovative construction industry pitch book

Binding Solutions, Inc. in St. Louis, MO, created a high-end product to help introduce L. Keeley Construction, peak interest and establish credibility with potential clients.

When L. Keeley Construction needed a high-end product to introduce itself, peak interest and establish credibility with potential clients in the medium- to large-retail development sector, the company turned to Binding Solutions, Inc. in St. Louis, MO. The goal was to create a presentation that was clean in design and upscale in feel.

The collaborative design process included Fred Taussig, COO, Binding Solutions; Ryan Dempsey from PQ Design Group; and the client, Charles Berg from L. Keeley Construction. The team chose a green fabric to match the “L. Keeley green” in the company’s corporate identity. Taussig said the frosted cover really helped pique interest in what was to come on the inside by featuring a panel that allowed for the exterior surface graphics to get their due respect, while hinting at the underlying cover page’s content.

First, the acrylic cover panels were laser cut to form perfect edges and micro-radius round corners. The panels then were silkscreened. All of the gluing and turn-ins were done by hand. The spine and back panel consisted of 98pt binder board. The document was twin-loop wire bound and glued into the case via a 2″ cloth cover flap to hold the book in position.

Binding Solutions learned a lot during production. “Acrylic is a fairly new material for us. After creating a few prototypes, we learned that the laser gives us very accurate dimensions every time. The edge finishing is nice and smooth, and we can radius the outside corners to whatever the design calls for – and they are perfect every time,” Taussig said. The company also evolved its gluing method for this project, joining the Cialux fabric to the acrylic panels for excellent registration and maximum adhesion.

Taussig said that the learning curve paid off. “The entire presentation felt good, from the first impression made by the cover to the well-designed interior pages and the smooth page turning allowed by the wire binding,” Taussig said. The client was very pleased with the finished product and returned to order more shortly after the first order had been completed. The initial project now has grown into something more – a spin-off project with different colors and a logo for L. Keeley’s sister company, ADB Companies, Inc. The L. Keeley Construction Pitch Book won a 2013 Product of Excellence Award in the Innovative Use of Materials category.

Casebound Lessons: Learning from the Leaders

August 21, 2012

by Jen Clark, The Binding Edge

Creativity ruled the day for three companies that took casebinding projects to new heights. Designers at a Missouri company used a collage of photos to showcase Chicago in a promotional piece that included casing for seven CDs, while craftsmen at an Arizona bindery turned out a new and innovative presentation product for a Canadian client. In addition, a multi-year project by a California publishing company utilized production methods that resulted in a set of one of the highest-quality leatherbound books in the industry.

Patience Pays Off for Missouri Manufacturer

Attention to detail and patience were key factors for a successful project at Trends Presentations Products, Washington, MO. The company’s effort paid off with a 2012 Binding Industries Association Product of Excellence Award for the Chicago CD set.

The design centered on a proposed business concept in the Chicago area, said Dave Inman, sales and marketing manager at Trends. “The Chicago CD set was part of a presentation kit that held seven CDs that highlighted details involving that proposal.”

The designers utilized a photo collage to showcase Chicago in a way that promoted the city, Inman explained. “The designers in this project really wanted to impress and make a statement with their presentation. The artwork had to be perfect. The high-quality printing from our press really made this piece stand out.”

All the printing was done using a Xeikon digital press, he said. Three separate art templates were used and had to be joined and aligned together to make the art look seamless throughout. “The collage of photos on the inside liner and tray casing really made this a challenge. Each individual piece had to be hand wrapped and precisely cut in order for all pieces of art to line up,” Inman said.

With little room for error, designers needed a continuous flow of art regardless if the CDs were in place or not. “The biggest challenge with this project was getting all the art to match up consistently through all stages of production,” Inman said. “Our graphics department really had to spend some time on this one. The CDs that went inside this presentation also were printed to match all of the liner art.”

The entire production crew had to work together on the project. “With a little patience and attention to detail, we were able to turn out a beautiful piece,” Inman said. “We felt we met our customer’s needs by providing a quality and affordable product that made an impression. Overall, the combined quality of our craftsmanship and digital printing made this piece stand out. We put a lot of pride in our work and try hard to create fast, quality and affordable products. The Chicago CD set was just that.”

Since Trends was the manufacturer on the project, they really don’t know much about the CD set’s intended audience. “We don’t sell direct,” Inman said. “We are one of only a few manufacturers that still only sell to resellers. So, oftentimes we may not know who the end user is that will be receiving our product. For this project, we really only knew that the CD set was part of a new business proposal presentation. Our goal and focus is to be a manufacturer that you can trust. We work hard to meet fast ship dates and treat every job with importance.”

Bridge Publications Tackles Multi-Year Dianetics Project

Since Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health was published in 1950, it has appeared on some 600 bestseller lists around the world. It also exists in many formats: hardcover, paperback, audiobook and as a book-on-film on DVD. Further, in 2009, Dianetics was translated into 50 languages – enabling 90 percent of Earth’s population to access the book in their language.

“To commemorate this achievement, Bridge Publications designed a leatherbound edition for each of the 50 languages Dianetics was translated into,” said Veronica Rodriguez, vice president of manufacturing at the Commerce City, CA, publisher.

Bridge researched extensively to determine the highest quality materials for every aspect of a leatherbound book. “All materials and details were carefully selected to represent the culture of each language edition,” Rodriguez explained. Limited to just 100 copies of each language, every one of the 50 unique editions is a distinctive blend of symbolism and beauty.

Distinctively suited to capture an aspect of the culture represented, the endsheets within each leatherbound are as varied as the 50 languages they represent. Hand-pressed bark dried on an African hillside. Marbled sheets of the highest craftsmanship. And whether embossed, stamped or stencil-cut, each one matches the beauty of its volume. To produce these books in-house, Bridge researched what equipment would be needed and trained its operators in the art of high-end leatherbound book production.

The company purchased and installed a Muller Martini Ventura 3215 sewing machine and a ribbon bookmark insertion machine, which was customized for Bridge’s book production. After installment and training, the company consulted Werner Rebsamen, professor emeritus at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Print Media, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences in Rochester, NY. Rebsamen, who has 50 years of experience in hardcover bookbinding, was educated as a master in bookbinding at the Academy of Fine Art, Zurich, Switzerland, before immigrating to the United States. Rebsamen consulted Bridge and gave technical advice on how to handle specific hardcover binding issues. After following his technical binding advice and further applying L. Ron Hubbard’s organizational procedures, which have been the bedrock of Bridge’s manufacturing organization and success, Bridge’s production methods resulted in a set of one of the highest-quality leatherbound books in the industry.

To produce the books, Bridge utilized 100-percent cotton text paper (Cranes Crest 60# Pearl White Wove). They chose genuine 22k gold foil from Quick Roll Leaf Manufacturing to stamp the leather case and flysheets, as well as the edge gilding, also done in-house. The flysheet paper – a UV/Ultra smooth white – came from Neenah. Bridge also chose the finest calfskin and goatskin leather available, sourced from two companies – Scotland-based J. Hewitt and UK-based Harmatan.

The pages were printed using an HP Indigo 7200 and were cut inline by a Lasermax 700 series cutter/stacker. The pages then were folded into 16-page signatures by a Standard Horizon folding machine. The signatures were compressed by a Speed Nip system and then sewn on the Ventura 3215 sewing machine. After being processed, they then were glued off on a Short Run Solutions binding machine from Germany’s Short Run Engineering and three-knife trimmed. The 22k gold-edge gilding was done on an Ochsner gilding machine.

The leather cases were handmade externally, while all the foil stamping, embossing, debossing and other decoration were applied internally. The main artwork dies were hand sculptured by Universal Engraving, Inc., of Overland Park, KS. The hand-engraved dies allowed the designers creation to cast a range of textures and layers into the fine-grain leather, which moved the bookmaking process into an art form in itself.

Once the cases were complete, the books were bookmarked with ribbons by an inline inserter and cased-in with a Diamant 30 Muller Martini casing-in machine. “These limited leatherbound books were then carefully examined for quality and individually numbered (1-100), put in their solander boxes, tissue wrapped and placed in a shipping box specifically designed to hold them,” Rodriguez said.

The leatherbound books went on sale and the public quickly began purchasing these unique editions. “We only produced 100 copies of each of the 50 language editions of Dianetics, which was a total of 5,000 leatherbound books,” Rodriguez said. “We have sold 4,729 books, and the last of these editions soon will be sold out.”

For its work on the project, Bridge Publications was awarded the 2011 Premier Print Benny Award in the category “They Said It Couldn’t Be Done,” as well as two 2011 Binding Industries Association Product of Excellence Awards for the Hindi and Arabic editions. The Dianetics Hindi leatherbound won first place in the “Case Binding” category and the Dianetics Arabic leatherbound won first place in the “They Said It Couldn’t Be Done” category.

Difficult Material Choice Challenges Arizona Binder

When liquor distributors in Western Canada needed a new and innovative presentation product, they turned to Roswell Bookbinding, Phoenix, AZ.

Mike Roswell, the company’s president, explained the concept was to incorporate multiple pockets and a notepad in the same unit – a project Roswell employees are familiar with. “The cover was machine made using a soft Portofino material,” he said. “The hard pocket inside the back cover was handmade. The inside soft pocket was diecut, scored and glued automatically and hand mounted to the piece.”

Portofino is a synthetic leather product made to look and feel like soft, supple leather. Prototypes were pre-manufactured in Roswell’s samples department for customer approval prior to producing the job, Roswell said. Ultimately, the client ordered 200 books.

Since bright white Portofino is difficult to keep clean and shows any imperfection, Roswell said quality control, like on any project, was important. “The pockets had to be perfectly aligned to fit properly,” he said.

A Kolbus diecutter was utilized on the pockets, but everything else was assembled and glued by hand. Tools used in the project included scissors, folding bone, a hand turn in tool and a Pot Devin glue machine.

“The client was thrilled and the presentation has been effective,” Roswell said.

Application Highlights

November 21, 2011

by Staff

Three companies take loose leaf applications to new creative heights by working with complex topics, difficult materials and unique customer requests.

Pittsburgh Binding Brings Conversation to the Pharmacy Counter

When a high-end point of purchase display was needed for the pharmacy counter, Pittsburgh Binding, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, assisted in creating the Abreva – Phases of a Cold Sore flip chart. The concept for the project was to educate the consumer and facilitate conversation between the consumer and the pharmacist.

The flip chart was designed with two sheets of 100# gloss cover and two clear vinyl overlay sheets bound to a 24-point tent stand backer with a clear plastic coil at the top. The first two sheets, the 100# gloss cover, contain information on one side for the consumer. When the sheet is flipped over, the back side features information for the pharmacist to help answer any questions that the consumer might have.

The next two clear vinyl sheets were designed to illustrate the different phases of the cold sore virus and how Abreva works to heal the virus. A small pad of 50 discount coupons, for $2 off, was glued to the back of the tent stand for the pharmacist to give to the consumer.

The design execution was very straightforward and involved scoring and trimming the table tent, cutting and collating the four sheets, padding and trimming the coupons and punching and coiling the book. The final phase involved affixing the pad to the back of the table tent. This project utilized a tremendous amount of hand work and several pieces of bindery equipment, including the Sterling Punchmaster 20 and the Sterling Coilmaster, Jr. from Spiel Associates, Inc., Long Island City, NY.

Every press sheet was cut to size on Pittsburgh’s automated cutting system. The clear overlay vinyl sheets were provided with a slip sheet glued to each press sheet. For this project with a quantity of 84,000, all slip sheets had to be removed by hand. Due to the static in the vinyl overlay sheets, collation by hand was required for all pieces. The pad was small, 2x 4″; it was racked up, padded and sliced by hand.

The next step was the automated process. All table tents, measuring 5×18″, were punched separate from the text sheets, which were 4×5″. Punching was completed on the Sterling Punchmaster 20. “The Punchmaster’s changeover from one size to the other in less than two minutes allowed us to change from punching table tents to punching the text sheets quickly, keeping the project moving along as fast as possible,” said Rich Mirarchi, president, Pittsburgh Binding, Inc. “Once all pieces were punched, clear plastic coil was inserted using our Sterling Coilmaster, Jr., which inserts the coil and crimps it at both ends at one time,” Mirarchi said. The final phase was to hand glue the coupon pads to the back of the tent stand.

Mirarchi said that the project moved along smoothly, with all phases taking place simultaneously. The most challenging part was keeping enough people on the hand working side to keep up with the automated cutting and punching side. In the end, a functional, unique end product was created.

Binding Solutions Scores a Home Run for Rawlings

When Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. needed to make a high level presentation to the executives at Major League Baseball, they turned to Binding Solutions, St. Louis, MO. Rawlings wanted to make an unforgettable first impression with a product that would speak directly to the company’s high quality materials, workmanship and innovative design.

The concept was to design a casebound leather book with the same look and feel as Rawlings’ top-of-the-line baseball gloves, the “Primo” line. To achieve this feat, Binding Solutions knew that they needed to use the exact materials – the leather hides and lacing, thread and Rawlings brand patches – that are used in the actual production of the Primo gloves. To make the book as authentic as possible, Binding Solutions also incorporated each element of the glove’s design and leather working techniques, so that the finished book was essentially a replica of a Primo glove, in casebound leather book form. As a finishing touch for Rawlings’ presentation, each book was presented along with a new glove, custom embroidered with each MLB executive’s name.

To produce this casebound leather book, almost every step of the binding process was completed by hand, with two exceptions. To prepare the materials, a skiver was used to reduce the thickness of the leather and laces. Then, a Casco overhead press was used to decorate the materials with blind debossing. The book block was double-fan perfect bound with PVA and then reinforced with three evenly spaced threads across the spine, which were placed into sawn groves. For the case, three panels of leather were used. The first panel was wrapped from the back, around the spine and then covered only a portion of the front cover – ending in a graceful curve with piping, cream stitching and leather lacing. The second panel was a plain smooth piece covering the front board. The third and final piece, found in the lower right corner, was blind debossed and featured double cream stitch, piping and an embroidered Rawlings patch. To finish things off in style, the end sheets on the inside featured suede from the hides.

Binding Solutions CEO Fred Taussig shared that the biggest challenge of this job was using materials that were never intended to be used in bookbinding ‘leather hides and laces. “We knew that we had a great concept, but actually making it happen was another story. To see it come alive without compromise, to actually hold it in your hands, took the experience to an entirely new level.”

“It is without question a crowd pleaser, especially when seen together with the gloves that inspired the design. It is one of our finest projects to date, and Rawlings was ‘blown away’ with our results,'” Taussig concluded. This project won a Binding Industries Association 2011 Product of Excellence Award in the Special Products category.

Fastkit Generates Excitement for a Destination Wedding

When a bride and groom wanted to generate excitement about their upcoming nuptials and convey that their wedding was an event not to be missed, they turned to the company known for creating products that deliver a “Wow! How did they do that?” reaction – the Fastkit Corporation, in Doral, FL.

Initially, the couple wanted to generate a sense of mystery about what the package contained on the inside, so Fastkit created a copper-colored slipcase with a cream-colored drawer. The outside of the slipcase featured a simple embossed sun image and no additional information. Inside the drawer, rested a silver case with the words An Occasion to Remember embossed on the outside. The inside of the silver case revealed a formal invitation to the Alexander Cabo Wedding celebration on the right side and a pocket that contained additional wedding details and RSVP materials on the left side.

A variety of equipment and multiple finishing techniques were used to create this award-winning piece, including diecutting, foil stamping, silk screening, laminating, mounting and hand work. Company President Jose Fernandez said that the slipcase was an example of the type of work that Fastkit produces on a regular basis, so the project didn’t create any unique challenges for the company; however, he did share a secret of the company’s success. “Because we strive for all production processes to be perfect, we typically run at slow speeds and take extreme measures in quality control as needed for each project,” Fernandez said.

Fernandez said that the bride and groom were very happy with the finished product and, like many of Fastkit’s products, the Alexander Cabo Wedding Invitation set received multiple national awards, including the Binding Industries Association’s 2011 Product of Excellence Award as a Best of the Best Custom Loose Leaf Manufacturing in the Innovative Use of Materials category.

Travel & Tourism Industry Incorporates Intricate Folding

May 1, 2011

by: Melissa DeDonder

According to the U.S. Travel Association, tourism is a $704.4 billion industry. While leisure travelers and meeting planners benefit from having so many destinations to choose from, Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVBs) face fierce competition as they try to earn those elusive travel dollars. CVBs are constantly searching for creative ways to showcase their destination so that it stands out in a sea of competition. Recently, Visit Denver and the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau used intricate folding to create eye-catching, memorable direct mail brochures that produced high-impact results for their cities.

Visit Denver – One City, Seven Reasons

Visit Denver’s “One City, Seven Reasons” meeting planner brochure highlighted seven reasons meeting planners should choose Denver as the host city for their meeting or convention. Denver’s brochure featured six intricate folds, each opening to reveal a panel highlighting one of the seven reasons.

To flawlessly conquer those six intricate folds, Sprint Press worked closely with KarshHagan, Visit Denver’s advertising agency and designer of the piece. “Collaborative concepts must be thought through from inception to finished product,” said Tamera Rice Ehrman, sales consultant at Sprint Press. “If you think about each process – from prepress, to press, to bindery – then you can foresee any challenges in the production process before they happen. This is what we did to produce such a precise end result,” said Ehrman.

To achieve the difficult crossovers in this piece, Sprint Press collaborated with Karsh/Hagan to determine the best weight and sheet to use to get optimum results. An initial mock-up was created using 80# White Opus 30 percent PCW Dull Cover. A die-line was created for Karsh to drop its files into, and a black plate was used on the press to determine the crossover position needed to create the die. A die was then completed based on the position of the black plate.

The flat size for this piece was 26 5/8″x5 3/8″, so it ran on a 40″ Komori press 6-out work & turn, using a 4-color process with 100 percent Satin Aqueous Coating on both sides. It was placed on a Bobst diecutter to score and trim, and then hand-folded to its final size of 10×5 3/8″. Because Visit Denver is environmentally conscious, a recycled sheet and soy-based inks were used to produce this piece.

The size of this piece was predetermined so that Visit Denver could obtain optimal postage rates. A 12 1/2″x12 1/2″ outer envelope was created that was printed 6-out sheetwise 4CP/0 on 70# White Pacesetter, 30 percent PCW Offset. A die was created for the die cut and conversion to its final size of 10 1/2″x 5 5/8″. After the brochure was hand-folded and inserted into the outer envelope, Sprint Press processed Visit Denver’s mailing lists and mailed it Standard A Presort to Visit Denver’s meeting planner database.

“We are very happy with the ‘One City, Seven Reasons’ meeting planner brochure. We constantly receive feedback from our meeting planner clients that our campaign materials stand out head and shoulders above other U.S. cities engaged in similar efforts,” said Justin Bresler, Visit Denver’s vice president of marketing and business development.

Visit Denver’s “One City, Seven Reasons” meeting planner brochure was part of a larger marketing campaign that included print ads, online ads, direct mail pieces and more. The campaign was developed by KarshHagan advertising agency.

Sprint Press performs print, digital press, binding, finishing and mailing services for its clients. Contact Tamera Rice Ehrman at trehrman@sprintdenver.com or 303.371.0566, ext. 127.

San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau – Meetings Have it All

Believe it or not, even San Diego must work hard for elusive group travel dollars. Market research revealed that meeting planners often regarded San Diego as a highly desirable, but pricey destination for meetings and conventions. In addition, the recent economic downturn created new challenges for San Diego as heightened sensitivities towards destinations that were perceived to be “costly” or “excessive” for corporate business travel threatened to drive down convention and meeting business.

The San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau sought a new marketing approach to better align itself with the practicality and flexibility of competing destinations. They hired the Miriello Grafico agency to create a marketing campaign focusing on the small- to mid-sized companies that often believed San Diego was out of their price range.

San Diego needed to stand out amongst a sea of similar tourism industry messaging, so Miriello Grafico turned to Americhip, the paper engineering experts who specialize in transforming paper into intricate works of art that pop up, move, twist, flip and soar from the printed page. Americhip’s patented Flippit™ motion graphic design was used to create San Diego’s “Have it All” meeting planner brochure.

“The ‘pull-down’ feature on the cover of the brochure gave us the creative edge that we needed to grab and hold the attention of meeting planners. We needed to inspire them to learn more and to reconsider San Diego as an option for small- to mid-sized meetings,” said Matthew Bachmann, vice president of Miriello Grafico.”

As the meeting planner pulls down on the large tab at the bottom of the page, multiple panels pop open – one at a time – to reveal the top reasons to choose San Diego as destination for meetings and conventions. The interior of this colorful brochure features several panels that expand upon the value points highlighted in the pull-down tab on the cover. The brochure text emphasizes core messages of affordability and availability, and the fact that the San Diego CVB can provide additional tools and assistance.

To create this vibrant, interactive brochure, Americhip and Miriello Grafico worked together as collaborative partners. “The design process was a mutual, two-way creative process,” said Edward Castillo, Americhip’s new business development manager. “The CVB knew what they wanted – to expand upon our original Flippit design, making it larger to include more panels to accommodate its information and photos,” said Castillo.

Americhip’s in-house team of designers and print production experts flawlessly integrated artistry, technology, dielines and glue points on an 8 pt. dull coated stock using a 4-color process and Satin Varnish to produce the finished product. The unfolded full size, nested 1-up in three sections, is 33×25.’ The folded size is 10×8.” The BRC card is 4 ¼x6.”

San Diego’s “Have It All” meeting planner brochure won a bronze Adrian Award from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International in 2010. It was part of a larger campaign that included additional direct mail and email marketing initiatives. The San Diego CVB used various tracking methods to monitor the campaign and reports that it has produced a successful return on investment.

Americhip combines print with digital media, including video and audio technologies. The full-service printer can make paper talk, light up, move, whistle, sing and interact with your laptop. To learn more about Americhip, contact Edward Castillo at ecastillo@americhip.com or 310.323.3697, ext 262.

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