August/September 2023

Creative Toolkit Shows Off Finishing Services

September 11, 2023

By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

Poor Richard’s Press (PRP), a commercial printer in San Luis Obispo, California, has provided printing services in Northern California for over 75 years. Over the past several years, PRP’s clients have been asking about additional services, including special finishes and embellishments. With this in mind, the company recently decided to add digital spot UV, digital foil and lamination capabilities to its line of services.

To help educate and promote the company’s new capabilities, it was important to create a self-promotional tool. From this, the design of a “Creative Toolkit” was born.

“It’s important as printers to remember that just because we may have plenty of print knowledge, the people who purchase from us often don’t have a convenient way of learning,” said Bella Skinner, Poor Richard’s Press marketing manager. “We saw the need for a tool that is both educational and displays a wide array of the services we provide. We also wanted to ensure we designed it in a modern and appealing way where people would want to keep the toolkit and use it repeatedly.”

Production

Graphics for the Creative Toolkit were accomplished in-house by Skinner. Her goal was to ensure the piece encompassed PRP as a whole and would be appealing to both the designers and marketers of the world, as well as act as a useful and functional tool. PRP used black elements on the toolkit to provide a sleek, uniform look to all of the items.

Due to the nature of the piece, an array of paper was used. The outside folder element is a 100# cover uncoated midnight black. Most of the inside covers of each booklet were printed on 100# gloss cover.

“To create a unique contrast, we made the inside pages of our toolkit items vibrant and colorful,” Skinner said. “The overall design process took lots of trial and error to ensure a cohesive yet impactful design.”

The toolkit’s purpose was to show the capabilities of PRP’s new equipment and services. The different pieces within the Creative Toolkit included digital foiling, lamination (soft-touch, gloss and matte), spot UV, diecutting and binding (coil and screw).

The kit included a paper sample book with several coated and uncoated samples in different paper weights; a spot UV Sample book explaining the process with several colorful, raised spot UV samples included; a foil sample book; a sample of both offset and digital printing; as well as samples of PRP’s embroidery capabilities and a leather sample that showcased the company’s latest engraving capabilities. All of the sample books in the Creative Toolkit included a black digitally printed cover with soft-touch lamination and raised spot UV coating, creating a cohesive look to all the pieces. The printing was accomplished on a RICOH 9200 digital press and a Heidelberg Speed Master 52 offset press. The spot UV was done on a Duplo DDC-8109 spot UV coater and the soft-touch lamination and foiling was done on a Vivid Matrix MX-370p. The foil was supplied by Crown Roll Leaf. The diecutting was done on an Intec 9000.

“The toolkit is unique because it utilized a vast number of the machines we have in our shop,” stated Skinner. “Not only did we use some of our newest printing equipment, but we utilized our Epilog laser engraving machine and our 6-head embroidery machines as well.”

Design and production challenges

The different books fit into a folder utilizing a black cover stock and raised spot UV coating, giving it a consistent black-on-black look as with the other covers. Skinner insisted on using the black stock and having white edges on the folder simply was not an option. PRP had to figure out a way to include a QR code and target marks on the paper to properly register the spot UV and diecut. To accomplish this, a hand-placed label was added to the corners so every sheet could be digitally printed and the finishing machines could read the marks and QR codes. “Luckily, we had amazing Cal Poly Graphic Communications interns help with the tedious task of hand placing the labels,” commented Skinner. “In the end, it was well worth it. The sleek look of the black outside folder outweighed the extra time put into the creation.”

Customer response

Poor Richard’s Press has had overwhelmingly positive reactions from clients and its team members on the Creative Toolkit. Its project managers and sales team enjoy utilizing it when explaining the various services and print finishing options offered by PRP.

“We have found that our Creative Toolkit is excellent at upselling our print finishing services,” concluded Skinner. “When we show a gorgeous foil or spot UV sample next to a plain print, our clients are easily impressed! In fact, we have had such success with this piece, we find ourselves running through our inventory and having to make more quite
often!”

Business is About Results, Not Excuses

September 11, 2023

By Ed Rigsbee, CAE, CSP and president of Rigsbee Research

Why do some people seem to have the desirable ability to get things done – to get results – while others seem to continually spin their wheels?

I believe that the results-getters have three common qualities or traits: great self-talk, great alliances and great ability. The complexity of these three traits is part of the mix.

Great self-talk is driven by a number of factors, including personal experiences, both positive and negative; environment; personal goals; the prices that one is willing to pay for success; personal desire to continually improve; minimal concern for what others say about oneself; and a host of other elements. Together, these factors create in a person something that most of us would identify as passion.

The much talked about issue is if passion can be taught or acquired, or does it have to be innate? Many believe one has to be born with passion. I, on the contrary, do not believe this. There are too many negative examples today of religious fanatics that became passionate about their cause after their conversion or, perhaps better stated, indoctrination. This is proof to me that passion can be taught or learned.

If employers or their employees are not enjoying the results they need or desire, positive self-talk is the first step toward results.

Great alliances appear in many forms: camaraderie, friendship, partnership, networks, collaborative activities, master-minds groups and mentorships, depending on the situation. The relationships employers and their employees enjoy will affect their self-talk and their abilities. Great alliance relationships are the glue between the first and third steps to results.

Building great relationships comes naturally to some people; however, it is a skill that can be taught and learned. Organizations that adopt partnering as a key strategy for growth must learn the skills to develop and implement profitable alliances. The same goes for results-driven individuals.

Great ability is more than the sum of one’s God-given talents. Ability is the collective body of one’s knowledge, skills, experiences and talent synthesized through self-talk. The relationships built greatly affect one’s ability.

One’s abilities come from empirical knowledge and experiences. Few people knew how to drive a car upon leaving the womb. Similarly, few people knew how to effectively run multi-billion dollar companies when they were in third grade. These skills were taught to them. Ability comes from the knowledge and skills gained from relationships with others – paid or reciprocal, or through trial and error. Trial and error is costly and time-consuming.

What does this mean? Want results? Anyone can have results if the person is willing to have great self-talk, build better relationships and learn from the people who currently embody the skills needed. Volumes of books have been written to explain the above, yet it is as simple as 1-2-3.

Ed Rigsbee is the founder and CEO of the 501(c)(3) non-profit public charity, Cigar PEG Philanthropy through Fun, and president at Rigsbee Research, which conducts qualitative member ROI research and consulting for associations and societies. He holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) and Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) accreditation. Rigsbee is the author of the The ROI of Membership-Today’s Missing Link for Explosive Growth, PartnerShift, Developing Strategic Alliances and The Art of Partnering. Resources are available at www.rigsbee.com.

Company Creates Business Card Too Beautiful for the Rolodex

September 11, 2023

By Liz Stevens, writer, PostPress

On Line Bindery, Richmond, California, earned the gold for Best Use of Foil/Embossing – Business Card/Stationery in the 30th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards with the design and production of an outstanding business card. On Line’s triplex mounted card with foil and laser cutting was created with a three-layer card, with laser cut text in the top layer which revealed foil in the middle layer, backed by a solid bottom layer. The company used BOBST and Trotec Laser equipment for the project, along with foil/embossing dies from Universal Engraving, Inc., and foil from Great Western Foils.

The company tackled this project to update its business cards with a fresh, new look that would grab the attention of existing customers and prompt prospective clients to connect with the company to create their own attention-grabbing print products. On Line wanted to demonstrate its creativity and versatility. “We are in the business of enhancing printing,” said Steve Wignall, manager of the coating, laminating and mounting departments at On Line. “If we can’t do something interesting for our own use, we need to reevaluate our purpose in the industry.”

Wignall described how the design for the business card morphed as the project unfolded. “The design evolved from a single duplexed card to a triplex,” Wignall said, “and then to laser cut, and finally to a design with numerous foil colors stamped on one of the layers to show through the laser-cut company name.”

With this project, On Line was able to showcase the high quality of its new laser. “We recently had installed a Trotec laser for cutting and engraving work,” Wignall said, “so this seemed like a good time to put it to work if we could incorporate the laser capability into our business card.”

Wignall said the challenge involved with laser cutting is trying to achieve precise cutting without leaving any burn marks. On Line finds that some substrates work well for this while others can be problematic. “With the substrate for our business card, our laser operator rose to the challenge,” he said, “and was able to make the design work even though it was not a particularly laser-friendly duplexed stock.”

Feedback from customers and prospective clients has been overwhelmingly positive. “Our motto is ‘go big or go home,’” Wignall said, “and this card fits our motto. It has been well received by customers and others in the industry.” Numerous customers have asked On Line to make similar cards for their companies. “Everyone we hand it to instantly makes reference to the thickness and loves the tactile feeling,” Wignall said. “One of our customers who produces business cards told us, ‘This is the nicest business card I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot!’”

The company received high praise from one of its foil suppliers, Great Western Foils, Inc. Great Western Foils’ national sales manager, Brian Bowland, wrote in an email, “The On Line Bindery business cards are a great representation of what it can offer to customers. It’s amazing to see how printing, foiling, laser diecutting and gluing and pasting all work very well on this little piece of paper.” Bowland noted how the business card design brought to mind a favorite 2014 YouTube video. “The video is called ‘Your business card sucks!’” Bowland recalled. “The presenter talks about how cheap cards are totally worthless, and he is right. The On Line business card is exactly what he is talking about. It is beautiful, it shows off what you On Line offer, and it is the kind of card that does NOT go into a rolodex. It’s too beautiful.”

Couple Says ‘I Do’ to Custom, Luxury Wedding Invitations

September 11, 2023

By Erin La Row, editor, PostPress

A wedding invitation is a first glimpse at a couple’s wedding day. It sets the tone for the ceremony before guests ever arrive. Alexia Vondrachek and the team at Prettiest Pixel, located in Shawnee, Kansas, design and produce luxury wedding stationery. The company takes classic, luxury invitations and adds a modern element. Each design is as unique as the clients it works with.

The Prettiest Pixel team was approached by a wedding planner to provide a quote for the wedding planner’s clients, Matthew and Santos.

“The production goals were to execute a perfect and high-quality design that is representative of our work but in line with Matthew and Santo’s vision of the perfect wedding invitation,” Vondrachek said.

The design needed to be dark but formal, trendy and modern at the same time.

“We needed design elements that were not too feminine but bold and high-end in concept,” Vondrachek said. “We chose a leathery textured paper underneath the main invitation to enhance the overall design.”

Vondrachek designed and created the graphics in Adobe Illustrator. At times, pieces of stock art were used to fill in small details for the wreath or crests. “And at times, they were purely illustrated by me or our other designer, Nikole Williams,” Vondrachek said.

The design team used Stardream cover stocks and Sirio Ultra Black for a stunning dark black finish on the envelopes. The team then used digital white printing for the writing. “We love using white printing to finish off any detail,” Vondrachek said.

The main invitation was made of a flexible clear acrylic and finished with hot foil stamping in gold. The remainder of the items were made from Stardream Papers, which Vondrachek said run well on Prettiest Pixel’s laser printers.

Embellishments include gold foil on the acrylic that then was placed over a deep black, textured background, providing a unique presentation for a wedding invitation. Vondrachek said the white printing also is unique given it was printed in-house using a German supplier for the toner on a small HP Laserjet printer. Other embellishments include the custom wax seal and engraving.

“That was the perfect accent and one of our favorite things to do for our clients,” Vondrachek said. “The challenge with that is we have to use very specific temps on the wax so the seal is done without defect. Heidi Muder-Hoang, our head of foiling, is perfect at that!”

In addition to the HP printer, the team used a Xerox printer and Metallic Elephant clamshell hot foil machine for the hot foil stamping. Ribbons and quality adhesives for the liners that are clean, clear and easy to apply with speed helped complete the project. With all of the assembly done by hand, Vondrachek said it takes a sharp eye.

“Ultimately, the production has to be perfect, and the borders are really the challenging part. I think all pressmen and women can get on board with that! Being in the wedding industry is a challenge at times due to the fact that we have to be perfect at all times with our production,” Vondrachek said.

The result was a stunning invitation the clients and judges loved. The Prettiest Pixel’s acrylic invitation took home gold for Best Use of Foil/Embossing – Announcement/Invitation (Creative) in the 30th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards.

Embellished Direct Mail Marketing Creates Sensory Experience

September 7, 2023

By Julie Shaffer, senior vice president, content and programs, WhatTheyThink/ Association for PRINT Technologies

Brands add embellishments to printed products to make them stand out and to grab the consumer’s attention. Studies show that people will look at a branded product with enhancements, such as foil, 50% longer than without such enhancements. Brands put this to work for many packaged products; consider those rows of beautifully embellished wine and liquor labels on store shelves. But there is a blue ocean of opportunity in a market people may not associate with print embellishment – direct mail marketing – and it is proving to be a boon for the savvy marketers who are using it to stand out in the sea of white envelopes in the consumer’s mailbox.

Certainly, digital communication has had a major impact in reducing many forms of mail, especially billing. A recent study shows that 66% of US consumers pay at least some of their bills electronically directly to the biller and 40% pay bills through their bank’s digital payment service. But while billing mail is on the wane, direct mail marketing brings a brand’s message directly to the consumer’s door.

The US mail market is the largest in the world, with more volume than all the EU countries’ mail volume combined. Approximately 66 billion units of marketing mail are sent each year. In fact, the mailing industry represents about 4.6% of the US GDP. Combine this with the fact that the US is a consumer economy, with 70% of the GDP represented by consumer spending, and it’s the perfect medium to carry a brand’s message to a massive potential audience.

And people do read the direct marketing pieces that show up in their mailboxes. Studies show that US households read or scan over 70% of the advertising mail they receive, a statistic that remains unchanged since 2019. Consumers spend an average of 30 minutes reading their mail, and a USPS report on direct mail found that 67% of respondents agree mail feels more personal than the Internet.

That personal touch is an important component of direct mail marketing. Personalized messaging is nothing new, but today consumers almost have come to expect it. This especially is true for millennials, who have grown up with digital communication and are less concerned with sharing data. As the largest living age group in the US today, millennials are an important marketing target – together with Gen X, they make up 42% of the population.

This envelope produced by Parkland Direct is embellished with gold and holographic foil and augmented reality links to a virtual experience.

Contrary to the popular stereotype that digital natives are glued to their digital devices, studies are showing it is millennials who most often interact with direct mail. For example, a recent USPS study looking at how millennials respond to direct mail shows that 80% of millennials look forward to seeing what’s in their mailbox and two-thirds of millennials may bring marketing mail to retail stores or use direct mail prompts to go online.

Still, it can be a challenge for brands to get their direct mail piece to stand out from that stack in the mailbox. And just as brands have found that adding embellishment to packaging helps grab the attention of a shopper, the same is true for direct mail marketing. “If embellishment works in packaging, it can work for direct mail,” said Clint Seckman, president of Parkland Direct, whose company is a leader in high-end, embellished envelope manufacturing.

A big reason embellishments “work” – that is, get people to notice and react to it – has to do with neuroscience. The human brain reacts differently to print than it does to digital media. Over half of the brain is devoted to processing sensory experience, and much of that sensory receptivity focuses on touch. Studies show that people who touch an object, or even imagine touching it, begin to exhibit a sense of ownership. Foil stamping has been shown to significantly affect consumer attention toward a product compared to the same product without foil, and metallized paper envelopes can boost response rates by as much as 30%. Adding a tactile element like texture, or visual enhancers like foil, to a mail piece will make it stand out and stimulate a haptic response.

Parkland Direct has been in the printing business for 45 years and an envelope manufacturer for over 20 years. Just as its high-volume mail clients have shifted from billing mail toward direct marketing mail, so has the company. Parkland’s embellished envelopes business has grown over the past five years and includes many advanced embellishments techniques – metallic foils, holographic foils, embossing, micro-embossing and a range of textures – on the outside of envelopes. Today, Seckman said, the business is, “all about the customer experience.”

Andy Schipke, vice president marketing and strategic sales, W+D North America, the largest supplier of envelope equipment in the mail market, put it this way: “We have moved the envelope away from being simply a delivery device and made it a part of the promotion.” An embellished envelope, he said, can improve lift and open rates; provide a tactile, memorable customer experience; and help tell a brand’s story, all before it is opened. “The challenge,” Schipke said, “has been how to do this at scale for hundreds of millions of units per customer. Companies like Parkland have been leaders in this space.” Mailing technology, he said, also has been changing to accommodate this need.

Two of the largest industries that heavily use direct mail marketing are nonprofits and the financial industry. Because adding embellishments also adds cost to mail pieces, nonprofits are less likely to use it. Financial companies, however, are putting together direct mail campaigns with all sorts of added embellishments to help to position their products as high quality, like high-end packaged products or a fine wine label. While adding embellishments increase the production cost, Seckman said, these brands measure success not in cost per piece, but in cost per customer acquisition.

Parkland Direct created this textured cityscape design using foil and emboss with clear gloss foil, providing a tactile experience for the recipient.

The USPS is doing its part to help promote physical mail and direct mail response rates through its promotions and incentive programs. These annual programs encourage marketers, printers and mailers to integrate mail with new print techniques and technology for First-Class® and USPS Marketing Mail® with postage discounts. Each promotion runs for about six months, starting at different times of the year. The promotions for 2024 will be the same as 2023, which include discount incentives (typically around 5%) for direct mail projects that utilize personalization, reply mail, Informed Delivery®, retargeting, “emerging technology” and “tactile, sensory and interactive technologies.”

The USPS Informed Delivery program ties physical mail to online campaigns. The postal service, using automated equipment, scans and captures images of each piece of mail. These images are available as a daily preview mail that customers who register for the service can check through email, a mobile app or online dashboard mail before it hits their physical mailbox (so one actually can confirm that the check is, indeed, in the mail.) The Informed Delivery platform also allows marketers to build interactive campaigns around a direct mail marketing piece, providing custom images and URL links along with the image of the mail piece when customers check their daily preview. These links can guide the customer to online content – a video, a web landing page, a storefront – further boosting campaign response rates.

Participation in both Informed Delivery and the promotion and incentive programs is significant. There are over 55 million Informed Delivery customers in the US, and there have been 53,000 marketing campaigns. As for the promotional programs, in 2022, over 22.5 billion mail pieces were mailed as part of the six annual promotions, from over 10,000 direct mailing participants. The program paid $219 million dollars in discounts cumulatively to these marketers.

Carl Boettner is a product development specialist at the USPS and part of the team that manages the promotion and incentive programs. Part of his job is reviewing the samples submitted by marketers for acceptance into the program, and he is a huge proponent of direct mail marketing. “Direct mail cuts through the digital noise,” he said, “and even if a piece of mail that you pull from your mailbox isn’t relevant to you, you’re touching it. You’re interacting with it. That has an impact.”

Schipke agreed. “Marketers are using the science of haptics in whole new ways,” he said. “The customer experience for a lot of marketers begins through tactile nature of a mail piece – whether that be embossing, embellishments or special diecuts – with the understanding that all they have to do is have recipients touch it and feel it and that already will encode in their mind what they want to achieve for the brand. They don’t even necessarily have to read it.”

Perhaps not, but when recipients do open those envelopes, response rates can go through the roof. Seckman said he has clients reporting response upward of 30% for direct mail campaigns in envelopes enhanced with foil or other techniques, a ten-fold increase over the typical direct mail response rate of 2-3%.

Educating brands marketers on print embellishment is key to expanding the opportunities for using it in the mailing industry. The USPS offers a webinar series showcasing interesting direct marketing campaigns and provides how-to educational resources at www.usps.com. Parkland Direct has a creative mailing program and regularly designs and creates new envelopes with different types of embellishments, which then are shared with members of the mailing program (readers can register to be on the recipient list at parklanddirect.com.)

Julie Shaffer is senior vice president, content and programs with WhatTheyThink/ the Association for PRINT Technologies. In a career spanning 35 years, Shaffer has been devoted to building innovative business resources and educational programs to serve the industry. She has developed and presented dozens of educational workshops and presented hundreds of seminars and presentations at major industry events around the world. Shaffer also has authored magazine articles and several industry-focused books, including the PDF Print Production Guide (3 editions), the Web-to-Print Primer and the Social Media Field Guide.

Resources

“The Flexibility Factor: Mapping Consumer Demand for Bill Payment Innovation,” PYMNTS and BillGo, www.pymnts.com.
www.census.gov
www.bea.gov/data/consumer-spending
www.investopedia.com
www.usps.com

Selling and Marketing Digital Embellishments

September 1, 2023

By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

Digital embellishments are a growing segment of the total print embellishment industry. What has been interesting to see is that the growth has had little impact on most other embellishment techniques, such as hot and cold foil or screen spot UV coatings. Many of the digital applications have been on new projects for which, in the past, the designers likely would not have chosen foil or spot coatings based on run size.

Several current members of the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) that have been traditional print finishers have stepped into the digital embellishment arena. They have found that, in many cases, selling digital embellishments takes a different approach than traditional methods. Kevin Abergel of Taktiful sat down with Steven Roberts, president, and Bryce Poremba, sales manager, at Elite Print Finishing in Burlington, North Carolina, to discuss the addition of digital embellishment technology at Elite and how it has been implemented into the current print finishing business.

How has the addition of digital embellishments to the operation opened up new business opportunities for Elite Print Finishing?

Roberts: There was a moment of “what just happened” when the JETvarnish was installed. It definitely has been a positive addition to Elite Print Finishing and for our team. There were a few challenges out of the gate, like anything, but it absolutely opened up new markets for us. It opened up new discussions with existing accounts prior to the new technology going in, and one of big positives was that it began feeding other processes downstream in our operation. It provided us more diecutting, film laminating and other processes – both on the commercial and packaging side.

Poremba: I think Steven hit on it – it’s advanced our business in other ways. The JETvarnish has been awesome for me as a salesperson. We bought the press right before the COVID-19 pandemic, so as a salesperson I wasn’t able to get a lot of meetings set up. Having a new piece of technology with cool samples meant we were able to go in and show companies something they had never seen. All of a sudden, it gave us a reason to start a conversation, a reason for us to get on a Zoom® call and send out samples, a reason for us to get in the door. It was a great way in the door that also advanced our business in other ways as well. Overall, it was a blessing in disguise.

Roberts: It certainly re-energized what we were doing, and I think it had a very positive effect on our core customer base.

What specific markets or industries seem to be a good fit for this kind of finishing – meaning digitally-based embellishments?

Poremba: We definitely see some overlap with what we currently do, so it allows us to go to our current customers and have a new application – something that jumps off the shelf even more than what we’ve done in the past. However, it doesn’t work for everyone.

I would say the biggest space that we see growth in right now is probably the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. There is so much competition on the shelf in those two industries that it seems like everybody is competing with each other to make the most vibrant and exciting carton. Sometimes the difference can be that embellishment, that person being able to pick it up and touch and feel 3D-raised coating on the front that really makes it stand out above the competition.

Roberts: A lot of brand owners are putting their product into a carton. So, the look of the carton, in a lot of cases, is going to build a perception that’s going to be the winner on the retail shelf. Shelf appeal is key.

College recruiting is another potential new market. All of these universities are competing, not just in football and basketball. They are competing to get students enrolled so they can capitalize on the dollars coming in. The touch and feel of the materials can be a huge selling point. With a lot of brands, they look at it as if it feels better, it must be better. That has been one of the biggest differences – that digital embellishments not only affect the visual sense but the touch sense as well.

One of the obstacles of offering digital embellishments is making sure the artwork is designed correctly. How has this challenge been handled when working with customers?

Poremba: It is a completely new technology, so there is a learning curve. I’m familiar with the technology and have been there through the hurdles as the press was new and we were learning how the different coatings go on different substrates or the different foils react better with certain things. I have a good understanding of the technology, but that’s still hard to sometimes translate to customers and their designers because it’s new.

We have brought a designer on board who is 3D-certified. Sometimes it’s easier just to hand it over to that team member. And we have the customer connect over a Zoom meeting to answer questions, which we do for beginner projects. Our 3D designers have developed a generic PDF that converts to an artificial intelligence (AI) file and explains to our customers how to build a generic template with 3D varnish as well as 3D foil.

Elite Print Finishing offers a 3D certification program for designers. Explain what that is.

Roberts: It is a win-win situation. We are bringing designers into our facility and then having them qualified. At the end of it, they get a certificate that they can market to their customer base. And, subliminally, hopefully, Elite is getting better artwork out of the gate.

As with any process, there are limitations with digital embellishments. How can limitations, such as substrate choices and font size, be communicated by designers and buyers?

Poremba: From a broad perspective, the difficulty has been who we’re selling this technology to. In the past, as a trade finisher, our sales team has met with somebody who controls outsourcing for diecutting, foil stamping, etc. Many times, this is a buyer who is familiar with the technologies and knows our presses. It’s very simple, right?

Now we are having to go after either the sales team or the design team at our printing companies or packaging companies, and we’ve had to teach ourselves how to connect with those people. We have to change the way in which we sell to our customers.

Roberts: With foil stamping, we can pretty much provide any color out there under the sun. With digital foils, we now have about 13 different foil colors. Also, there certainly are limitations to using uncoated stocks. If a customer wants an uncoated stock, we will try to steer them to a lamination or a GPA stock that’s out there that we have tested.

Another limitation with digital embellishments can be run length. We certainly run into those roadblocks where the quantity makes better sense to do it conventionally. This is what we have to get across to our designers, so they understand the advantages and the limitations.

Poremba: When we first bought this technology, we thought that it was going to be our solution for 50 sheets or 100 sheets. Then we started to see that there was this whole other group of customers who want to capitalize off the 3D feel and different look that digital embellishment gives.

Explain a few of the major benefits of digital embellishment technology?

Poremba: I think the major benefit is the 3D effect capability of digital. From the foil side, we are not making an impression on sheets. So, for projects where there is print on both sides, there are advantages. But on the foil side, we also have the challenge of a limited number of foil colors that we have to choose from. For certain jobs, we stick with the traditional foil stamping and then utilize the 3D digital coatings.

Roberts: I love foil. I’ve been foiling for a long time, and I love the full effect. However, I absolutely love what the 3D varnish does. We are not talking about just giving someone an embossed look – we’re talking about really transforming the inks.

This article was transcribed from a portion of a recent FSEA/Digital Embellishment Alliance podcast and edited for style. Thank you to Kevin Abergel, Taktiful (www.taktiful.com) and Steven Robertson and Bryce Poremba, Elite Print Finishing (www.epfink.com) for their assistance with the podcast and article.

To watch this complete video podcast and others on digital embellishments, visit www.fsea.com and click on the Digital Embellish link. It will provide access to the Digital Embellishment Alliance website community where FSEA/DEA members can have access to the video library, DEA groups, and other resources.

Football Frenzy: Putting the ‘Wow’ Factor in Season Tickets

September 1, 2023

By Erin La Row, editor, PostPress

Fall is here and that means the start of football season – a busy time for the team at Consolidated Printing, Inc., a division of FineLine Technologies, located in Van Buren, Arkansas.

Consolidated Printing, also referred to as CPI, is a full-service commercial printer specializing in producing event tickets. The company has served organizations and events from nearly every field of the sports and entertainment industries. From souvenir tickets to parking passes, no project is too big or too complex for CPI. The CPI team prides itself on ensuring projects have that “wow” factor clients and sports fans love.

CPI was tasked with producing the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2022 season ticket books. The Raiders used the ticket books to honor past Hall of Fame players by incorporating their pictures into the design of each game ticket, along with an array of special embellishments. After each game, the tickets could be removed to create a commemorative player card. The result was a striking ticket book that wowed the judges of the 2023 FSEA Gold Leaf Awards. CPI’s ticket book project received Gold for Best Use of Digital Foil (Varnish Adhesive).

All of the art was created in Photoshop and the project was built in InDesign, using multiple layers for the foil and spot coating on each ticket. The entire project was printed digitally on a Xerox® iGen and a Xerox® Iridesse® Production Press. The board stock was a X16-point Candesce C1S. Each book included 15 different ticket types with 13 unique game art types with each ticket and book personalized.

Each game ticket included unique raised digital spot coating and raised digital foil that was accomplished on a Scodix Ulta 2 press. The names of the Hall of Fame players and the year they were inducted were reversed out of a raised silver metallic foil with a spot textured coating over the illustration of the player in uniform.

The front covers for the ticket books were foil stamped on a Gietz foil stamping press using a textured foil stamping die for the background of the cover with reversed-out areas of flat foil stamping in the Raiders logo and the words “2022 Season.” A bright silver foil from Kurz Transfer Products was used. A second pass embossed the Raiders logo in perfect register. The engravings for the job were supplied by Owosso Graphic Arts, Inc. and Universal Engraving, Inc.

“The intricate part is that each page had variable foil and polymer, some 65,000 variable pages – along with 800,000 RFID (radio-frequency identification) inlays applied and encoded uniquely,” said Curtis Howells, vice president – general manager of Consolidated Printing.

The RFID allowed for expedited stadium entrance, along with the ability for greater customer engagement. RFID tags were applied and encoded on a customized press made specifically for CPI.

One of the challenges of the project was simply the nature of the product. Howells said each individual ticket had to be accounted for. “If one ticket gets destroyed, it has to be remade,” he added. “With all of the steps involved, there are many patches, as we call them.”

Howells said the client loved the final product. “It was a great plan that worked to perfection,” he added.

FSEA and Members Focusing Heavily on Sustainability Strategies

September 1, 2023

By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress, and FSEA executive director

It’s apparent over the last several years that the focus on sustainability, especially as it relates to packaging, is not going away. Brand owners and consumers are asking questions on what is recyclable or repulpable and what
is not.

Folding cartons and labels containing metallic decoration have been at the forefront of questions, mostly due to their glitz and brilliance, bringing attention to their recyclable contents. With ever-growing attention to this issue, the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) established a Sustainability Committee nearly two years ago to focus on specific projects and with goals to help communicate accurate information.

The mission of the FSEA sustainability initiatives is to generate pertinent and accurate information as it pertains to metallic transfer decorating technologies and sustainability and use this information, along with other tools, to educate government entities, environmental agencies, print service providers, converters/OEMs, and brand owners regarding the functional and sustainability benefits of metallic decorating technologies.

Through the work of the Sustainability Committee, FSEA and its partners, several tools and studies have been gathered and created for these purposes. Here is a quick rundown of what now is available through the FSEA website.

FSEA repulping of foil-decorated paper study

This study discusses the repulpability of paper decorated with transfer metallics, including hot, cold and digital transfer products.

This study, published in 2021, was commissioned by FSEA and conducted by Georgia Tech’s Renewable Bioproducts Institute. The study, available both in print and digitally, discusses the repulpability of paper decorated with transfer metallics, including hot, cold and digital transfer products. It includes the scope of the study, how the experiment was performed, the results from the testing, and final conclusions. The conclusion states that paper stock that includes metallic transfer foil could be repulped to yield 75% fibers with very low rejects. The aluminum content was broken down and removed from fibers during screening, and the hand sheets prepared from the foil-decorated paper stock demonstrated similar physical strength to the recycled paper towel stock without decoration. The final bullet point states that it was feasible to repulp the metallic foil decorated papers as it is done in common recycling settings.

Negligible amount of aluminum contained in metallic transfer foils

FSEA and its Sustainability Committee worked closely with FSEA-member foil manufacturers to collect data and determine the amount of aluminum (metal) used in the manufacturing of transfer metallic foils, including hot, cold and digital transfer foil products. The data confirmed that the layer of aluminum that provides the metallic sheen in a metallic transfer foil is negligible. A press release was created on the subject and included detailed information on the negligible amount of aluminum, siting that the layer of aluminum is less than the thickness of a human hair and is over 300 times thinner than a standard household aluminum foil.

Western Michigan transfer cold foil process testing

Through the sponsorship of FSEA member Eagle Systems, Inc., testing was conducted on the repulpability and recyclability of cold foil decorated paper/board by Western Michigan University. The test results showed that cold foil decorated paper/board is 100% repulpable and recyclable. The cold foil samples used in the testing process were donated by McLean Packaging Corporation, Moorestown, New Jersey. The samples were produced on a thin, 80 lb. litho stock with 100% coverage of cold foil on a 28 x 40″ sheet. The testing also confirmed the extremely small amount of aluminum that exists in cold foil or any decorative transfer foil, which helps negate concerns with metal content in foil-decorated paper/board. To receive a copy of the Western Michigan University test results on cold foil recyclability/repulpability, contact Eagle Systems, Inc. at mking@thefoilexperts.com.

Testing by Western Michigan University showed that cold foil decorated paper/board is 100% repulpable and recyclable.

In addition to the studies and testing that FSEA has helped coordinate, the Sustainability Committee has had an impact on published material from other entities involved in sustainability printing and packaging. This included working with the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) to include information on foil-decorated paper in its published Design Guidance for Recyclability of Paper-based Packaging. The report was introduced for members of the paper-based packaging manufacturing supply chain to use in designing and manufacturing packaging to meet customers’ needs in terms of recycling. The new report includes information from FSEA on the repulpability of foil-decorated paper and/or board and provides details on how to access specifically the FSEA study on the repulpability of paper/board decorated with transfer foils.

Recently, through the efforts of its FSEA members and Sustainability Committee, FSEA has been able to provide the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), a US-based international nonprofit focused on improving recycling for plastics, detailed information on transfer foil processes, which has led to a decision by APR to declare metallized transfer products in relation to specific coverage guidelines on various filmic label and tube substrates to now be categorized as “APR Design® Guide Preferred.”

All of the above studies and press releases can be found on in the Sustainability/Green Initiative section of the FSEA website at www.fsea.com.

Through the collection of the above studies and tests, FSEA has recently created a presentation to provide a tool for its members and others in the industry and convey the association’s sustainability findings with a consistent message to the print and packaging community. The presentation will be used at specific conferences and events to communicate the sustainability message of transfer metallics and have available for FSEA members to educate customers and internal employees.

Although FSEA is proud of the work of the Sustainability Committee and other FSEA members who have helped in this process, there is still a long way to go. FSEA is working on new studies and tests to help defend the use of metallic decorating processes and is working with specific members on testing decorated paper/board in the recycling process, working with the municipal recycling facilities (MRFs) around the country. FSEA will continue to update members, brand owners and others in the industry as more information becomes available.

A special thank you to the current FSEA Sustainability Committee: Dennis Bacchetta, Diamond Packaging; Mike King, Eagle Systems, Inc.; Karen Kromat, Case Paper; Eric Longnecker, Diamond Packaging; Scott Tacosik, Kurz Transfer Products; Rob Watts, McLean Packaging; and Kennon Woodard, American Greetings.

RadTech Offers Sustainability Information on UV and Electron Beam (EB) Inks and Coatings

RadTech North America International, the association for Ultraviolet (UV) and Electron Beam (EB) technology, has created a detailed section on its website, www.radtech.org, on sustainability and UV/EB curing for inks and coatings. The page includes recent information on the 2022 4evergreen guidance that states that energy-curable fiberboard is recyclable, as well as a recent press release from the American Forest & Paper Association that states that UV/EB inks do not adversely impact the recyclability of paper substrates.

The page also includes a link to an article on a study commissioned by RadTech several years ago where both conventional ink systems and UV- and EB-cured inks and coatings were tested in a series of pilot deinking trails. The results indicated that all combinations easily were repulpable within normal operating parameters. This entire article can be found on the RadTech site and also is available on the FSEA Sustainability & Green Initiatives section of the FSEA site, www.fsea.com.

When It Comes to Folding/Gluing, Efficiency is Key

September 1, 2023

Compiled by Erin La Row, editor, PostPress

The automated folding/gluing process helps producers save time and money transforming flat, printed items into cartons and boxes. But as labor challenges continue across industries, finding skilled folding/gluing operators is tough for many companies.

PostPress talked with Kevin Koplin, director of operations with American International Machinery, Inc. (AIM)/Signature Folder Gluers, and Rick Pallante, president, Baumer hhs USA and Canada, about overcoming the challenges in today’s folding/gluing environment.

What recommended technologies, training and/or ancillary equipment can a company use with its folder-gluers to help decrease the learning curve and run folder-gluers more efficiently?

Koplin: The best way to economically find good gluer operators is to train them. Memory retention is one of the biggest challenges in today’s world. Use photos and videos. Select the most common and challenging jobs to create an in-house video. Supplement this with documentation, including pictures that mirror the videos that are produced. These will be enormously helpful to trainees and current operators.

Computerized makeready systems, both automatic and semi-automatic, can be a great addition to the standardization of the makeready process. An automatic makeready system allows operators to load the measurements of a job into the machine software where it will save the job. The software then calculates the measurements and moves its carriers to the measured location. Settings will be stored under the file name that is given to it. Operators can save their settings and then make minor adjustments with the push of a button. Subsequently, the file will be up to date for future runs. Semi-automatic makeready systems are similar to automatic ones, minus automation. Some systems allow the operator to set up the product and then save the product to the database. When the product is put on the machine again, the operator recalls the job to the screen and the computer loads the specifications. The information is sent to the machine’s dial indicators and then the operator moves the components to the stored location one at a time. The makeready still is done manually, but the machine is giving the operator the locations.

Automatic makeready systems can be a great addition to the standardization of the makeready process. Photo provided by American International Machinery, Inc.

Pallante: Folder-gluer operators are becoming a limited resource. The level of expertise of a folder-gluer operator has changed as well. Technicians are spending more time assisting operators with training for setting up the folder-gluer itself, in addition to their normal duties of installing the training on the gluing system. Machinery is becoming more complex as it is being asked to do many more things than it did in the past. Training is the most important thing an equipment company can provide. It’s done in-person at installation, but it has to be something that also is invested in after installation. Operator interfaces have changed so that they are more intuitive and less complex, even though they provide more capabilities than in the past. Many systems carry instructions in the Help section on the monitors. The more information operators can access easily and simply, the more it will help them in their responsibilities.

Finishers and folding carton manufacturers must run efficiently and have as little waste as possible to stay competitive and maintain margins. What are recommendations for a folder-gluer to help decrease waste and increase productivity?

Koplin: Sometimes it is impossible to avoid waste, but here are a few ways to keep it to a minimum. Setting up multiple jam switches in sensitive areas will avoid excessive product waste and decrease downtime and spoilage. Stopping the machine with the defective product will minimize damage to the cartons and the machine. Thus, operators will decrease downtime. Also, consider an inline carton ejector to remove bad products from the machine while it continues to run. This also takes the human factor out of the equation, meaning it ensures the waste will not be missed or packed in a case. Finally, preventative maintenance is very important. A properly functioning gluer that makes sure everything moves and works correctly is key to a strong successful setup. A preventative maintenance program to maintain the gluer is very important!

Pallante: Companies are is measuring their own key performance indicators and overall equipment effectiveness. Both of these can be dependent on having the system run as long as possible with the fewest stops and lowest amount of production waste. Quality control (QC) systems – whether moisture-based, UV- tracer-sensitive or camera-based – indicate to the operator how accurately the glue is being placed on the carton. With adhesive dispensing applicators that are reliable and repeatable, the tolerance on the glue pattern can be kept constant. If the pattern begins to move, there can be several factors that are causing this that can be addressed. These can be machine-related, such as a belt slipping or a worn encoder, or glue-related, such as a different glue or viscosity being introduced, or a change in the carton diecut. The determination between a good and a bad carton is measured in millimeters and milliseconds. The sooner it can be recognized, the sooner it can be corrected. Sometimes, operators will try and turn off the QC system rather than look for the cause. Most systems now have fail-safes that prevent that from happening, which will ensure quality produced cartons arrive at the customer.

What new challenges have been seen in recent months with customers that have folding/gluing operations (paper stocks, printing inks, glues, etc.)? And what recommendations can be made for these challenges?

Koplin: The biggest challenge is the lack of personnel. This last generation of retirees is not replaceable – we have to build operators. This is why automation is so critical. The labor pool simply isn’t there. Fluctuations are seen in substrates. Paper mills look for cost reductions on their end, and more additives are found in the boards. And special applications such as security tags, labels, tape, inserts and imprinting, cause challenges. For these reasons, AIM/Signature had additional lengths added to the gluer to support any future ancillary equipment.

Supply chain challenges continue to be an issue with unpredictable lead times and material shortages worldwide. Standard items, such as electronics, paper, belts, etc., that were once a few days out now are taking weeks or longer. Unfortunately, this is out of manufacturers’ control, so being proactive and having extra parts on hand before the machine goes down is one recommendation.

Pallante: Thankfully, these are becoming less as the supply chain starts to catch up to demand. Customers were trying to run different adhesives due to availability. This can start a glue pattern late or increase tailing at the end of the pattern. Having the best dispensing technology with a strong, robust coil and fast closing can better manage these changing viscosities. On the carton front, more cartons are being made from recycled content. This content typically contains UV from printing, as well as UV tracers used in the adhesives. QC systems that are dependent on UV tracers for glue detection can become “blind” as they can no longer detect the difference between the UV tracers in the glue and the UV now in the carton fibers. Customers are having to move to moisture- or camera-based technologies to combat this situation.

Run lengths for folding cartons and other products continue to decrease. What type of ancillary or other equipment accessories should a folder-gluer have to help with quick set-up and makeready?

Koplin: Once again, computerized makeready systems truly make set-ups go faster, thus allowing for more makereadies in less time.

Having enough tooling to make fixtures, such as lock-bottom assemblies that can be mounted to the machine instead of having to put individual parts together each time, cuts down on time considerably. There should be no reason that all parts are taken apart each time and reassembled for the following job. With additional tooling, operators also can put together special components while another job is running. Pre-manufactured parts, such as Z-Fold attachments, are available to eliminate having to do any assembly.

Pallante: From the gluing side, operators want to be able to easily access a program from the controller that saves the information so if a job is run again, the parameters can be pulled up easily and quickly. They also can do a “copy and paste” using one program to quickly create another. For the applicator, having an applicator that closes securely matters. Operators need to be able to leave it for an extended period of time and not have to worry about covering the nozzle tip every time. They need to be able to start the system up and glue that first carton. A quality applicator will provide that.

What new technologies are on the horizon that will help with the efficiency and productivity of folder-gluer equipment and/or ancillary equipment?

Koplin: Adding detection (glue, doubles, window, bar code, etc.) works well to remove waste from the machine without disrupting production. Detection also takes the human factor out of having to sort through cartons prior to packing to find bad products, which then allows them to pack more efficiently and accurately. Print detection also is becoming more common and is required by some customers, especially pharmaceuticals. Print inspection – both words and color – guarantees the wrong product or misprinted product will not be sent through the machine. This also can be tied to the inline ejector to remove prior to packing.

Pallante: Artificial intelligence (AI) is going to change things, maybe not as quickly as end users would hope, but I think it will come into play with preventive maintenance calculations. Being able to gather the data and allow it to be manipulated by customers for use by their systems will be the next big thing for this industry. Getting the data will be a challenge. It’s going to be more than counting strokes. It’s going to be asking how this stroke compared to the last stroke. Is there a trend? Can it be changed internally, or should the operator be notified that maintenance is imminent? It’s going to be very interesting to see what lies just over the horizon.

PostPress magazine would like to thank Kevin Koplin, director of operations with American International Machinery, Inc. (AIM)/Signature Folder Gluers –
www.signaturefoldergluers.com and Rick Pallante, president, Baumer hhs USA and Canada – www.baumerhhs.com for their assistance with this article.

Industry Influencer: George White

September 1, 2023

George White can make the case for greeting cards in today’s digital world. The greeting card industry veteran has witnessed industry changes over the years to include e-cards, m-cards and social media, but what hasn’t changed is the strong need for more authentic, lasting connections. That’s where greeting cards shine. Sixty-five percent of consumers agree that receiving cards in the mail lifts their spirits. ¹ White has spent most of his career making sure those special moments continue.

PostPress recently sat down with White to discuss the challenges facing the greeting card industry and where White sees the industry going in light of a more digital world and sustainability demands.

How did your career develop in the greeting card industry, and what is your role now?

I was hired as the general manager of the Alternative Markets Strategic Business Unit at Gibson Greetings in 1997 – a job for which I had zero experience and less training. But that was the point: The president of Gibson previously had worked with me when I was a consultant on entertainment trading cards, and he wanted someone to bring a fresh perspective to the greeting card industry. Two years later, I was managing all greeting cards at Gibson – and then the company was sold to American Greetings, so I left the industry for a few years.

I then became president of Up With Paper, the original pop-up greeting card company, in 2004, and retain that title today, although my main role now is as CEO of CM Paula, a holding company that owns Up With Paper and three other firms across highly diversified industries. I also have been on the Executive Committee (EC) of the Greeting Card Association (GCA) since 2007, served as president in 2020-21 and will rotate off the EC later this year.

How do you see the greeting card industry embracing global trends, such as the circular economy and sustainability demands from consumers and others?

The most important thing a greeting card can do is to facilitate and/or further the relationship between two humans. That has been and will continue to be the number-one driver in how greeting card makers design and produce their cards, and in the cards consumers purchase.

That said, sustainability is of growing importance for both makers and consumers. We will see accelerating growth in efforts to produce more sustainable cards, such as the use of recycled, alternative or FSC paper for card production; a reduction in the use of non-recyclable polybags or other packaging; an emphasis on more sustainable embellishments; and production and/or processing in net-zero facilities. Europe currently is ahead of the US in this department, and the solutions to more deeply embed the greeting card industry in the circular economy vary dramatically, but adherence to those solutions in the US is accelerating.

What are the biggest challenges the greeting card industry faces? How should the industry respond to successfully grow and thrive?

The obvious challenges are to ensure that retailers of all sizes and types understand how well greeting cards will sell for them – well beyond traditional stationery stores and large grocery and drug stores – AND to combat lazy media stories that greeting cards are no longer relevant. That could not be further from the truth based on the strong sales of cards to millennials.

Frankly, our biggest challenge may well be the health of the US Postal Service, which traditionally has delivered nearly 60% of purchased greeting cards to their final recipient. The rapid price increases, deterioration of service and the inability of USPS to well handle thicker, heavier and odd-sized envelopes with the types of unique cards millennials prefer are combining to make it much more difficult for consumers to send the cards they want to their friends and family. If that continues, it will put a lot of negative pressure on card sales.

It is hard to envision an alternative that can deliver to any household in the US, quickly and at a reasonable price, so our response has to be to halt the negative slide at USPS.

What trends are emerging in the design, production and distribution of greeting cards that will influence the future of the industry?

As indicated, as the influence of millennial consumers continues to grow in our industry, the design, production and distribution of greeting cards will need to continue to change to meet that demand. That means more small and diversified designers and makers; more small-batch production with more embellishments, done more sustainably; and broader and thinner distribution – meaning more stores will carry cards, but with a lower number of cards in each location, with the cards carried matching the customer psychographics of that location.

What are your predictions for the greeting card industry in the next five to 10 years?

The greeting card industry is in a good place. We have a record number of small makers in the industry, and while our largest card buyers by volume, baby boomers, are declining, our largest segment by dollars, millennials, are only now entering their primary card-buying life stages – getting married, having babies and buying a house (not necessarily in that order!) – as they are now 29-42 years old.

I would expect mass-market card sections in Walmart and Kroger stores to get smaller, but the number and variety of retailers carrying greeting cards will continue to expand.

Embellishments will continue to drive sales and pricing as millennials continue to look for differentiated cards that reflect who they are AND their relationship with recipients of their cards.

Overall, I expect greeting card volume to continue a slow decline, but overall greeting card dollar sales to enjoy a slow increase. In short, the next five to 10 years are a good time for small makers, for suppliers able to help them produce unique, differentiated cards for the millennial market and for small retailers who have women customers with money and taste and carry the right greeting cards for them.

Reference

“Greeting Cards – Facts and Info to Know,” The Greeting Card Association, www.greetingcard.org