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    PostPress

    Print Decorating, Binding and Finishing

    August/September 2022

    Cold Foil Process Continues to Grow

    By Jeff Peterson, executive director, FSEA

    The application of cold foil for labels, folding cartons and other printed materials has been available for some time. However, in recent years, there has been an acceleration in the acceptance and use of cold foil in both roll-to-roll and sheet-fed applications. PostPress magazine sat down with Michael Rivera, general manager – Cold Foil Business Unit, K Laser Technology, and Mike King, president, Eagle Systems, to discuss frequently asked questions as they pertain to cold foil transfer.

    Cold foil continues to grow in popularity for labels and folding cartons. What are some of the reasons that cold foil has become more popular in recent years?

    Rivera: For many applications, the process of cold foiling can be more cost effective vs. hot foil because it can be completed all inline, which has afforded more printers access to adding metallic decorating to its line of services. Overall, there is less set-up time and less costly for many applications.

    King: One of the key reasons that cold foil has become more popular is that the quality and shine is now equal to, or in some cases, surpassed that of a hot foil stamp. Other reasons for its popularity include the efficiency of the cold foil transfer and the fast-to-market ability of the process. The cost savings can be as much as 80% vs. other processes depending on the application.

    What are some of the advantages of using cold foil vs. other metallic decorating choices?

    Rivera: Cold foil offers a more appealing, vibrant brilliance versus metallic inks, thus catching the consumer’s eye much quicker. Furthermore, more brand owners and designers are learning more about cold foil and how it can add real value to their designs at a reasonable cost.

    King: Cold foil offers flexibility including the ability to be performed inline with the printing, and when applied in the first station of an offset press, the foil can be overprinted inline to create a variety of metallic colors. Cold foil also offers amazing detail, including applying half tones with the cold foil process. This is not obtainable with hot or digital foil processes.

    Also, a huge advantage of cold foil versus overprinting a foil laminated or transfer foil board is that areas on a carton or other printed materials that have small type on a white background can be “knocked out” when the cold foil is applied. This eliminates the need to have a separate station on the printing press to apply a white opaque ink, which can be difficult to work with and adds costs to the project.

    When is hot foil a more practical choice than cold foil? What are some of cold foil’s limitations?

    Rivera: Cold foil excels at short-run work, especially with label applications. However, one disadvantage of cold foil is limitations with paper stocks.

    King: For sheet-fed applications on a large sheet, hot foil is more efficient if the metallic image of a folding carton or other printed material is in a small specific area. In addition, if the customer if wanting to emboss or deboss the image or take the grain of the paper out in the foil stamped area, then hot foil is a better choice. If the run lengths are long, cold foil inline with the printing and then embossing or debossing with the diecutting still may be the most efficient choice. Run length, image size, and if the image is embossed/debossed will have an impact on the final decision of hot versus cold.

    What new applications have been seen for cold foil? What has sparked the use of cold foil in these applications?

    Rivera: We have seen cold foil becoming more popular for wider web applications. This includes labels, smaller-sized folding cartons and especially shrink sleeve applications in the beverage market. The ability to run a wider web for roll-to-roll applications can increase overall throughput and save costs for larger runs.

    King: Brand owners are always looking for something new and different. Something that we have seen lately is using cold foil on the inside of a carton to create a high-end look to the entire box. They cold foil the entire uncoated inside of the carton and commonly with an overprinted color over silver foil, giving the inside a truly unique look.

    Are there any new technologies with the cold foil process that has been introduced lately or will be available in the near future?

    Rivera: Sustainability has become a huge topic for packaging and printing. Transfer cold foil paperboard has become a popular choice versus laminated foil board. Transfer cold foil paperboard will most likely continue to become a popular choice for printers who are concerned with sustainability and recyclability. Another new technology is using digital print heads to apply the cold foil adhesives. This can be done for both roll-to-roll and sheet-fed formats and create raised cold foil images

    King: Cold foil equipment now has the ability to register holographic images or Fresnel lens inline on an offset press. This new technology has allowed printers with cold foil capabilities to provide the type of quality needed for this application through the cold foil process.

    RRD Survey: Nearly Seven in 10 Packaging Decision Makers Forced to Reprioritize Amid Supply Chain Disruption, Inflation

    Submitted by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

    A study released in June by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company (RRD) found the market’s most pressing challenges forced packaging decision makers to shift priorities and rethink operations, with 90% changing how their packaging is sourced. The Unpackaging Reality Report explores how converging disruptive issues like supply chain volatility, inflation, labor shortages and increasing sustainability pressures have impacted the industry.

    Diversifying suppliers (62%) has been the most common response to these disruptions.

    Surveying 300 packaging decision makers in the US, RRD’s study found that material price hikes and supply shortages presented the biggest hurdles for the industry over the past year, with over half of respondents reporting they have been strongly impacted. These challenges, among others, forced organizations to reprioritize packaging materials (68%), budget (52%), packaging design and aesthetics (49%) and sustainability goals (45%). Despite the many challenges brought on by the pandemic and downstream issues, the report found that overall, the packaging industry proved resilient and continued to track toward a more sustainable and innovative future.

    “There’s no disputing that rising costs, supply chain snares, and talent pinches have posed major challenges to the packaging industry, but that doesn’t mean this reality is all doom and gloom,” said Lisa Pruett, president, packaging, labels and forms, retail solutions at RRD. “These challenges actually transformed the industry into a more innovative, agile and environmentally conscious sector. Organizations responded with diverse strategies as there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to tempering disruptions.”

    There was a broad willingness to pivot to different packaging materials in light of recent industry challenges – over one third says extremely willing (36%).

    As a leading global provider of marketing, packaging, print and supply chain solutions, RRD conducted a comprehensive survey to offer insight into this complex landscape of both immense opportunity and challenges for decision makers. The study’s key findings underscore the packaging industry’s willingness to evolve operations in the face of challenges without losing sight of sustainability goals:

    Key Finding 1: Supply chain challenges lead to innovation

    To navigate the market challenges, organizations have been willing to explore a wide range of solutions to their supply chain issues. Specifically, 62% diversified suppliers, 42% outsourced manufacturing and fulfillment, 39% consolidated suppliers, 30% substituted specs and 26% reshored their manufacturing to the U.S. There is broad willingness to pivot to different packaging materials in light of supply chain sourcing challenges, with over one-third (36%) saying they were extremely willing to use alternative materials. As for guidance and information, 78% of respondents looked to suppliers, vendors or direct manufacturers.

    E-commerce has increased over the past 1-2 years for over half (57%).

    Key Finding 2: E-commerce ignites packaging demand

    Packaging needs have skyrocketed in recent years, in part due to the acceleration of online shopping amid the pandemic, and this has created both strain and opportunity for the packaging industry. The majority of respondents (57%) experienced an increase in e-commerce orders in the past 1-2 years and, for nearly all of them (92%), this resulted in an increase in packaging needs.

    Packaging professionals responded to the growth in ecommerce orders by increasing inventory (55%), expanding warehousing (53%), changing materials (52%) and increasing staff (51%).

    Interestingly, recent supply chain disruptions moved more companies closer to their carbon emissions goals compared to further away.

    Key Finding 3: Surprising strides in sustainability despite cost pressures

    Survey findings contradict the sentiment that sustainability initiatives fell to the back burner as companies grappled with other pressing priorities, with almost all respondents (94%) agreeing that sustainability is a key consideration in packaging and label decisions. Further, two-thirds of packaging professionals shifted to more sustainable packaging than what they used previously. When considering sustainability, budget is the top influencing factor – more so than external regulations or consumer preferences – suggesting that cost-effective eco-friendly materials are in high demand.

    Of note, the majority of packaging decision makers (55%) believe recent supply chain disruptions moved their companies closer to their carbon emissions goals, suggesting sustainability initiatives may prove versatile and resilient.

    As a leading global packaging provider, RRD commissioned an online survey of 300 procurement, brand marketing and packaging engineering decision makers to provide insights that inform strategy, priorities, and investments. Survey participants are located in the US across a variety of industry sectors. The survey, conducted by FINN Partners in Spring 2022, is weighted to be nationally representative. To read the full report, visit: www.rrd.com/Reality-Report.

    Finding & Keeping Good Salespeople, Part 2

    By David M. Fellman

    This is the second part in a two-part series. Part one, in the May/June 2022 issue of PostPress, focused on hiring salespeople. Part two focuses on retention.

    Having (hopefully) found yourself a good salesperson, how do you keep that person with you? It’s pretty simple, really. First and foremost, you make sure your expectations and your salesperson’s expectations are in sync, and then you keep your side of the bargain. (And if your salesperson doesn’t keep his/her side of the bargain, we’re not talking about a good salesperson, right?)

    Your expectations start with the job description – developing new customers vs. servicing established customers, quote machine vs. missionary, etc. – and continue with more tangible action standards and objectives. Your overall objective (and the salesperson’s quota) might be $500,000 in sales, and one of the action standards to support that might be 20 “prospecting starts” each week. (That’s my term, by the way, for a process which begins with the identification of “suspect” companies and ends with the qualification of real prospects.)

    Your salesperson’s expectations probably start with an income goal but may also include support and “working conditions” expectations. Let’s deal with those first. Part of your side of the bargain is to ensure that the promises your salesperson has to make are being kept; promises of quality, service, reliability, etc. Now, the salesperson shouldn’t be making unreasonable promises – again, one who does that would not be a good salesperson, right? – but you have to understand that those promises are a critical part of the selling process. If the promises aren’t kept, the customer may not buy from you again, and that affects the salesperson’s income. Put yourself in a salesperson’s shoes. If you do your job – developing customers, winning orders, etc. – but your “promise keepers” don’t do their job, you’re probably going to look for a better group of promise keepers before too long.

    Income expectations

    Now let’s talk about income goals and expectations. I’ve seen many situations that were doomed from the start because the printer either created or allowed an unreasonable earnings expectation. Here’s an example: A candidate earned $65,000 the previous year selling office products. The printer told him he could earn a lot more than that selling printing. “I’ll pay you 10% of everything you sell,” the printer said, “and for the first 3 months, I’ll let you draw $5,000 per month so you won’t be taking a huge pay cut while you’re getting things rolling.”

    In the first month, the salesperson worked hard, but sold basically nothing. In the second month, he continued to work hard and landed a few small jobs and one good-sized (by this company’s standards) job. The small jobs were in the $300-$500 range. The good-sized job billed at $3,500, and his total sales for the month were a little less than $5,000. In the third month, he landed several new customers, six small jobs and three good-sized jobs, for total sales of approximately $11,000.

    I asked the owner how the new guy was doing. “Great,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier!” I asked the salesperson how he was doing. “I’m dying here,” he said. “Everyone tells me I’m doing great, but I’m not even close to covering my draw. I must do $650,000 in sales to equal what I earned last year, and I can’t see any way that’s going to happen.”

    Here’s the problem. The printer hired a $65,000 guy for a $30,000-$45,000 job. The first question you should always ask yourself before hiring a salesperson is how much sales volume you can reasonably expect. I ask my clients to produce three figures: a solid performance, an exceptional performance and a minimum level of performance. The second question you should ask yourself is how much you’re willing to pay for each level of performance.

    When I did this “after the fact” with this particular printer, we came up with $300,000 as a solid performance and $450,000 as a really outstanding performance, all of that based on his equipment and capacity and market dynamics. His answer to the second question was the same 10% of sales he’d offered to the salesperson, with the expectation that benefits and expenses and taxes would increase that to a total “compensation load” of about 15%. “With anything more than a 15% load,” he said, “the work he brings in won’t be profitable.”

    Here’s a hard fact. The arithmetic of the situation tells you exactly how much salesperson you can afford, and it may very well disqualify the kind of candidate you would really like to hire. The trap that many printers have fallen into is to think that a more talented and experienced – and therefore more expensive – salesperson will automatically bring in enough business to make everybody happy. It doesn’t work that way. If the printer paid $65,000 for $450,000 in sales – which we agreed, remember, would represent an outstanding performance – the salesperson might be happy in the short term, but please also remember that the printer promised him he could earn “lots more” selling printing. And the printer wouldn’t be happy at all with a wages-plus-benefits-plus-expenses-plus-taxes compensation load up around 20%. The most likely scenario is the loss of a talented salesperson because the job was not all it was cranked up to be.

    The moral of this part of the story is don’t oversell the job. Remember, this all starts with reasonable performance expectations. If it would take a beyond-reasonable sales performance to get to the salesperson’s desired or required income level, the relationship is almost certain to fail.

    Affordable salespeople

    All of this begs a question: What do you do if you can’t afford to hire – or if the job won’t support – a proven professional? My best advice is to hire someone who’s going to be a proven professional someday. Let’s take another look at that quote from Caliper’s promotional material: “The Caliper Profile is a personality assessment instrument that objectively quantifies an individual’s competencies and identifies candidates with the strongest potential.” In other words, you have tools available to help you identify young/inexperienced people who are likely to grow into the job. You’ll have to train them, and manage them effectively, but the “opportunity equation” is pretty clear-cut: good candidate + solid training + solid management = great salesperson.

    Here’s something else to consider: Attaining an income level is no guarantee of performance. There are plenty of “hacks” earning $65,000 or more in sales, some of whom inherited great territories or compensation plans that benefit the salesperson far more than the company. I believe, though, that the top 25% of people who will start with you at $35,000-$40,000 will outperform the bottom 50% of people currently earning $65,000 or more, and the top 10% of those $35,000-$40,000 people will outperform the bottom 80% of those earning $65,000 or more. Like any other investment, the best strategy with salespeople is to buy early in the value cycle; in other words, to invest in relatively inexpensive things which will appreciate in value.

    Appreciation

    Appreciation, by the way, is another part of the formula for keeping good salespeople, and you show your appreciation in both tangible and intangible ways. The intangibles may be the most important consideration here, and the moral of this part of the story is to treat your valued salespeople with at least the same respect you show a valued customer. (That’s good strategy, of course, with any valued employee.)

    The tangibles provide you with opportunity too. Here’s an example. One of my clients had determined that she was willing to pay a new salesperson $45,000 to bring in $350,000 in sales in her first year, and we both agreed that $350,000 was a reasonable expectation. We told the candidate that this position had “low 40’s” potential in the first year, and that met her income requirements and expectations. The salesperson’s compensation plan started with a salary of $2000 per month, and my client’s original plan was to pay 6% commissions on top of that, which would add up to exactly $45,000 on $350,000 in sales. My recommendation was to reduce the commission rate to 5% and add two incentives to the plan. The first was a $2,500 bonus to be paid if the salesperson reached her quota of $350,000. The remaining $1,000 was budgeted for “random acts of appreciation.”

    About five months into the first year, the owner and salesperson went on a sales call together, and on their way back to the office, the salesperson remarked on a watch that the client was wearing. “I really want one of those,” she said. “I can’t really afford one yet, but it’s definitely on my list.” That led the owner to call the client to inquire about the watch, and that afternoon, she ordered one (about $400) from Amazon. As she gave it to the salesperson, she said, “This is just because I appreciate the way you do your job and represent the whole company. Keep up the good work!”

    I’m sure you see the motivational and loyalty-building value of that act of appreciation. Please also note that there was still $600 in the budget for additional “random” acts.

    Danger!

    Let’s go back to the subject of income expectations for a moment. For most salespeople, part of the expectation is the opportunity to increase sales and earnings from year to year. That holds true right up to the point where many salespeople settle into a comfort zone.

    What do you do in that situation? Here’s what you don’t do. You don’t arbitrarily decide that since the salesperson isn’t working as hard, you won’t pay him/her as much.

    This goes all the way back to the question of reasonable sales expectations and what you’re willing to pay for that level of performance. After asking my clients to define first year objectives and compensation tolerances, I always ask them to think ahead. This process, combined with the interview process, ultimately yields seven data points: (1 & 2) first year sales expectations and what the printer is willing to pay for a reasonable performance, (3 & 4) future sales expectations and what the printer is willing to pay for a reasonable performance, (5) what the salesperson needs to earn in the first year, (6) what the salesperson wants to earn in the first year and (7) what the salesperson wants to earn by some future year. With those seven data points, it is usually possible to craft a compensation plan that will work for both parties in both the short term and the long term, and that’s important because changing a compensation plan is by far the most dangerous element of sales management.

    Please note that there’s usually a difference between what a salesperson wants to make and needs to make, especially in the first year. The need figure may have to cover hard, fixed expenses or it may reflect the value the salesperson places on his/her own talent and experience. Either way, you have to guarantee that need figure, or else the salesperson won’t come with you or stay with you.

    You don’t have to guarantee the want figure, but you do have to provide a reasonable opportunity to reach it. If not, the salesperson is probably not going to stay with you. Again, don’t oversell the job!

    Closing thought

    Here’s a closing thought for today. It is certainly worth the time and effort it takes to find good salespeople, but ultimately, you don’t need to keep salespeople – you need to keep customers!

    In addition to the expectations and appreciation issues, it’s important that you never let a customer be your salesperson’s customer, as opposed to being your company’s customer. You prevent that by broadening the interface between your company and your customers, involving designers and customer service personnel and maybe even production people in the relationship. You also make sure that you have a personal relationship with the most important customers.

    Most printing companies seem to abdicate “ownership” of the customer, which makes it easy for a salesperson to take a customer along if he/she leaves to go to work for a competitor. I want you to be able to go out and say: “I’m sure ‘Fred’ has talked to you about continuing to buy from him at his new company. We just want you to know that ‘Fred’ was only one of the people at our company who’s been responsible for your level of satisfaction, and the rest of us want to keep your business!”

    Dave Fellman is the president of David Fellman & Associates, based in Raleigh, NC, a sales and marketing consulting firm serving numerous segments of the graphic arts industry. Contact him by phone at 919.606.9714, or by e-mail at dmf@davefellman.com.

    Industry Influencer: David Lukshus

    The Cog team is on a mission: help brand packaging reach its fullest potential. Or create, as it calls it, “genuinely awesome packaging.” That’s what it’s been doing since launching in 2010. The consumer packaging development and prototyping company in Cincinnati, Ohio, has partnered with big brands to create eye-catching packaging solutions. Geared for consumer delight, speed to market and cost avoidance – the team at Cog prides itself as being a partner to its clients by fitting in with the design-to-print process, not taking it over. As the company’s value proposition says, “More than a vendor, Cog is a partner who works alongside you to achieve awesomeness.”

    David Lukshus is partner and chief executive officer and a proud Cog. Lukshus recently got together with PostPress to discuss his business, the biggest challenges in the print packaging industry and his predictions for where the industry is going.

    How did your career develop in the packaging industry? Tell us about how Cog started and the reasons for starting the company.

    I started my career in advertising and design in New York City. It was 10 years later, when I joined Procter & Gamble as a design manager for Print and In-Store Promotion, that I first experienced how multiple creative platforms are created and executed from a single client’s perspective. And, the truth is, there was little in the way of integration between creative and design disciplines – for example, there was little integration between print and broadcast advertising and packaging. That’s when it first hit me: I realized that no one was responsible for imagining and coordinating the possibilities between consumer-targeted creative and design initiatives. That’s when the idea of “Cog” began. Transferring momentum from one gear wheel to the next is what cogs are designed to do.

    I officially started Cog in 2010 with two partners and with the intention of offering a hybrid of design and production capabilities for the in-store point-of-purchase industry. Entering the packaging industry was a year three objective, but when our first contract came from the research and development (R&D) packaging organization of a global Fortune 100 consumer packaged goods company, all best laid plans were laid to rest. We were brought on board – literally on-site – to provide upstream packaging engineers and scientists the ability to identify, explore and verify innovative “decoration” (their word for embellishments and finishes) options for consumer packaging. I quickly discovered two realities about supporting “upstream” packaging initiatives: 1) I had no idea what “upstream” truly entailed in the consumer packaging industry, and just how much time it takes for a packaging innovation to make it to market, and 2) hardly any of our comp and mock-up competitors were servicing upstream packaging development – probably because they were focused on revenue from printing larger volumes associated with go-2-market initiatives.

    From our beginnings in R&D, we all saw the potential to provide “momentum” to larger stakeholders, such as packaging designers, printers/converters, and substrate and embellishment manufacturers, further downstream. And, to represent them or bring them to the brand marketer – designer table. Now, Cog supports various key stakeholders in the design-to-print continuum, from helping to ensure printing and manufacturing feasibility of a really cool packaging design to exploring and verifying innovative printing and embellishment technologies.

    What do you see as the biggest challenges in the print packaging industry currently? How should the industry respond to successfully grow and thrive?

    More of a concern than a challenge, packaging designers who are in the first 10 years of their careers do not know how to design for digital printing or effectively incorporate visual and tactile embellishments into their work. From my perspective as a former designer and a current business owner of Cog, packaging design has become too specialized. At the risk of sounding like a “boomer” pining about how things were better back in the day (they weren’t!), designers and art directors of my generation were expected to demonstrate, or at least aspire to, mastery across a wider range of skills than, first and foremost, substrates, finishes and printing. Corporate-driven decoupling of “digital production” from the creative/design agencies adversely impacted in-store agencies and packaging design firms, became the new reality between 2007-2010. And, ever since, creative and design presentations have relied on what Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop do best. I’d feel better if I saw more designers incorporating embellishments, printer/converter capabilities and new printing technologies from the onset. (Then again, if they did, there might not be a demand for Cog).

    How do you see the industry embracing global trends such as the circular economy and sustainability demands from brand owners and consumers?

    From what Cog is hearing from packaging R&D and design customers, sustainability is the only topic on everyone’s mind. “Go ahead and pitch your next great packaging idea,” said Ken McGuire, research fellow at Procter & Gamble, “but the only ones that our customers are waiting for and listening to are about sustainability.” For perspective on how far our customers’ priorities, as well as all of our attitudes, have evolved, 10 years ago we were all snickering at Seventh Generation. It’s now considered a leader in sustainable packaging and a premium brand. And rightly so.

    What trends are emerging in design and production that will influence the future of the print packaging industry?

    Personalization and embellishments are trends that are emerging and will continue to do so. In the end, a consumer package or direct-to-consumer initiative needs to achieve consumer delight to stand out. This is especially true for challenger brands. Substrate and embellishment manufacturers and printers are ready to help brands move the needle. But are designers? (See “Challenges” two sections above.)

    Which markets/verticals are growing in the use of embellishments for their packaging? Why do you believe there continues to be growth in the use of processes, such as metallics and specialty coatings for label and carton packaging?

    Every consumer-packaged goods market/vertical that I know of has established value-based tiers. As long as “premium” exists as a brand offering and tier, there will be a need for embellishments. Said another way, premium brands must ignite a sensory experience for consumers. We Cogs call this “achieving consumer delight.” While the definition of “premium” differs depending on the market/vertical (e.g., fabric conditioners vs. confections vs. fragrance, etc.), brand owners and packaging designers rely on embellishments to help convey that a packaged product is of high quality and that the product price point supports their usage.

    What are your predictions for the print packaging industry in the next five to 10 years?

    I believe the print packaging industry will be most influenced by countries that demonstrate leadership in demanding and establishing eco-friendlier and sustainable packaging. Their standards will lead the way, and non-adopters will suffer. I also see a dramatic increase in efforts to decrease the adverse impact of packaging by improving recycling, educating consumers, reimagining packaging and more. Molded paper has a future as well, as long as the energy requirements can be lowered. But, in the end, if we just get behind forward thinkers such as Kate Christian (Eco Cycle) and Michael Ferrari (Consortium for Waste Circularity), we’ll all be focused on the true prize – true sustainable solutions.

    Paper Packaging: The Natural Choice

    Submitted by Two Sides

    Paper-based packaging is made with a renewable natural resource – trees grown in sustainably managed forests – and when well-designed, efficiently manufactured, appropriately used and recycled at the end of its useful life, provides a host of benefits for people and the planet.

    The strength and durability of paper-based packaging powers global commerce by ensuring the safe and efficient transport of goods, and its versatility and visual appeal help businesses effectively market their products. It communicates vital information to consumers, and provides the tactile pleasure that comes with receiving a special delivery or opening a gift. And importantly, when paper-based packaging is recycled it extends the life of the natural resources used to produce it and prevents waste from going to landfills. The paper and wood products industry is inherently circular in its supply chain, from the regeneration of renewable resources (trees) that supply fiber to recycling packaging and paper that is recovered and turned into new products. The industry manufactures more with less by efficiently using wood fiber, reusing water and pulping chemicals multiple times, utilizing manufacturing residuals and byproducts to produce carbon-neutral biomass energy and optimizing the use of nonrenewable resources.2

    The forest products sector is central to the ongoing transition to a low-carbon and circular future rooted in renewable natural resources, also known as the bioeconomy. With their ability to capture and store carbon, fiber-based materials feed into a broad array of renewable solutions that can substitute non-renewable and fossil-based materials in products we use every day.3 Paper and paperboard packaging – which includes corrugated cardboard boxes, folding cartons, rigid paperboard boxes, flexible packaging, sacks and bags – is often the preferred sustainable packaging choice of consumers.5 Its key raw material, wood fiber, is a renewable resource and it’s also the most recycled of all types of packaging materials.6

    Paper-based packaging is recycled more than any other packaging material

    The benefits of recycling paper-based packaging include extending the supply of a valuable natural resource (wood fiber), saving landfill space, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions of methane released when paper decomposes in landfills and reducing the amount of energy needed to produce some paper products.

    Nearly 81% of all paper-based packaging in the US is recovered for recycling, and more than 96% of corrugated (cardboard) boxes are recycled. Only 14% of US plastic packaging is recycled.6 In Canada, the national recovery rate of old corrugated boxes for recycling is an estimated 85%, with at least one provincial recycling program reaching 98%.7 Corrugated box fibers are recycled 7-10 times to make new boxes and other paper products.8 Around 90% of folding cartons (by the ton) in North America sent to the frozen foods sector are made of recyclable paperboard, and are easily recyclable in the normal waste stream.10 In addition to being recyclable, paper and cardboard packaging is made with recycled fiber. In the US for example, the average corrugated box is made with 50% recycled content, and nearly all old corrugated containers are used to make new paper products.11 In Canada, corrugated boxes and boxboard used for products like cereal and shoe boxes are mostly 100% recycled content.12 Nearly all Americans13 and Canadians14 have access to community curbside and/or drop-off recycling programs for paper and paper-based packaging.

    Paper-based packaging protects more resources than it consumes

    Paper-based packaging is a versatile, cost-efficient and safe method to transport, protect and preserve a wide array of items. It is engineered to be sturdy, yet lightweight, and is customizable to meet product- or customer-specific needs.

    Packaging plays a critical role in protecting products and resources, and often helps reduce and prevent waste—especially when it comes to food.17 On average, packaging makes up only 10% of a food product’s energy footprint. In contrast, the food itself accounts for about 50% of the product’s energy footprint. So, protecting that food through packaging means keeping a big part of its footprint in check.17 Cities exist with the help of packaging. Most of the food and other goods they require are grown and produced outside of urban centers.17 In 2019, 271 million Americans lived in urban areas; 31 million Canadians lived in urban areas.18 Corrugated packaging can be a critical supply-chain efficiency tool for cost-effective product protection from products’ points of origin to their points of purchase and end-use.19 When the results of the available field surveys are compared to the acceptable limit for microbial loads on corrugated containers versus reusable plastic containers (RPC) for fresh produce, 100% of corrugated containers met acceptable sanitation standards while percentages as low as 50% of RPCs evaluated did not meet these same standards.20

    The Recycled Paperboard Technical Association (RPTA) has developed a comprehensive program of testing and management systems, and uses a rigorous auditing process conducted by NSF International to assure brand owners that paper-based packaging products produced at North American RPTA-member mills are suitably pure for direct food contact packaging applications and meet all US Food and Drug Administration regulatory requirements that apply to recycled paperboard and corrugated board use in food packaging.21

    Paper-based packaging supports healthy forests in North America

    Sustainable forest management protects one of earth’s most important resources and ensures the long-term ability of the global forest products industry to meet society’s growing needs.

    The use of wood fiber from sustainably managed forests promotes responsible long-term forest growth, so successfully in fact, that US forest area expanded an average of approximately 605,000 acres per year between 1990 and 2020.22 Canada’s forested area has remained quite stable for the past 25 years at approximately 857 million acres.23 In 2019, 52% of the forest area in North America was certified to an independent, sustainable forest management standard (Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), the highest percentage of certified forestland anywhere in the world.22

    The production of paper-based packaging does not result in deforestation. Deforestation is defined as the conversion of forest to other land use independently, whether human-induced or not. The term specifically excludes areas where trees have been removed as a result of harvesting or logging, and where the forest is expected to regenerate naturally or with the aid of silvicultural measures.22

    The biggest threat to forests in the US is urbanization, but this threat can be mitigated by healthy markets for forest products, especially for products from highly productive working forests. Between 1982 and 2012, urban development was responsible for almost half (49.2% or 17.7 million acres) of all forestland that was converted to other uses in the United States.25

    The conversion of forest to agricultural land is decreasing but remains the largest contributor to deforestation in Canada. Harvesting, forest fires and insect infestations do not constitute deforestation since the affected areas will grow back. According to laws, regulations and policies in place across Canada, all areas harvested on public land must be reforested, either by replanting or through natural regeneration. About 94% of Canada’s forests are on public land.26

    Paper-based packaging helps tackle climate change

    There are three ways to mitigate climate change: by avoiding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, by storing GHGs (carbon) in forests and forest-based products, and by capturing GHGs from the atmosphere. The manufacture, use and recycling of paper-based packaging contributes to all three.

    Sustainable forestry practices increase the ability of forests to capture and sequester atmospheric carbon while enhancing other ecosystem services, such as improved soil and water quality. Planting new trees and improving forest health through thinning and prescribed burning are some of the ways to increase forest carbon in the long run. Harvesting and regenerating forests can also result in net carbon sequestration in wood products and new forest growth.27

    The forest products industry plays an important role in contributing to the production of renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuel by using residuals and byproducts (biomass) to produce much of the energy required for its operations. Because trees absorb CO2 when they grow, the international carbon accounting principle accepts that biomass is carbon neutral when combusted for energy.29

    The US paper and forest products industry reduced carbon emissions by 23.3% between 2005 and 2018. The Canadian paper and forest products industry reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 38% between 2006 and 2016.2,30

    The recycling of paper-based packaging avoids greenhouse gas emissions that result when paper products are landfilled. At about 44.2 million tons, paper and paperboard recycling in the U.S. resulted in a reduction of about 148 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) in 2017. This reduction is equivalent to removing over 31 million cars from the road for one year.31

    Nearly every piece of plastic begins as a fossil fuel, and greenhouse gases are emitted at each stage of the plastic lifecycle: 1) fossil fuel extraction and transport, 2) plastic refining and manufacture, 3) managing plastic waste, and 4) plastic’s ongoing impact once it reaches our oceans, waterways and landscape.32

    Paper-based packaging is practical, beneficial and appealing

    Paper and cardboard are versatile and effective packaging materials, whether for storage or in transit, displayed in-store or used in the home.

    Corrugated cardboard boxes are the backbone of the American supply chain. Some 38 billion packages are delivered safely in corrugated cardboard boxes each year. Corrugated packaging is frequently lightweight and can reduce shipping costs.33

    Most Americans (83%) agree that paper and cardboard packaging can be innovative. In fact, roughly seven in 10 feel that this type of packaging allows for more creative packaging designs than other packaging materials (75%) and that products packaged in paper or cardboard seem more artisanal or handcrafted (69%).35

    Corrugated cardboard can be cut and folded into an infinite variety of shapes and sizes and direct printed with high-resolution color graphics. Corrugated is custom designed to fit specific product protection, shelf space and shipping density requirements, including inner packaging that prevents shifting.36

    With the rise of plastic pollution, countless brands are opting for a more sustainable branding solution when it comes to their products’ packaging. This is where paper comes in. The eco-friendly material is recyclable and lightweight, making it perfect for food, coffee or dessert products. In addition to its environmentally friendly qualities, paper packaging is also easy to customize when it comes to color, text or graphics.37

    Paper-based packaging is preferred by customers

    People look to product packaging to help them make decisions about what to buy. Perceptions of practicality, sustainability and quality all play a part.

    When asked to rank their preferred packaging materials (paper and cardboard, glass, metal or plastic) based on 15 environmental, practical and visual/tactile attributes, US consumers ranked paper and cardboard packaging highest on 11 of 15 attributes, with 66% saying paper and cardboard packaging are better for the environment.38

    68% of US grocery shoppers ages 18 to 65 years consider it important to choose foods and beverages that are packaged responsibly, and 71% agree that foods and beverages with healthier ingredients should use packaging materials that are healthier too. Paper and glass packaging are considered to have the least negative environmental impact and perceived to be the healthiest options.40

    Consumers across the United States are willing to change their behavior to shop more sustainably. Nearly four in 10 (38%) are willing to spend more on a product if it is packaged using sustainable materials, and more than a third (36%) said they would consider avoiding a retailer who is not taking steps to reduce their use of non-recyclable plastic packaging.41

    Most Americans agree that the design of a product’s packaging (72%) and the materials used to package a product (67%) often influence their purchase decisions when selecting which products to buy. For two thirds, paper and cardboard packaging makes a product more attractive than other packaging materials (67%), and a similar proportion agrees that paper and cardboard packaging make products seem premium or high quality (63%).42

    When asked which types of shopping bags – cotton/canvas, paper, lightweight plastic, lightweight compostable plastic and heavyweight plastic – best fit a variety of attributes, US consumers ranked paper shopping bags highest when it comes to the environment, favoring paper bags for being recyclable, compostable and made from renewable and recycled materials.5

    Two Sides is a global, member-funded non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the uniquely sustainable attributes of print, paper and paper-based packaging. Two Sides’ 600+ members span the entire print, paper and paper-based packaging value chain, including forestry, pulp, paper, packaging, inks and chemicals, finishing, publishing, printing, envelopes and mail operators. For more information about Two Sides North America, visit www.twosidesna.org.

    References
    1. World Wildlife Fund, 2020
    2. American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), 2020
    3. World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 2019
    4. World Economic Forum (WEC), 2016
    5. Two Sides and Toluna, 2020
    6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 2017
    7. Paper and Paperboard Environmental Council, 2020
    8. Fibre Box Association (FBA), 2020
    9. WEC, 2016
    10. Paperboard Packaging Council, 2019
    11. FBA, 2020
    12. Paper & Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC), 2019
    13. AF&PA, 2019
    14. PPEC, 2020
    15. Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2017
    16. AF&PA, 2020
    17. World Wildlife Fund, 2014
    18. The World Bank, 2020
    19. FBA, 2020
    20. Haley & Aldrich, Inc., 2015
    21. Recycled Paperboard Technical Association, 2020
    22. UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 2020
    23. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), 2019
    24. AF&PA, 2020
    25. Forest2Market, Inc., 2017
    26. NRCan, 2020
    27. USDA Forest Service, 2020
    28. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2018
    29. International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA), 2020
    30. NRCan, 2019
    31. US EPA, 2020
    32. Center for International Environmental Law, 2019
    33. FBA, 2020
    34. BigCommerce, 2019
    35. Ipsos, 2018
    36. FBA, 2019
    37. Trend Hunter, 2014
    38. Two Sides and Toluna, 2020
    39. Mordor Intelligence, 2020
    40. EcoFocus, 2018
    41. Two Sides and Toluna, 2020
    42. Ipsos, 2018

    Luxury Apartment Sales Kit Takes Embellishments to Another Level

    Printed with permission by PaperSpecs

    Towering above Vancouver’s high-end Coal Harbour neighborhood, the multimillion-dollar luxury apartment building Fifteen Fifteen provides its residents vast floor-to-ceiling windows and large outdoor spaces that give their owners the impression that they have only to reach out their hands to touch the trees of nearby Stanley Park.

    To convey the nearness of this natural beauty, design legends Pentagram NY worked closely with Metropolitan Fine Printers (MET) and Bindtech Roswell to craft this enormous volume, which packages lavish photographs of the building’s 202 residences in a case that never lets you forget one of the property’s biggest draws: trees!

    The exterior of the case is tastefully low key with the name of the property and its designer (renowned architect Ole Scheeren) hot foil stamped in matte silver foil on the front cover and spine. The pattern of the Winter & Company 100 gsm (68 lb) Wibalin Flute Mahogany cover material provides both a touch of visual sophistication and a finger-pleasing texture to the presentation.

    Opening the piece reveals a clamshell case, with the inside cover and spine seamlessly lined with a gorgeous, detailed photograph of a tree beautifully offset printed on 80 lb Mohawk Superfine Text Eggshell.

    What instantly impresses even more than the rich, vivid imagery is the precise way everything fits together when the clamshell is closed. The spine, in particular, has been well-thought-out, showing no signs of cracking despite repeated openings.

    Tight fits continue with the large book resting snuggly in the tray opposite the inside front cover, and a color-coordinated ribbon lays across it to aid in its removal – a welcome touch to the elegant design.

    Inside, the 216-page Smyth-sewn volume features the same matte silver hot foil stamping as found on the cover of the box. This time, though, the cover is Winter & Company’s imitation leather – 80 lb Cover Ecorel Matte Chevo Touch of Gray, which looks and feels like fine goatskin.

    Going the extra mile, another tree image has been added to the front cover in the form of three horizontal debossed tip-ons stacked together, calling to mind the cantilevered nature of the Fifteen Fifteen tower this kit is meant to celebrate. And, while the book still rests in its tray, the cover photos look like the right side of the tree pictured on the inside of the clamshell opposite!

    Inside, large, sumptuous photographs bring the Fifteen Fifteen living experience, as well as its Vancouver surroundings, to life.

    Printed CMYK along with a custom grey and brown PMS color, plus a dull varnish – all in-line on a 100 lb Text Mohawk Superfine Eggshell, these pages are broken into sections exploring the architecture and using hot foil stamped short-page tabs on 80 lb Cover Superfine.

    Tucked inside a grotto at the center of the tray that held the book is another smaller volume that can be removed by tugging on another ribbon. The same tree photo is so seamlessly reproduced across the frame and the cavity holding the book, you can barely see the step between the two – another example of just how tightly everything fits together here.

    Also Smyth-sewn, the softcover, printed on 80 lb Cover Mohawk Superfine Eggshell, is all business, laying out the individual floorplans for the various apartments in the Fifteen Fifteen building.

    BindTech Roswell, in Pheonix, Arizona, was a partner in binding and debossing. Kortez Brown, specialty division & business development manager with Bindtech Roswell, said there are a few reasons why Smyth sewing is popular: The functionality of the layflat binding because the signatures are sewn in sections allowing flexibility in the spine; library binding quality adds strength and integrity to the spine once the pages are sewn and reinforced with a flexible PUR glue and capped spine; and due to the layflat quality, a designer can create seamless crossover images that transition from page to page.

    Taken together, this mammoth sales kit blends craftsman-like precision with luscious images of nature, echoing the cutting-edge “home in the clouds” lifestyle promised by this Vancouver property.

    Smyth-sewn binding turned out to be a great choice for this book and created a masterpiece for the client.

    “Any other binding options such as adhesive, side sew or saddle stitch do not provide the same layflat or timeless binding strength you will experience with a Smyth-sewn binding,” Brown said.

    As for challenges with this project, Brown said, “The hardcover had three tip-ons that were all placed by hand, one at a time, into a recessed deboss impression. Not an easy task, and ALL handwork, which seems to be a dying art these days. There is a lot to be said about the performance and precision our employees have acquired over the years to make products like this look perfect.”

    The clamshell was no easy task either. “As you can see by the imagery of the bark on the trees that cross over from the inside lid of the clamshell all the way into the tray looks visually seamless. Precision cutting and again … The handwork required was a challenge,” Brown said.

    PaperSpecs is on a mission to provide graphic designers with the swatchbooks, resources and tools they need to create innovative printed pieces that wow their clients. For more than 15 years PaperSpecs has been providing creatives with the latest trends, inspiring videos, free webinars, and virtual/hands-on PaperSpecs Live mini design conferences. Find them at www.PaperSpecs.com.

    One Country, One Constitution, One Amazing Design

    By Jewlissa Frickey, writer, PostPress

    Marked with the words, “One Country, One Constitution, One Destiny” on the bottom of the poster, the sixth print in the US Landmark series by Baugh Graphic Finishing House was brought together by the US Capitol.

    “We wanted to produce the next poster in our series to highlight a sculptured emboss image as the main finishing technique with a little bit of foil stamping,” said Dave Hurdle, vice president of Baugh Graphic Finishing House. “We liked the Capitol because of the detailed architecture in the windows and dome and the statue at the top of the building.”

    UV Printed (CMYK + Brown) by Printing Partners using a 90 lb Fluorescent White Letter Press Finish Cover, Baugh was able to fulfill the need for a paper with high cotton content to showcase the emboss.

    “In order to create the graphics,” Hurdle stated, “We started with a stock image of the Capitol and then had a graphic designer convert the file. We needed something in the background to help bring the white emboss out, so we came up with the idea to print the Constitution behind the Capitol.”

    The 20 x 30″ piece is the epitome of detail with its multi-level die, viewers are able to see, and feel, the columns in the front of the dome as well as the columns on the opposite side of the building. Furthermore, it allows one to feel the curvature of the dome, columns and further details throughout the building.

    “For the specialty effects and embellishments, we multilevel embossed and used four colors of foil stamping,” said Hurdle. “For embossing we used the Bobst 126 BMA, for foil stamping we used the Bobst 102 BMA and finally, for the foil we used four colors from Infinity Foils including gunmetal, bright silver, metallic red and blue.”

    To achieve the amount of detail the poster possesses, meticulous attention was given by Universal Engraving Inc. (UE) to ensure that all details were embossed with depth and perspective. “We used a brass emboss die, which is a very intricate embossing die,” said Hurdle. “Identifying the substrate was essential in the embossing process to determine the amount of paper stretch possible. In addition, the embossing die needed to register to several foil stamping dies, some which had fine details, as well as ‘nest’ into preprinted lithography.”

    The Capitol is set against a backdrop of the original Constitution with the American flag, rendered in red and blue foil, in the foreground and the statue of freedom along top.

    “One of the biggest challenges we faced during this project was controlling the depth of the emboss,” said Hurdle. “It was necessary in order to get the most detail possible without cutting through the paper.”

    Another challenged noted by Hurdle was regarding heat compensation. “Copper Flat – Gunmetal Shade was used for the statue on top, in order to ensure registration to the emboss the die was given a special heat compensation.” All four of the copper foil dies were given special heat compensation to ensure registration to the emboss area.

    “The reaction from our clients was great,” said Hurdle. “Many requested extra copies and several questions as to how big the die was to accomplish the piece.”

    Preparing for Today’s Bookbinding Applications

    By Dianna Brodine, managing editor, PostPress

    At the height of the pandemic, a significant increase in durable goods orders kept manufacturers producing at near record levels. Consumers who found themselves at home hit “add to cart” as they made purchase decisions on items to make their living spaces and daily lives more comfortable, including furniture, home appliances and entertainment options. One surprise winner in this shopping spree? Books. Even more surprising, the
    spree continues.

    According to a report from market research company NPD Bookscan, unit sales of print books increased 8.2% from 2019 to 2020, with 693.7 million print units sold. In 2021, 825.7 million units were sold – an increase of 8.9% in 2021 over 2020. Some of the early sales numbers were driven by panicked parents looking for resources that would replace educational opportunities lost when schools closed. However, with school back in session, young adult fiction books were the biggest driver of the 2021 increase, with unit sales jumping 30.7% according to NPD. Adult fiction sales rose 25.5%.1

    binding, photobook, perfect bindingPhotobooks are another print industry staple that benefitted from consumers with time on their hands. Many took advantage of the opportunity to scan family photos or finally do something with the images on their cell phone cameras. Digital photobook production sites such as Shutterfly and Snapfish added new book sizes, paper stocks and design options to keep up with demand.

    Two industry experts – Rick Salinas, president of Duplo USA, and Al Scolari, president and CEO of APS Imaging Solutions, Inc. – spoke about the trends in bookbinding during Amplify Print in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a first-time event aimed at those involved in print embellishments. During a panel discussion, Salinas and Scolari answered questions about binding processes on the rise, tactile effects, paper challenges and more.

    Layflat and perfect binding take off during the pandemic

    APS Imaging Solutions is a leading provider of digital lay flat photo book manufacturing systems and accessories to professional photo labs, photographers and studios worldwide. Over the last few years, Scolari has witnessed a surge of interest in lay flat binding, driven by an automated process that makes photo book production more accessible. “We specialize in the panoramic, full-image spread,” he explained. “That type of image is ideal for lay flat binding, and the professional photography market has taken notice. Over this two-year time period when everybody was at home, we’ve seen more photo books being generated – and that came along with a 30% increase in photo books done with perfect binding.”

    Duplo USA Corporation also witnessed the growth of perfect binding. The company is the leading provider of print finishing solutions for the graphic arts industry, with highly efficient, modular products that streamline postpress production for digital color and offset applications. “Over the two years of COVID-19, perfect binding was absolutely explosive,” Salinas said. “People were trapped at home and bored, so they started ordering printed books again on sites like Amazon. That created a challenge because these days, when you order a book from a retailer’s website, that book doesn’t exist on a shelf.”

    On-demand printing and inexpensive file storage changed the traditional book production and warehousing process. Now, when an order is placed, a file is downloaded and sent to the print facility closest to the consumer’s location. The interior pages are printed, a cover is manufactured and, within a couple of days, the book is on its way for delivery.

    “Automation has taken book production to the next level,” Salinas said. “Paperback books are manufactured with this easy, on-demand perfect binding process, and now online booksellers are applying the same automated process to hardcover and lay-flat books to reduce storage costs and avoid low margins when stored books are sold to wholesalers.”

    The visual and tactile effects of books

    “Embellishments create intrinsic value out of nothing,” said Salinas. “Studies have shown that the more a product can touch the senses – see, touch, smell – the more it entices buyers. So, we see book covers that are foil stamped, embossed, debossed or finished with a soft-touch coating.”

    Those print embellishments add visual and tactile elements to the cover of a book, drawing attention on a retail shelf and then enticing the consumer to pick a book up and hold it. This “haptic marketing” focuses on the tactile sensations that create a pleasing experience.

    “Through studies, we know that if we can get a consumer to hold onto something, the brain begins to create ownership,” Salinas said. “So, the longer retailers can get purchasers to hold a book in their hands, the more chance there is that consumers will get hooked and take the book home. And, the more unique, the better! People don’t want a traditional book size anymore, so letter landscape formatting has become very popular. Duplo has just released our I Saddle 5.0, and every page in the book be a different size. Those unusual features increase the likelihood of purchase.”

    Binding techniques play a critical part in that visual and tactile appeal. Lay flat binding appeals to the high-end coffee table book market. Saddlestitching can be done with an exposed, colored thread that adds a visual ‘pop.’ And raw edge paper adds another point of interest.

    Scolari added, “It is all about creating something different. In some of our lay flat binding projects, whether children’s books or other types of printed books, we’ve added multiple inserts to build a thicker page that is extremely stiff. We’ve also had requests for the ability to use different types of substrates in one book, so one page will have a matte finish, but when the page is turned, the next image has a luster or metallic look.”

    “Smell is probably the one sense that hasn’t been attacked yet in the printing industry, but I think we are going to start seeing it,” Salinas predicted. “Raised spot UV is something we’ve been doing for a number of years, and I think we’ll eventually see scented polymers come out as another way to attract buyers.”

    Paper challenges in book production

    Recycled paper stocks are another trend embraced by consumers. But, those stocks can cause problems with equipment throughput or adhesive bonding.

    “The problem with recycled paper is that it’s recycled,” Salinas laughed. “To create a good-looking sheet, pulp and clay have to be added. It’s also a cost-cutting measure for paper manufacturers because the actual paper content in paper has gone down significantly. Clay is an inexpensive way to build up a piece of paper, but it can flake off during binding. Then the equipment or adhesive are blamed for failures, but oftentimes the substrate is the issue.”

    Synthetic paper, often manufactured from plastic films, has gained in popularity due to its durability. “Synthetic paper looks beautiful when laid perfectly flat, but it doesn’t like to fold,” Salinas explained. “It’s hard to cut, and it’s very hard on the blades. We tell people that Duplo equipment can cut two million books on a single blade, but synthetics often reduce that significantly.”

    Scolari said thicker, less flexible substrates also have an impact in the photobook production process. “We score everything with lay flat binding. So yes, we can use many different substrates and prints, but it’s very, very challenging to score a substrate that is stiff. The synthetic papers – and even some of the recycled substrates – can show discoloration after scoring. Sometimes, it’s better to look at a coil binding or perfect binding process.”

    Focusing on the elimination of waste

    A key component of today’s sustainability conversation is the reduction of waste. Automation is critical in the on-demand world of book production, where a print run may consist of just one book.

    “The word ‘makeready’ is a thing of the past,” said Salinas. “When a run length is 13 sheets, you can’t have a 3% or 5% makeready margin. Automation is the only way to achieve zero makeready, and that has to be the ultimate goal for an operation that claims sustainability because every sheet that goes into the trashcan – that isn’t sellable – is created waste. Job flow software that ‘talks’ to the book production equipment as a print job moves through the system facilitates the elimination of waste.”

    Scolari knows all about book-of-one production, since most photobooks are one-off orders. “It’s really about automation in regard to the layout, the tiling of the pages. It’s utilizing the material, especially when we’re using leather or other high-end materials. We use an overhead system that projects a tiling layout to eliminate waste and use each material in the most efficient way.”

    There’s another often-overlooked source of waste in book production. “In the vast majority of printers in the US, the production staff has no idea of how much time they are wasting between steps,” Salinas explained. “If it takes 20 minutes to print, 20 minutes to bind and 20 minutes to ship, how much time is wasted in between those steps while walking the book block from the printer to the finishing device and then over to the packaging and mailing department?”

    Understanding workflow is the first step in eliminating unnecessary steps during the production process. “Before print shops go out and buy a piece of equipment to improve their throughput and speed up production, they have to understand where they are wasting time,” Salinas said. “Then they will understand how to automate their processes to drive out the touch points, increase profits and reduce the chances for error.”

    In a world where the printed book has made a comeback, but without the volumes of yesterday, automation is worth the investment.

    References
    “Print Books Had a Huge Sales Year in 2021,” Jim Milliot, Publisher’s Weekly, Jan 06, 2022, https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/88225-print-book-sales-rose-8-9-in-2021.html

    Laminate, Coating or Cast and Cure™: Which Type of Soft-Touch Application to Use … and When

    By Kim Guarnaccia, Huzzah Marketing
    soft-touch, laminate
    Nobelus®’ Karess® soft-touch laminate provides a luxurious tactile feel while also protecting the contents and package from damage during transit or on the store shelf. Photo provided by Huzzah Marketing.

    An elegant matte appearance with a rich, suede-like feel, soft-touch finishes have become popular over the last decade with print and packaging designers and are now applied to a wide range of substrates, from paperboard and plastics to even aluminum.

    For luxury, high-end brands, a soft-touch finish serves to emphasize their premium appeal. For other companies, soft touch makes the unboxing experience memorable, protects packaging against damage in high-traffic environments, and even helps increase sales.

    But to complicate things, there are numerous ways to achieve a soft-touch effect, from lamination to coatings and even Cast and Cure™. Below is a summary of each of these processes.

    Laminates

    One of the most durable ways to achieve a soft-touch feel on a printed piece or packaging is to laminate board with a matte, biaxially oriented polypropylene (BoPP) film that offers a soft-touch surface during the finishing process.

    Soft-touch laminates are commonly applied just after printing offset or digitally to add haptic (tactile) value. They also are compatible with other embellishment technologies, add scuff resistance and rigidity to a package’s structure, and will not impede a package from being diecut, stamped, spot-varnished or overprinted.

    However, there are a few challenges to consider. Since soft-touch laminates will cause a slight shift in color, they tend to make printed inks appear more muted. Moreover, the plasticized film can make packaging more difficult to recycle, albeit modern recycling facilities, especially those in metropolitan areas, can accept laminated paper and board into their processing streams.

    In terms of cost, soft-touch laminates tend to be a bit pricy. This is sometimes offset, however, by less expensive operational costs.

    Coatings

    Set off a circular pattern in by a high-gloss UV varnish, the soft-touch Cast-and-Cure application on this promotional shampoo bottle is elegant yet masculine. The coating’s tactile nature also makes the surface easier to handle in a bath’s wet, soapy environment. Photo provided by Huzzah Marketing.

    The most common way to apply soft touch is via a specialty coating. Since soft-touch coatings do not require an extra press pass and often can be applied inline on press, it’s usually more cost-effective than a laminate. And provided that the coating is water-based or UV-cured, it will not affect the recyclability of the underlying substrate. Nor will it mute the color of any printed inks.

    Moreover, since soft-touch coatings do not appreciably add to the overall structure thickness, it can accept folding, scoring, diecutting, embossing, overprinting and stamping. And by using different anilox rollers or a screen mesh, coatings can be applied heavily or lightly, depending on the amount of soft touch desired.

    However, since coatings are difficult to deliver via inkjet, they are best applied via screen printing or flexography.

    Cast and Cure

    Unlike most soft-touch coatings, Cast and Cure™ (Breit-Tech.com) can be applied inline and is a standard feature on many digital, flexo and offset presses. This, combined with the fact that the Cast-and-Cure film can be reused up to a dozen times, makes this application one of the least expensive and most sustainable soft-touch options in the marketplace.

    With the Cast-and-Cure process, a UV varnish is applied, after which a special film is “cast,” or overlaid, embedding a special matte effect into the varnish. The varnish is then UV-cured and the used film rolled onto a new core, so it can be reused. Finally, a specially formulated soft-touch ink is applied to the UV-cured varnish.

    Since the process is essentially a simple application of a UV varnish and overprinted ink, this finish can be applied to just about any substrate, from paperboard, flexible cartons, plastics, labels and aluminum. And like coatings, Cast-and-Cure soft touch can be applied heavily or lightly, depending on how much of a soft-touch feel is desired.

    Since varnish and ink is recyclable, the Cast-and-Cure soft touch application will not affect the recyclability or compostability of a substrate. Nor will it impede any specialty effects, such as embossing/debossing, folding/creasing or spot varnishing.

    Author’s note: My grateful appreciation to Kevin Camblin of UV Specialties (uvspecialties.com); Laura Blake of Nobelus (nobelus.com); and Dan Plash of Breit Technologies (breit-tech.com) for generously providing input in their areas of expertise.

    An appreciator of packaging that utilizes colorful special effects, Kim Guarnaccia provides copywriting, design and marketing to the print, packaging and paper multiverse. For more info, visit www.HuzzahLLC.com or email kim@HuzzahLLC.com.

    Velvet Stock, Foil-Embossed Label Helps Wine Bottle Shine

    By Erin La Row, editor, PostPress

    The folks at Multi-Color Corporation North America (MCC) know labels. They’ve been helping clients build their brands through premium label solutions for more than 100 years. The company’s vision is to have global leadership in premium label solutions. And with more than 13,000 employees and 109 label producing operations in over 26 countries, the company is well on its way.

    labelThe wine and spirits segment is one of many market segment specialties in MCC’s portfolio. Its experts are in all major wine-producing regions helping to make every label project a success, whether it’s through embellishments, specialized inks, alternative materials or other printing specialties. One such success story – that of Gilded Letter Cabernet Sauvignon. The team at Penrose Hill had been collaborating with the team at MCC on producing their unique labels.

    “Penrose Hill was intrigued when the digital team at MCC presented the velvet stock as an innovative option,” said Scott Amoroso, director of operations at MCC. “After a few trials, the finished product ran beautifully and is now seen as the design today.”

    MCC was tasked with telling the story of a wine rich with flavor – with layers of oak and spice – from vineyards in California’s Sonoma County with its label. The team started with 155 lb. flocked black velvet stock. The team at MCC revised and proposed an improved design for the Gilded Letter label, as there were some limitations with the velvet stock. They added gold and copper foil in a thin and intricate design. Foil was supplied by KURZ and Metal Magic supplied the foil/embossing dies.

    “Specific spacing between foils was necessary to be applied to the velvet material to avoid the distortion that the felt material could cause,” Amoroso said.

    The Gilded Letter label was printed on an HP Indigo digital press and then hot foil stamped and diecut offline on an ABG Digicon press. One of the advantages of the ABG Digicon is that the hot foil stamping can be accomplished with flat dies versus a brass rotary hot stamping engraving, providing an enormous cost savings for the customer for small to medium-sized label runs.

    The result: A label that captures the essence of this limited release wine.

    “The client loved it!” Amoroso said of Penrose Hill. Judges at the FSEA’s 29th annual Gold Leaf Awards took notice, too, awarding MCC with a silver for Best Use of Foil/Embossing Label – Digitally Printed.

    “We actually created a series of these wines – cabernet, chardonnay, pinot and zinfandel – always different color velvet and different foil combos in order to create a broader luxurious and opulent brand series,” said Carolin Meier, chief wine officer, Penrose Hill.

    According to www.firstleaf.club, Gilded Letter Cabernet Sauvignon’s flavors are dense and concentrated with modest acidity and a dry finish. The wine’s tasting notes include violet, vanilla and blackcurrant, and it pairs well with bone-in Ribeye, Polenta and Italian Beef Ragu. Cheers!