Enews June 2024

31st Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards

June 18, 2024

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) is excited to reveal the honorees in its 31st Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition. The competition evaluates print and packaging submissions that utilize a wide range of finishing techniques, from foil stamping and embossing to specialty coating, film laminating, laser cutting, diecutting and cold foil applications. Submissions come in a variety of formats, including greeting cards, folding cartons, labels, book covers, posters and more.

“Our FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition showcases the incredible talent, creativity and hard work that goes into each captivating piece,” said FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “Every year, technology and ingenuity culminate into exceptional works of art that continue to inspire all of us throughout the embellishment industry.”

Two Best of Show honorees were awarded – one for the best use of traditional foil and embossing techniques (H+M USA), and one to the entry displaying the best use of digital embellishment (Print Panther Direct). Articles on these winners can be found on page 8 and page 10 of this issue of PostPress.

Visit the links below to learn more about the Best of Show honorees:

(Applications Portfolio) www.postpressmag.com/articles/2024/applications-portfolio-pushes-boundaries-with-extreme-embellishment/
(Sea Life) www.postpressmag.com/featured/2024/sea-life-poster-journeys-into-the-future-with-ai/

Check out all of the honorees for the 31st Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition at https://fsea.com/gold-leaf-awards-2024-2/.

Top 5 Lighthearted Animated Films that Cover Serious Workplace Safety and Health

June 14, 2024

By Liz Stevens, writer, Post Press

The Napo Film Consortium is a source for short, animated, lighthearted videos on a variety of workplace health and safety topics. The films are applicable for a wide range of industries and manufacturing operations. They were created for viewers of all backgrounds and for speakers of all languages.

In these videos, Everyman Napo and his co-workers humorously illustrate pitfalls, risks and hazards on the job as well as measures for preventing and mitigating harm to employees. Napo often is the hapless worker who ignores safety and health precautions and who then reaps the painful rewards of his willful ignorance. In Napo’s world, everyone speaks the same language – an expressive mumbling, accompanied by gestures, that is immediately understandable.

Written and directed by Eric Scandella for Via Storia, with 3D animation produced by Fabrice Barbey for Protozoaire, and original music composed by Henri Muller, this series premiered in 1998 and now features 40 animated videos ranging from two to 12 minutes.

As described on the Consortium’s website, “The films are not designed to provide comprehensive coverage of a topic, nor should they be seen as training or teaching films. The role of Napo and his friends is to provide an appetizer to OSH through their engaging characters, amusing story lines, and their humorous and light-hearted approach.”

Each film is co-produced by a number of European Institutions. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in Bilbao, Spain has funded the development of the website. The Napo Consortium currently comprises AUVA (Austria), CIOP (Poland), DGUV (Germany), EU-OSHA (Bilbao, Spain), INAIL (Italy), INRS (France) and TNO (Netherlands).

The Consortium has generously made the copyrighted video series available for use in limited circumstances. Individual scenes, for example, may be used in PowerPoint presentations and on company intranet sites, but may not be used on internet sites. Scenes and entire films may be downloaded for use on a company’s internal intranet sites, and the URL for the Napo films site may be shared on a company’s website. See the Napo website for complete information on the use of the videos.

A sampling of the most recent videos includes:

Napo in…too hot to work (2023, duration 1:39)
It’s 2023 and Napo et al are experiencing the effects of a changing climate. “Climate change has risen up the political and social agenda. Napo’s new film is designed to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on the working environment.”

Napo in… robots at work (2022, duration 4:50)
Animation meets automation in this video. “This film provides an introduction to workplace robotics safety, and describes some of the emerging robotic technologies, the types of accidents associated with robotics, the main hazards and more.”

Napo in Lighten the Load (2021, duration 6:19)
In this video, “Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common work-related health problem in Europe, despite significant efforts to prevent them, with backache and upper limb pain being the most prevalent.” (MSDs are, of course, not restricted to Europe.)

Napo in…dust at work (2018, duration 7:50)
Napo faces off with dust in this video. “Dust is a potential problem in the workplace in two different but significant ways: respiratory problems and dust explosions.”

Napo in… working together (2012, duration 9:24)
What happens when plant owners talk the talk but don’t walk the walk on workplace safety? “All is not what it appears as the factory owner gives a media interview about the production and safety records of the company. On different levels, unsafe work practices, a failure to follow…”

As a Top 5 bonus, this additional Napo film is from early in the series. It remains as relevant now as it was nearly 20 years ago.

Napo in stop that noise (2005, duration 7:57)
“Noise at work affects thousands of workers. The film is designed to illustrate some of the main causes of hearing loss and to emphasize the need to control noise at the source.”

Laughter, they say, is the best medicine. When it comes to workplace health and safety, the humorous touch of the Napo videos can bring the message home while keeping the mood light.

For more information, visit www.napofilm.net/en.

RotoMetrics Launches New Flexible Die Portfolio Improving Cut

June 12, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of Maxcess.

Maxcess, Oak Brook, Illinois, a global leader in innovative products and services for automated web handling applications, today announced a new RotoMetrics’ Flexible Die portfolio offering. The new RotoMetrics’ Flexible Die line combines the best manufacturing and operational processes of RotoMetrics, Electro Optic and MLC Brazil to offer the right solutions for each and every application. “We spent a significant amount of time asking our customers the biggest converting challenges they were trying to solve,” noted Kiki Chosid, Regional Vice President of Sales. “And, our customers told us they needed flexible dies specifically engineered for today’s materials, including thinner liners, abrasive materials and inks and the growing use of small blade spaces and intricate patterns, as well as for the sheet fed rotary die cutting markets. We automated and enhanced our manufacturing processes to better manufacture flexible dies to improve blade consistency to ensure reliability and eliminate potential die strike issues. We streamlined our durability and chroming processes to improve flexible die longevity converting abrasive materials and inks.”

As a result, RotoMetrics, a Maxcess brand, offers a customized solution offering industry leading flex die life performance engineered for each application vs. alternative Universal or Singular Cut offerings. The new portfolio consists of the re-engineered improved value and performance SmartFlex series for paper and film, the increased versatility and longevity of the Prime Series for a wider variety of Paper and Film applications, the improved accuracy and longevity of Dura Series for complex film and abrasive applications. In addition, RotoMetrics also has Specialty Dies like GoldLine Special for thin film liner applications and MicroBlade for small and intricate spacing applications. All dies are engineered to work for any press (digital, flexographic, semi rotary) or web converting process line.

About the New RotoMetrics Flexible Die Portfolio:
Complementing the improved automated manufacturing processes globally, RotoMetrics new flexible die portfolio offers additional enhancements, including.
• Unmatched Press Side Expertise & Support – 6 global manufacturing facilities with enhanced automation and technical service and support in the places you do business. Industry leading in Same Day and Next Day shipping. Additionally, a complete and complementary offering of product solutions and repair services for Dies, Magnetic Cylinders and Anvils.
• Industry Leading Quality – Enhanced automation minimizes deviations in Total Plate Height and Blade Flat resulting in 25-30% improvement in manufacturing consistency for better die performance against the anvil. Optimization of our Electro Optic legacy patented back grinding processes for enhanced reliability and consistent cutting performance.
Maxcess | 1211 W 22nd St, Suite 804, Oak Brook, IL, 60523 USA | Tel +1.844.MAXCESS | Fax +1.405.755.8425 | www.maxcessintl.com
• Enhanced Durability and Longevity – Longer lasting chroming options and vertically integrated and automated chroming processes provide consistency, quality, and faster delivery. RotoMetrics exclusive chroming formulas and application processes offer dies that can last twice as long as the competition on abrasive materials and inks. Exclusive performance coatings improve die life on abrasive materials and white inks. Additionally, adding RotoRepel can increase die life up to 3 times depending on the material being converted.
• Expanded Material Expertise – RotoMetrics offers the largest inventory of raw materials with Flex Die Total Plate Height to 0.060”+ (1.5mm+). Additionally, technical support experts in 92 Gauge (23 Micron) and 75 Gauge (17 Micron) thin film liners. The leader in flexible die innovation. Years of expertise in abrasive materials and inks. All this results in a significantly reduced need for material evaluations with RotoMetrics’ Dies.
• A Complete Portfolio of Die Cutting Solutions – flexible and solid dies, male / female die sets, base and adjustable automated anvils, magnetic cylinders, print cylinders all designed and engineered to work better together with a true precise matching of complementary components. For example, the new upgradeable AccuAdjust and automated RotoAdjust with industry 4.0 analytics to optimize converting and increase blade life.
• Industry Unique Knowledge of the Press from End-to-End – Single source of press side expertise from unwind to rewind knowing how variables (guiding, tension, vision, etc.) impact the web across the converting line or printing press with flexibility to work with Flexographic, Digital, Semi-Rotary and Digitally Printed Substrates Converted with Semi Rotary Converting Lines.

About Maxcess:
About Maxcess: Maxcess saves you time and money by optimizing your peak output performance. We do this by leveraging the world’s best web handling brands, offering customized, automated, end-to-end sustainable web handling solutions. Maxcess helps its customers maximize productivity through innovative products and services worldwide by combining global service and support across the storied product brands of RotoMetrics, Fife, Tidland, MAGPOWR, Webex, Valley Roller, Componex and Maxcess Vision Systems, Maxcess offers an unrivaled network of application experts and end-to-end web handling solutions to help you work better, faster, and smarter. Visit them online at www.maxcess.com.

Sakurai Demonstrates Specialty Coatings and Foils on 2024 Calendar

June 11, 2024

By Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

The 2024 Sakurai Calendar, entitled “Beyond Your Imagination,” utilized screen printing and UV coating technology as well as its foil decorating technology to create a spectacular, seven pass calendar that was designed and printed by Kumazawa Screen Printing, Tokyo, Japan. The seven passes were printed, coated and foiled on a Sakurai Maestro Cylinder screen pPress, equipped with a Natgraph dryer and Sakurai LQM-105 screen foil hot foil stamper.

The design of the 2024 Sakurai Calendar was centered around the renewed Sakurai website and four symbolic designs utilized on the home page. The symbols represent the motif of “S” of Sakurai and express the technical skill, rationality and delicacy of the product. The other symbols represent innovation, society and co-creation. The direction of the design was to showcase the four symbols in dramatic metallic foil (red and silver) down the center of the B1 sheet size. The months and days of the year are decorated in gold, red and sliver foil colors down both sides of the design. The design was completed with specialty clear textures with clear UV coating applied throughout the background of the calendar.

The calendar utilized the LQM hot foiling technology to transfer a clear screen printed UV coating to the foil decorated areas. The coating works as an adhesive and reacts to the foil as it is applied. It allows large coverage of foil (demonstrated by the four symbolic designs) and finer lines (demonstrated by the days of the week for each month). In addition, the foil method provides the opportunity to lay down a raised screen coating and raised foil. It also is possible to include a textured clear as the base layer to give a foil a certain look. On the calendar, a sandy clear coating was applied as a base to a portion of the red metallic foil areas in the symbols, providing a unique contrast and different look. The foil for the calendar project was provided by Murata Kimpaku Co., Ltd.

The background was simply divided into two parts with a white background on the left side and a screen printed solid black background on the right side to highlight the foil. The final pass on the calendar laid down two separate clear UV coating patterns on both the white and black background. The two separate patterns demonstrated how two background patterns could be applied in one pass on the machine.

“We are honored that a Sakurai calendar was selected as a Gold Leaf Award winner for the fourth year,” said David Rose, vice president, Sakurai USA. “Our 2024 calendar truly showcases the overall capabilities of the Maestro press to apply both specialty coatings and inks, as well as decorative metallic foils.”

Protecting Print Businesses from Digital Disruption

June 11, 2024

By Tom Wojcinski, principal, and Michael J. Devereux II, CPA, CMP, partner, Wipfli

Is there anything a manufacturer can do to ensure its operations are not hacked? Unfortunately, there is no way that’s possible, especially in today’s connected manufacturing environment. Even if a printer or print finisher disconnected everything from the internet, it still could be the victim of a technology hack if physical access is available to any bad actors or those working on their behalf.

Cloud-based ERPs, digital transformation and Industry 4.0 solutions are creating efficiencies, customer engagement and business intelligence that are improving operations and profitability, which cannot be duplicated on analog systems. Consequently, however, this increased digitization creates greater risk to printers’ and print finishers’ data and operations; and the research has shown that no manufacturer is too small or too big to be safe from cyber-attacks. Leadership often assumes that no one will hack their company because the data isn’t valuable to others. The bad actors disagree, however. Data is valuable, and they would like to put the company in a position where it must pay a ransom to get its data back. And data isn’t just limited to financial information, it could include confidential customer information, bills of material, product designs, processing data, sampling results and more.

Wipfli recently conducted a survey of over 200 manufacturers. The survey found that almost half of the respondents experienced three or more network breaches in the past 12 months. That can be overwhelming to leadership, not to mention IT staff or the supporting organization.

Focusing on Manufacturing Resilience

A company’s data isn’t the only thing at risk. Cyberattacks can focus on physical assets, rather than digital assets. Cybercriminals can lock up or seize equipment operations. Not only can this result in a significant amount of unplanned downtime but can also pose a physical risk to employee safety.

For example, consider a printer or print finisher that stores and recalls processing data for each job within an ERP or MES system. What happens if those digital services are disrupted or the underlying operational data is held hostage? Or a worse scenario, what if the technical specifications are changed, and the print finisher continues to make end products that don’t meet internal or external specifications? Similarly, vision and quality systems within the plant could be vulnerable and the target of a potential attack. While some of this seems implausible or unlikely, cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and aggressive, and exposure in these areas can cause very real risks to organizations.

Printers and print finishers can protect their operations by building and implementing resilience strategies to cyber-attacks. In this instance, resilience does not mean “bullet proof.” Rather, it means that a company can resist an attack, respond quickly and thoroughly when the attack occurs, and efficiently recover any data or business operations that are compromised. That starts by identifying weaknesses in the digital perimeter and then building a multilayered strategy to protect and respond to the cyberattack.

Common Blind Spots

There can be multiple physical and digital avenues into operations or data (including financial, operational, technical or front office information). Often, these paths are hidden or are seemingly insignificant. Outdated and unsupported hardware and software on the shop floor are two of the most overlooked sources of vulnerability. While this equipment may not be used like traditional PCs or laptops, it is still connected to the network. If it’s not maintained, it could be a security risk to the organization.

All too often, the IT department is not involved in all IT decisions. With the advancement of software-as-a-service model and cloud computing, it’s easier for employees to purchase new software, download applications or share files using the cloud, without the oversight of skilled IT or cyber professionals. Systems and software that are not vetted against company policies or maintained properly could pose additional, not-so-obvious risks. In addition, they extend the number of vectors a bad actor may use to gain access, often without a company’s knowledge, making it more difficult to protect data and operations.

A lack of real-time cyber monitoring is another common blind spot. Without real-time monitoring, a company has no visibility into attempts to infiltrate its network. Stopping and safeguarding against attacks is harder if a company does not know that they’re happening. For instance, real-time monitoring can protect against the violation of impossible travel rules. In this scenario, a legitimate user logs into the network from his or her home office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Let’s assume this is the corporate controller of a print finisher, just outside of Milwaukee. Then, just three hours later, the corporate controller logs in from Dublin, Ireland. This is an impossible travel scenario and clearly a sign that the corporate controller’s credentials have been breached. However, it could go unnoticed for some period of time without proper, real-time monitoring in place.

Creating a Multi-faceted Security Strategy

The most effective means to resist an attack is to establish a multilayer security strategy. At its most basic level, the strategy should include:

Password protocols: Require the use of strong passwords.
Email protections: Technologies that limit spam and spear-phishing attempts will reduce the risk of social engineering.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA): MFA requires users to take additional steps to verify their identity anytime when logging in or accessing a system or company app. MFA should be implemented on all removed access points, as well as internal administrative accounts. This includes email, VPN and all cloud-based applications.
End-point detection and response (EDR): EDR increases the ability to detect suspicious events by providing real-time visibility into potential attacks. EDR often is confused with antivirus software, which should also be used. Antivirus software looks for malicious programs running on the computer or network, while EDR searches for malicious activity in the memory of the computer.
Regular vulnerability scans and penetration testing: If a company is not monitoring its environment, printers and print finishers cannot identify their vulnerabilities or ways to fix them. Monthly or quarterly penetration testing of the external systems and vulnerability scans of the internal systems are critical to identifying weaknesses before they can provide access to bad actors.
Vulnerability management: Cyber criminals are regularly probing for security gaps. A company can make it more difficult for them by deploying security patches and software updates, removing unnecessary software and disabling unused system processes.
Air-gapped backups & segmented networks: If an employee can browse directly to the company’s backup files from its primary network, they are not safe from ransomware or other cyber-attacks. Separated backup files on a stand-along network that requires separate credentials often mitigates this risk.
Recovery testing: What happens if a company is attacked? Have steps been taken to restore the network, files or operations? Are the backups occurring as designed? A network failure or cyber-attack isn’t the best time to find out files haven’t been backed up or do not have the means of restoring them. Businesses need to regularly test the backup process to confirm the protocol is working, as designed, and intended.

The Importance of Employee Engagement in Cybersecurity

It’s critical that employees understand the importance of cyber security. Many hackers don’t hack systems, they hack people, as they’ve found it’s easier to trick someone into sharing their credentials than to break into a network. That is, if someone gives them the keys, why mess with the lock. It’s for that reason that employee engagement on cybersecurity is just as important as the focus on a company’s perimeter.

To start with, print-related businesses must put controls in place to govern how data and information are used, managed and stored. Sensitive data should be limited to those who absolutely require it to perform their job functions.

In addition to understanding where the data is stored and who has access to it, the best practice is to implement a comprehensive training program. Hackers will use a variety of social engineering techniques to steal information, including email (phishing), SMS text messages (smishing) and phone calls/voicemail (vishing). Training employees to be skeptical is key. When employees understand what they need to do and why, company operations will be better protected against cyber criminals.

Regular Cyber Assessments

Finally, manufacturing businesses operating in the print industry should engage in regular cyber assessments, whether that’s done internally by IT staff that keeps up with the cyber security trends or by an outside firm. These assessments provide visibility into potential avenues bad actors can access data. From there, businesses can develop or modify safeguards and policies that can better protect them from cyber fraud.

Tom Wojcinski is a principal in Wipfli’s cybersecurity and technology management practice. He leads a variety of engagements designed to help improve organizations’ cybersecurity posture, including cybersecurity risk assessment, control program development and implementation, incident response planning and simulation, vulnerability and penetration testing, security audit, control verification, and managed security services. Wojcinski is a frequent author and speaker on cybersecurity and information technology risk management topics.

Michael J. Devereux II, CPA, CMP, is a partner and director of Manufacturing, Distribution & Plastics Industry Services for Wipfli. Devereux’s primary focus is on tax incentives and succession planning for the manufacturing sector. He regularly speaks at manufacturing conferences around the country on tax issues facing the manufacturing sector.

For more information, visit www.wipfli.com.

Applications Portfolio Pushes Boundaries with Extreme Embellishment

June 7, 2024

Edited by Erin La Row, writer, PostPress

The team at Print Panther Direct, a commercial printer in Oakville, Canada, prides itself on creating beautiful, meaningful print. Printing print that matters is the philosophy that guides each project, including the Extreme Digital Guide 4 – the fourth of its Designer Guides – that was created to highlight the company’s print embellishment capabilities. The Extreme Digital Guide 4, christened the Applications Portfolio, weaves together the essence of its predecessors while further pushing the boundaries of embellishment with incredible detail. The Applications Portfolio’s aesthetic and tactile appeal captured the judges’ attention at the Foil & Specialty Effects Association’s 31st annual Gold Leaf Awards, where the project won Best of Show: Best Use of Digital Embellishment.

“Each spread was crafted to showcase our expertise but also to resonate with the evolving market demands, such as the cannabis packaging segment,” said Christine Yardley, president of Print Panther Direct. “The Applications Portfolio represents an evolving journey with Konica Minolta (KM), building upon the foundation laid by three previous Designer Guides.”

The creation of the portfolio began with research identifying emerging trends and market demands. From there, the Print Panther team conceptualized each spread, considering both aesthetic appeal and practical application. The design phase involved digital mock-ups and iterative refinements until each spread met the company’s exacting standards.

“We opted for a premium turned-edge binder/box to elevate the portfolio’s visual and tactile appeal. By using high-quality materials, we aimed to convey a sense of quality and craftsmanship that would resonate with our audience,” Yardley said.

The graphics for the portfolio were created using a combination of digital design software and traditional artistic techniques. Special consideration was given to the integration of imagery and typography to create visually compelling spreads that effectively communicated each concept. Additionally, the Print Panther team ensured that the design was adaptable to various printing techniques and embellishments, allowing it to achieve the desired visual impact.

The portfolio features a range of specialty effects and embellishments to enhance its visual appeal and tactile experience. This includes digital foil and varnish applications, as well as laminations, which add depth and dimension. Yardley said that these embellishments not only elevate the aesthetic quality of the portfolio but also highlight the versatility of KM’s printing technologies. The paper stock used was Supreme Silk Cover 12 point pages/box 80 lb text, laminated.

State-of-the-art printing technologies played a crucial role in achieving the desired quality and consistency across each spread. Stunning visual effects and unparalleled print quality were achieved with various KM Accurio presses, including Print Panther Direct’s Accuriowide 160 Press. Extreme embellishment was achieved with the KM JETvarnish 3D Evolution press.

Creating a product that has multiple embellishments and design processes can be challenging. Throughout the project, the team encountered various design and production challenges, including adhesion issues when applying CMYK on top of a chosen lamination.

“By leveraging our collective expertise, we were able to overcome these challenges and deliver a portfolio that exceeded expectations,” Yardley said.

Response to the Applications Portfolio has been overwhelmingly positive. Yardley said the portfolio has served as a valuable resource for designers and print professionals, inspiring creativity and showcasing the capabilities of KM’s printing technologies.

“Winning Best of Show in the Gold Leaf Awards was a moment of immense pride and validation for our team. It was a testament to our dedication, creativity and unwavering commitment to embellishments,” Yardley said. “We celebrated this achievement with gratitude knowing that it wouldn’t have been possible without the collective effort of every team member involved.”

Graphiscan Installs Standard Finishing Systems’ Equipment

June 7, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of Standard Finishing Systems.

Standard Finishing Systems has announced that Graphiscan, a producer of case-bound and perfect-bound books, including photo books located in Montreal, Quebec, has installed the Horizon LBF-500 Book Block Feeder, BQ-500 Perfect Binder, GF-500 Gauze Feeder, and HT-1000V Three-Kinfe Trimmer. To meet customers’ shorter lead times the company cited a need for a solution to give them more automation and increased throughput without sacrificing quality, not only keeping up with demand, but also giving room to grow.

For more information, visit: www.standardfinishing.com.

Printing, Binding Companies Donate More than 13,500 Pocket Constitutions to Ohio Students

June 6, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of the Bill of Rights Institute.

The Bill of Rights Institute, Arlington, Virginia, reported that students across the state of Ohio will have their own copies of America’s founding documents, thanks to the generosity of two businesses in the state.

Cleveland-based Foote Printing and BindTech, which operates a plant in Macedonia, Ohio, have donated more than 13,500 pocket-sized constitutions for use in Ohio classrooms.

The companies donated paper, printing, binding and finishing services as part of the Bill of Rights Institute’s The Power of the Printed Word campaign.

“I believe a good understanding of the United States Constitution is paramount for creating the civic-minded leaders the USA needs now and in the future,” said Foote Printing co-owner Michael Duhr.

The Bill of Rights Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that teaches civics and history, makes free pocket constitutions available to teachers and students nationwide. In addition to the U.S. Constitution, the portable booklets include other founding documents, such as the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.

Through its The Power of the Printed Word campaign, the Institute asks printing, binding and graphic finishing companies to donate their time, talent and services to ensure students in their states can have their own pocket constitutions.

Foote Printing and BindTech rose to the challenge, and now students across the state will have their own personal copies of these valuable documents and learning materials.

“BindTech is honored to partner with the Bill of Rights Institute and Foote Printing on The Power of the Printed Word initiative,” said John Helline, CEO of BindTech. “We are happy to support BRI’s vital work providing educators with the classroom resources to help students establish a strong foundation in U.S. history, civics, and our founding principles.”

“Through this collaboration we aim to foster a deeper commitment to our constitutional democracy among the next generation,” Helline continued. “The printed word holds immense power to educate and enlighten, and BindTech is honored to harness that power alongside BRI for such a worthy cause.”

Bill of Rights Institute Director of Corporate Relations Justin Goldstein, a longtime printing and graphic finishing industry veteran, said he was honored but not surprised that Foote Printing and BindTech offered their services to benefit Ohio kids.

“One of the first things you learn about the printing and graphic finishing industries is that these companies are deeply committed to the communities in which they operate,” he said. “We are incredibly grateful that BindTech and Foote Printing stepped up for Ohio students, and we can’t wait to distribute these pocket constitutions throughout the Buckeye State.”

Ohio teachers and students can request their pocket constitutions on the Bill of Rights Institute website.

To learn more about The Power of the Printed Word campaign, visit https://billofrightsinstitute.org/in-kind-donations.

Hampden Press Signs for a Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD

June 6, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of Scodix.

Scodix, Saddle Brook, New Jersey, the leading provider of digital print enhancement solutions for the graphic arts industry, announces today the sale of a Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD digital enhancement press to Hampden Press, a premier full-service printing company, in Denver, Colorado.

Launched just over a month ago, the Scodix Ultra 2500 SHD Digital Enhancement Press will bring a range of new applications to Hampden Press, including the ability to print on uncoated paper, using Scodix’s latest-release MLE technology, a highly sought-after feature in Colorado’s environmentally conscious market. This aligns perfectly with Hampden Press’s commitment to sustainability and staying ahead of industry trends. The platform will also provide Hampden with extra capacity to handle last-minute projects.

“We feel that Scodix is a differentiator in the commercial print market,” states Matt Blue, President of Hampden Press. “The ability to embellish non-treated, uncoated stocks is a testament to how far ahead the versatility and productivity of the technology is, and how it adds substantial value. That’s why we’re so pleased to sign this deal at drupa today.”

Founded in 1977, Hampden Press is a privately-owned company specializing in digital, offset, and large format printing solutions. Renowned for producing high-quality marketing collateral, including variable data direct mail programs, Hampden Press has built a reputation for excellence and innovation in the printing industry.

“We believe having the first Scodix in Colorado will be an advantage,” adds Blue, “Digital embellishments are going to be a game-changer for products like art prints, posters and book covers. We are also looking forward to developing art-related products with our e-commerce partners.”

About Scodix
Scodix Ltd. is the world leader in digital embellishments. With a proven and successful customer base exceeding 400 across the globe, Scodix has shaped the advancement of the digital enhancement industry since its inception in 2007.

The Scodix Ultra series of presses offer 16 embellishment applications from a single platform.

With certifications for recyclable, repulpable and minimal environment impact, Scodix presses elevate the sustainability standards for printers and converters through verified results and accreditations.

The Scodix Ultra series offers precision embellishments across industries from commercial print, web-to-print, publishing and folding carton packaging. With a commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, Scodix continues to prove the way for the future of embellishments. For more information, visit www.Scodix.com

drupa and PRINTING United Announce Strategic Partnership

June 4, 2024

Press release submitted on behalf of drupa and PRINTING United.

Starting in 2024, the partnership of the world’s leading trade fairs drupa and PRINTING United Expo located in Europe and North America, respectively, will bolster the reach of each brand throughout the industry. Both organizations, with their customer-centric focus, will look to make all their events even more relevant and beneficial to both attendees and exhibitors in the ever-changing printing technology landscape.

Sabine Geldermann, Director drupa, Portfolio Print Technologies, comments on this partnership, “PRINTING United Expo’s one-roof approach aligns very strongly with what drupa has brought to the industry over the last 7 decades. Showcasing the many applications printing technology has these days, not only in the graphic arts field but in packaging, industrial and textile is what our attendees appreciate.”

Ford Bowers, CEO, PRINTING United Alliance, speaking to the outcomes of this agreement, “Our partnership with drupa underscores our commitment to advancing the entirety of the printing industry. Together, we will be able to deliver even more opportunities for growth and collaboration to all who participate in the marketplace of events. We look forward in the coming months to sharing our conversations on how this partnership will unfold and the benefits to all our partners.”

Stay tuned for future updates as this partnership continues to evolve and take shape.

About drupa:
Organized by Messe Düsseldorf, drupa is the world’s No. 1 trade fair for printing technologies taking place every four years in Düsseldorf and is a must-attend event for everyone involved in the printing, packaging, and graphic arts industries. With its impressive range of exhibitors and outstanding conference program, drupa offers a unique opportunity for inspiration, innovation, top-class knowledge transfer, intensive networking and business growth. For more information, visit www.drupa.com.

About PRINTING United Expo:
PRINTING United Expo is the premiere event in printing, serving as the global stage for leading OEMs and exhibitors to showcase their latest technologies and applications spanning all market segments. Produced annually by PRINTING United Alliance, the leading member-based printing and graphic arts association in North America; this dynamic event brings together the entirety of the industry to experience the future of printing firsthand, together under one roof.

PRINTING United Expo 2024 will be held in Las Vegas from September 10-12 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, visit www.printingunited.com.