PostPress - August/September 2020 by petersonpublications

August/September 2020

Print Decorating, Binding and Finishing

Embellishments on Folding Cartons 27th Annual Gold Leaf Awards Best Applications for Cold Foil Paper Punching in the Digital Age

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August/September 2020

CONTENTS FEATURES

6 8

INDUSTRY INFLUENCER Ben Markens, PPC

Ben Markens, president of the Paperboard Packaging Council, shares his insights and experience with folding cartons and predictions for what lies ahead for the industry.

FOCUS

Embellishments on Folding Cartons: Continued Growth and Opportunities

The folding carton market is experiencing tremendous growth as brand owners concerned with sustainability shift toward paperboard packaging.

AWARDS

27th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards

The 27th installment of industry achievements for finishing and specialty affects announced in the Annual Gold Leaf Awards.

TECHNOLOGY

Cold Foil: Best Applications, New Markets and Debunked Myths

For eye-catching embellishments, cold foil is an attractive option for many print finishers.

58 2

PostPress | August/September 2020

EDUCATION

The Workforce Solution is Career Awareness

The Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition completed a comprehensive survey of the industry to identify current efforts to cultivate talent for the print industry.

QUESTION & ANSWER

Folding/Gluing: Working with Short-Run Cartons

As folding carton runs become shorter, there are a few ways to keep makeready and set-up times to a minimum for increased efficiency.

postpressmag.com

48 58

BINDERY

Paper Punching in the Digital Age

As technology evolves, paper punching and spiral binding serve an important function.

LIFETIME TRIBUTE

FSEA Remembers Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient John Tinnon

FSEA remembers former Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient John Tinnon, who passed away in 2020.

64 68 72

APPLICATION

Shining a Light on UV-Cured Decoration Capabilities

PRODUCTION

Choosing the Right Three-Knife Trimmer

When it comes to achieving the perfect final trim for a book, selecting the right three-knife trimmer is crucial.

STRATEGIES

2150 SW Westport Dr., Suite 101 Topeka, Kansas 66614 785.271.5801 www.postpressmag.com

A key issue for every member of the print finishing and binding industries, workforce development begins in an unlikely place.

Editor-in-Chief Jeff Peterson

Editor Brittany Willes

Managing Editor Dianna Brodine

Contributing Editors Lara Copeland Liz Stevens

Recruiting the Next-Generation Workforce

DEPARTMENTS 4 32 36 39 40 52 66 78 79 80

Published by:

Viewpoint

Advertising/Sales Gayla Peterson Art Director Becky Arensdorf

Equipment Highlight

Foil Decorating

Circulation Manager Brenda Schell Online Director Mikell Burr

Official Publication of:

Equipment Highlight

Mechanical Binding

Installations Industry Product Tech Watch

Sakurai's ScreenFoilâ&#x201E;˘ LQM Series

Supplier Index Calendar FSEA Association News

postpressmag.com

Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) 2150 SW Westport Dr., Suite 101 Topeka, KS 66614 785.271.5816 www.fsea.com Executive Director Jeff Peterson Assistant Director Dianna Brodine

August/September 2020 | PostPress

VIEWPOINT

Business Will Change, but We’ll Bounce Back

By Jeff Peterson, executive director, FSEA

omeone asked the other day, “Is 2020 Over Yet?” I think most of us would agree that 2021 cannot get here too soon. Let’s get this current year behind us and move on – it has been a difficult six months, to say the least. However, I am one who looks at 2021 and sees some light at the end of the tunnel.

prospects and customers in an environment where there are no inperson tradeshows or conferences while also allowing attendees to expand their knowledge base without leaving their homes or offices. Please feel free to contact me at jeff@fsea.com for further details on the webinar program.

As many experts predict, I believe that once we see a decrease in COVID-19 cases and a confidence in an effective vaccine, we quickly will see an improvement in our economy. Just as the downturn happened so fast at the onset of the pandemic, I hope to see the economy bounce back in a short period time. Since this unforeseen situation happened with no warning under a solid economy, the expected recovery is much different than it would be if we were coming out of a recession where economic factors caused the downturn. I believe this provides the opportunity for us to “bounce back” as quickly or close to as quickly as the pandemic has crippled our economy right now. We certainly hope so.

In 2021, our hope is to have an in-person FSEA event of some type, most likely in the fall and potentially tied into one of the printing events that typically are scheduled. We’ll continue to analyze the situation before planning an in-person conference, but keep an eye out for additional virtual events in the coming months.

In the meantime, like most everyone, we have had to make changes at the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and PostPress to adjust to the new way of doing business. Our first step was to launch the FSEA’s first-ever virtual event – the FSEA Online Learning Experience. With the cancellation of our inperson conference in late April, we felt it was important to develop something virtual in a short period of time – we didn’t want to wait until fall to deliver the content that had already been planned when coronavirus put a halt to most events. Our supplier partners agreed and, with their support, we were able to offer 13 programming webinars at no cost to all attendees. With the help of my wonderful staff here at Peterson Publications, Inc. and FSEA, we were able to put together a two-day event that was more successful than any of our expectations. We had more than 250 registrations for the event, and we were able to present most of the content that we were planning on having at the in-person conference. All of the programming still is available online at www.fseaconference.com – so make sure you visit and look around. There is a lot of great content – including a panel discussion on cold foil which is the basis of one of our articles in this issue of PostPress. In another bid to provide additional educational opportunities in the industry, we have expanded the availability of standalone webinars that our FSEA Supplier Members and other suppliers to the print finishing/bindery marketplace can take advantage of. This creates a marketing tool for companies looking to reach

PostPress | August/September 2020

There has been a great deal of change over the last six months, and there’s no doubt that all of us are learning new ways to conduct business moving forward. Our staff at FSEA and PostPress magazine are here to help, and we are dedicated to bringing you information and articles that will keep you up-to-date on the latest happenings in the industry. We thank you for your continued support. And, although we may not see each other in 2020, I am confident we will have that chance next year. Jeff Peterson is executive director of the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) and editor-in-chief of PostPress. An industry veteran with deep roots in the foil and specialty effects industry, Peterson can be reached at jeff@fsea.com.

WE HAVE HAD TO MAKE CHANGES AT FSEA AND POSTPRESS TO ADJUST TO THE NEW WAY OF DOING BUSINESS. THE FIRST STEP WAS TO LAUNCH THE FSEA'S FIRST-EVER VIRTUAL EVENT... postpressmag.com

INDUSTRY INFLUENCER Ben Markens, PPC Ben Markens has been president of the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC), the trade association for folding carton companies since 2008. Before joining PPC, he had spent most of his adult life in folding cartons, working in converting companies, including as a plant manager and vice president of operations. In 1988, he founded a consulting practice niched to folding cartons, consulting on matters of costing, throughput, operations and strategy. PostPress recently sat down with Markens to further discuss his knowledge of the industry, the PPC and his predictions for the road ahead. What is the Paperboard Packaging Council’s mission?

We have a robust supplier community that helps our members solve technical problems and provides access to the latest technology available.

PPC’s mission is twofold. First, we are the voice of the paperboard industry to stakeholders – regulatory, retailers and media, like PostPress.

Our annual carton competition is our equivalent of the Oscars. Members get to showcase their work with beauty, sustainability and innovation, raising our members while inspiring others to continue pushing our industry forward.

The second part of the mission is to help our members stay competitive by providing tools and resources – such as data, meetings and forums – as well as access to suppliers of state-ofthe-art technology.

What specific programs has PPC established to promote the industry and help its members? Our association provides programs to support members in all areas relating to the packaging industry. For example, our benchmarking studies look at throughput, labor, benefits, financial condition and much more. Because we have strong participation numbers, we can provide high levels of detail while maintaining the anonymity of our members. These procompetitive materials also are regularly reviewed by PPC legal counsel to ensure compliance with the law. We have many communities of interest that meet regularly and support one another: operations, financial, human resources, new leaders, women leaders, rigid box makers, Canadians and more.

Trees into Cartons, Cartons into Trees (TICCIT®) is an outreach program that teaches grade-school children about the benefits of paper-based packaging compared to other non-renewable and non-recyclable substrates, like plastic. Members go to their children’s schools to teach a lesson that complies with national learning standards and is a day of fun for the students. For the member company, this is a triple winner: employee engagement, community engagement and telling our story.

What are some challenges facing the industry, especially in light of the current pandemic? Our industry has had, and continues to have, problems recruiting and retaining high performers. Manufacturing often is hard work and is not considered as sexy as tech and other service industries. The truth is that we are a dynamic and exciting business that creates the means to get products to market. This has never been more evident and essential since the shutdowns began in mid-March and the race started to keep the grocery shelves filled.

We hold two general meetings each year highlighting speakers and programs to make our members better leaders and keep them abreast of industry developments.

PostPress | August/September 2020

postpressmag.com

With more consumers focusing on sustainability, what are the opportunities for paperboard packaging now and in the next few years? Paperboard is either renewable (made from trees that we planted) or recycled. Boxboard fibers can be recycled many times if consumers treat them well and dispose of them properly by putting them in the blue recycling bins. Recycling rates are quite high, and the Federal Trade Commission allows us to call folding cartons recyclable. This claim, recyclable, is one that no (or almost no) plastic package legally can make.

What are some of the challenges that new emphasis on sustainability brings to paperboard packaging manufacturers? Currently, our biggest challenge is getting the message out about our sustainability profile. We could do a better job telling our story.

What industries do you see as growth potentials for folding cartons/paperboard packaging in the near future? Cannabis, convenience store, beverage, pharma and food remain strong end-uses for folding cartons.

OUR INDUSTRY HAS HAD, AND CONTINUES TO HAVE, PROBLEMS RECRUITING AND RETAINING HIGH PERFORMERS. MANUFACTURING OFTEN IS HARD WORK AND IS NOT CONSIDERED AS SEXY AS TECH AND OTHER SERVICE INDUSTRIES. THE TRUTH IS THAT WE ARE A DYNAMIC AND EXCITING BUSINESS THAT CREATES THE MEANS TO GET PRODUCTS TO MARKET.

postpressmag.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

FOCUS

Embellishments on Folding Cartons: Continued Growth and Opportunities

riven by the global focus on sustainability and virtually limitless decorating and finishing possibilities, the folding carton market is forecast to grow to nearly $150 billion by 2024 (a $40 billion growth over 2018). Rising volumes are expected across all market segments, with food and beverage continuing to dominate. Another strong market for folding cartons is cannabis and CBD products. “For these brands, having packaging as green as the products they contain is of the utmost importance,” said Irene Richard, senior product manager, Neenah® folding board and cover materials at Neenah, a supplier of paper, folding board and other paper-based packaging. Growing demand for embellishments “Paperboard folding cartons are an ideal packaging medium because of their billboard space, decorative options, protective properties and sustainability attributes,” reported Dennis Bacchetta, director of marketing at Diamond Packaging, a WBENC-certified, global specialist in sustainable packaging. He noted sustainability is a major driver as brand owners shift away from plastics toward paperboard and observed, “The use of post-consumer waste (PCW) and uncoated paperboards are increasing. Specialty or textured paperboards, such as Neenah Folding Board or Ecological Fibers’ Flexpack Lumina Pearlescent, also have become more popular.” In addition, decorative options are in demand. Folding carton embellishments – such as colored-base media, matte finishes, foil stamping, embossing/ debossing, spot coatings, specialty coatings, unique effects, multiple coatings and diecutting – differentiate a product from its competition, reinforce premium positioning, invite closer inspection and interaction by consumers and deliver a quick return on investment by increasing sales.

PostPress | August/September 2020

By Hallie Forcinio, writer, PostPress

Bacchetta reported, “We have seen an increase in the use of specialty coatings such as soft-touch, emboss, pearlescent, glitter and textured ultraviolet (UV) coatings on cosmetic and personalcare folding cartons. These specialty coatings increase shelf appeal by imparting additional visual and tactile elements to the printed graphics.” “The cosmetic industry always has taken advantage of embellishments to be on-trend for the ‘next big/new thing,’” agreed Suzanne Hunt, marketing manager at FoldedColor Packaging, the online division of Thoro Packaging, which fulfills short runs of custom designs. Hunt explained, “Quality packaging enhanced with embellishments will grab a consumer’s attention. We see a lot of spot coatings used in packaging. When done right, spot coatings can add dimension

Sustainability is a major driver as brand owners shift away from plastics toward paperboard for many packaging applications. postpressmag.com

and an amazing overall look to the packaging. Customers are moving away from the overall glossy looks and are going for a flatter, matte finish. Matte provides a simple and more minimalist look, which is currently on-trend.” Bacchetta agreed, noting, “The most popular coatings are matte and gloss combinations, or soft-touch and gloss.” For example, said Hunt, “When using a matte coating finish, adding a small area of ultraviolet (UV) gloss can provide a lot of contrast for a more eye-catching design. Additionally, some customers choose to emboss areas and combine it with a UV gloss. Not only does this provide contrast, but it also has a more tactile feeling, which is something brand owners like to use to enhance the consumer’s unboxing experience.” Another popular technique, foil stamping and cold foil transfer, is replacing foil/paperboard laminates due to eye-catching effects, sustainability benefits and cost savings. Studies support the use of foil to attract consumers. For example, packaging decorated with foil rates over 80% higher than non-foil packaging in quality, appeal, value and brand awareness.1 Also, foil has been shown to attract consumers’ attention faster and retain attention longer than packaging without foil.2 “We continue to see a lot of growth in packaging for cold foil and hot stamping,” noted Doug Herr, director of sales, folding carton, at Bobst North America, a provider of converting equipment for packaging, commercial products and special products such as greeting cards. Hunt agreed, noting, “Brand owners are venturing beyond the standard silver or gold foil stamping options and branching out to use a variety of bright foil colors, including holographic foils.” She noted, “Foil stamping is more sustainable than foil/paperboard laminations. When board with foil stamping is recycled, the foil breaks down during the recycling process and the unrecyclable parts float to the top for easy removal. This process has a much smaller carbon footprint.” Conversely, with foil laminate cartons, the foil and paperboard have to be separated for recycling. “Not many facilities currently offer this service,” she said. Both hot foil stamping and cold foil transfer have experienced growth in the last several years, although foil stamping requires a custom die to stamp the foil in the desired areas. “This effect primarily is used when aiming for a high-end and luxurious feel,” said Hunt. “Although this process does require the extra tooling needed for creating the die, it adds dimension and enhances the final look of the foiled area. Hot foil is applied after the printing process is complete and is ideal for foiling more detailed areas and fine lines.” Bobst has seen substantial growth in hot foil stamping in recent years. Herr attributed the growing demand to three major technical postpressmag.com

ANOTHER POPULAR TECHNIQUE, FOIL STAMPING AND COLD FOIL TRANSFER, IS REPLACING FOIL/ PAPERBOARD LAMINATES DUE TO EYE-CATCHING EFFECTS, SUSTAINABILITY BENEFITS AND COST SAVINGS. advances: positioning rolls outside the machine to expedite changeover; camera registration so foil is laid down registered to the print vs. the mechanical edge of the sheet; and accessories that enable the use of large-diameter rolls for longer runs and increased uptime. Cold foil most commonly is done inline with the printing press and does not require additional tooling. Hunt noted, “Cold foil also provides the option of adding print effects on top of the foil for a unique look.” Bacchetta said, “We have seen growth in both inquiries and orders for cold foil over the last few years.” He attributes this expansion to a shift from foil laminate board to cold foiling due to cost, lead time and sustainability, as well as an investment in cold foiling modules. He explained, “Inline techniques, such as cold foil, are cost-effective and more sustainable, especially when factoring in the material and energy costs associated with multiple runs or offline production processes. This helps conserve raw materials and energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize discards.” In addition, he said, “The on-press application provides many new design possibilities – overprinting a virtually limitless palette of color options; precise registration between foil and overprinted inks or coatings; flexibility to produce large, solid areas with fine detail; and upscale product differentiation.” Although cold foil continues to expand, it has not supplanted hot foil. “The two technologies complement each other extremely well,” said Herr, noting it can be advantageous to offer both options

August/September 2020 | PostPress

FOCUS <<

and therefore provide a one-stop shop to address the needs of the job’s run length, complexity, number of passes or printing process. The choice between hot foil and cold foil mainly is determined by the graphic image. Bacchetta noted, “Cold foil works very well for a tight fit or registration to the graphics and the ability to drop foil where it is not needed. Hot foil works well for smaller images, such as logos and brand names.” Sustainability demands drive growth Consumer and brand owner preference for biodegradable packaging over plastic packaging ranked as the primary growth driver for the folding carton market, according to a December 2019 study by Grandview Research, “Folding Carton Packaging Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by End Use (Food & Beverage, Personal Care & Cosmetics, Electrical & Electronics), by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2019 – 2025. Folding cartons offer a strong sustainability profile. Paperboard is a renewable resource increasingly sourced from responsibly managed forests, widely recycled and commonly contains recycled content.

To maximize child resistance and sustainability, Diamond Lockbox™ designs feature laminated, tear-resistant paperboard outer cartons and customizable paperboard inserts.

Herr predicted, “Sustainability is definitely a trend that isn’t going away.” Richard at Neenah, agreed, “Most of our customers are looking for sustainable solutions. They are looking for responsible fiber sourcing, products made utilizing renewable energy and other conservation efforts with a high PCW content. Blue bin recyclability is important. Paper is an inherent part of a circular economy, and as education about the recyclability of paper (the fact that it can be reused up to seven times) increases, so does the demand for using paper as an environmentally friendly option.” This emphasis on sustainability is encouraging greater use of products certified by groups such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), which ensure fiber is responsibly sourced and protect old-growth and endangered forests. Neenah, for example, only purchases fiber from sources that demonstrate sustainable practices and have thirdparty forest management certification programs. As a result, its complete portfolio of papers is FSC® Certified. Thoro Packaging and Diamond Packaging both offer certified paperboards for sustainably conscious customers. Suppliers agree education is key to addressing the need for greater sustainability. At Thoro Packaging, a well-informed sales team helps customers and brand owners make smarter decisions. Plus, Hunt noted, “We promote packaging sustainability on our website, blogs, tradeshows and other marketing materials.”

PostPress | August/September 2020

“We also believe in transparency and support,” said Richard. “We put our environmental resources front and center for our customers, be it downloadable logos, information regarding environmental certifications or environmental victories.” On the product side, Neenah has developed Hemp Fiber and 100% PC White folding boards, which combine sustainability with a premium presence and ultimately help create packaging that is part of a closed-loop, circular economy. At Thoro Packaging, sustainability efforts also involve right-sizing orders to minimize waste, replacement of plastic inserts with paperboard, use of vegetable-based inks and a shift to clean (wind) energy. The company also offers carbon-neutral printing. Hunt explained, “For an added cost, customers can offset the carbon footprint of their cartons by donating to specific projects. Money can be used to plant trees, support wind power and a multitude of other carbon-reducing projects.” Diamond Packaging also has implemented eco-friendly manufacturing practices, achieved zero waste to landfill and relies solely on wind energy. In 2007, it introduced its greenbox initiative to research, design and deliver innovative and sustainable products. The core of the initiative – designs, materials and methods – represents a comprehensive approach to packaging that minimizes environmental impact throughout the supply chain.

>> postpressmag.com

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FOCUS <<

Bacchetta said, “Through creative design, careful material selection and best practices at the plant level, Diamond minimizes waste, reduces shipping costs and increases efficiencies.” Before and during packaging development, Diamond design engineers consider opportunities to eliminate or replace components, reduce package weight and material, and utilize embellishments and innovative shapes (e.g., trapezoid, pillow pack, curvilinear) to increase shelf impact. Green Chic™ packaging, an offshoot of the greenbox initiative, incorporates multiple inline embellishment technologies, such as TruCOLOR™ expanded color gamut printing, specialty coatings (e.g., emboss, glitter, pearl, soft-touch, texture), Liquid Metal™ or MiraFoil® metallic UV coatings, Cast and Cure holographic effects and cold foiling. Other trends impact folding carton usage Other folding carton trends include shorter runs, just-in-time production and an effort to shorten supply chains. “During the last 10 to 15 years, there was a migration of production to China and Southeast Asia,” recalled Herr. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, brand owners now are seeking sources closer to home.

attractively within an insert. They provide a better presentation and unboxing experience. Auto bottoms are popular because they are easier for fulfillment. We also still see a lot of basic tuck-end boxes because of their simplicity.” To stand out, some brand owners have become more creative with diecuts that give a preview of the product inside. “We have seen design requests for us to create detailed diecuts that outline a skyline, logo, etc.,” said Hunt. For medical or recreational marijuana products, Diamond Packaging has introduced the upscale, child-resistant Diamond Lockbox™ folding carton. “Single- and dual-lock options feature finished edges and ample billboard space and can be decorated with a wide range of printing and finishing effects, including specialty coatings, foil, embossing and debossing,” said Bacchetta. The Lockbox folding cartons are Certified Child-Resistant in compliance with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission 16 CFR 1700.20 testing protocol. References 1. Perception Research Services, “Foil Stamping Strengthens Brand Identity,” 2004. 2. Foil & Specialty Effects Association, “An Initial Study into the Impact of High-Visibility Enhancements on Shelf Presence,” 2014.

Structurally, Hunt reported, “We’ve noticed that roll side trays with lids are popular for kits where multiple products can be displayed

Great Prices and Unmatched Selection When it comes to picking the right foil color for your next project, you want the widest possible range of choices and immediate availability. THERM-O-TYPE is a leading supplier of fusing foils and films offering an unmatched selection of matte and bright metallic colors, glitters, pigments, and metallic and transparent holographic patterns. Used for foil fusing and sleeking applications, these foils can also be used to foil stamp a wide range of plastic materials using metal stamping dies. Contact THERM-O-TYPE for a current foil color charter and keep in mind that new colors are added frequently.

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Electric Foil Cutter Available

postpressmag.com

www.thermotype.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

AWARDS

27TH ANNUAL

FSEA GOLD LEAF AWARDS

he Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has announced the honorees of its 27th Annual FSEA Gold Leaf Awards Competition. Entries were received from countries around the world, including the US, Canada, Denmark and Taiwan. Gold, silver and bronze winners were honored in more than 35 categories.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS PLATINUM SPONSORS BOBST North America Inc. • Crown Roll Leaf, Inc. Duplo USA Corporation • H+M USA Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. – a UEI Group Company Kurz Transfer Products, LP • Metal Magic Mueller Prost • Owosso Graphic Arts, Inc. Sakurai USA, Inc. • Univacco Foils Corporation Universal Engraving, Inc. – a UEI Group Company GOLD SPONSORS Breit Technologies LLC • Eagle Systems

PostPress | August/September 2020

DataGraphic, Commack, New York, was awarded the 2020 Best of Show award for “Stag & Hare Honey Box,” which was entered in the category of Best Use of Foil/Embossing – Folding Carton (Technical Difficulty). This impressive box features an array of specialty effects guaranteed to impress clients with its unique design and tactile textures and ﬁnishes. Built around a honeybee theme, the carton creates a striking impression while honoring one of nature’s hardest working and natural creators – the honeybee. postpressmag.com

BEST OF SHOW BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – FOLDING CARTON (TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY) GOLD Stag & Hare Honey Box DataGraphic, Commack, NY Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: DC Graphics Machinery Suppliers: Kluge SILVER Holiday Promo Thoro Packaging, Corona, CA BRONZE Masquerade – IP Digital Inkjet Papers The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY

MOST UNIQUE FOLD GOLD Holiday Promo Thoro Packaging, Corona, CA Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst SILVER Happy Birthday Dad Trophy Mechanical Hallmark Cards, Inc., Lawrence, KS BRONZE Luonkos Natural Cosmetics Starcke Oy, Finland

HONORABLE MENTION

>> postpressmag.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

AWARDS <<

HONORABLE MENTION

BEST USE OF LASER CUTTING GOLD Childhelp Drive the Dream Gala Foil Graphics, Phoenix, AZ Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Metal Magic Machinery Suppliers: Kluge, Brausse, Universal (laser cutting) SILVER Delightful Leaves Invitation Suite The Occasions Group, North Mankato, MN BRONZE Mother Laser Flowers Hallmark Cards, Inc., Lawrence, KS

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – HARDBACK BOOK COVER GOLD The Making of Earthworm Jim/Earthworm Jim Launch the Cow Jostens, Clarksville, TN Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Owosso Graphic Arts Machinery Suppliers: Saroglia, Kolbus, Sheridan SILVER Chassepot to FAMAS Jostens, Clarksville, TN BRONZE Tested Lamplighters Ministries International, Inc., Mt. Morris, NY

PostPress | August/September 2020

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – SOFTBACK BOOK COVER GOLD Super Bowl LIV Program The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY Foil Suppliers: Hazen Paper (Custom Holographics) Machinery Suppliers: Komori, Sakurai SILVER Star Wars Celebration Art Laminating & Finishing, LLC, Atlanta, GA BRONZE Enthronement of the Next Greek Orthodox Pope C&C Bindery, Inc., Farmingdale, NY

postpressmag.com

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – BOOK JACKET GOLD The Night Country The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Dynamic Engraving Machinery Suppliers: GBC, Bobst SILVER Heart of the Moors The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY BRONZE Ninth House The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – GREETING CARD (COMMERCIAL) GOLD Husband Twinkle in My Christmas Hallmark Cards, Inc., Lawrence, KS Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Hallmark Cards, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst, Iijima SILVER Grad Circle Design Hallmark Cards, Inc., Lawrence, KS BRONZE Thanksgiving Elegance The Occasions Group, North Mankato, MN

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – FOLDING CARTON (CREATIVE DESIGN) GOLD Turok Classic Collector’s Edition Millennium Print Group, Morrisville, NC Foil Suppliers: ITW Foils Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – GREETING CARD (SELF PROMOTION) GOLD Baugh Christmas Card Baugh Graphic Finishing House, Indianapolis, IN Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst SILVER Gravure Choquet X-mas Gift Tags Gravure Choquet, Montreal, Quebec, Canada BRONZE Gietz New Year Card 2020 Gietz AG, SG, Switzerland

SILVER Surly 13 Beer Carton Studio on Fire, Saint Paul, MN BRONZE Gleem Professional Teeth Whitening Light Kit Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY postpressmag.com

>> August/September 2020 | PostPress

AWARDS <<

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – RIGID BOX GOLD Tendero Box Carlo Gasperini, Prato Italy Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Carlo Gasperini & C., Italy SILVER Sponge Bob C & C Bindery, Inc., Farmingdale, NY BRONZE Jak & Daxter II Collector’s Edition Millennium Print Group, Morrisville, NC

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – SELF PROMOTION (HOLIDAY) GOLD Tru-Cut Christmas Ornament Box Tru-Cut LLC, Salt Lake City, UT Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Brausse, Kluge, Bobst SILVER Holiday Promo Thoro Packaging, Corona, CA BRONZE Twelve Days of MCD MCD, Madison, WI

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – SELF PROMOTION GOLD Diamond Packaging 2020 Calendar Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY Foil Suppliers: ITW Foils Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Metal Magic Machinery Suppliers: Heidelberg Speedmaster (with Compact Foiler’s cold foil unit), Bobst BMA Hot Foil Stamper/Embosser SILVER Capacity Portfolio Thoro Packaging, Corona, CA BRONZE Burning Bloom Pre Roll CBD Studio on Fire, Saint Paul, MN

PostPress | August/September 2020

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BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – SELF PROMOTION (INDUSTRY SUPPLIER) GOLD Harlequin and Colombine Dreyer Kliché, Copenhagen, Denmark Foil Suppliers: Foilco Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Dreyer Kliché Machinery Suppliers: Bobst SILVER Tudor English Dry Gin K Laser Technology Co. LTD., Santa Ana, CA BRONZE Gietz Champagne Gietz AG, SG, Switzerland

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – PRESENTATION FOLDER GOLD “I See Folders in Your Future” Admore®, Macomb, MI Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst 102 with Eagle Foil System SILVER Leonard Cohen – Thanks for the Dance The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY BRONZE Le Nobel Condominiums Gravure Choquet, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – LABEL (CREATIVE DESIGN) GOLD Precision Multi-Color Corporation North America Wine & Spirits, Napa, CA Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Nilpeter SILVER Black Birch Vineyard 2019 Estate Field Blend Label Dion Label Printing, Westerﬁeld, MA BRONZE L’orgeat Almond Liqueor Multi-Color Corporation North America Wine & Spirits, Napa, CA

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August/September 2020 | PostPress

AWARDS <<

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – LABEL (TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY) GOLD Univacco Champagne Label Univacco Technology, Inc., Tainan City, Taiwan Foil Suppliers: Univacco Foils Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Carlo Gasperini & C. SILVER Emancipation Multi-Color Corporation North America Wine & Spirits, Napa, CA BRONZE Daou Reserve Cellotape, Newark, CA

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – ANNOUNCEMENT/INVITATION GOLD NFL Friday Night Party Invite & Sleeve DataGraphic, Commack, NY Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: DC Graphics Machinery Suppliers: Kluge SILVER 92nd Academy Awards Invite DataGraphic, Commack, NY BRONZE The Beauty of Print Carlo Gasperini, Prato, Italy

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – BUSINESS CARD GOLD Skintricate Business Card Print Panther, Ontario, Canada Foil Suppliers: Crown Roll Leaf Machinery Suppliers: MGI JETvarnish 3Ds with iFoil-S SILVER Apartment Ideas Business Card Apartment Ideas, Overland Park, KS BRONZE Soho Business Card Texas Bindery Service, Cedar Creek, TX

PostPress | August/September 2020

BEST USE OF FOIL/ EMBOSSING – CALENDAR GOLD Calendar 2020 Vision JS McCarthy Printers, Augusta, ME Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products, Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc., Dynamic Engraving Machinery Suppliers: Bobst, Therm-O-Type, SBL SILVER Diamond Packaging 2020 Calendar Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY BRONZE Gravure Choquet 2020 Gravure Choquet, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – CALENDAR (INDUSTRY SUPPLIER) GOLD 30th Anniversary Pi-Emme Calendar Carlo Gasperini, Prato, Italy Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Carlo Gasperini & C. SILVER Kurz Angel Tree Calendar LPI, Inc. (Letterhead Press) BRONZE Seasonal Seans Sakurai USA, Schaumburg, IL

BEST USE OF FOIL/EMBOSSING – MISCELLANEOUS GOLD The Life of “The Embellisher” John Rushgrove’s Story The Embellisher, Bayswater, North Vic Australia Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Metal Magic Machinery Suppliers: Heidelberg GTP SILVER BigFire American Fare Check Presenter, Dining Menu, Dessert Menu, Drink Menu Sundance Marketing Solutions, Orlando, FL BRONZE Orlando Magic Wine Auction Book Southeast Finishing Group, Inc., Orlando, FL

BEST USE OF REFRACTIVE FOIL GOLD Christmas Poinsettia and Leaves Hallmark Cards, Inc., Lawrence, KS Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Hallmark Cards, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst SILVER Penrose Hill Chardonnay Multi-Color Corporation North America Wine & Spirits, Napa, CA BRONZE A Touch of Elegance Dreyer Kliché, Copenhagen, Denmark postpressmag.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

AWARDS <<

BEST USE OF COLD FOILING – LABEL/CARTON GOLD Oscar de la Renta Bella Essence Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY Foil Suppliers: ITW Foils Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Metal Magic Machinery Suppliers: Heidelberg Speedmaster (with Compact Foiler’s cold foil unit), Iijima MJ-1040ES Hot Foil Stamper/Embosser SILVER ARC Teeth Whitening Pen Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY BRONZE Crest Gum & Breath Purify Healthy White Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY

BEST USE OF DIGITAL INKJET COATING/ FOIL – SUPPLIER PROMOTION GOLD Indulge in Success Chocolate Box Sleeve Print Panther, Ontario, Canada Foil Suppliers: Crown Roll Leaf Machinery Suppliers: MGI JETvarnish 3Ds with iFoil-S SILVER Truffles Sleeve Print Panther, Ontario, Canada BRONZE Instruction of Making Digital Foil Card Univacco Technology Inc., Tainan City, Taiwan

BEST USE OF COLD FOILING – SELF PROMOTION GOLD Univacco Cold Foil Label Collection Univacco Technology Inc., Tainan City, Taiwan Foil Suppliers: Univacco Foils Machinery Suppliers: Labelmen PW-260-R8C SILVER Tudor English Dry Gin K Laser Technology Co. LTD., Santa Ana, CA BRONZE Diamond Packaging 2020 Calendar Diamond Packaging, Rochester, NY

PostPress | August/September 2020

BEST USE OF DIGITAL INKJET – COATINGS GOLD From All Angles Jostens, Clarksville, TN Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Owosso Graphic Arts Machinery Suppliers: Saroglia, Scodix SILVER Kratom Label-Red Vein, Green Vein and White Vein Texas Bindery Service, Cedar Creek, TX BRONZE USS John C. Stennis Jostens, Clarksville, TN

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BEST USE OF SPECIALTY UV COATING (SCREEN) GOLD Pantec Tequila eskju | Bretz & Jung Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Hinderer & Muhlich Machinery Suppliers: Gallus RCS-330 + Pantec Rhino SILVER Gabby – The 15th Chapter, Pure BrightMARKS. LLC, Lenexa, KS BRONZE Mulan’s Perfect Present/Jasmine’s New Friends The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY

BEST USE OF LAMINATING FILM GOLD Darling Rose Gold The Bertelsmann Printing Group/Dynamic Graphic Finishing, New York, NY Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Dynamic Engraving SILVER MCC Soft Touch Cabernet Sauvignon Multi-Color Corporation North America Wine & Spirits, Napa, CA

BEST USE OF DIGITAL INKJET – FOIL GOLD Be Seen. Spicer’s Invercote Magazine Insert Print Panther, Ontario, Canada Foil Suppliers: Crown Roll Leaf Machinery Suppliers: MGI JETvarnish 3Ds with iFoil-S SILVER Into the Void DMS Color, Pelham, AL BRONZE Minnesota Timberwolves Mailer The Occasions Group, North Mankato, MN

>> postpressmag.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

AWARDS BEST USE OF UNIQUE BINDING GOLD Orlando Magic Wine Auction Book Southeast Finishing Group, Inc., Orlando, FL Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Gietz, Sakurai

BEST USE OF SPECIALTY UV COATING (TECHNICAL)

SILVER The Pilgrim Jostens, Clarksville, TN

GOLD Lincoln – Black Label BrightMARKS, LLC, Lenexa, KS Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. UV Coatings Suppliers: UV Specialties Coating Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst BMA Foilmaster/40" UV Screen Spot Coater SILVER Petaluma Jostens, Clarksville, TN BRONZE Sauced Gold Leaf Print & Packaging, Pelham, AL

BEST USE OF LETTERPRESS GOLD AGUA Bella Figura, Syracuse, NY Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Hodgins Engraving Machinery Suppliers: Heidelberg Windmill

PostPress | August/September 2020

BEST USE OF SPECIAL DIECUT GOLD Light Up Holiday Lantern Centerpieces All American Label & Packaging, Dublin, CA Machinery Suppliers: Zund G3 3XL-1600 SILVER Advent Health Physician Recruitment Folder Sundance Marketing Solutions, Orlando, FL BRONZE Klean Pinot Grigio Multi-Color Corporation North America Wine & Spirits, Napa, CA

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BEST USE OF FILM CASTING (CAST & CURE™)

BEST USE OF HOLOGRAPHICS

GOLD Apartment Ideas Business Card Box Apartment Ideas, Overland Park, KS Cast & Cure™ Film: Breit Technologies Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Laminating Film: Skador Soft Grip Laminate Machinery Suppliers: LasX Laser System, Scodix Ultra 202

GOLD Drakon Boutwell, Owens & Co., Inc., Fitchburg, MA Foil Suppliers: Hazen Paper (Custom Holographics)

SILVER The World of Printing Multifol Print Finishing Company. Krakow, Poland BRONZE Jergens Body Butter Collection (Rose) Berry Global, Overland Park, KS

SILVER Plastic Free, Recyclable Poseidon Perfume Box Glory Innovations, York, PA BRONZE Vertex Bella Figura, Syracuse, NY

BEST USE OF EMBOSSING GOLD US Capitol Poster Baugh Graphic Finishing House, Indianapolis, IN Foil Suppliers: Inﬁnity Foils, Inc. Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: Universal Engraving, Inc. Machinery Suppliers: Bobst SILVER LCP 2020 MCD, Madison, WI

BEST FOIL/UV COATING SELECTION GUIDE

BRONZE Magic the Gathering MCD, Madison, WI

GOLD Kurz Foil Selector Art of Adding Value Gravure Choquet, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Foil Suppliers: Kurz Transfer Products Foil/Embossing Die Suppliers: H+M USA Machinery Suppliers: Bobst SILVER Inﬁnity Foils – Foil Selection Guide BrightMARKS, LLC, Lenexa, KS BRONZE Univacco Hot Stamping Foil Color Swatch Univacco Technology, Inc., Tainan City, Taiwan BRONZE Gold Leaf Print & Packaging Coating Guide Gold Leaf Print & Packaging, Pelham, AL postpressmag.com

See videos of the 27th Annual Gold Leaf Award winners at www.fsea.com. August/September 2020 | PostPress

TECHNOLOGY

Photo: K Laser Technology Co.

Cold Foil: Best Applications, New Markets and Debunked Myths The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) recently hosted its virtual FSEA Online Learning Experience. As part of the programming, there was a presentation and panel discussion on cold foil. The panel included Tim Cain, president of Cast and Cure film and specialized equipment supplier Breit Technologies LLC; Mike King, president of cold foil equipment manufacturer Eagle Systems; and Stefan Congram, technical print expert for Cartamundi, a global manufacturer of playing cards, trading cards, board games and packaging. The panel discussion covered many topics, including the best applications and new markets for cold foil, as well as debunked myths surrounding the technique.

ver the last several years, the foils, adhesives and technology all have improved to help make cold foil a feasible option for many print decorating applications, replacing more expensive foil laminated board in many situations. Discussing where cold foil is most commonly used, Cartamundi’s Stefan Congram explained that his company uses

PostPress | August/September 2020

By Liz Stevens, writer, PostPress

cold foil for consumer products packaging, especially for the cards and games that are Cartamundi’s forte. “We see a lot of cold foil applications in the folding carton and rigid packaging industries,” said Congram. “We also see applications in direct mail and, obviously, in publications.” He noted that cold foil also is seen frequently for the collectibles, cosmetics, confectionary, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. Eagle Systems’ Mike King pointed to the cold foil work used for premium brands and deluxe products. “For high-end packaging – like Estee Lauder, Polo, Godiva – these are all brand owners that are out there with cold foil in the perfume business, chocolates and wine and spirits,” said King. He also has seen a dramatic increase in certain market applications, partially attributed to the onset of the pandemic. “Now, with COVID-19, the wine and spirits market seems to have gone through the roof when it comes to foil,” he said. “And, believe it or not, even some of the cannabis markets are actually going after cold foil.” postpressmag.com

Breit Technologies’ Tim Cain agreed with King’s comments concerning the opportunities in cannabis packaging. “The cannabis markets really have been a growth industry,” said Cain. “As we start to see more manufacturers with different products and different categories – whether it’s edibles or other cannabis products – we are seeing the same challenges that our consumer products companies see in their retail spaces. They are dealing with a highly educated consumer who is looking for product differentiation on the store shelf, so we are seeing quite a bit of interest in embellishment in that market.” While the wine and spirits market has been using foil and specialty effects for a long time to add distinction and to differentiate its products, most high-end labels were using hot foil stamping, which was perceived to be of higher quality and add more sheen. Today, there are more labels being produced in a sheet-fed format with cold foil than ever before. Even uncoated stocks for high-end wine labels are incorporating cold foil successfully, according to King, which is somewhat new to the market. Advantages and disadvantages of cold foil Even though cold foil doesn’t replace conventional foil stamping or digital foil equipment, it provides significant advantages for certain applications, filling a special niche in the print embellishment industry. King, who has been involved with hot foil for 45 years, said that he is on both sides of the fence when it comes to hot vs. cold foil. “But I’ve learned over the years,” said King, “that with the cold foil, we will get a lot fewer defects in registration.” This is because cold foil is printed inline, and the registration from the first sheet carries over to the last sheet, he explained. King went on to discuss the speed at which cold foil can be applied: “We’re able to run at high speeds all day long. We have machines running at regular speeds of 13,000 to 14,000 sheets an hour, and we have large-volume companies that are running closer to 16,000 and as high as 18,000 sheets per hour. Cold foil does not hold you back from speed.” Cain agreed with King: “The ability to do cold foil inline with the printing also offers some speed advantages, especially when you are talking about these long-run markets, as we are starting to see a backfill taking place because of COVID-19. So, I think there are definitely some manufacturing benefits of doing cold foil above and beyond just some of the highly decorative aspects that people are going for.” Another advantage of cold foil, especially when compared to foil laminated board, is that the operator does not have to cover “nonfoil” areas with white opaque ink or do anything special on glue flaps for folding cartons. Cold foil allows users to knock-out the non-foiled areas on the sheet, making it a much easier process to overprint. Congram said printing small black type on top of opaque white can be problematic. “When you are overprinting on top of opaque postpressmag.com

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TECHNOLOGY <<

white ink, the black is going to end up gray,” he said. “It’s really, really tough to get a true black over an opaque white.” Congram went on, describing aspects of cold foil that stand out. “The thing I like the best about cold foil is it allows for so much flexibility when you are trying to cost-engineer a project with a customer,” he said. “Cold foil is unmatched in flexibility for pricing. You can rotate cartons to get better foil utilization.” Congram went on to point out that webs of foil can be used where the foil needs to be located vs. a foil laminated board that has a full 40 inches of metallic. Another advantage that Congram sees with cold foil is its design potential, “as well as the fact that you can overprint on top of silver to make any color under the rainbow.” In terms of productivity, Congram said, “There is no need for secondary stamping processes, so your throughput is going to be through the roof when compared to all of your other options. It’s certainly the fastest and the most productive way to put foil on a sheet.” The equipment utilized for cold foil transfer also can be used, in most cases, to apply Cast and Cure – a technology that allows operators to add a clear holographic pattern over the printed sheet using a film that can be used several times over. “Having cold foil on offline equipment also gives you some other design capabilities,”

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The equipment utilized for cold foil transfer also can be used, in many cases, to apply Cast and Cure.

stated Cain. “We have several customers in the finishing market that are using Cast and Cure as a secondary embellishment after the job has been printed. So, if a customer is making an investment into a two-color press to have cold foil capabilities, they could utilize that equipment to do other things besides just cold foil.” Cain also commented on cold foil and Cast and Cure as they fit into the short-run and digital markets. “We are starting to see the embellishment side increase on the digital market,” he said. “Equipment from companies like Scodix and MGI is definitely starting to take the foil into the short-run market where, up until a few years ago, there weren’t any embellishment options available. And so, with the ability to look at adding cold foil capabilities without any of the tooling costs to enter it, we are definitely starting to see some expansions of cold foil in those markets, as well as with Cast and Cure.” But Cain noted that cold foil and Cast and Cure cannot fill every embellishment requirement. “As an example, when we were doing the recent Gold Leaf Award judging, one of the products that showcased very well was the souvenir Super Bowl magazine cover,” he said. “The cover had multiple levels of holographics on it and multiple levels of transitions taking place, with print over the top of it, all in register.” A complicated, sophisticated item such as this magazine cover is at the upper echelon of embellishment. “The ability to create truly customizable holographic images, where cost is of no concern, where there are multiple tiers either from a security standpoint or from an embellishment standpoint, shows that there always is going to be a need for those markets. I

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TECHNOLOGY <<

don’t think Cast and Cure or cold foil will ever be able to overtake those markets.” In other examples, cold foil usually is not the best choice to apply a metallic finish if the foiled area on the carton or other printed product is relatively small. And, if the image or images include embossing, cold foil may not be the best choice. Hot foil stamping, in many instances, is the better choice for these types of applications. Debunking the myths Because of some of the initial challenges created by cold foil transfer, there still are myths and overblown concerns about the process. King shared a handful of misconceptions that have proven untrue. “One of the myths was that roll changes took a long time – took an hour – which wasn’t true even way back when. We have tested it out to see what we can do, and we can get it down to a five-minute roll change – or even less if we have to, depending on how we do it.” King said that an additional misconception was that cold foil only worked on certain substrates. “Today, we work on literally every substrate,” he said. “It’s also a myth that cold foil cannot be embossed, because my business cards have been embossed for years and it’s all cold foil. They have one bit of hot foil on them and that was done flat-stamping.”

Congram described his cold foil myth experiences. “I think the biggest one that I hear most commonly is that cold foil is not as shiny as other processes,” he said, “but clearly with the advancement in technology and materials, it’s right up there today, in my opinion.” Congram noted that shine can be a relative quality and offered a helpful tip: “People have to remember that if you are going to put shiny foil on a gloss sheet, you are not really doing yourself any favors on the contrast side. This isn’t a design conversation, but I like to always include these little tidbits – I like to put a matte wherever my cold foil is not, to really bring it to the front.” As these industry veterans have attested, cold foil – a technique no longer shrouded in mystique and myth – can be a fast, manageable and highly effective option for adding stand-out embellishments. Its an effective way to provide a metallic look to a variety of printed material. For more in-depth information on this subject and to hear more from Mike King, Stefan Congram and Tim Cain on this topic, listen to the entire webinar presentation, “The Impact of Cold Foil on the Embellishment Landscape,” by visiting the FSEA Online Learning Experience at www.fseaconference.com.

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EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHT foil decorating From hot stamping to cold foil to Cast and Cure – decorating with foil is one of the best ways to add shelf appeal and catch customer’s attention. While adding metallic effects to packaging is not a new process, the technology is evolving rapidly. From innovations allowing for less waste to greater productivity and increased security options, decorating with foil has come a long way. Below are some of the latest industry advancements for foil decorating processes. Bobst North America 973.226.8000 www.Bobst.com

Eagle Systems 732.226.2111 www.thefoilexperts.com

The BOBST MASTERFOIL 106 PR, from BOBST, Roseland, New Jersey, is packed with features, delivering the high foiling quality and productivity. Its lower-beam cam movement allows for longer impressions, yielding less heat, less pressure and higher quality. The foil unwind system makes changing foils as easy as pressing a button, while delivering savings in foil usage. Brand owners know that packaging is the key differentiator on the shelf and special finishing techniques – like hot foil stamping and thermal embossing – can elevate their product and provide a visual shortcut to the quality of what’s inside.

In 2007, the Eco-Eagle Cold Foil System, from Eagle Systems, Ocean, New Jersey, was developed for sheet-fed offset presses, a technologically advanced, totally automatic and cost-efficient solution. It can run multiple narrow webs of foil of different sizes and can be retrofitted to new or existing 28- to 80-inch sheet-fed offset presses with fast installation and immediate production. All machinery is manufactured in Eagle System’s New Jersey location. Eagle offers Eagle Cold Foil Certification and foiling on uncoated stock, and the company created FoilCURE and Foil Sync.

Compact Foilers 207.894.7016 www.compactfoilers.com The CF1000 range of cold foil and Cast and Cure modules from Compact Foilers, Somerset, England, provides a high-speed, reliable and versatile option for printers looking to enhance their capabilities. With foilsaving methods, the CF1000 provides a cost-effective solution for embellishing any type of packaging, regardless of job size. Its leading tension control system allows the printer to add cold foil to very small text or full sheet coverage efficiently. Compact Foilers also manufactures the digital cold foiling modules for the Scodix Ultra Pro and E106 presses.

PostPress | August/September 2020

Gietz AG +41.79.565.00 60 www.gietz.ch The ROFO 450, from Gietz AG, Gossau, Switzerland, is the preferred narrow web solution for hot foil stamping and security applications. It covers a wide range of products, from highly decorated pressure-sensitive beverage labels to wraps, shrink sleeves and security labels. Up to four hologram webs are applicable in register. The ROFO 450 PLUS offers a maximum speed of 30,000 strokes per hour at 150 m/min. Recently, Gietz introduced a wider version, the ROFO 570, which is able to apply six hologram webs in register.

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Heidelberg USA, Inc. 800.437.7388 www.heidelberg.com/us Regardless of whether the run lengths are long or short, the Easymatrix 106 FC from Heidelberg USA, Kennesaw, Georgia, can enhance packaging offerings with hot foil stamping. In addition to the cutting station, it is equipped with a hot foil unit, which enables installation of three to six longitudinal and up to two transversal foil feeding shafts. Running at up to 7,500 sheets per hour, the Easymatrix 106 FC’s computer system will optimize foil usage and ensure foil register accuracy during the run for the highest quality products.

Kurz Transfer Products, LP 800.950.3645 www.kurzusa.com

Match Machinery, Inc. 805.480.3300 www.matchmachinery.com

The DM-Luxliner for toner-based digital printing systems, from Kurz Transfer Products, Charlotte, North Carolina, is a standalone station for finishing paper and cardstock. The designs to be metallized are first pre-printed on a digital printing machine using liquid or dry toner, then the metal transfer is performed in the DM-Luxliner, and finally the sheets can be overprinted in one of several different processes to create luminous and vibrant metallic colors. Print jobs of different kinds can be finished at any desired time using the DM-Luxliner and overprinted using digital or offset printing as required.

Match Machinery, Newbury Park, California, exclusive North American agent for SBL diecutters, folder-gluers and foil stampers, offers the SBL 1050SEF automatic foil stamping, diecutting, creasing and stripping press. This cost-effective, elevated machine utilizes quality materials in a durable structure and is available in three sizes: 820-SEF, 1050-SEF and 1300SEF. Complete with precision-leveled platen with 300 metric tons of pressure, three individually programmable foil pulls, six foil rewind shafts with dancer rollers and 12 heating zones with individual temperature controls via touchscreen, the equipment has a maximum cutting speed of 7,500 cycles/ hr.

Konica Minolta 201.825.4000 kmbs.konicaminolta.us/

Nobelus 800.895.2747 www.nobelus.com

Headquartered in Ramsey, New Jersey, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, U.S.A., Inc.’s JETvarnish 3DS with iFOIL S provides 2D/3D UV textures and embossed Variable Data Foiling (VDF). The device offers high speed and high productivity – up to 3,000 sheets per hour for 30-micron coating thickness. Ideal for shorter runs, the printer can offer variable content on each piece. Able to varnish up to 232 microns for 3D-raised effects and tactile finishes, the JETvarnish 3DS with iFOIL S can transform 2D flat surfaces into textured sensory experiences.

The Komfi Amiga 52 from Nobelus, Knoxville, Tennessee, is a production laminating system with sleeking capabilities. The Amiga line features a wide range of options, including an inline slitter, inline perforator, a flying-knife separator and the Sleeking™ feature. Similar to foils, but easier and lower cost, Sleeking™ allows the application of metallic foils and holographic, matte and gloss finishes in spot application or full coverage on digital prints. The Amiga 52 production laminating system is a solution for many on-demand and digital printing shops, photo books and specialty publishers.

postpressmag.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHT foil decorating << Profoil Systems Limited +44.1473.707222 www.profoil.com

THERM-O-TYPE Corp. 800.237.9630 www.thermotype.com

The Foil Expert from Profoil Systems Limited, Ipswich, United Kingdom, is a hot foil stamping conversion kit for original Heidelberg platen presses and other similar clamshellstyle machines. The Foil Expert fits neatly into original Heidelberg 10" x 15" and 13" x 18" printer and non-printer models and is self-installable (some mechanical experience required). The Foil Expert offers high-quality stamping with features not available elsewhere on alternative systems to a 0.1 mm pull resolution accuracy – hologram compatible.

The THERM-O-TYPE NSF Ultra foil stamping and diecutting press for finishing and enhancing digital output from THERMO-TYPE, Nokomis, Florida, also can be used to diecut and score pocket/presentation folders. The NSF Ultra has a maximum sheet size of 23.5" by 29", and a maximum impression area of 16.5" by 23.13". The NSF Ultra is the culmination of more than 27 years of collaborative work with the foil stamping, embossing and diecutting industry.

Sakurai USA Inc. 847.490.9400 www.sakurai.com The LQM 76 and LQM 105 ScreenFoil™ Evolution LQM Series, Sakurai USA, Schaumburg, Illinois, is a cost-effective, in-house solution for hot foil finishing without dies. Now available in two sizes, the LQM 76 accepts sheet sizes up to 23 1/2" x 22 1/2" and the LQM 105 accepts sheet sizes up to 41 1/2" x 30". The LQM Series brings a new level of flexibility, quality and performance when combined with any size or vintage Sakurai screen press. Sakurai experts can custom-design a fully integrated screen printing, UV curing system with hot foil finishing for specific requirements.

PostPress | August/September 2020

Vinfoil USA/Matik 860.232.2323 or 800.245.1628 www.matik.com The Vinfoil OPTIMA cold foil system, distributed by Matik, Hartford, Connecticut, offers a MFU-Multi Foil Unit (MFU) foilsaving feature and can achieve speeds of up to 20,000 sheets per hour. Automation features include automatic loading/unloading, direct drive technologies for very rapid six-minute changeovers and VIFOP job set-up software. The Vinfoil OPTIMA can fit any new or used Heidelberg, Koenig & Bauer, Mann or Komori press.

Young Shin USA Limited 847.331.0573 www.youngshinusa.com The REVOTEC 1040FS, offered by Chicago, Illinois-based Young Shin USA, is a hot foil stamping machine that also serves as a stand-alone diecutter with stripping. The 1040FS utilizes a sixfoot foil path (compared to 40-foot on other brands) traveling in the same direction as the sheet, thus shortening the foil’s transport with foil rewind units located in the stripping section. The 1040FS can convert in under 30 minutes to run diecutting and stripping jobs. The 1040FS includes 20% greater weight and 25% greater impressional tonnage. Young Shin provides USbased, company-employed service personnel and a twoyear equipment warranty.

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1.888.2MULLER www.mullermartini.com

September 2, 2020

October 2020

EQUIPMENT HIGHLIGHT mechanical binding From punching to coil crimping and inserting, mechanical binding methods continue to be popular and inexpensive options for users of loose leaf materials. Included below are some of the latest advancements and innovations in mechanical binding technology, including automation and other time and cost-saving features.

DataBind Corporation 860.265.3222 www.data-bind.com

PVC Spiral Supply 800.461.9301 www.pvcspiralsupply.com

Exclusively from DataBind Corporation, Enfield, Connecticut, the RENZ AP 360 digital high-speed production auto-punch saves time and money, offering quick set-up using the digital touchscreen. Streamline setup by saving up to 40 projects in job memories. Germanmade and engineered, the AP 360 digital has punching power of 100,000 sheets/ hour for high-quality book and calendar production. With the RENZ exclusive QSA die system, perform changeovers in minutes with the pull of a pin. Dies available for all types of ring wire, coil and plastic comb. Standard two-part dies with thumb-cut and custom dies also available.

The Marlon 350E all-electric coil crimping unit from PVC Spiral Supply, Boise, Idaho, cuts and crimps 6 to 50 mm plastic coil on both ends of the inserted coil automatically. Featuring easy setup, the machine allows users to cut and crimp without hand pliers, taking away the pain caused by repetitive cutting and turning each end by hand. Change cutter heads or blades to ensure a longer 90-degree right angle tail on each crimp for a more secure book.

Gateway Bookbinding Systems 800.665.7884 www.plastikoil.com The Koilmatic auto coil inserter, manufactured by Gateway Bookbinding Systems, Winnipeg, Canada, is a fully electric, tabletop automatic coil inserter designed with the digital print market in mind â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no tools, no air required. Bind up to 450 books/ hour. Convenient crimping pre-sets for the common 8.5" or 11" binding edge. The Koilmatic is geared for the 8 to 20 mm coil size range. It is easy to use, with consistent finishing.

PostPress | August/September 2020

Performance Design, LLC 208.384.8551 www.rhin-o-tuff.com With the Rhin-O-Tuff Coil Binding System 3000, from Performance Design of Boise, Idaho, in-house coil binding has become more feasible for print shops with limited space. Rhin-OTuff offers a machine that is about the size of a desktop printer, yet has all the functions of larger equipment, including drilling holes in the sheets of paper, inserting the coil or spiral into the holes and crimping the end of the coil. As the world becomes more dependent on short-run digital work, consider this all-in-one model when high-quality bound paper documents on-demand are needed.

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Small Format Folder-Gluer.

The Diana Go 85: Versatility for Commercial Finishing.

With speeds up to 984 ft/min, Heidelberg’s new folder-gluer is designed for efficient finishing of commercial applications – including presentation folders, direct mail pieces, envelopes, tipping – and folding cartons alike. The Diana Go fits well in most commercial environments due to its compact design and its versatility. Fast change-overs are supported by the legendary Diana heritage throughout the machine: • Wide format range: feeding width of 33.4" down to 1.8" • Cut-out side frames for optimal operator access • Consistent profile and height of carriers for mounting and moving attachments easily throughout the machine • Color touchscreen control

The Diana Go is the perfect choice for any commercial printer looking to bring their ﬁnishing in-house.

Read our recent Diana Go Customer Success Story at http://news.heidelbergusa.com/riddle-press

Finishing for a wide variety of commercial AND folding carton applications! The third-party veriﬁed GS-Seal conﬁrms compliance with all applicable safety laws – mechanically, electrically and operationally.

Heidelberg USA, Inc. 1000 Gutenberg Drive, Kennesaw, Georgia 30144 Phone 800 437 7388, Email info@heidelberg.com news.heidelbergusa.com

INSTALLATIONS [1] Superior Lithographics, Vernon California, recently invested in another PPCTS DGM SMARTFOLD 1100SL ULTRA XL folder gluer with DGM prefeed and an IMPACK VIRTUO auto-packer. The recently commissioned line will allow Superior’s current SMARTFOLD 1100SL ULTRA with IMPACK perpack packer to concentrate on more complex cartons.

VollherbstDruck GmbH, Kaiserstuhl, Germany, will soon start utilizing an EcoLeaf metallization unit from A B Graphic International (ABG). The EcoLeaf will enable the company to offer an alternative solution to traditional hot foil for a large and growing percentage of its jobs, significantly improving its sustainability credentials.

[2] Riddle Press, Beaverton, Oregon,

recently installed a Heidelberg Scalable Solutions with Easymatrix 106 CS and a Heidelberg Diana Go 85. The new equipment has allowed the company to expand its offerings and increase productivity.

Commercial printer Kester Imaging (KI), Arkansas City, Kansas, recently purchased a Konica Minolta MGI JETvarnish 3D One. The company chose the machine to expand

its digital embellishment line of business now that the company is receiving more outsourced projects from other printers.

[3] Announcement Converters, Opa Locka, Florida, recently installed a Rollem International Insignia6 diecutter, which will help to the company in producing its variety of products and will facilitate the wide combination of colors, textures and sizes it uses that are equally as essential as the print and copy itself. Encore Packaging Solutions, Peterlee, United Kingdom, has chosen to invest in a new NOVACUT 106 ER from Bobst. The new investment will boost capacity and productivity, enabling the company to be more competitive in new and existing markets. Complete Design & Packaging (CDP), will add a new Young Shin Zenith 210 Plus diecutter to support its growing production requirements at its Concord, North Carolina, headquarters. The Zenith 210 Plus will allow the company to maximize and streamline the diecutting process to further enhance its quality and turnaround time for clients, particularly expediting volume digital print projects.

CMYK Enterprises Inc., Stockton CA, has installed the innovative PPCTS DGM SMARTFOLD 1100SL ULTRA Folder Gluer for folding cartons production. The SMARTFOLD 1100SL ULTRA was installed in early February 2020 and has given CMYK the ability to handle complex and high-speed folding/gluing production to help handle their explosive growth. “With our recent move and expansion, the SMARTFOLD has been a valuable asset to our growth,” stated Nick Pappas, CEO of CMYK Enterprises Inc. CMYK produces a variety of folding cartons and the new ULTRA folder gluer will help increase productivity and quality of its range of complex cartons. The SMARTFOLD 1100SL ULTRA is built with an extra length pre-folding section with tilting upper carrier frame, an extra length "universal crash-lock multi-function section" with integrated "bump & turn" and carton aligner, left & right 6 corner folding, as well as an extra length final folding section with drop down lower and lifting upper center carriers. It is powered with a multiple servo drive system for precise carton compression section shingle control through inching, production, acceleration and deceleration speed changes, as well as an innovative highspeed servo back folding system which allows minimal carton separation that increases production throughput of 4 and 6 corner cartons at lower belt speeds. CMYK’s commitment is to consistency deliver the finest quality printing and promotional products with on time exceptional value. The new SMARTFOLD 1100SL ULTRA is a new addition to help with that commitment.

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August/September 2020 | PostPress

INDUSTRY Sun Chemical Upgrades to SGP Gold Patronage The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) is pleased to announce that Sun Chemical, Parsippany, New Jersey, has upgraded from silver SGP patronage to gold, furthering its commitment to a sustainable supply chain. Sun Chemical has been an SGP patron since 2017 and upgraded to gold patronage as a commitment to its sustainable partnerships in the industry. Sun Chemical’s support of the market, customers and suppliers is paramount to achieving its common sustainability initiatives. To learn more about how to become an SGP Patron and join the future of the sustainable circular supply chain, visit www.sgppartnership.org.

Leary Introduces “Better Ideas Driven by Quality” Campaign W. H. Leary Company, a manufacturer of gluing and detection solutions, Tinley Park, Illinois, has launched its new campaign – Better Ideas Driven by Quality. The campaign challenges both Leary and its customers to develop more creative and efficient ways to operate. Leary will showcase this new campaign through its focus to continually be solution driven. Products and services also will align with sustainable productivity, preserving the full health and wellness of plant operations. Software will maintain carton quality to safeguard product output from human error or machine malfunction – delivering immediate cost savings. Industry-standard service and support delivers attention to detail in all areas of the sales and support cycle. For more information, visit www.whleary.com.

Shortened Dates for drupa 2021 Messe Düsseldorf North America, Chicago, Illinois, has announced that the duration of drupa will be shortened from 11 to nine days and now will be held April 20 – 28, 2021, at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. This decision is in response to the wishes of partner association VDMA and many exhibitors and in reaction to any continuing travel activities and restrictions. The booking status remains at a high level, with more than 1,500 exhibitors and a net hall space of more than 140,000 square meters. For more information, visit www.drupa.com.

Infinity® Foils Announces Opening of New Headquarters Infinity Foils, Inc., recently unveiled its new headquarters facility, located in Lenexa, Kansas. To commemorate the grand opening, Jim Hutchison, president/CEO, cut the ribbon on the new facility on March 25, 2020. The new headquarters is an expansion of the original Infinity® Foils location. Now having three times more space, it increases capacity for ®

PostPress | August/September 2020

foil products as well as additional slitting and cutting capabilities. With seven warehouse locations, including another converting facility in Napa, California, Infinity® Foils has continued to expand to better service customers. For more information, visit www.infinityfoils.com.

Horizon Donates Face Shields Horizon International, Takashima, Japan, a partner of Andover, Massachusetts-based Standard Machinery, recently made news for its donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) that was manufactured using Horizon’s rotary diecutting technology. Horizon donated over 3,000 face shields and 6,000 eye shields to its local community and hospital to help those on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis. The face shields and eye shields were produced by Horizon using its extensive manufacturing experience in the printing industry. However, instead of normal paper, Horizon used clear PET sheets (a lightweight thermoplastic) that then was processed using its rotary diecutting technology. For more information, visit www.sdmc.com.

Labelexpo and Brand Print Americas Shows Postponed Tarsus Group, the organizer of Labelexpo and Brand Print Americas 2020, has confirmed new dates for its co-located shows, taking place in Rosemont, Illinois, as a result of the ongoing coronavirus/COVID-19 situation. Originally scheduled to take place September 15-17, the 2020 editions of Labelexpo Americas and Brand Print Americas now will take place March 23-25, 2021. A virtual conference will precede the show, taking place during the original mid-September dates. This will enable the region’s industry to stay connected during this unprecedented period. Further updates will be posted on the Labelexpo and Brand Print Americas show websites in due course. For any exhibitor or showrelated questions, contact support@labelexpo.com.

NEW FACES

Best Graphics Group, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has added Jack Fleming to its equipment sales and technical support team. His expertise includes press equipment sales, installation support/ layout and implementation. Kolbus America Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, announced Jeffrey R. Dietz as its new president. In this role, Dietz will assume overall responsibility for the Kolbus, Hycorr and Autobox product lines in North America. LasX Industries, Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, announced Michael Aumann as senior vice president. One of Aumann’s first priorities will be to ensure the company’s growth is aligned with a focus on strategy, organization and execution.

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EDUCATION

The Workforce Solution is Career Awareness

By Donna Painter, assistant professor, Department of Applied Engineering, Safety & Technology, Millersville University

urrently, there is a lot of unpredictability in the future of the print and finishing business, but there is one thing that is known for certain – an infusion of skilled young talent is needed to continue to innovate and thrive. While struggling to manage the risks and uncertainties of doing business during a global health crisis, talent development may seem like a low priority, but consider this: When the economy emerges from this pandemic, the workforce will be older, and businesses still will be facing an impending workforce shortage. Finding, attracting and retaining young talent remains one of the industry’s primary challenges. The Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition (GCWC) was formed last year to coordinate a cohesive, industry-wide effort to attract, recruit and retain the next generation of workers. GCWC has completed a comprehensive survey of the industry and released a white paper, titled “Workforce Concerns in Graphic Communications,” detailing the results and recommended actions. Survey respondents covered all areas of the industry, including service providers, suppliers, associations and schools. The purpose of the survey was to identify current efforts to cultivate talent and define areas that need support. The primary finding of this paper was that the young talent so desired is not aware of the career possibilities in printing and graphics. To determine the kinds of workforce development options that are most needed, this survey asked participants to rank seven items from most to least effective. Highly ranked options designed to draw in new employees were internships, hands-on equipment training, skills training and certifications, and apprenticeships, but career awareness clearly was ranked as the most effective means to attract and retain workers. Rankings of all seven items are shown on the chart Effectiveness of Workforce Development Options.

The young talent the industry desperately needs is not aware of the careers available in print media, because the industry is not showing these young people what it looks like to work in this field. This industry offers high-tech, highly skilled positions that require creative problem solving and critical thinking. It has interesting, desirable jobs – but young people think it is old tech, low-skill and boring. The industry needs to overcome that flawed perception. postpressmag.com

With an increased awareness of careers in printing and graphics, and opportunities through internships and apprenticeships, it could motivate students to pursue this field of study and ultimately help to meet the workforce needs of the industry. GCWC will be working through its membership to provide positive messaging about graphic communication careers. The complete white paper, “Workforce Concerns in Graphic Communications,” can be downloaded by going to the GCWC website. Become an active part of the Graphic Communications Workforce Coalition. The Coalition consists of associations (including the FSEA), educators and industry representatives that have joined together to coordinate the efforts of organizations to create awareness, recruit new people into the industry, provide a framework for apprenticeship and training programs, and retain the existing workforce. Join GCWC at www.gccoalition.org. Donna M. Painter, M.Ed, is an assistant professor at Millersville University and a GCWC Board Member. She teaches graphic communication and writes and presents about the need to develop the next generation of leaders. For more information, contact donna.painter@millersville.edu.

August/September 2020 | PostPress

QUESTION & ANSWER

Folding/Gluing: Working with Short-Run Cartons

By Kevin Koplin, managing director, and Shawn Rogers, training manager, American International Machinery

hose in the industry know that print runs for most everything have become shorter, including many applications for folding cartons. Today, carton runs have been affected by companies having the ability to digitally print short-run cartons as well – meaning carton runs for many applications are becoming shorter and shorter.

performed at regular intervals on the folder-gluer and experienced or well-trained operators also are keys to success and keeping costs low. For example, if there is a glue issue on a carton, an experienced operator may explain that taking 1/32" off the edge of the glue flap will eliminate the carton adhesion problem in the future.

No matter how short or long a run for a folding carton project is, in most cases, it must go on a folder-gluer before the final packaging of the product. The folding/gluing process can be meticulous and time consuming, so any type of pre-planning and preparation before the carton reaches the machine is extremely important. PostPress reached out to Kevin Koplin and Shawn Rogers from American International Machinery and asked them to share some tips for working with smaller carton runs, including how to keep makereadies and set-up times to a minimum.

Another easy suggestion for times when a coating or varnish is being used is to ask the designer and printer to “knock out” the coating on the glue flap area, eliminating any potential problems where the glue might not adhere to the coated flap. Sometimes, simple adjustments to the design or final printing can save a great deal of time on the folder-gluer.

What recommendations would you make to the designer of a folding carton a niche-market and shorter-run product?

When working with shorter carton runs, how can operators decrease setup times and decrease overall time on the folder-gluer? Decreasing makeready times can be approached in many ways. One is to “gang” together jobs that are using a common style of carton set-up. For instance, if there are several jobs of straight-line

We would highly recommend that the designer discuss the project with the company that is doing the folding/gluing of the carton prior to production. Even better, if an experienced operator can be involved before the final design, on-press challenges can be avoided. Often, operators can determine what issues may arise and how to solve them before running the cartons, potentially saving set-up and running time, as well as decreasing product waste.

From a carton design standpoint, what can help keep folder-gluer costs down when working with shorter runs? When designing the carton, it is important to use quality materials, such as paper stock and glue. Additionally, preventative maintenance

PostPress | August/September 2020

Potential challenges with the folder-gluer can be avoided when experienced operators are involved in the final design process. postpressmag.com

This means measuring carrier positions, tooling positions and any other movable/removable parts that are used in the makeready process. There are many different measuring methods for saving this information. Some machines have dial indicators for each carrier to allow the operator to log its location in a database or on a sheet of paper. If all of this information is computerized on the folder-gluer, then it is stored for the operator. Creating a job folder is great for repeat orders for the job history. Following the recorded measuring methods and information prior to producing the order could eliminate mistakes and certainly can save time on press, which is so important on short-run jobs. Also, photos and videos are good tools. Some operators need it to be visual, and a photo or video can help them remember how a job was set up in the past. Pre-planning and preparation is crutial when it comes to folding/gluing as the process can be time consuming.

cartons, running those one right after another will cut down on changeover time because of the similar tooling. Second, it can be a time saver to keep much of the tooling on the machine during changeovers to avoid extra steps when in makeready. Third, and extremely important, is standardization. Standardizing a carton to the machine will decrease makeready times substantially.

When working with coatings or varnishes, what are some ways to decrease potential challenges on the folder-gluer, which in-turn can keep costs down for the project? Coating issues in the finishing department mostly are driven by press issues. If the coatings were not properly cured or dried,

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August/September 2020 | PostPress

QUESTION & ANSWER <<

excess spray powder sometimes is used on the sheets. This can cause plenty of issues on the folder-gluers, such as skipping and other quality issues with the printed and coated sheet. Ensuring cartons are coming off the printing press in quality condition before folding/gluing will save time and product waste. When possible, coatings are needed to prevent downtime and other unforeseen issues during the gluing process. Many times, cartons will not feed or stack consistently, which will lead to high waste and customer complaints. So, if it is a short-run carton job, coatings are recommended. Many times, the problem can be with the sheets being UV-coated inline vs. offline because the ink doesn’t dry properly or the coating is not cured properly. Again, coating sheets on an off-line coater may be a better choice and help eliminate that problem.

What other challenges do short runs create for the finisher or carton manufacturer when folding/gluing? The biggest challenge is the turnover time in between projects, with short runs often meaning multiple makereadies in a shift or day. Depending on the level of operator experience, this can

either make or break a project in terms of profitability. Machine and job standardization is the key to being successful in highvolume throughput. Being proactive and not reactive will increase productivity and reduce waste and downtime.

What future trends in the marketplace will affect the folding/gluing of cartons? The three main challenges are personnel, maintenance and training. Many companies are experiencing high turnover rates and an all-around operator shortage in the industry. Lack of qualified personnel can lead to production and process issues. Preventative maintenance often is put on the back burner as supply and demand are the focus and sometimes overshadow the health of the machine. Simple daily, weekly and monthly equipment checks can save hours or sometimes weeks of downtime should the equipment reach a failure point that could have been avoided. Having a machine go down for weeks while waiting on parts can be detrimental to a business.

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Operator training is a must and structured training programs, including refresher training courses, are key to achieving faster makeready times, improved run speeds and quality product – resulting in customer retention and higher profitability. American International Machinery (AIM) is a second-generation, family-owned business that provides a comprehensive line of products and support services for the paperboard and corrugated converting industry, including new, remanufactured and used equipment. AIM established the Signature Folder Gluers brand as one of the top converting equipment options in the industry, focusing on versatility and affordability for packaging companies. For more information, visit www.aim-inc.net/.

…IF THERE ARE SEVERAL JOBS OF STRAIGHT-LINE CARTONS, RUNNING THOSE ONE RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER WILL CUT DOWN ON CHANGEOVER TIME BECAUSE OF THE SIMILAR TOOLING.

Rotary Diecutting a Popular Option for Short-Run Cartons In addition to many changes being made with folding/gluing to accommodate short-run folding cartons, there also is a trend toward using rotary diecutting equipment for short-run work. Rotary diecutting utilizes two magnetic cylinders spinning inward toward one another using a thin flexible die(s) with a metal back to adhere to the cylinder(s) (certain machines use two dies, others just one). When the sheet of cartons travels between the two cylinders, downward pressure is applied via the machine and the cutting blades on the flexible die cuts the sheet on the other side after the rotation is complete.

Folding carton production on rotary systems is ideal for shortruns given the ability to change from one carton skew to another in as little as 10 minutes, which enables companies to justify carton runs as small as 500 sheets. Those sort of runs are difficult to justify on a larger platen press where set-up can be 30 minutes to an hour to run the machine for five to 10 minutes for a 500 to 1,000 sheet job. This information was provided by Kevin Corwin, product manager for Rollem’s Insignia diecutting line. For more information, visit www.rollemusa.com.

One of the biggest advantages of rotary diecutting is changeover time from one job to another. As with folding/gluing, this is extremely important for short-run work to create a suitable profit level on the job. A rotary machine can be changed from one job to the next in as little as 10 minutes, where a more conventional diecutting press can take as long as one hour. Another advantage of rotary diecutting is it provides the operator the ability to create more complex diecutting patterns because the die is CNC engraved vs. the bent steel used on a conventional steel rule die. In addition, flexible dies are much easier to store and can be housed in small filing cabinets, which can help finishers and folding carton manufacturers decrease overall storage space for cutting dies. There are limitations that must be considered with rotary diecutting as well. The major limitation of the process is with the thickness of the stock/material being diecut. The flexible dies have overall limitations on how far they can cut into the material, where steel rule dies are conventionally two to three inches thick, allowing taller cutting blades to reach through thicker stocks and materials. So, it is important to check the thickness of the carton before considering rotary diecutting as an option.

postpressmag.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

BINDERY How can operators determine the best die to use for the punching job? Both Boynton and Xynos said die choice is customer driven. “There are many patterns available – oval, round, square, etc. – and there are six or seven different punch machines on the market that can create the pattern most desirable to the customer for the job at hand,” Boynton said.

Paper Punching in the Digital Age

Reprinted from The Binding Edge

hile many predicted the digital age would be the death of print, time has proven that to be anything but true. If anything, digital technology and print have proven to co-exist quite nicely. This is due in part to the continued need for hard copies of important documents and reference materials. As a result, processes such as spiral binding and on-demand printing will continue to have a place and purpose even as technology continues to evolve. Industry experts at Punchmaster Tool & Die Ltd. and Update Ltd. have weighed in on the subject of paper punching technology in the digital age and how technology has and will continue to affect the process.

What factors can affect the quality of the paper punch? Todd Boynton, owner of Update Ltd. in Chaska, Minnesota, recommended investing in highquality punching equipment and then maintaining that equipment to ensure that it holds up and stays sharp. “You have to stay on top of the maintenance and replacement aspect," Boynton said. “The replaceable parts – the parts that do the piercing – are made in different capacities, and some punches are made better than others,” John Xynos, owner and operator of Punchmaster Tool & Die Ltd. in Sharon, Ontario, Canada, added, “Punching tools are highly misunderstood. For example, I commonly hear people ask for a spare set of punch pins. They figure that if they get a bad cut, then they simply can replace the pins and the hole quality will be as good as new. But, that is not the case.” He explained that when it comes to punching tools, it’s the fit that provides the hole quality. “If you have a bad fit – if the pin is sloppy in the hole – then the punch quality will be terrible. The sharp edge on the punch pins does help, but not as much as the proper fit does,” Xynos said.

PostPress | August/September 2020

Have there been any recent advances or modifications to paper punching equipment? According to Xynos, punching tools have not changed much in the last 10 years. He added that, “If you don’t do it on press, you only can punch through so much thickness at a time – 12 sheets up to 4.5mm thick – regardless of new technology." Boynton added, “You can spend a lot of time and money designing conveyance or auto-feeding capabilities, but in the end, the job still will require a lot of handwork.” Xynos said that Punchmaster uses the best steel alloy for any application, and if new technology or materials become available, then the company will test it on a few tools. “We will build a tool using new materials and then provide it to a trade bindery for a trial period of time,” he explained.

How has the demand for faster production speeds and smaller run sizes changed paper punching technology? Xynos said the switch to digital panels has resulted in faster changeovers for

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Embellish your printing and increase profits with ScreenFoil ™

The LQM 105 Evolution Series hot foil stamper shown with Natgraph dryer and MS102 AX screen press.

Introd Introducing the LQM Series of in-line hot stampers from Sakurai. foil st The LQM 105

The ScreenFoil Evolution Series model LQM 76 runs sheet sizes up to 23-1/2” x 21-1/2”. The larger LQM 105 runs sheet sizes up to 41-1/2” x 30”.

Achieve am amazing flat, tactile or 3D effects with the new LQM 76 and LQM 105 Evolution Series, S a cost-effective in-house solution for hot foil finishing. The new L LQM Series has many new features to increase productivity including a larger 3” web core diameter, an alignment conveyor to precisely transport printed sheets, a user-friendly touch screen and foil saving capability. Sakurai can custom design a fully integrated screen printing, UV curing system with hot foil finishing for your specific requirements. To learn more, call Sakurai Sales at 1-847-490-9400 or email David Rose, david@sakurai.com

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BINDERY <<

smaller runs. Boynton added that coil has sped things up nicely in the smaller-run market, but standard notebook work hasn’t changed much despite increasing demand for faster production speeds and smaller run sizes.

What maintenance steps should be taken to keep the punch working eﬃciently? When it comes to lubrication, different tools require different lubrication. “All tools that have a felt strip should be lubricated only with oil,” Xynos said. “We recommend using only oil on all Punchmaster tools because our fit is very precise. The worst thing you could use on our tools is grease, which is too thick to get where it’s needed.” Boynton added that the cleaning, storage and handling of punching tools is very important. Once the teeth become dull, there’s an entire row of teeth that will need to be either sharpened or replaced. Punchmaster Tool & Die Ltd., Sharon, Ontario, Canada, specializes in designing and building paper punching tools and providing equipment manufacturers with tool designs for use in

It’s now more important than ever to buy coil made in America.

their punching equipment. Update Ltd., Chaska, Minnesota, is a service company that provides a variety of equipment, parts and supplies for the finishing industry. For more information, visit www.punchmastertools.com and www.updateltd.com.

Troubleshooting and Maintaining Punching Equipment Trouble usually arises with punching equipment when the holes are not cut smoothly or evenly, or when the machine seems to jam. This often is due to a few simple reasons:  The paper is not lined up correctly in the unit, so that the resulting cut is not parallel with the edge of the paper.  Trying to process too many sheets. As a result, the bottom holes may not completely pierce the paper.  The chip tray is so full that the paper chads created in the punching process block access for more waste. When done carefully, lining up the pages to be bound is simple. In the punching process, be sure not to exceed the drilling capabilities of the machine. If trying to punch more than the recommended number of pages, the machine punches may be incomplete, and, for manual machines, may require putting more pressure on the handle. For electric machines, this can strain the motor. As for paper waste, cleaning out the tray is a matter of replacing a cover or opening a door, so it should be emptied during and after jobs to prevent clogging. If punching a document with adhesives, die maintenance should be done, as described below, when the job is complete. This prevents the adhesive from hardening around the pins. Most problems with the machine can be controlled by proper use and occasional maintenance to the machine and the dies. By simply dabbing lightweight machine oil on a cloth, and gently rubbing it over the exposed areas of the punch pins while the die is out of the punch, it can be lubricated so the unit runs smoothly. Before resuming work with the machine, punch some scrap paper until the oil is absorbed – usually after several punches. Use the same lubricating process on dies after using paper with adhesives on it. If using accessories, such as an electric coil inserter or openers or closers, check the instruction manual to see if these parts need lubrication.

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PostPress | August/September 2020

The information for this sidebar was obtained from the RhinO-Tuff blog post, “Well-Maintained Binding Equipment Makes for Clean Machine Punches,” by John Lugviel, vice president of business development, www.rhin-o-tuff.com/ blog. For more information on Rhin-O-Tuff’s line of bindery equipment, visit www.rhin-o-tuff.com.

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PRODUCT

[1] THERM-O-TYPE Offers NSF Ultra Foil Stamping and Diecutting Press The NSF Ultra from THERM-O-TYPE, Nokomis, Florida, is the culmination of more than 27 years of collaborative work with the foil stamping, embossing and diecutting industry. The NSF Ultra for finishing and enhancing digital output also can be used to diecut and score pocket/presentation folders. The NSF Ultra has a maximum sheet size of 23.5" by 29" and a maximum impression area of 16.5" by 23.13". For more information, visit www.thermotype.com or call 800.237.9630.

OMET Introduces DigiPack OMET Americas Inc., Elk Grove Village, Illinois, introduced DigiPack, a digital finishing solution. The DigiPack features a completely modular platform, allowing it to be designed to meet customers’ needs. It is offered in widths of 17", 20", 26" and 33" for finishing project sizes from tags and labels all the way up to flexible packaging and shrink sleeves. The DigiPack is designed to precisely re-register digital jobs to maintain quality with minimal waste. Features include multiple flexo stations for coatings, spot colors, white and adhesives; UV, UV LED, water-base and solvent-base ink systems; and embellishments such as cold foil, hot foil, lamination, diecutting, rotary screen and gravure. For more information, visit www.ometamericasinc.com.

[2] Scodix Releases Studio Station Scodix, Inc., Saddle Brook, New Jersey, released Scodix Studio Station, a productivity workflow package designed for the Scodix Ultra family of presses. Fit for commercial printers, publishers, folding carton converters, finishers and others, the Studio Station package enables up to 60% acceleration in processing of jobs and continuous printing as processing occurs in parallel to press operations. The package utilizes a dedicated computer for job preparation and external RIP, optimizing the processing of largevolume and big variable-data jobs with high page count. Studio Station introduces Scodix ARP™ (automatic registration process), which expands the registration possibilities on the Scodix Ultra presses by adding two registration methods for 100μm accuracy. For more information, visit www.scodix.com.

[3] Spiral Binding Introduces Royal Sovereign Sigmont 55H Laminator Spiral Binding LLC, Totowa, New Jersey, introduced the Royal Sovereign Sigmont 55H heat-assist roll laminator. The Sigmont 55H offers a 55" laminating width and has a heat-assist top roller to wet out pressure-sensitive laminate for adhesion and application to media. With a laminating speed of up to 49.2 feet per minute, highgrade silicone rollers and a top roller temperature of up to 140° F, it is ideal for production operations. The laminator has a roller on the front edge of the feed table and, using the bottom media

PostPress | August/September 2020

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THERM-O-TYPE D I G I TA L F I N I S H I N G SO LUT I O N S

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The NSF Excel Mark II is the culmination of over 25 years of collaborative work between major producers of foil stamping, embossing and die cutting products. 18.5" x 20.5" maximum sheet size, Optional inline waste stripping attachment, Up to 5,000 iph, 12.125" x 17.625" maximum impression area and Up to 8 programmable impression positions per sheet.

RDC-Flex

New Glue -Tech model Auto -1420 sheet-to-sheet gluer. The Glue -Tech is designed to efficiently, and cost effectively, produce thick business cards and other printed products using eco-friendly water- soluble glue. The Glue -Tech is an alternative to expensive cohesive papers, and offers paper type and size flexibility.

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Features include hole and bindery punching, die cutting, including round corner products, blind embossing, perforating and scoring (including up and/or down). Inline slit, score, perf and semi slit.

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PRODUCT

of plastic usage where the plastic lacked any real function. These included plastic packaging for lightbulbs, headphones and textiles. Packaging made of plasticcoated paperboard has existed for decades. But thanks to the latest advances in paperboard manufacturing, they have gained better functionality and reduced their climate impact. The debate over fossil vs. renewable materials and their respective climate impacts has further placed the combination of plastic and paperboard in an increasingly positive light. For more information, visit www.iggesund.com.

Mactac® Launches MacBond® FBR899 Series Tapes 7 supply as a front feeder along with the rear integrated rewinder, enables roll-to-roll laminating. For more information, visit www.spiralbinding.com.

[4] Nobelus Launches Gilt Metalized Nobelus, Knoxville, Tennessee, is launching its newest printable laminate film, Gilt Metalized. Gilt Metalized is a specialty thermal printable laminate film with a gold reflective foil effect. With properties that allow spot varnishes and foil stamped products to adhere to the film, graphics producers and brand owners can create show-stopping special effects. This flexible film can be combined with any LuxeFilms overlaminate for a unique addition to specialty high-end packaging, book covers and point-of-sale displays. This PET thermal laminate is a gold metallic film. Printability and machineability allow in-house production of met poly board by utilizing nearly any one-sided laminating machine. For more information, visit www.nobelus.com.

[5] Iggesund Offers Barrier-Coated Paperboard Paperboard producer Iggesund Paperboard, Iggesund, Sweden, now offers Inverform, a barrier-coated composite paperboard. In food packaging, for example, the material can replace all-plastic trays and reduce the trays’ climate impact. Iggesund Paperboard also surveyed non-food retail packaging and found many examples

PostPress | August/September 2020

Mactac® Industrial Tapes, Stow, Ohio, launched MacBond® FBR899 series tapes, a line of industrial tapes designed to adhere to nearly any and every surface. The product line features Mactac’s workhorse MacBond FBR899 adhesive. MacBond FBR899 offers the highest tack rubber available, as well as an excellent blend of adhesion and peel. It has low-surface energy (LSE) performance and adhesion to most open- and closed-cell foams, as well as corrugated materials. Additionally, it forms aggressive bonds to textiles and textured surfaces. MacBond FBR899 series tapes are offered in transfer adhesive and double-coated film form with a 0.5-mil PET carrier. For more information, visit www.mactac.com.

[6] Neenah Unveils Explore 7 for Small Businesses To demonstrate just how far digital printing has advanced and the possibilities of creative thinking for any small business project, paper manufacturer Neenah, Alpharetta, Georgia, has released Explore 7. This volume features samples of sustainable branding ideas for small, local retail businesses. Printed digitally using the HP Indigo® 7900, the promotion pushes the limits of this digital press’ capabilities. It showcases the new HP Indigo ElectroInk Silver metallic ink and a multitude of specialty printing techniques. Neenah offers downloadable dielines for every printed sample included in Explore 7 and the previous volumes, resulting in dielines for more than 50 custom designs. Short-run samples – including original boxes, hang tags, gift certificate holders, table tents, direct mail and more – can be explored. For more information, visit www.neenahpaper.com.

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August/September 2020 | PostPress

PRODUCT

to return them to peak performance and see legacy stitchers perform like new. A MMInspect report covers a condition analysis by component with a report featuring a graphical depiction of the customer’s machine vs. one that performs optimally, workflow revisions that can limit bottlenecks and other slowdowns, recommended repair and/or parts, and available upgrades. With a MMInspect report, owners can see how well their machines perform and where improvement is needed to achieve optimal productivity. For more information, visit www.mullermartini.com.

[9] Konica Minolta Offers AccurioShine 101 Desktop Laminator Solution

[7] Standard’s New Three-Side Trimmer Brings Productivity and Automation Standard Finishing Systems, Andover, Massachusetts, has announced the next-generation Standard Horizon HT-300 threeside trimmer, offering higher productivity and further automation, and bringing new levels of quality and performance to the shortrun, print-on-demand book market. It complements Horizon shortrun automated perfect binders for completely professional book production with easy, reliable and precise trimming. The HT-300 enables true one-to-one variable format production. Set up for finishing is done on the fly with zero makeready, without reducing production speed, by reading a barcode at the entrance of the trimmer with no operator input required. Key features include a fixed cutting table, LED lighting, up to six different colors available to indicate system status, stacked output and count calibration, a 12.1" touchscreen, trim removal adjustment and a barcode reader. For more information, visit www.standardfinishing.com.

[8] Müller Martini Now Offers MMInspect for Saddlestitcher Analysis Müller Martini Corp., Hauppauge, New York, now offers MMInspect, a thorough analysis of Müller Martini saddlestitchers

PostPress | August/September 2020

The AccurioShine 101 from Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Ramsey, New Jersey, offers specialized embellishment finishing effects in combination with its production printers and a small footprint, affordable price point and multi-coating functions. This low-volume desktop laminator solution, with its simple, quick job set-up process, makes embellishment available in-house at a printer’s fingertips. Benefits include high value-added printing and high-quality CMYK overprint on foil. Special effects include toner foiling, metallic color foil, lamination films and spot gloss highlights. Easy operation enables short lead times for in-house added-value print services and the affordable price allows users to bring a special bling to projects. For more information, visit www.kmbs.konicaminolta.us/.

[10] Monadnock Launces Envi® PC 100 Coated Performance Board Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc., Bennington, New Hampshire, announced the release of its new portfolio of Monadnock Envi® PC 100 coated performance board. Recyclable Envi PC 100 performance board is crafted in the United States and is FSC Certified, with 100% post-consumer waste recycled fiber. Enduse packaging applications include cosmetics, fragrances, nutraceuticals/CBD, wine and spirits, fashion accessories, health and wellness, jewelry and watches, and tech and entertainment. Envi PC 100 performance board is engineered to deliver high print fidelity, exceptional folding characteristics with full ink coverage and a stage for embossing and foil stamping. The line comprises 15, 16 and 18 pt. board and is available in 28 X 40" sheets for immediate delivery. Stock also is available uncoated and can be customized with coating on both sides. For more information, visit www.mpm.com or call 800.221.2159.

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the finest quality brass and copper dies. Exceptional Service, Precision Quality, Always Made In America.

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LIFETIME TRIBUTE

FSEA Remembers Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: John Tinnon

By Kym Conis, former assistant director, FSEA

John R. Tinnon of Glencoe, Illinois, was born on September 1, 1948, in Caruthersville, Missouri, and left this earth on June 25, 2020, after a long illness. Tinnon was a charismatic, generous and commanding man of integrity with a sounding laughter and a smile for everyone. He cared passionately about his family and his friendships and was a mentor to many. He spent more than 40 years as a founder, owner and chairman of a number of companies relating to the graphic arts industry. His pioneering spirit, leadership and contagious energy permeated the entire industry from the implementation of business models to his guidance in the Foil and Specialty Effects Association (FSEA). Building and restoration were recurring themes in his career. Tinnon was awarded an FSEA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. The following article appeared in the February/March issue of Inside Finishing.

erfecting a craft can be a powerful first step toward success. Applying the right business strategies to mold that craft into a thriving finishing operation is more powerful yet. Combine the two with an indomitable spirit unafraid to set the industry bar – time and time again – and you have a force destined to shine. Over a thirty-year span, John Tinnon led a remarkable team in building one of the largest turnkey graphic arts finishing operations in North America, Graphic Converting, Inc. Through his dynamic leadership style, coupled with his forward-thinking attitude and wherewithal to make things happen, John Tinnon provided inspiration and guidance into territories unknown. This pioneering spirit and contagious energy permeated the entire industry, from the implementation of bold business models to the initial formation and guidance of the formerly named Foil Stamping and Embossing Association (FSEA). In tribute to these accomplishments, as well as to his dedication and significant contribution to the foil stamping and embossing industry at large, the FSEA is proud to honor John Tinnon with the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award. As a successful trade entrepreneur and one of the founding fathers of the FSEA, Tinnon is recognized for his steadfast commitment to sharing knowledge, breaking down barriers and implementing change amidst an industry in need of direction – forever redefining the role of today’s ‘trade finisher.’

The inception of Graphic Converting can be traced back, in part, to Tinnon’s childhood – to the influence of his father’s background in diemaking and diecutting. “I was rubbering dies when I was just ten years old on weekends in the basement of our house,” recalled Tinnon. Working summers at a large finishing operation in Chicago, and part-time during high school and college, Tinnon started full-time upon graduation and worked in various capacities over the next five years, including estimating and eventually, general manager.

PostPress | August/September 2020

John Tinnon passed away June 25, 2020.

After a few years (and a few points of disagreement), Tinnon set out on his own to seek new opportunities.

“It has a lot to do with luck with a capital L.” – John Tinnon Getting a ‘lucky’ break, a good friend in the printing business, Marv Lee, lent Tinnon $10K to start his own business, with the understanding that Tinnon would buy full control when he was able. Allotted 3,000 sq. ft of space in Lee’s facility, Graphic Converting .was established in late 1976 with a Thomson diecutter, a hand mounter, some small miscellaneous finishing equipment and four employees.

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LIFETIME TRIBUTE <<

“We grew so quickly over the course of five years that we started to experience some major growth pains.” – John Tinnon Over the next decade and a half, GCI would take on a new shape, in part through a series of acquisitions fueled by an educational journey on which Tinnon would soon embark. “We were growing very quickly and the company was experiencing some major growth pains,” explained Tinnon. “I really didn’t know much about business,” and so in quintessential Tinnon style, he did something about it and went back to school. Entering Harvard University’s OPM Program (Owner/President Management Program) in 1985 was just the boost the company needed to manage its growth.

Tinnon encouraged his employees to exceed their own expectations.

In its first year of business, Graphic Converting, Inc. (GCI) did just over a quarter of a million in sales and succeeded in nearly doubling that amount every year for the next five. In 1978, Tinnon was joined in partnership by Nia Chrisos (who also worked for Lee and who did the bookkeeping for GCI) and Tom Burnight – both bought into the company for a small percentage. When Lee unexpectedly passed away a short time later, the division of ownership was 2/3 Tinnon (president) and 1/6 for both Chrisos (VP of operations) and Burnight (VP of sales), which remained the structure until 1986. “I later found out from executors of Marv’s estate that when he lent me the money, he had really intended to groom me to run one of his businesses,” Tinnon explains. “He never expected Graphic Converting to take off – they got a very good return on their investment!” After just two short years in business, GCI ran out of space and in late 1979, rented 35,000 sq. ft. in a 120,000 sq. ft. facility on West Division in Chicago, which provided the room for GCI’s first Bobst diecutter. One year later, in addition to several other machine purchases, GCI made a pivotal move to enter the foil stamping arena with a Bobst BMA. “We jumped right in and went straight for large format stamping,” recalled Tinnon. In 1984, GCI once again ran out of room and purchased the entire facility it had been renting.

PostPress | August/September 2020

The company’s first acquisition in 1985 was Classic Finishing, a company that had shared rental space with GCI before the purchase of the building. Gillespie followed in ’86, Lidtke Binding in ’88 and the manufacturing operation of Upper Deck in 1997. It was as that time that Steve Skalski joined the GCI team as a partner and remains today an integral force behind the company’s overwhelming success in the trading and game card industry. Three more acquisitions were made at the start of the new century, including Midwest Graphic Finishers and DynoPress, both of which were later closed down, and the trading and game card division of Great Western Industries in Dallas, Texas – its final acquisition to date. But to a greater extent, GCI’s talent in the finishing arena would be molded by a complete paradigm shift and refocus on the way it did business. Prior to the Upper Deck acquisition, Graphic Converting moved into its final location as a trade finisher – a 150,000 sq. ft. facility in Niles, Illinois. Now armed with the space, equipment, dedicated partners (Burnight and Skalski) and most importantly, loyal, hard-working employees necessary to implement its goals, Graphic Converting took flight.

“Success is attributed to the basic concept of doing business - establishing solid, long-term relationships with your customers and vendors; hiring good people and keeping them happy; and surrounding yourself with bright people.” – John Tinnon Recognized for providing the highest quality products and services, GCI became one of the largest trade finishers in the industry with more than 300 employees located nationwide at over 400,000 sq. ft. of space combined in its Niles, Illinois, Carlsbad, California, and Dallas, Texas facilities. From structural design and project engineering to digital printing, UV coating, film laminating, foil stamping/ embossing, mounting, diecutting, collating, folding/gluing, assembly, fulfillment, and just-in-time shipping, Graphic Converting had the capability to create powerful, image-enhancing solutions unique to each particular application. Always leading by example, Tinnon encouraged and inspired his employees to exceed even their own expectations. His leadership style created an entrepreneurial atmosphere that was fun, energizing, and creative – one where everything and anything was possible when it came to taking care of a customer. Tinnon continually stressed the importance of integrity, whether interacting with a customer, partner, employee, supplier or competitor: “Be completely and totally ethical; it is the one constant that will endure through good and bad times.” postpressmag.com

“You always have to be looking at your strengths and ask: What are our core competencies and how do they apply to other industries?” – John Tinnon Concepts such as project management, turnkey operations, direct marketing and market expansion became key core competencies as Graphic Converting worked to establish a new relationship with its customers and a new role as a trade finisher in an industry where the business climate was dramatically changing. Tinnon realized early on that the ‘traditional’ role of the trade finisher, that which was defined by the printer’s ability to ‘close the deal’, would need to be redirected. And thus, the company began to employ the direct approach by targeting its customers with customized presentations that provided solutions to their needs. To this end, GCI began to create elaborate direct marketing pieces that the company could use to focus on particular market segments. Eye-catching sales pieces such as a self-promotional package entitled “Release Your Imagination,” which was created specifically to target designers, not only set out to bedazzle the viewer and sell the company’s services but also, often served as an educational tool to increase awareness and thereby, grow the industry at large.

GCI also began to target other market segments in addition to trade finishing in the early 1980s. Starting with the greeting card arena, GCI took this market one step further by establishing dominance in outsourcing manufacturing by providing capabilities that included print through specialized card packaging. In the late 1980s, GCI targeted the trading card market. Under Tinnon’s direction, GCI drove the consolidation of trading card manufacturing by offering a single source where all trading card and collectible game card marketing companies could have their products produced. By creating one facility that manufactured cards only, GCI was able to create a highly efficient operation that would benefit the trading card industry as a whole. With the acquisition of the Dallas, Texas, facility, this market segment eventually would become (as of 2005) GCI’s main and only core competency. At this same time in the late 1980s, GCI began to target packaging and point-of-purchase (POP) displays, developing a niche in the small format and specialty POP market. Time and again, the structural design created by GCI’s team of award-winning designers was the reason the company was given the job. From there, quick-turnarounds and a ‘can-do’ approach continued to bring in unique display projects that included sound, lights, motion and multiple levels of dimension.

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August/September 2020 | PostPress

LIFETIME TRIBUTE <<

This market was one area that GCI targeted as a tradeshow exhibitor – another bold move for a trade finisher at the time. 1996 was the first year that GCI participated in tradeshows and it did so with style. A new custom-designed display was utilized at its first POP Show in Chicago. As was (and still is) with most subjects, visual stimulation was critical and tradeshows were no exception. GCI continued to support the POP, greeting card, publishing, and premiums and printing industries at trade shows. The trade finishing portion of GCI, located in the Niles facility, eventually reached a point where it no longer could compete profitably in an industry where finishing work had become better suited towards smaller operations – ‘small’ as compared to Graphic Converting. “Our next move was either to add printing capabilities and become a complete turnkey operation, or to sell that end of the business and concentrate on what would be the most profitable,” explained Tinnon. Thus in 2005, the ‘finishing giant’ sold that segment of its business to JohnsByrne Company. Today, in the process of yet another move that is expected to be completed by the end of 2007, GCI’s California facilities are closing down and moving to its newly expanded and renovated Dallas facility – orchestrated by partners Steve Skalski, CEO in charge of operations, and Joe Yaney, CFO in charge of finances. Tinnon and Burnight are semi-retired, remaining in the picture but not on the day-to-day scene. GC Dies, a spin-off division of Graphic Converting located in Elmhurst, Illinois and run by President Mick Tinnon, remains in operation today, supplying steel rule dies nationwide. Tinnon’s pioneering spirit was never more apparent than with his guidance and leadership of the Foil Stamping and Embossing Association during its formative years. Serving on the FSEA Board of Directors from its inception in 1992 and for nearly ten years to follow, Tinnon worked with a dedicated team to achieve a number of goals: to unite its members and the industry through education and standardization; to create true value for association members; and to heighten industry awareness and thereby, increase growth. During Tinnon’s tenure on the board, serving as Chairman for three years, Tinnon worked on a number of projects – several of which remain a part of FSEA operations today. “It was a great group of people to work with,” recalled Tinnon. “There were no egos – no issues; we all worked towards a greater goal.” Among the many projects that came to light under Tinnon’s leadership on the board was the Fall Seminar Series, which the FSEA launched in three major cities throughout the US in 1994. “I remember giving a presentation entitled BAIL (Banker, Accountant, Insurance Agent and Lawyer), which set out the importance of establishing a core group of specialized professionals to help run your business successfully,” explained Tinnon. The popular seminar series was just the beginning, as the association also launched its inaugural national convention in Chicago in 1995. Projects such as the Pantone Foil Selector Guide and the massive undertaking of A Different Breed: The Designer’s

PostPress | August/September 2020

TINNON’S PIONEERING SPIRIT WAS NEVER MORE APPARENT THAN WITH HIS GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP OF THE FOIL STAMPING AND EMBOSSING ASSOCIATION DURING ITS FORMATIVE YEARS. Guide to Foil Stamping and Embossing, which was produced live at Print ‘97 in Chicago, were just a few of the springboards from which the FSEA promoted industry awareness and standardization nationwide. Both were projects in which GCI played a large part from start to finish. Other FSEA projects that came to light during that time were the Gold Leaf Awards Competition, a formal membership directory, a unified glossary of industry terms and the association publication InsideFinishing. Even after Tinnon stepped down from the board, his involvement and support never ceased, lending assistance with association projects and committees whenever possible. Outside the industry, Tinnon’s entrepreneurial spirit has taken new directions. Currently, he is a partner in a company called IDM (InDevelopment and Management Company), which specializes in the hospitality market. Collectively, Tinnon, along with a set of new partners, owns and/or manages several properties throughout Wisconsin, including the Jefferson Street Inn and City Grill in Wausau, The Beloit Inn in Beloit, and his newest venture The Gordon Lodge, a 135-acre shoreline resort with “the most beautiful sunsets in Door County!” Awarded Entrepreneur of the Year (Chicago) by the University of Illinois and Chicago Small Business of the Year before that, Tinnon’s long list of accomplishments has not gone unnoticed – even outside of the industry. A man of great integrity, charisma, dynamic leadership ability and an uncanny eye for business, John Tinnon remains as energetic and forward-thinking as he was over three decades ago, running a hand-fed diecutter at night and selling jobs by day. An inspiration to all who know him, and to many who’ve only heard the tales, John Tinnon remains a pioneer into territories unknown.

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APPLICATION

Shining a Light on UV-Cured Decoration Capabilities

old Leaf Print & Packaging is a premier cannabis printing company located in Pelham, Alabama, that specializes in creating custom collateral, packaging and branding. With the ability to embellish packaging with digital foil and varnish (eliminating the need for custom dies), Gold Leaf can save its customers money and time in creating pieces that stand out – especially for short- to medium-sized applications. Recently, the company created a guide to showcase the range of technological and decorative capabilities that it brings to its clients. “The brochure is a visual representation of some of the embellishments we can accomplish in-house, as well as a sampling of products and services that we offer,” Stephanie Salvago, digital marketing manager for Gold Leaf Print & Packaging, explained. “The booklet also showcases the Gold Leaf brand and allows

By Lara Copeland, contributing writer, PostPress

potential customers to really feel the difference that specialty embellishments can make on a product.” The graphics were created in-house by Gold Leaf’s award-winning graphic designers. Assembled with wire binding, the 11-page brochure features a front cover with dark-green trees scattered across it. The trees have been digitally printed and then highlighted with a raised spot UV coating. The company name and symbol on the cover also are embellished with a raised gold foil. Using 120# Opus Dull Cover, the piece was printed on a Konica C1100 with a soft-touch laminate added to the front and back cover pages. The soft-touch aqueous coating also was applied to the majority of the inside pages before being finished with raised spot coatings and foil accents using the MGI JETvarnish 3DS. The JETvarnish 3DS utilizes UV LED curing as a solution to the type of environment in which these smaller units often are used. In comparison to their bigger brothers that need higher speeds and outputs due to larger formats and segment profiles, the JETvarnish has advantages in lower electrical consumption and a lack of generated ozone, making it ideal for printers who produce mostly on digital presses. Gold Leaf Print & Packaging appreciates that the machine offers its clients a total solution for raised spot varnish and foil. Its website explains: “Most people have seen packaging or stationery with some form of foil embellishments. Usually, it’s gold or silver and has been debossed using a method of hot foil stamping. This method requires the purchase of a die and creates indentions on the reverse side of the page… Working hand-in-hand with our raised foil is raised varnish. Raised varnish is similar to spot UV in that it accents elements of a printed piece to give it a bit of shine. However, one of the key ways it differs is our raised varnish is raised. This allows us to create textures and truly unique cannabis packaging options.”

PostPress | August/September 2020

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The guide created by Gold Leaf provides specific details on how these embellishments can be used on eye-catching examples, using spot varnish, foil, 4-color overprinting and a final run of spot varnish to provide detail and texture on one example – all in perfect registration. In addition to the spot varnish and foil samples, the guide also provides information on the different types of standard boxes available, including straight tuck, snap-lock bottom and auto-lock bottom. It also showcases samples of how labels can be produced with digital coatings and foils and provides information on how to order. “The biggest challenges in printing this project were the multiple steps and runs on multiple machines that had to happen to create the embellishments for this print,” Salvago emphasized. “We had to make sure that the tolerance of all of the machines was perfect in order to ensure that the prints would be correctly lined up.” Through many trial runs and the expertise of Gold Leaf’s master printers, the print and finishing runs were successful and “an amazing product was created,” she said.

Gold Leaf Print & Packaging entered its brochure into the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards and received a bronze for Best Foil/UV Coating Selection Guide. Customers also responded favorably to the project. “They enjoyed being able to see and feel the different types of embellishments, and we received many compliments on it, with many commenting on the high quality of the print,” Salvago stated. “We bring this level of quality to all our products and pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for our clients.”

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August/September 2020 | PostPress

TECH WATCH

Sakurai Introduces the ScreenFoil™ LQM Series Inline Hot Foil Stampers

akurai, a global leader in sheet-fed screen printing technology located in Schaumburg, Illinois, has launched the ScreenFoil™ LQM Evolution series, a cost-effective solution for inline hot foil stamping. Now available in two sizes, the new LQM 105 accepts sheet sizes up to 41 ½ x 30", and the new LQM 76 accepts sheet sizes up to 23 ½ x 21 ½". “Sakurai is very pleased to introduce the new ScreenFoil™ hot foil stamper series to the North American market,” said David Rose, vice president, Sakurai USA, Inc. “The redesigned, full-featured LQM series offers our customers the ability to increase profits with an in-house solution for hot foil finishing.” The new LQM 105 Evolution series was introduced at the Sakurai Graphic Systems Corporation Factory Open House in Gifu, Japan, last April and was scheduled to make its North American debut, running live, inline with a Maestro MS-102AX screen press, Natgraph dryer and stacker – at Sakurai USA’s exhibit at PRINTING United in Atlanta in October. Sakurai’s screen press line, as described, allows the operator to screen print, dry, screen foil and stack in a single pass. The LQM Evolution is able to precisely apply foil in a variety of area sizes – as small as 10 mm or as large as the whole substrate length and in narrow bands or across the whole width of the substrate. The precision provided by these two functions ensures the minimum of foil waste.

Edited by Lara Copeland, contributing editor, PostPress

pass through at the same speed as the press, acting as a transport mechanism. Additionally, the job-setting parameters for foiling easily are entered, edited and stored via a user-friendly touchscreen panel. It can be retrieved by the operator at any time, allowing repeat jobs to be set up instantly. “The use of the screen printing press to deposit the image in registration allows the heated foil to be applied in any size or image configuration. No dies – just print the image you want foiled, UV cure and then pass through the foil applicator. Fine line, 3D coverage foil now is controlled by the screen press,” Rose added. “If you are looking for greater use of your Sakurai or other existing screen press, add foil to your list of services to the graphic arts industry.” Sakurai new and used presses, LQM hot foil stampers and Natgraph dryers are distributed in the US, Canada, Mexico and Central and South America by Sakurai USA, backed by responsive customer support, service, replacement parts and training. Technical details Both the LQM 76 and LQM 105 have a maximum speed of 30m/ pm during the foil application process. The bypass speed with no foil is 55m/pm for the LQM 76 and 65m/pm for the LQM 105. The internal core diameter is 3" for both sizes.

The ScreenFoil™ LQM 105 brings a new level of flexibility, quality and performance when combined with any size or vintage Sakurai screen press. It is perfect for PSP, folders, leaflets, business cards, loyalty cards, magazines, book covers, packaging, promotional items, labels, roll-to-roll, greeting card, automotive, appliance and plastic card applications. The LQM series has many new features to increase productivity. An alignment conveyor transports sheets. After the UV varnish is cured, the sheet is transferred to the foil unit via infeed rollers and automatically is registered by a lateral side registration bar. The machine automatically locates the front edge of the sheet and begins applying foil based on the job parameters. When the job does not require foil, a bypass function allows the sheet to

PostPress | August/September 2020

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PRODUCTION

Choosing the Right Three-Knife Trimmer

Britt Cary, vice president of marketing and sales, The Challenge Machinery Company

ook manufacturers understand the importance of a good final trim to a book. Although few customers will ever take notice or fully appreciate the clean, straight, square cut of the book in their hand, book manufacturers know that a quality trim of the book is critical. A trim cut that is not square, or straight or doesn’t match the print design of the cover becomes quickly noticeable by the consumer, and there is nothing more costly than to scrap a book at the final trimming process when all of the costs of printing and binding have been spent. Selection of the right three-knife trimmer for individual businesses and their unique workflows is more important than many anticipate. So, how to know which one to choose? The first and most obvious consideration is the average run volume of the titles being trimmed. If a bindery is handling more of the traditional publication run sizes, ranging from a thousand to tens of thousands of copies, it will need to find a trimmer that is built to handle that amount of volume. These machines typically require manual set-ups for the knife locations and clamping pad sizes, but with the volumes they are made to handle, the time it takes to set up the trimmer is not as important as making sure the setup is done correctly and the trimmer consistently will perform to those settings. Consider only brands that are well known in the marketplace and have a proven history in manufacturing quality three-knife trimmers. With the revolution of digital print and its capacity to economically produce smaller run sizes, the digital book manufacturing process demands more diverse capabilities from the three-knife trimmer. With the run sizes being much smaller – such as 100, 20 or even one – the demand for automation becomes critical without jeopardizing the quality of the trim. With digital book manufacturing systems, production speed capability from the trimmer is less important because of the slower performance speeds at which the digital print engines operate. In most cases, the trimmer will be waiting for the next book to be presented to it. This increases the importance of other features that should be considered in choosing the book trimmer. Automation – the more the better If run size counts are very small, every operator intervention that is required to change parameters for the next job is going to quickly become a bottleneck in the workflow. Areas to take note of in this topic of automation include the following:

Selecting the right three-knife trimmer can be vital for book manufacturers.

Required specifications for set-up: To successfully handle and trim a book block, the three-knife trimmers generally need to know several specifications of the job. These specifications can include the starting book block dimensions (length x width), finished book dimensions (length x width), book block height (thickness) and the location of the required cuts in reference to the edges of the starting book block. The more dimensions that need to be inputted to set up the machine, the longer the process will take. Some book trimmers automatically can detect many of these required specifications as the book enters the machine so that only three dimensions need to be inputted to the trimmer from the operator or from stored memory. This makes it simpler and faster for the machine operator to program for each job. Book Clamp Pads: In an effort to ensure a book lays flat before it is cut, a center book pad is a device in three-knife trimmers that helps prepare the book before cutting, especially for larger books. Since book trimmers have a range of books sizes that they can trim (compare those specs as well), some manufacturers will recommend different-sized center pads to be manually changed when the size change is significant between jobs. If the clamp pads need to be changed out between jobs, that is downtime that will hold up the trimmer. The smaller the quantity of the run, the more often the trimmer will be down. Look for a trimmer that does not require changes of the clamp pads.

PostPress | August/September 2020

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PRODUCTION <<

Barcode reading capability: Choose a trimmer that has a barcode reading system either included with the standard machine or as an option at additional cost. Since the job requirements for cutting books are uniform in the number of specifications needed, it is easier to take advantage of the benefits that a barcode reading system can offer. If a trimmer only requires a few dimensions to set up for a job, the full job requirement can be included in a simple barcode and printed to the cover of the book. As the book enters the machine, the barcode can be read, sending the needed inputs to the trimmer to set itself up. Such automation will be a feature businesses will want to take advantage of at some point, even if it is not a goal with the initial acquisition. Flexibility Potentially consider the flexibility of the three-knife trimmer in regard to how it fits into book production flow. While researching the costs associated with three-knife trimmers, consider how the investment will be able to adapt to changes that may occur to the shop. For example, when first deciding to buy a machine, investors may want the trimmer as a standalone system. They might plan to use two or three different binders to feed books to the trimmer or they also may have a desire to let the glue cure overnight in newly made books before they are cut. In either case, a book feeding system with a stacking delivery on the back of the machine will

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PostPress | August/September 2020

WITH THE REVOLUTION OF DIGITAL PRINT AND ITS CAPACITY TO ECONOMICALLY PRODUCE SMALLER RUN SIZES, THE DIGITAL BOOK MANUFACTURING PROCESS DEMANDS MORE DIVERSE CAPABILITIES FROM THE THREE-KNIFE TRIMMER. let the trimmer run unmanned after a pile of books is loaded by the operator. However, maybe next year the investors decide they want the trimmer inline with a binder so the books come out of the system already trimmed. Or they may decide they want to feed the books directly from one binder but manually introduce books from other sources as well. Select a system that can adapt to the needs in the shop as they change. Try to avoid having to buy an altogether different trimmer in three or five years. Select a trimmer that can adapt to the businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs instead of the business adapting to it. Other trimmers There are some quality book trimmers available in the market that are not technically three-knife trimmers because they utilize only one knife to cut the books. These three-sided book trimmers rotate the book block for each cut. Since these trimmers need to cycle three times for every book block presented to them, their capacity volumes are about 50% or less than the true three-knife trimmers. Having said that, the quality of their cut performance is very good, and they are, for the most part, capable of keeping up with the production volumes that are typically presented by one floor-model single-pocket perfect binder. The considerations of automation, barcode capability and flexibility previously mentioned will apply to selecting one of these single-knife machines as well. Britt Cary is the vice president of marketing and sales for The Challenge Machinery Company â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a manufacturing company that has supplied cutting and print finishing equipment to the printing industry for more than 130 years. His experience includes multiple senior management positions in manufacturing, and he has served multiple roles in his 24-year tenure with Challenge. For more information, contact Cary at bcary@challengemachinery.com or visit www.challengemachinery.com. postpressmag.com

Find a Partner for Print Finishing and Binding Services

If your print project needs a binding and finishing partner, FinisherFinder can get you connected to the right source for the job. From foil stamping and embossing to UV coating, perfect binding, laser cutting and many other specialty effects options, FinisherFinder has contact information and website links for binders and finishers across the US and globally. Search is available by geographic location or by services offered. Hosted by the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), FinisherFinder also sources suppliers to the print finishing and decorating industry. Whether looking for hot stamping foils, diecutting machinery, cold foil equipment, embossing dies or other specialty equipment and supplies, FinisherFinder can help you find the right company to keep your operation on track.

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STRATEGIES resources to attract potential new hires. Similar to the sales funnel, the acquisition funnel begins with creating awareness, followed by consideration and interest. In this case, the intent to purchase becomes the application, selection and hiring process. As Otenbaker noted, marketing is a key component in moving potential employees through the tunnel by attracting just the right candidates. “If someone searches for your company online, what do they find?” she questioned. If the next-generation workforce is the audience, what message are they receiving about a given company?

Recruiting the Next-Generation Workforce

By Brittany Willes, editor, PostPress

rior to the coronavirus pandemic, one of the key issues facing leadership across nearly every industry was that of recruiting and retaining the next generation of employees. For the print finishing and binding industry, workforce development is especially crucial as the older generation – often with decades of specialized knowledge and skill sets – begins to retire. So, how do businesses find the right people to fill the necessary roles in their facilities? During the FSEA Online Learning Experience this past June, marketing and communications expert Shelly Otenbaker, president and founder of WayPoint Marketing Communications, shared current human resources marketing trends and best practices for recruiting the next-generation workforce. Marketing for employees There is a common myth that marketing is solely for business development. In reality, a company’s marketing resources and strategies are incredible assets when it comes to attracting and retaining the best employees. “Marketing plays an important role in the hiring process,” said Otenbaker. “It creates awareness of your company, as well as engaging the right people to move them through the different phases of the hiring process.” Consider the sales funnel – the process of attracting leads and moving them through the funnel to the intent to purchase. This is similar to how employers should consider their workforce. “Think about your workforces as an audience and the funnel is an employee acquisition funnel,” explained Otenbaker. In this acquisition funnel, employers should make use of their marketing

PostPress | August/September 2020

“In 2020, 50% of the workforce is made up of millennials, who look at things very differently than previous generations,” said Otenbaker. “These folks know all about your company before they even submit an application or resume. They’re qualifying you and your company without a single conversation. Seventy-five percent have researched the company’s reputation before applying for the job. They’re using social media, job boards and other sources to determine what your company offers, how you operate and what your commitment is to your team.” A company needs to look at all of its marketing and recruiting materials – read them, analyze them and see what they say. What picture is being created about the company? Is it easy for people to access the materials? Are they up to date? Do they reflect the company’s culture? Is the website inviting? “It’s time to really be honest with yourself,” said Otenbaker. “Take a step back and look at what it is you’re sharing with the world.” Which, again, begs the question: How are companies marketing themselves to this new audience?

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THE MOLL FLEXCUT ROTARY DIECUTTING SYSTEM

Do all your die cutting, stripping, folding, and gluing in ONE process, IN-house. The MOLL die cutter, folder, gluer creates a distinct position in the Label, Mail, Printing and Packaging Markets for sheet-fed applications. It will also kiss cut and cut-score products in an inﬁnite number of shapes and sizes including substrate thicknesses up to 24pt paperboard. It’s ideal for ﬁnishing boxes, cartons, labels, pocket folders and other types of packaging. Add on our pile feeder or bottom friction feeder for off-line folding/gluing work for extra versatility.

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STRATEGIES <<

What messaging are they passing along to potential hires? Now, more than ever, it is just as important to sell the company to potential employees as it is to sell products and services to clients. Evolving needs and processes “A lot has changed in the last two decades when it comes to talent acquisition,” said Otenbaker. “The process has evolved and so have the needs and wants of the next-generation workforce. This is the generation that grew up with smart technology, that is known to challenge hierarchical structures. They want the flexibility to work when and where they want. They are open to change, and they want to build relationships with managers that deliver constant feedback and recognition. They’re looking for a place where they can continue to advance, as well as someplace where they can have a social and enjoyable workplace.” This is in stark contrast to previous generations for whom flexible schedules and work/life balance were rarely on leadership’s radar. As a result, a large portion of today’s leadership is resistant to the evolving needs of the current workforce, something Otenbaker has encountered all too often. “Unfortunately, a lot of companies’ leadership are not open to some of these characteristics or changes in the workplace that are appealing to the younger generation of workers,” she stated. “There’s work to be done,” Otenbaker noted. “As the current workforce continues to age and more people are going to be retiring, leadership is going to have to embrace these younger generations. Adjustments will need to be made.” For companies to continue to grow and succeed in the current and future marketplace, it is vital that leadership support the needs of the next generation workforce. Talent management According to Otenbaker, to effectively recruit a workforce, companies need to develop a talent management strategy. “Statistics show that people change jobs 12 times during their career,” she stated. “While it could be a little longer or shorter in the print industry, the average employee tenure is roughly 4.3 years. This means you will need to continuously replenish your workforce.” A typical talent management strategy includes the establishment of a talent pipeline – a pool of candidates available before a position is even open. This, in turn, means a reduction in the amount of time required to hire candidates, access to better-qualified candidates and reduction in recruiting costs. So, how do companies go about establishing a talent pipeline? There are several steps that can be taken, but first and foremost, Otenbaker said, companies need to identify their long-term needs. “What are the employee characteristics – the types of people – you need in the long run to continue to meet your business’ goals?”

PostPress | August/September 2020

NOW MORE THAN EVER, IT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT TO SELL THE COMPANY TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES AS IT IS TO SELL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TO CLIENTS.

she asked. “Once you have that, you can work on attracting and engaging candidates.” Candidates in the talent pool should be assessed to determine which of them are the right fit. Who are those candidates who will best align with the business’ goals? Those are the candidates to nurture. “It’s not something that can be done overnight,” said Otenbaker. “It takes time, and there are a lot of resources that have to be put into place. However, once all of the strategy and work has been put into it, and it finally is up and going, it is a lot easier to maintain.” Additional steps for establishing a pipeline include conducting an audit of the business – i.e., going back to those marketing and recruiting materials. Once those have been reviewed, it is vital to secure the support of leadership. “Company leadership needs to agree that talent and the future workforce is important for the company’s success, and that building a pipeline will help the company perform better,” noted Otenbaker. Next, connect with HR and/or marketing departments and make sure they are aligned and working in tandem, leveraging their tools and resources to build the talent pipeline. Once HR and marketing are aligned, focus should be turned to determining metrics for what success looks like for the company and establishing a budget for meeting those metrics. “What are you trying to accomplish and how will you measure the effectiveness of your strategy?” asked Otenbaker. “Some of your metrics might look at reduced time to replace an employee or filling all talent gaps within a certain time frame. Whatever those success metrics look like, they need to be in place so that you understand what you’re trying to accomplish and can plan accordingly. And you need to understand what kind of budget you have to work with so you can prioritize tasks and determine what can be accomplished within that budget.”

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Taking steps

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Visit www.fsea.com Grainger hotline: (888) 326-8605 Other freight charges will be incurred for such services as expedited delivery, air freight, freight collect, sourced orders, export orders, hazardous materials, buyer’s carrier, shipments outside the contiguous U.S. or other special handling by the carrier.

STRATEGIES <<

Finally, companies must build an "employer brand tool box" that will help in attracting talent. “The most important tool is your website,” said Otenbaker. “It is the foundation for all of your recruiting activities, not to mention business development activities. Whether it is a customer or a potential candidate, people are looking at your website every day and making decisions on whether or not to engage with you. If your desired brand identity doesn’t match with your website, you may lose potential candidates.” Recruiting during COVID-19 As COVID-19 continues to spread across the US and the world, many companies are experiencing a hiring freeze – or even layoffs. Depending on their individual situations, continuing to develop a talent pipeline may be the last thing they’re worried about. However, Otenbaker advised not to let efforts with the talent pipeline fall by the wayside. “Continue working on your pipeline through the hiring freeze,” she stated. “If you stop now, it will put you behind when we get on the other side or are dealing with the new normal. You want to continue to work on it and make sure you are communicating what’s going on with your company to ensure you are appropriately staffed and ready to react throughout the crisis.”

With nearly 20 years of marketing communications experience under her belt, Shelly Otenbaker has the experience, knowledge and determination to help companies develop and implement strategic communications strategies focused on improving their business’ bottom line. For more information, visit www.waypointmc.com.

Information in this article was summarized from the FSEA Online Learning Experience webinar. To listen to the presentation in its entirety – including more in-depth information on establishing a talent pipeline – and to view other content presented during the June 2020 event, visit www.fseaconference.com.

Stamping and embossing dies in brass, copper & steel Outstanding quality, service, & value for over a century

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August/September 2020 | PostPress

SUPPLIER INDEX Board & Cover Material

Diecutting Presses

Cover Material Sales, Inc. www.covermaterial.com Page 46

BOBST North America Inc. www.bobst.com Back Cover

Clear Envelopes

Cobblestone Graphic Equipment www.cgetx.com Page 30

Envy Pak www.envypak.com Pages 55

BOBST North America Inc. www.bobstgroup.com Back Cover Eagle Systems www.thefoilexperts.com Page 51

Cold Foil Equipment & Foils

Duplo USA Corporation www.duplousa.com Inside Back Cover

Heidelberg USA, Inc. news.heidelbergusa.com Page 37

Compact Foilers www.compactfoilers.com Page 12

Heidelberg USA, Inc. news.heidelbergusa.com Page 37

Metallic Elephant metallicelephant.co.uk Page 59

Eagle Systems www.thefoilexperts.com Page 51

Rollem International www.insigniadiecut.com Page 45

Sakurai www.sakurai.com Page 49

Infinity Foils, Incorporated a UEI Group Company www.infinityfoils.com Page 63

Standard Finishing Systems www.standardfinishing.com Page 1

Therm-O-Type Corp. www.thermotype.com Page 13, 53

Young Shin USA Limited www.youngshinusa.com Page 69

Folding/Gluing Equipment

K Laser Technology www.coldfoil.com Page 42 Kurz Transfer Products www.kurzusa.com Inside Front Cover Univacco Technology, Inc. www.univaccofoils.com Page 38

Decorative Glitter Infinity Foils, Incorporated - a UEI Group Company www.infinityfoils.com Page 63

Die Manufacturing Metals & Equipment Luxfer Graphic Arts www.luxfer.com Page 75 Metal Magic www.metalmagic.com Page 57 Metallic Elephant metallicelephant.co.uk Page 59 UEI Systems, Inc. – a UEI Group Company www.ueigroup.com Page 5

Estimating Software Dienamic MIS Software, Inc. www.dienamicmis.com Page 27

Foil Stamping Equipment

PostPress | August/September 2020

American International Machinery signaturefoldergluers.com Page 55 Baumer hhs baumerhhs.com Page 61 B & R Moll, Inc. www.mollbrothers.com Page 73

Folding Machines Duplo USA Corporation www.duplousa.com Inside Back Cover Standard Finishing Systems www.standardfinishing.com Page 1

Gluing Systems Baumer hhs www.baumerhhs.com Page 61

Hot Stamping Dies E.C. Schultz & Co. www.ecschultz.com Page 77 H+M USA www.hmusadies.com Page 41 Luxfer Graphic Arts www.luxfer.com Page 75 Metal Magic www.metalmagic.com Page 57 Metallic Elephant metallicelephant.co.uk Page 59 Owosso Graphic Arts, Inc. www.owosso.com Page 29 Universal Engraving, Inc. – a UEI Group Company www.ueigroup.com Page 5

BOBST North America Inc. www.bobst.com Back Cover Heidelberg USA, Inc. news.heidelbergusa.com Page 37 PPC Technologies & Solutions LLC (PPCTS) www.ppcts.com Page 11

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Current PostPress Advertisers Hot Stamping Foils

Makeready Supplies

Paper Cutters

Punching/Drilling

Crown Roll Leaf, Inc. www.crownrollleaf.com Page 31

H+M USA www.hmusadies.com Page 41

Heidelberg USA, Inc. news.heidelbergusa.com Page 37

Punchmaster Tool & Die, Ltd. www.punchmastertools.com Page 67

Infinity Foils, Incorporated a UEI Group Company www.infinityfoils.com Page 63

Duplo USA Corporation www.duplousa.com Inside Back Cover

Rollem International www.rollemusa.com Page 45

K Laser Technology www.coldfoil.com Page 42

Owosso Graphics Arts, Inc www.owosso.com Page 29

Standard Finishing Systems www.standardfinishing.com Page 1

Therm-O-Type Corp. www.thermotype.com Page 13, 53

Kurz Transfer Products www.kurzusa.com Inside Front Cover

Therm-O-Type Corp. www.thermotype.com Page 13, 53

Perfect Binders

Saddlestitchers

Therm-O-Type Corp. www.thermotype.com Page 13, 53

Mounting Equipment

Muller Martini www.mullermartini.com Page 35

Duplo USA Corporation www.duplousa.com Inside Back Cover

Standard Finishing Systems www.standardfinishing.com Page 1

Taping Equipment

Univacco Foils Corporation www.univaccofoils.com Page 38

Loose Leaf Binders Tamarack Packaging Limited www.tamarackpackaging.com Page 28

Young Shin USA Limited www.youngshinusa.com Page 69

MRO Supplies Grainger www.fsea.com Page 76

Perfing/Scoring Rollem International www.rollemusa.com Page 45

Tax & Advisory

Standard Finishing Systems www.standardfinishing.com Page 1

Plastic Coil/Wire-O

SEPTEMBER

PaperSpecs Live [Unboxed], September 17, 2020, www.paperspecs.com

Mueller Prost www.muellerprost.com Page 65

UV Coating Equipment Duplo USA Corporation www.duplousa.com Inside Back Cover

Therm-O-Type Corp. www.thermotype.com Page 13, 53

CALENDAR

B & R Moll, Inc. www.mollbrothers.com Page 73

PVC Spiral Supply www.pvcspiralsupply.com Page 50

Sakurai www.sakurai.com Page 49

NOVEMBER

PACK EXPO Connects, November 9-13, 2020, www.packexpointernational.com

OCTOBER

PRINTING United Insight Days, October 2020, www.sgia.org AIMCAL R2R Conference USA and SPE FlexPackCon 2020 Virtual Event, October 19-23, 2020, www.aimcal.org/2020-r2r-usa-conference.html postpressmag.com

August/September 2020 | PostPress

ASSOCIATION To view the on-demand content, visit www.fseaconference. com. To visit (virtually) the Supplier Trade Fair, go to www. fseaconference.com/trade-fair.

FinisherFinder.com Expands Searchability FSEA Hosts Virtual Conference, Sessions Now On Demand In June, the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) hosted a two-day online conference aimed at those involved in print finishing and binding. With more than 250 registrations, the conference sessions were presented via Go-To-Webinar, and all sessions now are online for free, on-demand viewing. Sessions include the following:  The Impact of Cold Foil on the Embellishment Landscape  Sustainability in the Print Industry  Grow Your Business by Promoting Foil & Finishing  Digital Decorating: Where Does It Fit?  The R&D Tax Credit  Working Through Challenges with Paper Stocks and Coatings  Recruiting Your Next-Generation Workforce In total, there were 13 webinars presented, covering all aspects of the print decorating and postpress industry. This impactful content is available free to all attendees, thanks to the industry suppliers that stepped up to sponsor the event. “We were excited to bring this online educational event to the industry at a time when we are all staying a little closer to home,” said Dianna Brodine, assistant director of the FSEA. “Next year, we hope to see everyone in person.”

The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has expanded its popular website to include even more categories of print finishing, decorating and bindery services. The updated site is built to help commercial printers, graphic designers, ad agencies and other graphic arts professionals easily locate FSEA members that provide services for print finishing and decorating. These include hot and cold foiling, digital foil and spot coatings, specialty UV coatings, folding/gluing, bindery processes such as perfect binding and mechanical binding, and much more. Visitors can search for specific print finishing and decorating companies by services offered and geographic location. “FinisherFinder.com was developed to help the graphic arts community easily locate companies that perform specialty processes,” stated FSEA Executive Director Jeff Peterson. “If a printer, designer or other graphic arts professional is looking for a partner in finishing or decorating services or for a supplier to the finishing industry, FinisherFinder.com is the answer.” In addition to making it easy to locate print finishing service providers, FinisherFinder.com includes a full list of suppliers that can be searched by products and services offered, including hot and cold foils, foil stamping engravings, foil and diecutting presses, UV coaters, laminating equipment and more. FinisherFinder.com can be accessed through its direct URL (www.finisherfinder.com) or via the FSEA website at www.fsea.com.

FSEA Introduces New White Paper on Direct Mail and Embellishments The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA has released a new white paper: “Transforming Direct Mail with Print Embellishments.” The eight-page paper provides detailed information on why direct mail works in the “overcrowded” digital world and how direct mail campaigns have used foil, specialty coatings and other embellishments to enhance noticeability and response rates.

PostPress | August/September 2020

Several experts in the field are quoted, and photos provide samples of a variety of direct mail projects using embellishments. The white paper concludes that by adding the vibrant tactile elements that can be experienced with foil, diecutting and other embellishments, a direct mail piece resonates with statistical ROI for the sender. The new “Transforming Direct Mail with Print Embellishments” white paper currently is available for FSEA members only and can be downloaded from the Members Only section of the FSEA website at www.fsea.com. For further information or to confirm a current password, email jeff@fsea.com. postpressmag.com

Ň&#x2013;Empowering exibility

FOLDING CARTON

Accelerating the pace Highly automated production lines which transform folding carton into boxes in no give you the versatility and productivity you need to be one step ahead.

PostPress - August/September 2020

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