print illustrated V3-1 | Fujifilm

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Volume 3 Issue 1 Spring 2019

illustrated

MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS HOW PRINTERS CONTINUE TO REDEFINE

INSIDE INK MANUFACTURING IN THE U.S.A. THE GROWTH OF CORRUGATED PACKAGING

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VOL. 3, ISSUE 1 n SPRING 2019

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IN THIS ISSUE 01 ADJUSTING THE VIEW A letter from Todd Zimmerman

02 MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS How printers continue to redefine

06 EYE-CATCHING

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Why the Acuity LED 40 Series is worth a look

SUSTAINED SUCCESS HOW TO ADAPT AND WIN, REGARDLESS OF YOUR SIZE

08 HIGHER GROUND How cause marketing elevates your business

12 THE FRONT RUNNER How SUPERIA ZD plates are helping honor Salem One’s ode to sustainability

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14 MADE IN THE U.S.A. Inside Fujifilm’s ISO Certified Kansas City, Missouri manufacturing facility

16 BUILDING THE PERFECT SALESPERSON

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Sales experts discuss the art of the sale and who can do it

18 POWER BROKER The Illumina LED Retrofit System continues to help Beau Label reduce costs (and build margins)

20 LIFT OFF Corrugated packaging market’s growth curve rocketing into 2023

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ADJUSTING THE VIEW A LETTER FROM TODD ZIMMERMAN

Sometimes we see change coming, and other times it catches us by surprise. Technological innovations create change, and sometimes they are so new, so different from the way we do things now, we simply couldn’t have imagined the possibilities of doing things outside of our conventional way of thinking.

There are however innovations that are driven by our need to change the way we are doing things. We look at the current process, see inherent deficiencies, and lament that “there has to be a better way.”

We have a core value around seeking new ways of doing things at Fujifilm. We often say “Keep your head on a swivel” so you can observe how customers are currently producing their work. Doing so exposes us to really productive and efficient practices as well as noticing those processes that are inefficient and could be improved. When we take the time to observe what is really happening, and identify where we can make a positive impact to improve the way things get done, it often ends up in implementing a new solution.

Fujifilm has a ‘Never Stop’ attitude when it comes to looking for new ways of doing things. We pride ourselves on

listening and removing blinders so that we can look at the world around us with curiosity. That curiosity often leads to changing the way things get done. Observation is where change comes from, and great creativity comes from connecting the dots between what we see and the possibilities of what we could do better.

And speaking of observation, our cover story, “Multiple Dimensions,” gives us a glimpse into how printers are redefining themselves by first discovering what brand owners want from them and then responding to their needs with new innovative solutions. I hope the insights help motivate you to take some time, as we have, to look around, get closer to your clients, and design new ways to meet the needs of your customers.

Our second feature, “Higher Ground,” is a different type of article for Fujifilm, but is also

derived from observation. This article provides insights on why “cause marketing” matters and how doing something for the common good is also good for business. It fulfills intrinsic needs and, in turn, creates good will.

Observation can often lead to discovery and uncovering new ways to do things. I hope you discover some new ways to look at your business with this issue of print illustrated.

Enjoy the read,

TODD ZIMMERMAN Division President, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division Corporate Vice President, FUJIFILM Global Graphic Systems

William Rongey EDITOR-IN-CHIEF wrongey@fujifilm.com

OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIENCE At Fujifilm, we consider observation to be a key skill. That’s because the likelihood of gaining insights and new ideas is far more probable when we use our senses to become more aware of what is happening around us. Similarly experienced individuals have the ability to assess circumstances and see the possibilities of doing things differently. They inherently know what works and what doesn’t. Their experience enables them to understand what it will take to break through to a higher level of performance. That same depth of understanding can also help avoid pitfalls and ensure successful implementation of a new process or method.

And when a keen sense of observation is combined with extensive experience, we often see opportunities for breakthroughs in performance improvement.

Fujifilm’s sales, support and technical teams have the ability to assess the requirements and resources required to implement new ways of working. They have the unique perspective of working with many different types of customers that serve different markets and utilize different systems. Even more importantly, our teams understand the importance of integrating new technologies into current workflows and processes.

Take advantage of the observation and experience of our team to map out your vision of a better future, and let us help you make that vision a reality.

print illustrated is published quarterly

by FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division Copyright 2019 All rights reserved

Press Komori lS 840

Plates Fujifilm SUPERIA LH-PL thermal plates

Screening Fujifilm Co-Res Screening

Coating 5296D Imprintable Gloss UV Coating, 9017 Reticulating UV Varnish, 5459A Raised Gloss UV Coating

Inks Outside covers: UV chrome silver, UV 4/c process Inside covers & body: Conventional 4/c process, Satin Aqueous Coating

TERRY MITCHELL Director Marketing Communications and Sales Enablement, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division

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M DIM

HE PRINT INDUSTRY IS changing. Not really a news flash, right? But here’s the thing about change. It can be a daunting task. Today’s printers, many of which continue to sift through the ever-shifting dynamics of technology and customer behaviors, have come to accept that you must, forgive the honesty here, adapt or die.

When the topic of change comes up with Thanh Nguyen, he likes to repeat an old Chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

Nguyen, CMO of the Standard Group, an awardwinning print management and marketing logistics company located in Reading and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has had a front row seat to sweeping changes that have engulfed his industry. The best piece of advice he can offer is that when it comes to change, you have to start small, increase incrementally, but be consistent in your approach.

It’s all about the commitment. Try putting it on your calendar. “Add it to your appointment schedule to strategize, plan and execute,” Nguyen

HOW PRINTERS CONTINUE TO REDEFINE

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says. “Get an accountability coach to make sure you are addressing your changes. And embrace the change.”

Here’s the kicker when it comes to change and every single company that turns its head when the light of change starts shining through the window—you either adapt or die. That’s right, there’s that phrase again.

“It is more dangerous to do nothing or keep with the status quo,” Nguyen says.

“I used to lament that the print industry is hard. But I wouldn’t want to be in the taxi business competing with Uber and Lyft, or in the hotel industry competing with Airbnb or in the retail sector competing with Amazon. No industry is safe, we just need to reinvent ourselves.”

Reinvention is something much of the

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print industry continues to chase. The reasons are simple. As part of a mature media industry, printers compete with traditional media for a share of marketing and advertising budgets. They also are under siege by new channels of communication such as digital marketing, social, mobile, apps and home-connected devices. Add to it a continually evolving consumer and the need for reinvention must be faster, nimbler and more integrated than ever before.

“Part of our job is to show how we can use print and its sister services like direct mail, fulfillment, collateral management, personalized multichannel communication to drive sales, generate leads and help businesses grow,” Nguyen says. “And like every industry, printers need to figure out how to

“CONSUMERS WANT THE MOST IMPACT FROM WHAT YOU DO FOR THEM AND THE BEST VALUE POSSIBLE. IT’S A BUYER’S MARKET. WE DON’T WANT TO BE VIEWED AS JUST A VENDOR. WE PREFER TO VIEWED AS A PARTNER.” — RICK BAARMAN, VP SALES & MARKETING, HOLLAND LITHO

utilize the tools available to integrate and automate the services we provide. Clients want things better, faster and cheaper.

They don’t just want to choose two of the three; they want all three. We have to figure how to provide that.”

THINK BEFORE YOU JUMP...

In a time when everything is happening fast and customers want things done now, there has to be a method to the madness. Rick Baarman believes that’s one of the surest ways today’s printers can set themselves on a course for redefining their strategies.

That means while diversifying your offerings, if that’s part of your strategy, it takes getting a complete grasp on where and what you want and can do. Baarman, VP of sales and marketing for Zeeland, Michigan-based Holland Litho, says you must start where it matters most—with the customers.

“Spend time with them to learn what their interests and needs are before diving into various new services,” Baarman says.

Holland Litho’s diversification has centered on its digital print and offset print offerings, along with a greater emphasis on its bindery, mailing and fulfillment services, all of which feature state-of-the-art equipment it invested in.

“If we can build relationships with a lot of clients and are able to produce the majority of what they need under our roof, we’ve just positioned ourselves for a strong and healthy relationship,” Baarman says. “But it’s not just the equipment that makes the company, it’s the people. And if the right people have the best equipment, they can do so much more.”

With as many demands as printers have on them today, Baarman says that they need print projects to flow as smoothly as possible. There are just too many choices out there.

“Consumers want the most impact from what you do for them and the best value possible,” Baarman says. “It’s a buyer’s market. We don’t want to be viewed as just a vendor. We prefer to viewed as a partner.

We like to develop relationships where we build such a track record of service and trust that we become their only go-to source.”

Part of the strategy of redefining yourself lies in your ability to grow. Attend trade shows and conferences. Partner with someone who isn’t a competitor to provide and learn the services. Ask a lot of questions.

“There are 1,000 ways a print job can go wrong and only one way it can go right,”

7 TAKEAWAYS YOU CAN START USING TODAY

1. Embrace the concept of change 2. Add the process to your appointment schedule so you strategize, plan and execute 3. Get an accountability coach to make sure you’re addressing your changes 4. Start small, increase incrementally, but be consistent in your approach 5. Think digital and mobile first when it comes to the operation of your business 6. Stay in front of the curve 7. Attend trade shows and conferences; partner with someone who isn’t a competitor; ask a lot of questions

WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGE, YOU HAVE TO START SMALL, INCREASE INCREMENTALLY, BUT BE CONSISTENT IN YOUR APPROACH. Baarman says. “The amount of variables are out of this world. People have no idea unless they’ve been at it a while. Our goal is to help our customers navigate through the steps of their project and have them enjoy the process.”

Making the brand owner happy lies at the true heart of finding a strategy that works. “Today’s brand owners want to find great prospects, better ways to influence and convert on these prospects, and better ways to tell their business and brand stories to connect with these prospects and their current customers,” Nguyen says. “They want a reliable partner that can help them achieve these items through reliable busi-

ness partners.”

In the end, in an industry that continues to evolve, staying in front of the curve is a business plan that will remain sustainable.

Consolidation. Millennials influencing decisions in the workplace. The integrated way consumers are buying products. The world is changing.

“Printers need to think digital and mobile first when it comes to the operation of their business,” Nguyen says. “They also need to reinvent themselves on how people should buy from them. And they must hire people that can speak the language of the new buyers.”

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EYE-CATC WHY THE ACUITY LED 40 SERIES IS WORTH A LOOK

A VARIETY OF productive print modes.

Light and white ink options. An LED UV curing system. The benefits of Fujifilm’s new Acuity LED 40 Series are many. And if those qualities are not enough to catch the eye of today’s print service providers looking for innovative solutions for customers in the sign and display graphics industry, there is much more.

For starters, the mid-volume UV LED flatbed printer can output on substrates such as canvas, wood, tile, glass and heatsensitive films. It’s the kind of appeal that printers need in today’s ever-competitive landscape.

It’s an appeal that’s worth a look. The Acuity LED 40 Series, the newest addition to the highly successful, renowned Acuity

THE ACUITY LED 40 SERIES OFFERS SUPERIOR PRINT QUALITY AND APPLICATION VERSATILITY WITH RIGID OR FLEXIBLE SUBSTRATES. 6 ❘ print illustrated ❘ SPRING 2019

platform, offers superior print quality and application versatility with rigid or flexible substrates. Designed to be a cost-effective printer for growing print service providers as well as existing Acuity customers considering an upgrade, the Acuity LED 40 Series provides production capacity speeds up to 548 square feet per hour, and the double bed offers speeds up to 568 square feet per hour.

“The Acuity LED 40 Series delivers superior print quality,” says Ramona Serafino, associate product marketing manager, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic

CHING Systems Division. “A variety of configuration options along with an LED curing system demonstrates excellent environmental benefits with significant cost benefits to users.”

The standard model enables users to print on media or objects of any size up to 49x98 inches, while with the X2 (double bed size) model, increases to 98 x 121 inches. The 40 Series also features an added benefit of instant-on for immediate printing, eliminating the need to wait for the printer to warm up, which is an added benefit to customers who are not involved in all-day production runs.

The Acuity LED 40 Series utilizes a new LED ink by Fujifilm, Uvijet KL, and is available with four, six or eight color channels. Users have the option to add light inks and varnish for stunning, high-value applications, and also upgrade to Fujifilm’s brightest white UV ink, ideal for backlit and fine art applications.

Additionally, all of Fujifilm’s Uvijet inks are GREENGUARD Gold certified, a stringent certification benchmark with regard to sensitive individuals such as children and the elderly, ensuring the output is suitable for use in environments including schools and healthcare facilities.

THE ACUITY LED 40 SERIES AT A GLANCE AS A MEMBER OF THE ACUITY PLATFORM, THE ACUITY LED 40 SERIES OFFERS A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS ADAPTED FROM THE ACUITY FLATBED SERIES: Zoned Vacuum Flatbed Six dedicated vacuum zones tailored to common media sizes reduces the need for bed masking. The double bed has a seventh zone.

Adjustable vacuum strength allows for optimum handling of different materials.

Pneumatic Registration Pins Minimizes setup time, allowing for quick, easy and accurate positioning of material and loading in perfect register. Standard bed version has five pins, the double bed version has 10 pins, which can be controlled both automatically and manually.

Compact Footprint Built to fit in the tightest production spaces.

Roll Media Option A compact roll-to-roll unit extends its versatility. High-quality images can be printed on roll media.

Double Bed Continuous Production Model Option Expand the standard bed from 98.4 inches x 49.2 inches (2.5 m x 1.25 m) to double bed size of 98.4 inches x 121.3 inches (2.5 m x 3.08 m) for printing larger images. Includes dual registration points, so it can set up in one zone while printing on the other zone for nonstop printing.

Automatic Maintenance System (AMS) Automates primary printhead maintenance to take as little as 25 seconds. This reduces the need to use the manual vacuum device to carry out daily maintenance.

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HIGHER GROUND

HOW CAUSE MARKETING ELEVATES YOUR BUSINESS Everything for Justin Ahrens and Brian MacDonald changed in 2007.

That’s when Ahrens, founder of design firm Rule29, and MacDonald, director and photographer at Wonderkind Studios, traveled to Africa. There they saw the unspeakable realities of people living without safe water and sanitation. The basic necessities didn’t exist. It moved them to do something about the situation.

In 2014, they acted. That summer, Ahrens and MacDonald rode from the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of Lake Michigan—1,207 miles if you’re counting. The ride was in collaboration with Lifewater, a nonprofit organization that was also working toward helping curb the world’s water crisis. The ride, under the group they started called Wheels4Water, helped raise more than $90,000.

Their mission sparked a movement of ordinary people guided to do what they could to raise awareness and funding for people in need. Wheels4Water led a year-end campaign to raise an additional $10,000 to provide more resources.

By the end of 2014, $100,000-plus was raised for more than 2,500 Ugandan people.

“The benefits of having a cause, purpose or good at the soul of who we are has helped us in the way we run our company, employee retention, client attraction, public relations and profitability,” Ahrens says.

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We all want to do good, because by doing so you create a cycle of generosity that can be an effective aspect of marketing your brand. Doing good has many benefits, which begin within your own culture and work environment, and stretch out to your business partners and beyond.

Cause marketing is a way of getting your business involved with charities and nonprofits in a mutually beneficial way. So, instead of selling or promoting a product, a brand might tack a cause onto a sale, like TOMS® Shoes’ One for One® campaign, which matches every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes for a child in need.

Michele Egan recalls a partnership that her cause marketing agency, For Momen-

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tum, helped form between The Alzheimer’s Association and Edward Jones, a financial services firm based in St. Louis. Edward Jones’ partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association has resulted in $4.7 million in funding for the association.

Part of the partnership is the Edward Jones Alzheimer’s Research Fund. The firm also sponsors the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s, a nationally recognized event that helps raise awareness and research support. The partnership not only helps Edward Jones do good, but keeps its name in a positive light in the marketplace, which is at the heart of any cause marketing campaign.

And there are more benefits, too, especially internally. As part of generous funds

that are raised due to the relationship, firm associates are now better educated with regard to the Alzheimer’s cause, which makes them ambassadors who can relay critical information about the potential damaging effects the disease has on those affected.

“As companies look to be a force for good, they are becoming more strategic about their cause partnerships as they choose nonprofit partners who align with their social purpose,” says Egan, who serves as For Momentum’s VP. “Brand and mission alignment are critical for success and can lead to meaningful action. Purpose creates bonds with audiences that go beyond product and price.”

Having a culture where the bottom line

is not the only metric for companies like Rule29, Wonderkind Studios, For Momentum and Edward Jones has helped them become more collaborative, agile, genuine and a place where people like to work.

Employee retention is vital to the success of any company. So when you’re able to retain employees whose ideals and goals line up with those of your business, it’s an added bonus. “Engaging employees in community via strategic cause alliances is a leading business strategy,” Egan says. “It is well documented that if a company invests in cause alliances that include employee volunteering and workplace giving programs, employees report feeling a sense of purpose, positive morale, and enhanced general well-being.”

GETTING INVOLVED There are many causes to sink your time into, so the process of finding one can be a bit overwhelming. While donating to just about any charitable cause can create goodwill with clients and customers, choosing a cause that aligns with your company’s goals and mission is a great way to create a long lasting and mutually beneficial relationship.

Start with your brand and customer base. Finding a cause that speaks to your community and rounds out your brand can ultimately create a deeper connection with your consumers. Your business may meet the needs of your customer base, but being able to align with their desire to be a part of something good that benefits the world around them appeals to their hearts, not just their wallets.

Another factor in choosing the right cause for your business is community involvement. Local businesses can do a world of good for the people right in their own area, helping to create goodwill.

This can be as simple as sponsor-

ing awareness events for social causes like food drives, runs/walks or festivals.

When executed effectively, your brand can create a community-based connection. “Customers certainly respond well to such care and kindness shown,” Egan says.

Larger-scale businesses may partner with larger-scale causes through things like sponsorships. Take a well-known cause marketing campaign like Yoplait’s “Save Lids to Save Lives,” where customers are encouraged to mail in lids from Yoplait yogurt containers during the month of October (breast cancer awareness month). Each lid Yoplait receives results in a 10-cent donation to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The campaign has raised millions of dollars since its inception in 1999.

Cause marketing is good all around— for your business, your community and your employees. For inspiration, take a page out of the book of companies like Rule29 and For Momentum. If you can strengthen your brand while doing good, what’s not to love?

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THE FRONT R HOW SUPERIA ZD PLATES ARE HELPING HONOR SALEM ONE’S ODE TO SUSTAINABILITY SALEM ONE’S previous plate-making technology had run its course. And when you’re one

of the Top 15 print-based corporate communications companies in the Southeast, that’s a pretty big deal. Salem One, with headquarters in both North and South Carolina, is one of only a small group of companies in the country to achieve and maintain the Level 3 G7 Master Certification across offset, flexo and digital print production.

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The fast growing packaging, direct marketing, print and logistics company is known for its award-winning work for myriad leading regional and national corporations. Its clients include a variety of well-known brands in the retail shopping, dining, athletic apparel, furniture and banking/finance sectors.

So when Salem One president Philip Kelley Jr. and his team decided to make a

RUNNER change in its plate-making technology, it became a priority. They launched a 90-day testing process and reviewed three different options. Their edict was clear: In addition to quality and new technology integration, Salem One wanted its new partner to have a solid reputation in organizational and service strength.

“That had to be a part of the final decision,” Kelley says.

As the process moved forward, a frontrunner clearly emerged—Fujifilm’s SUPERIA ZD no-process thermal plate making technology. Manufactured in Fujifilm’s Greenwood, South Carolina facility, the SUPERIA ZD plates are made with the company’s proprietary multigrain technology, applying a complex grain structure consisting of primary grains, honeycomb grains and micropores to an aluminum support. The multigrain structure produces a synergistic effect that results in outstanding printing efficiency.

Another key performance feature improvement for SUPERIA ZD is its ability to print UV ink conditions and also provide improved run length in non-UV ink environments.

“With SUPERIA ZD, we have the ability to run tens of thousands of sheets with tremendous durability while maintaining the crispness of the image, without worry of a degradation image through the run,” Kelley says. “Obviously, that leads to wonderful results for the client. With our previous plate making system, we were using

Pictured alongside the Fujifilm Javelin 8600N-S thermal platesetter, left to right, Terry Swade, Corporate Operations Manager, Salem One; Grady Dickerson, Sales Manager, Fujifilm; Eric Sauer, Pre-press Supervisor, Salem One; Phil Kelley, Jr., President, Salem One; Anne Wagner, Plate/CTP Operator, Salem One.

SNAPSHOT OF THE SUPERIA ZD PLATES True process-less technology allows the plate to be imaged and mounted directly on press for immediate use Higher polymer sensitivity results in faster imaging Multigrain surface structure for optimum ink/water balance 1-99 percent at 200 lpi conventional and 300 lpi FM and hybrid screening technologies No ablation many sets of plates, along with the obvious waste and quality check requirements.”

Kelley says that the process-less plate technology was in line with Salem One’s desire to no longer maintain the cost of additional consumables or the management responsibility for effluent disposal.

“We have been a long-time supporter of sustainability, therefore the elimination all chemicals in our plate-making process is viewed as a completed goal. With its advanced technology, Fujifilm’s SUPERIA ZD fits our messaging and corporate leadership practice of maintaining the most sustainable form of communication available in the world. We are a leader in the printing industry, and SUPERIA ZD aligns accordingly.”

packaging direct print logistics

WITH SUPERIA ZD, WE HAVE THE ABILITY

TO RUN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SHEETS WITH TREMENDOUS DURABILITY WHILE MAINTAINING THE CRISPNESS OF THE IMAGE, WITHOUT WORRY OF A DEGRADATION IMAGE THROUGH THE RUN.” — PHILIP KELLEY JR., PRESIDENT, SALEM ONE

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MADE IN THE U.S.A. INSIDE FUJIFILM’S ISO CERTIFIED KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI MANUFACTURING FACILITY

FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED with the FUJIFILM

Manufacturing U.S.A. facility in Kansas City, Missouri, the edict is clear: to become the valueadded leader in environmentally sustainable high-end chemical solutions.

It’s not a mission statement anyone takes lightly. Close business partnerships enable the facility’s workforce to anticipate and embrace technology shifts in the market. This agile spirit and strong belief in innovation drives the site’s goal to develop tomorrow’s solutions while providing customers with a competitive edge today.

ISO Certified since 2000, the factory holds

a unique position in the development and production of inks and coatings (handcrafted inks, small to large batches, high quality) for an ever-changing customer base.

Today, the facility is involved in product design and development; screen products manufacturing with rotor-stators, media mills, three-roll mills and mixers; digital ink manufacturing with material testing lab, multiple mixer bays and computerized process control; color matching and blending with investments in water-based flexo ink; blending service to complement the packaging product offering

A Three Roll Mill uses shear

force created by three horizontally positioned rolls rotating at opposite directions and different speeds relative to each other to disperse or homogenize viscous materials fed into it.

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by Fujifilm Graphics Systems Division; technical engineering; and quality control and quality assurance. This diversity of products and processes requires ‘precision manufacturing.’

“We have a unique opportunity here.

We are involved in many ink products, including screen, digital, and flexo; and we also have coatings, adhesives and primers,” says Scott Holub, VP manufacturing for FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. “We are known as innovators and not just employees.”

As innovators, Holub says the ongoing goal of the facility and its team is to enhance the quality of life for its employees, community and society as a whole.

“We have a very experienced workforce, 23 years of service is our average. To keep things dynamic, we promote ‘L3 - Life Long Learning,’ meaning we support and encourage continuous improvement in our workplace.”

Maybe that’s why the facility has posted its best safety record ever—more than 600 days without a recorded incident. “We have a cross-functional team of operators,

“WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY HERE. WE ARE INVOLVED IN MANY INK PRODUCTS, INCLUDING SCREEN, DIGITAL, AND FLEXO. WE ARE KNOWN AS INNOVATORS AND NOT JUST EMPLOYEES.”

— SCOTT HOLUB, VP MANUFACTURING, FUJIFILM MANUFACTURING U.S.A., INC.

Digital Ink Manufacturing Mixer Bays featuring state of the art technology (real time) processing data capture,

at Fujifilm’s Kansas City, Missouri ink manufacturing facility.

supervisors and management working together,” Holub says.

The facility sources more than 500 raw materials from around the globe, including the U.S., Europe and China. It currently manufactures products that did not even exist two years ago, including LED cured inks for packaging and long-term decals.

In addition, the facility develops adhesives for credit card overlay applications, and

partners with media vendors on long-term digital ink protective coatings and works closely with a number of local customers.

“We have the ability to manage 2,500 unique products, some of which a customer may only want one or two times a year,” Holub says. “We develop unique products for niche marketplaces, including the optical media business, which actually grew last year.”

SUSTAINABLY STRONG As part of its Green Policy to reduce its carbon footprint, the FUJIFILM Manufacturing U.S.A., Inc. installed 216 solar panels in 2012. The efforts helped generate 68 kWh of clean, renewable energy per year—a savings of $8,000 annually.

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BUILDING THE PERFECT SALESPERSON SALES EXPERTS DISCUSS THE ART OF THE SALE AND WHO CAN DO IT Listening. Empathy. Hunger. Confidence. Resiliency. Quick, name the traits you look for in a good salesperson. Regardless of the industry and goal at hand, a good salesperson is someone who can build trust and ensure satisfaction. Building the perfect salesperson means creating a culture where good training and efficient processes are put into place. print illustrated sat down with several sales thought leaders to get their take on what it takes to sell. Our panel included Linda Bishop, president of Thought Transformation; Terry Mitchell, Director of Marketing Communications and Sales Enablement for FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division; and John Waid, founder of C-3 Corporate Culture Consulting.

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CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE OVERALL CHALLENGE OF FINDING GOOD SALESPEOPLE? LINDA BISHOP: In any indusA try, finding good salespeople is challenging because people think they are tenacious and resilient. But as one international researcher said, “You have to be a happy loser.” Salespeople need to take charge of their own success. If it’s not happening, they will find something to change to make it happen. Sometimes, the easiest thing to change is your own approach. This takes confidence and strong self-worth. Lots of people seem to think they have what it takes to be a sales professional, but when you explain the nitty gritty details of the job, they really don’t like about 75 percent of what it takes to succeed.

Q

TERRY MITCHELL: I think there are lots of

good salespeople looking for opportunities to help a company get to where they want to be. In essence good salespeople are helpful. They find great satisfaction, even joy, in helping others achieve their objectives. One of the main challenges to finding good salespeople is being able to attract them. Good salespeople want

to know they can make a difference. They want to know they can get the support they need to be successful. And they want recognition for their achievements.

JOHN WAID: You have to find the ones who love selling and have a passion for it. If you want to be great, don’t settle. Hire and retain the best. Retain the great salespeople you have, find out what values and behaviors they have that make them successful in your environment and hire people who have that DNA. Also, hire great salespeople that your competitors could not retain and create a great culture to retain them.

Don’t be afraid to pay for great people and don’t make the mistake of hiring to save money (youth versus attitude/experience). Hire for cultural fit and don’t settle.

Do background checks, pre-employment screens and spend the time to hire right.

WHAT ARE THE MOST CRITICAL Q ATTRIBUTES OF A SALESPERSON? BISHOP: They have to pass the A “marshmallow test,” where they put aside immediate gratification for future success. Most of the time, salespeople are doing things that do not result in revenue, like calling strangers who never seem to want to pick up the phone. It’s a job where you have to come up with your own agenda for most days. And if you’re not focused, it’s easy to waste a day, lots of days. You can’t overthink things. Successful salespeople don’t have a lot of closed doors in their head. If something seems like it might get a positive result, try it. Try it more than once.

Learning by doing is a critical component of successful selling.

seller use storytelling to deliver engaging and memorable content? These attributes deal more with sales effectiveness. The skills are developed through training and coaching.

on as a source of information. If a customer had a problem, they called their supplier for solutions. Today, top performing salespeople are not so much solving problems as they are creating opportunities.

WAID: Do you really enjoy selling? Is it

WAID: In the ’70s and ’80s (and before),

your passion? Can you manage rejection, setbacks and follow-through (persevere) to get the sale, which is really the art of helping people buy? Do you have a strong hunter attitude?

relationship selling was king. In the ’90s, cold calling still worked and CEOs and other decision makers still accepted “exploratory meetings.” Today, there is no more of the traditional cold calling, as the market is saturated and it’s not a preferred method of being contacted by many potential customers. Your online presence precedes you and references are everything. Your best avenue for new business is current business that already like and respect you, and have experienced your products and services and the networks you have.

HOW HAVE SELLERS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? BISHOP: Buyers used to rely on A salespeople to provide basic information. Now, all that’s available on Google.

Today, buyers rely on salespeople to answer complex questions and offer solutions that are not easy to find online. Sellers also must bring more value when they make a call. Everyone is busy. Nobody has time for salespeople to “check in.”

Q

SUCCESSFUL SALESPEOPLE FOCUS THEIR TIME AND ENERGY ON THE HIGHEST VALUE ACTIVITIES AND GET DONE WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.” — TERRY MITCHELL, FUJIFILM GRAPHIC SYSTEMS DIVISION MITCHELL: Research conducted by the

MITCHELL: There are many behaviors and

skill-based attributes that correlate to high performing sales professionals. These include communication, initiative and accountability, as well as optimism and teamwork. Although all are important, I believe a positive mental attitude, or maintaining an optimistic outlook even when facing adversity, matters. Be resourceful. Find ways to get things done. I’d rank self-discipline at the top of this list. Successful salespeople focus their time and energy on the highest value activities and get done what needs to be done.

I look at key skills as a fundamental or critical attribute of successful salespeople.

These skills include things like how well does the seller demonstrate their knowledge of the prospect’s business and business challenges? How well does the seller make a compelling distinction of how or why their product or company is different than other options? And how well does the

Corporate Executive Board (CEB) and other research organizations have found that buyers often complete 60 percent or more of their purchase cycle before they ever contact a salesperson. In other words, customers are doing a majority on their own, before a salesperson has a chance to influence their choice. Successful sellers recognize that to be successful, they need to get out ahead of the purchase cycle.

They need to help their customers fully understand their needs and requirements, and share their knowledge and insights on how the proposed product or service meets their needs.

In many ways, successful sellers create a buying vision that takes the customer from the current state to a future state by breaking the status quo and showing the customer a better way to meet their objectives.

This is different from the problem-solving approach historically used by salespeople.

In the past, salespeople were often relied

WHAT DO SALESPEOPLE NEED TO WORK ON? BISHOP: They need to be an expert at A what their company sells. They need to be an expert at qualifying both an account (is it the right fit for your company?) and for qualifying an opportunity.

Q

MITCHELL: Salespeople need to become

better skilled at asking challenging questions. Asking questions is at the heart of effective discovery of customer needs.

Today, discovery is more about uncovering unrealized needs than it is about finding problems or pain points. Understanding the customer’s current circumstances, identifying opportunities to improve circumstances and discussing the consequences of staying with the status quo is at the core of creating awareness of unrealized needs.

Salespeople must also work on disrupting the status quo with a “why change” approach in order to get customers to understand the benefits of a better future state. After gaining the customer’s commitment to change, the challenge turns to “why you” or how your company, product or service is different from alternative suppliers. Essentially, salespeople need to move from a “product-centric” approach to a “customer-centric” approach.

WAID: They need to work on curiosity,

accountability, people skills, reputation, online presence, references, and to do the job because they really love it and are good at it. Sales isn’t for everyone and environments are different. For companies, stop investing in sales processes and instead create a sustainable sales culture that has a clear purpose, values and behaviors that everyone lives, and hire people for culture fit and skills.

print illustrated ❘ SPRING 2019 ❘ 17

POWER BROKER THE ILLUMINA LED RETROFIT SYSTEM CONTINUES TO HELP BEAU LABEL REDUCE COSTS (AND BUILD MARGINS)

It’s a family affair: left to right VJ’s nephew Rickey J. Affronti, sales; VJ’s son Vincent J. Melapioni Jr., production supervisor; Vincent J. (VJ) Melapioni, president; and Vincent Melapioni, founder and VJ’s father.

18 ❘ print illustrated ❘ SPRING 2019

T WASN’T VJ MELAPIONI’S first dance with Fujifilm’s Illumina, the LED-UV retrofit system that converts any traditional UV or water-based flexo press to LED-UV curing. The latest installation is Beau Label’s third. And when you find a product that can reduce costs and save money, you tend to be drawn to its impressive capabilities.

The third generation family-owned print services provider knows a good thing when it sees it, especially when you’re strategically situated between Newark, New Jersey and New York City. To keep up in the highly competitive business landscape, VJ says that every decision is critical to staying in the race.

That’s what makes Beau Label’s relationship with Fujifilm so important. The continually growing union has helped create a perfect symbiosis of building the right carbon footprint, boosting its bottom line and finding a partner it could trust.

Enter the company’s third Illumina, which has directly contributed to its significant cost savings. The UV energy emitted at Illumina’s 20 percent power setting is the same as the 100 percent power setting of other LED-UV curing systems. Patented LED technology delivers up to 44 percent more energy toward the substrate, resulting in faster curing, according to the company.

“The power savings were significant,” says VJ, president of Beau Label. “We are currently working with a power supplier for programs they offer to people specifically in urban enterprise zones. We’re working with them, and Fujfilm, on converting several more presses to the Illumina system.”

The Illumina LED-UV cure is an instant on/off process, lowering the energy usage and stress on lamp bulbs experienced in conventional “always-on” UV mercury lamp curing. LED-UV is also meant to eliminate the costs generated by cooling air blowers, ozone extraction and heat makeup systems.

“It’s amazing,” VJ says. “These units definitely use less power than our air dryers.”

In addition, Illumina employs additional patented and patent-pending technology to achieve even greater savings, resulting in financial savings per retrofitted press per year. The patented design produces less heat than competitive LED technologies and heat dissipation is also much more effective.

All in all, the Illumina continues to help Beau Label build its client portfolio. VJ says the company recently picked up some soap labels that generated great feedback.

“We really had phenomenal results—nice gradations; crisp, clean images. They were for detergents. It’s a nice line; it’s a pretty

line. A lot of that had to with the improved register on the film liner - it was sharper.”

Beau Label also continues to find success with Fujifilm’s 300 series inks, which VJ says create those brighter, clearer, crisper and cleaner results.

THE FAMILY WAY Beau Label moved into a 30,000-squarefoot facility in Hillside in 2008. The company’s beginnings can be traced back to VJ’s grandfather, who owned and operated an offset printing business. He ended up selling the business to VJ’s father, Vincent, who along with two partners started a new company in 1967, which they called Beau Label.

The name wasn’t the only change. Vincent and his partners changed the company’s direction, too, focusing their efforts on label printing. VJ began working for the company in high school and throughout

college, becoming a quick study in all areas of the business.

VJ and his father ended up taking sole ownership of the company. In 1985, VJ took over as president, steering the company through a series of partnerships and acquisitions. Those responsibilities include the continued addition of new equipment and processes.

Is there any more Fujifilm equipment on the horizon? VJ says he is currently working with the local power company to see what type of programs and incentives they offer to help add to sustainability efforts. “We would like to retrofit the rest of the plant,” he says. “We have to see what comes through, but it would be nice. It feels good to use less power. You have less bills, which is always good, and you feel like you can leave a little better footprint on the world— be a little bit greener.”

IT FEELS GOOD TO USE LESS POWER.

YOU HAVE LESS BILLS, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD, AND YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN LEAVE A LITTLE BETTER FOOTPRINT ON THE WORLD—BE A LITTLE BIT GREENER.” — VJ MELAPIONI, PRESIDENT, BEAU LABEL

print illustrated ❘ SPRING 2019 ❘ 19

LIFT OFF CORRUGATED PACKAGING MARKET’S GROWTH CURVE ROCKETING INTO 2023

I

f you’re looking for a market to invest your time and resources into, try corrugated packaging.

According to Smithers Pira’s “The Future of Corrugated Packaging to 2023” report, the market is

expected to grow around 3.7 percent annually to reach $300 billion over the next five years. Ignited by the explosion of e-commerce and the continued developments in digital printing technologies, growth is

happening faster than expected, confounding predictions that there would be a slowdown in corrugated consumption. Here’s a look at the leading markets of compound annual growth rate (CAGR) into 2023:

CAGR % growth prospects for corrugated board, 2018-23, by end use

CAGR % Electrical goods Personal & household care Process foods Textiles Vehicle parts Tobacco Glassware & ceramics

Chemicals Beverages Paper products Fresh food & produce Others 0

20 ❘ print illustrated ❘ SPRING 2019

1

2

3

4

5

6

SOURCE: SMITHERS PIRA

Wood & timber products

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