This year’s Graphics Canada—from November 8th to 10th at the International Centre near the Pearson Airport in Toronto—is the 44th anniversary of a show that many have come to rely on as a predictor of trends and showcase of new products for the Canadian printing industry.

New this year will be a flexo and converting showcase, a wide-format and sign pavilion, a mailing and fulfillment centre, and the Design City area catering specifically to designers attending the show.

Many companies will also be staging Canadian premieres for new (or new-ish) products—since it only happens every two years, some corporations have had to save up products that premiered in 2006 in order to make a splash at Graphics Canada. A few of the highlights follow.

HP will be showing off their Indigo 5500 (featured in our June issue), as well as two new Designjets—one each for technical and print users—and two Scitex wide-format presses. Heidelberg will premier their Speedmaster SM 52 with Anicolor in Canada—look for more information on that press in my article in this issue. Heidelberg will also be showing off their Speedmaster XL 105-6+LX with Prinect Inpress Control and Stitchmaster ST 450 . Canon Canada debuts their imagePRESS C7000VP digital press. Fuji will be thrilled to premiere the Inca Spyder Q—with a 10-picoliter drop size and fine text resolution down to 4 point type. Canadian success story Gandinnovations will introduce the Jeti3324 Aquajet to the Canadian market at the show. Dekora Album, Agfa, Presstek, ND Graphics, Epson, and Pitney Bowes are also among the many companies looking forward to Graphics Canada as a first Canadian chance to show off new products.

Last month’s issue and this month’s issue feature 100-word descriptions of the highlights and products provided by many of the exhibitors at the show—be sure to look carefully through both issues to get a good idea of what is coming up and which booths are must-sees for you or your employees. It’s always good to go in with a plan so as not to waste time or become completely overwhelmed—neither of which is a nice feeling after leaving a show that won’t come back for another two years.

We hope you enjoy the Graphics Canada preview that we’ve put together in this issue and last issue, and we look forward to seeing you at our booth at the show! Look to our December/January issue for coverage of the show highlights.

AdasTotal Services Inc. #3412

AdasTotal Services Inc. has been a dealer for Adast printing presses and other Adast products since mid 2004. Adast a.s. is the largest manufacturer of printing presses in Middle and Eastern Europe.

AdasTotal Services Inc. will shortly be signing a dealership agreement to distribute the well-known Apos-Maxima paper cutters manufactured in the Czech Republic.

We will be introducing the new MAXIMA MS 80 TSE paper cutter in our booth # 3412.

Advantage Graphic Supplies Ltd. #3921

Established in 1999, Advantage Graphic Supplies Ltd. offers printing supplies and equipment to Canadian and American customers.

We offer Mimaki and Graphtec Printers and Cutters; HP Printers; Seal, GBC , Royal Sovereign and Quikmount Laminators; MultiCam Routers; Onyx, FlexiSign Pro, PhotoPrint, Neon Wizard, and Cadlink Softwares for ripping and cutting; a range of materials such as gmi, Orajet, Ilford, HP, 3M, Avery, InteliCoat; and all original inks such as Mimaki, HP, Graphtec, Staedtler and Inkmate. We are also an authorized service and repair dealer for Mimaki and Graphtec. We offer training on most types of graphic software, and weekend courses are also available.

All Graphic Supplies #2428

All Graphic Supplies is a leading Canadian distributor of Roland wide-format inkjet printers and supplies. We will showcase the new Dgen Teleois Direct-to-Fabric printer and tools such as the Fletcher Terry cutting system, Aurora Graphics, Voodoo Graphics, Roland’s latest XJ Series Printers, Rite Media, and other solutions to enhance the capabilities of graphics professionals and print operations. All Graphics specializes in service, training, on-going support, and supplies for all its products throughout Canada and the Caribbean. Our head office is in Mississauga, Ontario and our branches are located in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Calgary, Alberta, the Maritimes, and Port of Spain Trinidad.

AM Transport #3118

AM Transport is a dedicated team of professionals committed to customer service and satisfaction.

With our fleet of seventeen radio-dispatched trucks equipped with GPS, we are large enough to handle any order and small enough to care about each and every one.

Our radio dispatched fleet is available 24/7. Focusing on the printing, paper, and mailing industries, we have built a well-earned reputation over the past twelve years for reliability at reasonable prices.

Our equipment is meticulously maintained and up to date, including tailgates. We can handle loads up to 30,000 pounds and specialize in orders that other companies refuse.

Announcement Converters #1283

Announcement Converters sells blank envelopes, cards, folders, pouchettes and wedding invitations to trade customers only at wholesale prices. All items are in stock for same day shipment. With no minimum order other then one box of an item, we are capable of supplying your envelope and announcement needs at any order size. If you are looking for an item that is not in stock we also do converting at no additional cost, with low minimums and quick turnarounds. For instance, a standard A-size envelope is typically available in a 1000 envelope minimum order and takes only a week to manufacture. Visit www.AnnouncementConverters.com

Autumn Graphics Ltd. #3348,
Flexo and Converting Showcase

Autumn Graphics Ltd. is an independent, privately owned, Canadian company providing Prepress Production, Plate Production, and Graphics Management Services to Consumer Product Companies, Converters, Printers, and Advertising Agencies.

Autumn Graphics strives to be at the leading edge of technical development in the prepress industry by working with suppliers on trials of new technologies, working internally to develop process improvements and new production methods, proactively promoting continuous improvement initiatives with customers, and being involved in Industry Technical Associations. We respond to the industry needs of tomorrow, today.

Avanti Computer Systems #1012

Toronto-based Avanti Computer Systems will showcase its new “Drag and Drop” Electronic Scheduling Board (ESB) at Graphics Canada. Fully integrated with other Avanti modules, this new module will give Production Planners an easy-to-use, visual method for organizing and managing all jobs in the shop. Users can manage schedules via “drag and drop” functionality, perform “what if” scenarios to manage capacity and reduce job turnaround time, and schedule recurring jobs well into the future. The ESB also provides a real-time graphical view of every open job’s status from design to post-press.

Avanti specializes in integrated Print MIS solutions for Sheet-fed, Web, Digital, Large Format, and Binderies. To arrange a demonstration of Avanti’s ESB, contact Michele at mtooheyreed@avantisystems.com or visit booth 1012.

CDN Print Plastic #4124

If you’re looking to add another dimension to your existing business, come see us at CDN Print Plastic. We can help you capitalize on the plastic card phenomenon. A plastic card is more than a credit card or a gimmick. A plastic card is a multi-faceted opportunity. Don’t pass the opportunity up. If you want to understand how thermal card printers can help your business grow, come see us at CDN Print Plastic.

Die Supply Guys #3352

The Die Supply Guys are distributors of die-making and die-cutting supplies, and machinery. We will be displaying a wide range of components and materials for the production of steel rule dies. We will have many samples from our new line of automatic steel rule processors as well as samples from our Co2 laser die cutting machines. For the die-cutting companies, we have a large selection of matrix materials, make-ready supplies and tools to support their industry. We also carry a large selection of components such as thin plates and stripping pins for the Bobst and other automated presses.

Duroflex Specialty Papers Inc. #3040

Established in 1999, Duroflex Specialty Papers Inc. has seen enormous growth and is still expanding as a Paper Merchant. Duroflex provides a full line of paper products and supplies to the printing industry from Newfoundland to British Columbia. Duroflex delivers unmatched value in combination with innovative solutions, putting its customers ahead of the competitive curve.

Factor Forms Limited #2528

Now with three production facilities in Canada, Factor Forms is Canada’s largest trade-only business forms supplier. We continue to add to our broad line of short-run business form products. Our expanded product lines keep the competition out of your accounts as you can offer more than just commercial printing. If you are not supplying your customer’s business forms, someone else is calling on your account. Stop by to see new offerings as we continue to grow together into the 21st century.

Fujifilm Canada #1280

Premiering in Canada at Fujifilm Canada’s booth, the Inca Spyder 320Q flatbed UV printer features a 10 picoliter drop size printhead for fine detail work. The Fujifilm Acuity flatbed UV printer’s grayscale printhead has 6-30 picoliter drop sizes, perfect for lenticular printing or point of purchase applications. New plate technologies include the LP-NV2, a violet plate for high-def screening applications, and LH-PL, a no-bake long run (600,000+ impressions) thermal plate. Pro-T processless technology will also be exhibited. Fujifilm will showcase Metrix and Rampage workflow! (v10.5) integration alongside the latest (Adobe Print Ready) Trueflow workflow software from Screen. The iGen3-printed variable-cover October issue of Graphic Arts Magazine will be displayed; additionally, Terminal Van Gogh and Fujifilm will feature a live Web-to-Print application on the iGen3 digital press. Come by for a booth tour and get your picture on the front cover of your favourite industry magazine.

GMF #3552

GMF is a packaging prepress and platemaking company servicing the North American markets. Our services include both digital and analogue workflows for separations, colour managed contract proofs, photopolymer plates and corrugated plate mounting. GMF is a long time supporter and user of “Opaltone”, a high quality licensed process that improves both overall print quality and reduces print/prepress costs. In addition to the leading edge products and services listed above, GMF is proud to introduce Final Print Assurance, a browser-based colour management tool that allows real time analysis of established colour standards that have been quantified between End Users, Designers, Prepress, and Converters. FPA allows multiple viewers, at any location, to view, collaborate, and annotate both the Contract proof and Press Pull in a seamless environment, offering affordable, real-time accurate & true Colour measurement to the masses.

Our quality is what separates us from our competition.

GTI—Graphic Technology Inc. #1281

GTI Graphic Technology Inc. provides standard lighting systems for colour viewing and colour communication, which are vital to accurate colour management workflow. Graphiclite® color viewing systems are tested and certified accurate to the ISO 3664 industry standard for critical color evaluation.

We will also present the Soft-View digital dimming system for monitor to hard copy comparison and the newly re-designed PDV “e” series of Professional Desktop Viewers. GTI has also developed the innovative MCVE/SP Press Console Soft-Proof/Viewing System which enables effective soft-proofing right on the press console.

Heidelberg - Hall 4

The Heidelberg Hall will be showcasing over 20,000 square feet of complete solutions for the graphic arts industry. During this event several Canadian premieres will be introduced including the Speedmaster XL 105-6+LX with Prinect Inpress Control, Speedmaster 52-4+L with Anicolor technology, Stitchmaster ST 450 and the Kama TS74. In order to offer our customers complete commercial print solutions we are also demonstrating the complete Prinect workflow, Suprasetter A52/A74, Printmaster QM 46-2, Printmaster PM 74-4P, Stahlfolder B20, Stahlfolder TH82, Polar 78 X and Polar 115 XT Cutting System 2. A complete portfolio of selected consumable products which will allow a customer to obtain “Peak Performance” will be demonstrated live on Heidelberg equipment. In addition, Heidelberg offers a wide range systemservice offerings, spare parts, remarketed equipment, online shop and financial services, along with extensive training programs provided by the Print Media Academy.

HP #1200

HP will be showcasing its broad portfolio of graphic arts solutions at Graphics Canada. Among the wide range of printers and presses at the HP booth will be two new Designjets launched earlier this year—the Designjet T1100 MFP for CAD and GIS technical applications and the Designjet Z6100, featuring DreamColor technology for breakthrough colour accuracy. A new addition to the Indigo family, the Indigo 5500 for offset quality commercial printing, will be on display alongside the Indigo press S2000 for industrial printing. The HP Scitex XL1500 and the HP Scitex TJ8500 wide format presses are sure to impress as well with their ability to produce brilliant banners, flags, billboards and more.

J&J Manufacturing #1263

J&J Manufacturing is the producer of “Jay-Line” Promotional Products. We are a trade only supplier! Visit us and find out how to increase your profits selling fridge magnets, buttons, mouse pads, sticky note pads, specialty note pads, calendars, bookmarks, rulers, key tags, custom candy products, and hundreds of other Promotional Products.

Become a Jay-Line Distributor - membership is Free!

We will be distributing free catalogues and samples.

Jasdi Magnetics #3815

Jasdi Magnetics manufactures and distributes magnetic rolls and sheets to every provice in Canada, every day. Our products can be used as vehicle signs, menu boards, fridge magnets, and business cards. We also have pre-die-cut pieces for note pads, calendars, and shelving. We manufacture 1/2” and 1” magnetic stripping which is used for display panels and numerous other applications. One of our most popular products is our Magnetic Paper for Digital and Offset printing. Our warehouse in British Columbia can ship within one day of purchase order receipt for most orders. We welcome your requests for quotes and sample packages.

Konica Minolta #3840

This year at Graphics Canada we will be displaying our award winning bizhub PRO C6500 colour and our 1050e black and white production units. These devices are capable of printing 200 page saddlestitch-booklets, 600 page perfect bound books (glue binding), production envelopes, and can perform 6 different folds in-line with your print job. Other exciting features include nested folds, glossy or matte colour finishes, and feed technologies designed to feed even the most stubborn papers.

Also on display will be Konica Minolta’s own award-winning software PrintGroove. This affordable web submission software steamlines print job submissions and ticketing for your Print Shop or Central Reproduction Department. Rotating presentations on this exciting new product will be performed at the show, so be sure to visit and learn how your business workflows can be improved.

LithoTel Software Design # 3248

Join the makeready revolution! ColorLinx Preset provides exceptionally accurate ink key presetting on press. Satisfied customers report an average savings of 50% in makeready time. LithoTel can help you with straightforward technology to produce great looking print, efficiently and profitably. Now that’s an ROI to smile about!

Magnum Magnetics #2208

Magnum Magnetics is introducing MessageMag thin magnetic sheeting for offset, flexo, Indigo, and iGen presses. MessageMag is the newest addition to our line of printable magnetic sheeting products which also includes screen printing and inkjet options. We will have videos documenting the printing process on various presses as well as post-printing magnetization. Our magnetic sheeting is available in thicknesses ranging from .17 mm to 1.52 mm. Magnum flexible magnetic sheeting conforms to certified toy safety standards for heavy metals content.

MAN Roland #3640

MAN Roland does it all for Canadian printers, with a full range of advanced technology and services for the Canadian printer. Visitors to booth 3640 will be able to get first-hand information on the entire range of MAN Roland sheetfed and web presses, including the new ROLAND 700 HiPrint, ROLAND 700 DirectDrive, and EUROMAN. MAN Roland’s service, support, and supply capabilities will also be on the agenda. So too will be the availability of MBO finishing systems and Ryobi presses from MAN Roland Canada. The exhibit will be a valuable resource for Canadian printers who want to improve their competitive advantage.

Millenium Printing Inc. #1094

Intelligence we have, perfection we chase...

Customer satisfaction is our satisfaction.

Millenium Printing Inc. (MPI) has been working together with our clients for over 12 years, and customer satisfaction has always been our number one priority. Confidentiality, team spirit, intelligence, innovation, and improvement are some of the key words in our day-to-day operations.

We are in the process of installing the latest Mitsubishi Tandem Diamond 3000TP 8-colour with in-line Aqueous coating. This 40-inch, fully automated press is the first one Canada and is the only press in the industry that enables one-pass printing of both sides without tumbling the sheet after fully printing one side. We use both PCs and Macs, for maximum versatility.

Out-source your printing needs to us—we are your one stop shop, covering the gamut from prepress to finishing.

ND Graphics #2001

ND Graphics is showcasing the Mimaki JF-1631 and the Gerber M3000 at the Graphics Canada Trade Show. Called the “flatbed of the future,” Mimaki’s large-format, flatbed , UV-curable inkjet printer works on a range of uncoated substrates and materials, sign graphics, POP displays and transparent media. The Gerber M3000 flatbed cutter uses automatic cutting technology for a variety of materials. This automation, combined with its accurate positioning, makes it a powerful and reliable finishing tool.

Newtec Systems Inc. #2427

RealVue3D is the world’s first 3D visual simulation software for print media, created to streamline the communication and sales process. RealVue3D provides an innovative way to design, present, and approve jobs via a unique 3D document viewer.

The FloorWindo(r) is an unique ultra-slim poster display that is placed flat on the floor without using too much surface area.

The DeskWindo(r) raises the FloorWindo(r) idea to the surface of counters and desks.

PromoDek(r) is an easy-to-use modular floor display system that is effortlessly assembled and updated in minutes.

Easy Show is a modular system which provides users with an innovative method of creating and separating spaces through the dynamic use of banners.

Wave2 offers the most advanced, flexible and scalable, web-to-print publishing platform in the industry. It is the first solution that is integrated with Adobe InDesign Server.

Norprint #3917

Norprint will be showcasing their wide range of specialized products, including conventional fridge magnets, plastic cards, dry-erase boards, door-hangers, and rulers. They will also introduce a revolutionary new magnet—Magnesheet‚–¢. This lightweight, 14-point magnet material has over twice the holding power of magnetic paper. It was designed to address the need for lightweight, cost effective, yet functional magnets.

Norprint have also developed Magnesheet‚–¢ into a patent-pending card design, Snap-Card‚–¢ that offers unique advertising and direct mail opportunities. As a business card or postcard and printed with variable data, it has a unique “snap and see” feature ideal for contests and marketing. See us at booth 3917.

PDS—Pressdown #3202

PDS—Pressdown will demonstrate its complete portfolio of pressroom equipment at booth 3202. Highlighting the prepress area will be our CTP solution, the ECO 1630IIIR from Mitsubishi, providing Silver Digi technology for presses up to 16 5/16” x 22.83”. Moving on to the press, attendees will see the Ryobi 3302 working with the ECO 1630. New technology in the print finishing arena will include Digital Business Card Slitters and Digital Cutters, along with Graphic Whizard Numbering Units and Creasers, a Morgana Docufold, and Horizon Perfect Binding and Taping.

Optium #3451

Optium is a packaging prepress company based in Toronto, Ontario owned by PLM Group. We are the distinguished supplier to a high profile complement of converters and consumer packaging goods companies. Our mission is to be pre-media’s premium brand by delivering innovative business solutions with excellent service. We emphasize quality, speed to market, technology, and a discerning understanding of our clients’ work in an environment that values both leading technology and experienced talent.

Point One Graphics #1201

Our 17 year legacy in pre-press and printing, as well as an award for being one of Canada’s fastest growing companies attests to our commitment to our customers - we’re serious about printing!

Point One Graphic Inc. Man Roland WEB press features are: 16-page capability, 5 printing units and perfing, remoistenable gluing, folding & sheeting all in-line, it completes PointOne Graphic Inc. full service capabilities.

PointOne Graphic Inc. climate controlled pressroom boasts six late model Heidelberg presses including an 8 colour perfector printing two sides at 10,000 sheets per hour, 6 colour presses with in-line aqueous coating and a XL 6 colour Heidelberg, 7 colour Heidelberg with in-line UV, and 4 colour GTO

PointOne Graphic Inc. 70,000 square foot building also houses a state-of-the-art prepress department & full bindery.

PointOne Graphics holds FSC chain-of-custody certification. The FSC logo identifies products that contain wood from responsibly managed forests independently certified in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council A.C. PointOne Graphics Inc is also ISO certified 9001-2000

PowerQuote Software #2613

PowerQuote Software will be demonstrating the industry’s first cross-platform estimating system designed to run on Windows XP, Vista, and Universal Binary on Mac OS X. Modules are available for offset printing, digital printing, and accounts receivable. All systems include email or written quotes, easy tracking of file processing charges, instant recall of jobs for reorders, job tickets, and more. The digital printing estimating has the flexibility to use a price grid, cost-per-click or budgeted hourly rate methods. Your purchase includes a full year of phone/email support and free updates during that time. See www.macestimating.com for more info.

Presstek #3630

Under new leadership this year, Presstek, a leading manufacturer and marketer of digital offset printing solutions, will showcase the latest developments in its product line to help printers cost effectively meet increasing customer demand for high-quality, shorter print runs and faster turnaround while providing improved profit margins. Presstek’s product line enables print service providers to leverage and expand business opportunities in the fast-growing, short-run color print market and address the needs of the rapidly converging traditional and digital commercial print world.

PrintLink #1040

PrintLink is North America’s leading professional placement firm serving the graphic communications industry, with permanent placement for senior and middle management, hands-on, and IT-related positions. We offer a high standard of professionalism, personal attention, and confidentiality to both employers and job-seekers. We are constantly investigating new directions in the industry to provide new expertise for new technologies. Visit us at booth #1040.

www.printlink.com

Prisco #3100

Go Green With Prisco! We will have two distinct areas showcasing our consumables and equipment to reduce environmental impact. Our products include:

• Floclear

• Low VOC Coatings

• Low VOC Blanket and Roller Wash

• Prepac and Baldwin Impact Systems

• Improving Heatset Web Printing РNew Webfount N Series

• Prisco UV and Aqueous Coatings

• UV Printing Solutions

• Contitech HC Printing/Coating Blankets

This is the first time that any of our products will be shown in Canada. Priscotech specializes in Process Control Equipment, Water Management Systems, Coating Recirculation Systems, and Pressroom Humidification.

Prism Graphics #3830

We will feature many exciting Horizon products at our booth.

The Horizon SPF200A/FC200A booklet maker features high productivity, quick, fully-automated changeover, and user-friendly operation. All necessary settings can be changed automatically through a Colour Touch Screen. A reject function allows non stop production. Maximum production speed is 4,500 books per hour.

The Horizon AFC544AKT computer controlled Cross Folder with LCD touch screen is engineered for quality folding in minimum space. Its maximum sheet size is 21.1 x 29.5”, and it folds up to 35,000 sheets per hour.

Finally, the Horizon BQ270 features quality perfect binding and advanced binding features, an LCD touch screen, fully automated set up, side gluing, and cover scoring.

RENZ #3216

RENZ is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of loose -leaf binding systems.

Renz manufacturers punching and binding equipment for Ring-Wire* comb binding , plastic spiral or “coil” binding, and plastic comb binding.

We also manufacture the Ring-Wire* , plastic comb, and plastic spiral materials.

Please visit our website www.renz.com to view all of our product offerings.

Unisource Canada, Inc. #3730, Hall 3

We offer solutions for Paper, Graphic Arts Supplies and Wide Format Printing. Our solutions include Speedy Dry Ink Additive, Agfa’s digital plates (including the :Azura chemical-free CTP Plate, the new long run :Energy Elite No Bake Thermal CTP plate, and the :Amigo mid range low-chem thermal plate), FlintGroup’s conventional sheetfed, hybrid and UV inks, Kelstar coatings, and Day International Blankets & Varn Press Chemistry. Our wide format printers include Colorspan’s 5460UV and Canon’s iPF9000 (Aqueous). Our wide-format inks & media include photopaper, films, vinyls, and fabrics from Kodak, Avery, Neschen, and Phototex.

Value-Rite #2309

Value-Rite delivers the best value in toner, inkjet ink and media. New products include compatible Eco Sol ink for Roland & Mutoh inkjet printers. We also provide compatible HP inkjet cartridges and toners. We’ll demonstrate the new Epson 1400 Dye Sublimation printer for custom imprinting and new transfer papers for non-oil copiers and laser printers. Special show prices for Xerox, Canon, HP and Epson supplies. www.valuerite.com.

Vistek #1289

Vistek can help you and your clients get better results with digital photography. As Canada’s source for professional imaging equipment, we provide digital photography systems for such major printers as Quebecor, St. Joseph’s, and Transcontinental, as well as for many of your top clients who go to print regularly. See Phase One digital camera backs for the ultimate in digital quality photography as well as lighting and other studio needs.

West Star/Star Web Printing #3154

West Star/Star Web Printing offers you both Sheet-Fed and Heat-Set Web Printing, plus complete in-house Bindery. We have the latest technology under one roof, including 3 Web Presses (up to a 48 page web press), 5 Sheet-Fed Presses, and up to a 12-colour Perfector with Roll-To-Sheet.

In our bindery department, we have cutters, folders, stitchers, perfect binders, die cutting, gluing, and inkjetting. We have the latest technology in prepress, and all our technology is accompanied by excellent prices and service.

xpedx #3817

New to the Canadian market, xpedx will learn about Canadian printers’ wants and needs. We will also share our long-term strategy for helping printers create efficiencies, and increase productivity, to generate profitable growth.

xpedx will focus on the current offering of paper and printing supplies available through our merchant division and retail stores, explaining how these two operating models enable xpedx to service every type of printer regardless of size or specialty. xpedx will discuss its offering to the design community and will provide details about the company’s environmental commitment via FSC and PEFC chain of custody certification.

The term “small narrow-web press” sounds almost like a contradiction in terms. Web presses use continuous rolls of paper and other substrates to run uninterrupted at high speeds, and they have always been employed to print very high volumes in the shortest possible time. Newspapers come to mind. So why a small narrow web? The primary application for these presses is labels and packaging.

Though labels and packaging are specialized markets within the printing industry, press manufacturers in the field are quick to point out that demand for labels and packaging enjoys at least one major advantage over general commercial work. While marketing directors and advertisers are divvying up their budgets between electronic and printed media, no matter which channels they use for promotion, all of their products need some type of wrapper. In fact, the competitive pressures in the retail space are leading the drive for ever more elaborate label and package decoration to capture the consumer’s attention. As manufacturers of consumer goods strive to differentiate their products, labels and packaging are likely to command a larger share of the marketing budget rather than a smaller one.

Traditionally, small narrow web printing has been dominated by flexographic technologies, and production is often done by the converters who make product containers and wrappers. For them, printing is only one step in the larger process of package production and can combine various processes like offset, flexo, and rotary screen printing, with finishing options such as die-cutting and foil stamping in “hybrid” production lines. However, as digital processes for both prepress and printing have been improved and expanded, they are being introduced into the label and packaging segment. After all, on-demand production, economical short-run “versioning”, and variable data printing (VDP) can be applied to labels for wine, ketchup, and pharmaceuticals as well as to marketing collateral and business documents. The relative ease-of-operation of digital printing technologies also has made the label and packaging market more accessible to commercial printers, who might develop low-volume digital label and package printing as a value-added or niche product offering.

New applications for digital

Colour digital printing technologies were introduced only about15 years ago and were initially for broad commercial printing applications rather than for labels and packaging. The Xeikon colour digital press was the first digital web press on the market, and the Xeikon 330 also was among the first digitally-based narrow web presses designed for label and package printing. Introduced a couple years ago by Punch Graphix, headquartered in the Netherlands and the UK, the Xeikon 330 offers a maximum web width of 330 mm (13”) and prints up to five colours—including opaque white—on label stock, paper, and synthetic media up to 250 gsm. The Xeikon 330 is available complete with inline postpress options for varnishing, laminating, cutting, slitting, matrix stripping, and for re-reeling finished labels.

The Indigo colour digital press from Hewlett Packard in Palo Alto, Calif., was another pioneer in the colour digital printing field, with the earliest models for sheetfed printing. The Indigo ws4500 is a third-generation colour digital web press developed specifically for label and packaging applications. It provides a web width of 330 mm (13”) and uses Hewlett Packard’s Electroink to print in as many as seven colours, including Pantone PMS and Pantone’s new Goe colours. The system accepts substrates ranging from paper label stocks to film in thicknesses from 12 to 350 microns (0.47 to13.8 mils). With “near-line priming” the press will run a broader range of substrates, including shrink-sleeve and flexible packaging films. A variety of compatible finishing options, key to producing labels and packaging, are available from AB Graphic International, Rotoflex, SMAG, Delta Industrial, DCM, and Karlville.

Though the ws4500 is capable of volume production, Don Briley, North American category manager for industrial products at Hewlett Packard, estimates that 60% to 65% of the work produced on the ws4500 is in volumes of less than 50,000 due to customer demand for shorter runs for versioning and/or “private label” branding. This type of VDP production is perhaps the most attractive capability of digital printing generally and requires no physical retooling of the press, plate changeovers, or makeready, other than perhaps changing the substrate. Another selling point for digital label production, Briley notes, is digital’s ability to precisely match the colours produced by other printing processes, like offset or flexo. For consumer products, “The label itself is the product differentiation,” he says. “Label printing is not just a niche market anymore.”

Non-traditional sources

Digital press manufacturers are not the only companies offering digital narrow web presses for label and packaging. EFI, best known for its Fiery colour controllers, acquired the Jetrion inkjet division from ink manufacturer Flint Group in 2006. EFI/Jetrion, based in Ypsilanti, Michigan, now offers a range of industrial inkjet print systems, including the Jetrion Series 4000, a small narrow web press for printing UV inkjet labels and packaging. Imaging widths are 100 mm and 200 mm (4” and 8”), with webs two inches wider than the image size. Substrates can range from paper and film to tag and specialty stocks. The press uses Jetrion UV4000 inks in four or six colours—cyan, magenta, yellow, black, orange, and green—and produces what EFI/Jetrion describes as “near-photographic” image quality at 900 dpi.

Sean Skelly, director of marketing for EFI/Jetrion, says the company is targeting two groups of potential buyers for the Series 4000: converters who already have flexo printing capabilities and have been outsourcing shorter run work, and printers who do no flexo printing at all, but want to get into the label market. The Jetrion 4000 utilizes EFI’s Fiery XF production RIP to link to prepress systems.

Another unusual source for printing presses is Sun Chemical Corp., with North American headquarters in Parsippany, N.J. At both Graph Expo 2007 and LabelExpo Europe in Brussels, Sun exhibited the new SolarJet, a UV inkjet printer built in partnership with Colorado-based Imaging Technology International. The SolarJet incorporates Xaar 760 printheads to produce images at 900 x 900 dpi using Sun’s SolarDot pigmented UV inks, formulated to deliver reliable print on a range of substrates.

Stefan Slembrouck, business manager of digital print solutions at Sun Chemical Digital states: “We have designed the SolarJet to fill a specific gap in the narrow-web labels market. SolarJet offers printers an economically viable solution for print runs of 10,000 labels or fewer, freeing up their flexo presses for the high volume jobs. It also has the added benefit of being able to print variable data, such as text and barcodes....It is a complementary technology that exploits the strengths of digital printing, while bridging the gap in conventional printing processes.”

The usual suspects

For decades, Danish company Nilpeter A/S has been a leading global manufacturer of small narrow web presses for flexo, offset, and gravure label and packaging production. Nilpeter features modular presses with interchangeable components for using several of these print processes in one production line, as well as for laminating, die-cutting, foil stamping, embossing, punching and sheeting. This year at LabelExpo, Nilpeter unveiled its new Caslon line of digital inkjet printing presses, which employ prepress imaging technologies from UK-based FFEI along with the Xaar 101 drop-on-demand printhead to print four-colour process text and images on a wide variety of substrates. Caslon presses are available as modular units that can be integrated with Nilpeter’s flexo press lines, or they can run as stand-alone roll-to-roll systems. The presses are being introduced first in 330 mm (13”) and 420 mm (16”) web widths, with 508 mm (20”) and 559 mm (22”) web widths to follow.

“Our objective with the design was to provide a solution which can augment current pressroom capabilities, rather than need a separate printing environment and production workflow, which is required by most competitive digital solutions,” notes Lars Eriksen, president and CEO of Nilpeter.

Dozens of other manufacturers offer narrow-web flexo presses, including Mark Andy of St. Louis, Missouri, ETI Converting Equipment, Boucherville, Quebec, and others, many based in Europe. As stated earlier, however, these manufacturers sell primarily to the converting market and, while they offer a very broad range of capabilities, flexo printing itself is a very different process from the offset and digital printing usually available from commercial shops.

Narrow web offset

Compared to the number of flexo and even newer digital narrow web processes available, the offset printing process seems under-represented. Muller Martini, best known for highly sophisticated finishing systems, offers the Alprinta narrow web offset press, launched at LabelExpo in Brussels in 2005. Available in web widths of either 520 mm (20.5”) or 740 mm (29-1/8”) and running at speeds of 457 m/min (1,500 ft/min), the Alprinta is primarily a “half-web” press designed for high-volume production of anything from publications to direct mail to marketing materials. Muller Martini also recommends the press for labels and packaging because the system can print on a wide range of substrates including films, and offers a size variable insert system with plate and blanket cylinders that can be changed quickly, without the use of tools and without breaking the web. The Alprinta can be ordered with as many as 12 print units, allowing for many options in terms of printing process and spot colours, varnishes, metallics, and more.

New to North America this year are narrow web offset presses from German manufacturer Edelmann Graphics. These are now available here through Matik North America, West Hartford, Conn., a distributor that also handles flexo presses and related converting equipment from more than a dozen manufacturers. The Edelmann presses include the model V52 with a 520 mm (15.5”) web width, and model V72 with a 720 mm (30”) web width. Both have print repeats from 16” to 48” and will print on a range of substrates—film, PS, PP clear box, aluminum foil, and paper—in thicknesses from 18 to 650 microns (0.7 to 26 mil). Because Edelmann presses are offset, they can be used to produce almost any number of end products, labels and packaging as well as books and directories, direct mail, marketing materials, etc.

Two smaller Edelmann narrow webs also are available, the Web Print 39 (520 mm/15.5”) web width, and the EVO Print with a 483 mm (19”) width. Both have print repeats of 11” to 25”.

The designation “small narrow web” refers to a certain size and type of press, one that is most often used for labels and packaging. However, these presses are offered for every printing technology, or for use in hybrid print production lines, and can be used for producing even the fanciest, finished end products. Printers interested in expanding their capabilities and their markets will find many suppliers of small narrow web presses and complementary equipment who can provide standard as well as custom presses or whole production lines to fulfill just about any customer’s specifications.

Trade offset pioneer Millenium Printing (MPI) teams up with Mitsubishi. Installation of first-ever Tandem DIAMOND 3000TP 8-colour complements company’s ongoing expansion.

For the past 12 years, Markham’s Millenium Printing has been quietly, confidently, establishing itself as one of the best sources for printing brokers, small printers, photocopy store outlets, etc., while at the same time growing at an astounding 500%.

It all began just over a decade ago when two brothers, Pal and Robbie Dhanju, made a humble start in the printing business with small 2-colour presses at their Woodbridge shop. Business over the next 5 years was consistent and strong. This formed the foundation for future moves and expansion that would take the company to an entirely new level.

The success really started to build, however, about 5 years ago when they made their first big move – installing their first 28” Heidelberg 5-color with coater.

“It was totally a new experience from a small 2-colour to a 4-color format,” says Pal Dhanju, President, MPI. “However, our strong hands-on production experience and loyal customer support really helped us in making the right moves at the right time.”

The next 3 years saw a tremendous 100% growth each year – from one 4-color to a new 6-color plus coater Mitsubishi Diamond, and another 4-color, from 25” format to 40” presses, and from 10,000 sq. ft. to 18,000 sq. ft. of production space with a complete in-house bindery facility.

“Our focus from the beginning was that of a high-tech, one-stop printing shop dedicated solely to trade,” says Dhanju. “While working with trade people, we have to be very careful about the pricing because in this B2B environment, every penny counts. Therefore, our whole buying process is very strategically designed.”

“Our Purchasing Department is always on the lookout for the best without compromising on the quality of the product,” says Vice-President Robbie Dhanju, who controls the entire purchasing process for the company. “We want all our brokers to maximize margins on every single job they do with MPI – and we always back-up our clients concerning any quality issues,” he adds.

“We’ve never forgotten that, and every move we make is always well thought out in advance and intended to give the maximum to our clients in terms of quality and price.”

Marketing Director Neeraj Gupta echoes that philosophy.

“Once files come to us, we make certain we take care of every little detail until final completion of the job. We’re meticulous about that,” he says. “Our clients trust us explicitly to provide the best price and the best service,” says Gupta.

“The result? Today we occupy over 18,000 sq. ft. at our Markham location and serve more than 700 clients. We built up our business one client at a time and now provide not just offset printing, but a host of finishing specialties and special services in-house.”

Millenium’s finishing services include aqueous coating, lamination, spot UV coating, varnishing and much more. Specialty services include diecutting, embossing, foil stamping, perforating and thermography, to name a few. Combine this with full in-house Mac and PC pre-press facilities, and you’ve got one of the industry’s best one-stop trade-only shops.

But production can never be a one-man or two-man show in the fast-paced printing environment, say the Dhanjus. They proudly believe in the culture of team management and the brothers give full credit for their success to their professional and dedicated team of more than 45 employees who work round the clock 7 days a week.

THE BIG NEWS

But the biggest news of all, though, is the company’s imminent expansion. It will move from its existing location at 111 Ferrier St. in Markham, Ontario, to a new, larger 40,000-sq.-ft. facility (Millenium House) at Hwy 7 and Keele by the end of December.

The focus on acquiring new technology will always remain a priority, partly because of the strong production background and experience of the Dhanju brothers.

Because they understand technology, they’ll always be on the lookout for the best in the industry. In fact, they were one of the first shops in Canada to install the AGFA chemical-free CTP system designed to improve quality and help the environment at the same time.

The soon-to-be installation of a fully automated Mitsubishi Tandem DIAMOND 3000TP 8-colour 40-inch press with coater (equipped with roll-to-sheet inline facility) at their new location will give MPI a new level of speed, quality and service.

“We’ll be the first printer in Canada to install the Tandem DIAMOND 3000TP,” says Pal Dhanju. “This is the only press in the industry that enables one-pass printing of both sides without tumbling the sheet.”

For jobs calling for double-sided printing, he says, perfecting presses result in higher productivity compared to single-side printing presses. For example, delivery time is usually shortened by 30% since they don’t require time to dry one side of the sheet. It normally takes half a day to one full day before the other side can be printed. This is just another example of how Millenium has kept ahead of the game by utilizing the latest technology.

The reason for trying this new Tandem technology, rather than other perfecting presses, Dhanju says, is that it overcomes all the shortcomings which perfecting presses used to have, such as marking problems and limitations of running heavier card stocks. In Tandem presses, because the sheet flows straight, it overcomes these situations.

In addition, the press has the capability of printing from paper rolls, which makes it a complement to a full-web press without compromising quality and thickenss.

Despite all this new technology, Dhanju says the company will never lose its focus on trade-only service.

“I can’t stress too strongly that our primary reason for success, technology and fine service aside, is that we’ve dedicated ourselves solely to trade-only. We’ve never dealt with any end users. This has inspired a new level of trust and confidence amongst all our 700-plus clients, and they have remained with us over the years.”

The other key factor, says Dhanju, is that names like Heidelberg and Mitsubishi also inspire confidence in the trade printer – not just when it comes to quality, but when it comes to ongoing back-up service, technological expertise, machine ruggedness and dependability.

To find out more about Millenium Printing, please visit www.mpiprint.com or phone (905) 475-8771.

The Fall of 2007 marks 20 years since a group of prepress business owners and managers first conceived the idea of an association that would work together for a common cause. Initially, that cause was to counteract the North American Free Trade Agreement.

The founding objective of the Association was “to develop an awareness of Ontario as a world centre for Graphic Arts”. The plan was to lobby the Government for funds for marketing Ontario prepress services in the U.S.

Further goals included:

•The exchange of information between member companies

•Education and training of employees

•Establish business standards with suppliers

•Exchange credit information

•Offer technical and business seminars

The 16 founding companies were Bergman Graphics, Bomac Batten, Colourgraph Reproductions, Colour Technologies, Franklin Tuckey Offset, Graphic Tradehouse, Graphitech, H & S Reliance, Jenmar Colour Separations, Leshar Studios, PBC Litho, Scanograph, SD Graphics, SE Graphics, SQS Inc., and Superior Engravers.

Of these 16 companies, only PBC continues to operate under its original moniker. By 1989 membership had grown to 31 companies—and of that additional group, only Legg Brothers remains. Karl Schmed, one of our founders and the former owner of SQS, remains an active Board Member. Over the past 20 years, DIA membership has grown to 50 member companies—quite a feat when you consider the acquisitions and mergers that have seen 29 of our 31 oldest member companies disappear!

Since our mid-eighties beginning, the Association—originally known at the Ontario PrePress Association—has evolved and changed. It was also rechristened the “Digital Imaging Association” (DIA) to better reflect the focus of our membership. The goals at the heart of the DIA are:

•The exchange of information between member companies

•Technical and business informational sessions

On Wednesday October 17, members gathered to celebrate the DIA’s history and our Ontarian heritage by touring The Mackenzie Printery & Newspaper Museum in Queenston—celebrating history with history. Participants were also treated to a tour of the Chateau des Charmes winery and a superb dinner at The Queenston Heights Restaurant.

Much like the DIA, it was truly a unique Ontario experience.

Each September, the first year class of the Graphic Communications Management Program at Ryerson explores the connections between modern printing and its historical origins. The school has been investigating historical print artifacts and museums in the Toronto area, and has discovered four treasures which GCM students will experience this year. There are three GTA museums with print content (Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum, The Mackenzie House, and Black Creek Pioneer Village) as well as the Ryerson Kodak Archives. The museum sites have a tremendous amount of insight about the world of print in the 1800-1900s. They are all highly informative and engaging, each with a hands-on component. Here is what you can see with friends from out of town, or perhaps with a favourite client.

The Houses that Mackenzie Built

William Lyon Mackenzie immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1820. Though he had several roles in our fledgling nation, he is best remembered for his print and politics. The launch of his political career started with the “Colonial Advocate”, a weekly paper he wrote and produced. In it he expressed his edgy political views on change in Government. Thanks to the paper’s success, he became the first Mayor of Toronto.

But by 1837, his printing got him into trouble, as he led an unsuccessful Rebellion. He was exiled and did not come back to Canada until 1850, when he once again returned to print and politics.

His life and career are landmarks in Canadian print history. Two sites dedicated in his name exist in Ontario: the Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum in Queenston and the Mackenzie House in Toronto. Both prior residences of Mackenzie, they are now restored and home to fully functional hands-on print museums.

The Mackenzie Printery Museum in Queenston

The Mackenzie Printery Museum opened its doors as an official museum in 1991. Originally the home was a restoration project initiated by Prime Minster William Lyon Mackenzie King, the great grandson of Mayor Mackenzie. His great grandfather had lived in the house for only a year (1823-1824)—but the venue is still significant, as it is where his newspaper began.

The museum is a joint venture between the Mackenzie Printery Committee and the Niagara Parks Commission. It houses many pieces of historical equipment, including a restored lithography studio, an operational Linotype, and 10 heritage presses. The presses date from the late 1700 to the early 1900s. The best-known in the group is the Oak English Common Press. Built in 1760, scholars believe it is one of the oldest presses in Canada. Used by Louis Roy, one of the first King’s Printers commissioned to create community and disseminate information in the newly settled Upper Canada, the press is now commonly nicknamed the Roy Press. First operational in Newark (now Niagara-On-The-Lake), the press was moved to York (Toronto), the new country capital.

Interestingly, the press—though wooden—managed to survive the American sack of York in 1813, when most valuable objects were stolen or burned. Since then, it has been on loan to many sites, including the Upper Canada Village and the Museum of Science and Technology (in Ottawa); it was returned to the Mackenzie Printery in 1992.

Mackenzie House in Toronto

While the Niagara Printery was Mackenzie’s first print post, the Mackenzie House in Toronto is where he spent his last years. It is located just around the corner from Ryerson, at 82 Bond Street. His friends and supporters donated the house to Mackenzie to show their gratitude for his years of political service. He died in the house in 1861.

The site itself is in large part dedicated to restored living quarters. There is a fully functioning kitchen, bedrooms, and formal rooms. While living in the house, Mackenzie rented a print shop on King Street near Victoria Street. In 1967, an addition to the museum was built. It contains a replicated print house as well as a museum gallery. The site runs many school programs in addition to having public hours.

There is a very fun and interactive environment at the museum. The staff is fully attired in clothing representative of the time period. Visitors with an interest in print even get to do some hands-on typography and printing. Some say the house is haunted, which makes it a favourite tour around Halloween!

The print shop is equipped with several cases filled with different typefaces, a guillotine cutter (which they demonstrate very carefully!), a perforating machine, and, most importantly, an 1845 Washington flatbed printing press. This type of press was much lighter than it’s Iron Press predecessor. It was also the last of the hand presses. In the early 1900s the demand for print in larger quantities became greater, thus perpetuating designs with better print speeds. A discussion of this type of press will follow.

Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto

Run by the City of Toronto (Conservation), Black Creek Pioneer Village is a museum dedicated to life in the 1800s, located right in North York (near Jane and Steeles). The Village is a replica of what a small rural town in Ontario would have looked like in the 19th century. It has 35 buildings dedicated to the different functions of a small town in that time period, such as a Town Hall, schoolhouse, and mill. Most relevant to us, however, is the Printing Shop.

When Ontario’s first Lieutenant Governor, John Graves Simcoe, was charged with creating Upper Canada, he had some demands. One of these demands was a King’s Printer, so that communities surrounded by nothing but forests could promote settlement and trade. That printer was Louis Roy, whose press is now at the Niagara Printery mentioned above.

The Roy press set a standard for Ontario towns. While large cities East of Upper Canada, such as Quebec, had large centres of print only in the downtown core, Ontario’s print industry was more widespread, with small communities everywhere creating growth through the power of the written word. So Black Creek must have a print shop—the challenge is having a press that still works.

In 2004, Ray Redmayne, a 60-year-old retired printer, decided he was up for that challenge. He invested 3 years and countless hours in the restoration of the R. Hoe & Co. 1860s Drum Cylinder Press. In the early 1800s, print was primarily used by government. It was highly controlled, with no concept of “freedom of speech.” But toward the end of that century things began to change. Many attribute the beginnings of press freedom to Mackenzie, who believed that a printed discussion of politics was essential for a growing community. Also to be credited were the printers themselves, who invested in printing presses. As a result of those investments, the Hoe press found its market in Ontario towns, where small run newspaper circulation was the standard.

The press was donated to the village in 1964, tethered and worn down after just over 100 years of use. After tremendous amounts of time and research, the press is now in working order. During Ryerson’s visit to see the press, Redmayne shared that some of the greatest frustrations came from replacing parts. Only about 12-18 of these presses are known to still be in existence. Of those, only about one third are in working order. As a result, some broken parts had to be cast and machined from scratch. The final result was well worth it!

On our visit to the Village in September we brought in 80 first year Graphic Communications Management (GCM) students (in small groups) to see the press demonstration. You could see a look of awe on their faces. The clacking of metal and the hand turned wheel used to be thought “too loud.” Of course, it comes nowhere close to the sound of a modern press operating at 15,000 sheets per hour. The students came home with a completely new appreciation of the GTO and DI Presses at the Heidelberg Center.

Kodak Archives at Ryerson

When the Kodak plant in Etobicoke closed down, many years of photographic and print history came to a close as well. Kodak has had a tremendous impact on the history of photography and print. The complete Kodak Canada Corporate Archives are now at Ryerson. With them came a big responsibility—it is up to the University to maintain that history. The archives date back as far as 1909—making some items nearly 100 years old.

The collection includes historic photos, files, trade circulars, Kodak magazines, price lists, daily record books, cameras, equipment, and other collectables. The archives take up an entire room. Though the collection is not open to the public, a visit can be arranged by appointment with a librarian. Ryerson is aiming to move the collection to a more accessible place within the Library, so that everyone can see it. Before this occurs however, a lot of work and preparation needs to be done. What now exists in the room is an incredible transformation from what it was when the collection arrived. Everything is being carefully restored and transferred to archival-quality books and boxes.

Along with library staff, interns from the School of Image Arts are working on the project. Ryerson is home to the only Masters degree in Photographic Preservation and Collection Management. The collection has given the students a wonderful opportunity for the hands-on work experience we value so greatly at Ryerson.

As for the archives in general…flipping through the catalogued prints can really take you through many eras of print and design. Visit the archives to view all sorts of historical Kodak items. Items range from fun posters to patents featuring the signature of George Eastman himself!

For more information visit the following:

Mackenzie Printery and Newspaper Museum:

www.mackenzieprintery.ca

www.onlineniagara.com/mackenzie-printery-museum.htm

Mackenzie House:
www.toronto.ca/culture/mackenzie_house.htm

Black Creek Pioneer Village: www.blackcreek.ca

Kodak Archives: http://www.ryerson.ca/library/
collections/special/

Additional Reading and References:

Raible, Chris (2007). The Power of The Press. Toronto: James Lortimer & Co. Ltd.

Dewalt, Bryan (1995). Technology and Canadian Printing: A History from Lead Type to Lasers. Ottawa: National Museum of Science and Technology.

(1940). Canadian Book of Printing. Toronto: Toronto Public Libraries

If you are thinking about setting up your own business, you’ll want to start by checking locally available resources. There is a wealth of information accessible and best of all, it’s often free. Check out what your city or town offers in terms of economic development for local entrepreneurs, or go online and seek help. Even if you are a seasoned self-starter, you could be surprised at the opportunities and resources that are out there.

After researching local resources, it’s time to put together a comprehensive business plan. At this time, it is also prudent to take some time to think about your personal goals as well as your career goals. Goal setting is an essential habit of successful people and allows you to put down on paper what is important to you. Ensure that your personal goals are in line with your career goals and weave the two together to create an “all inclusive” plan for your future. Studies have shown that people who consciously set goals, write them down, and review them regularly have much greater success than those who do not focus on such targeted aspirations.

It’s your business; so your business plan can be as long or as short as you would like, though it is certainly advisable to be as thorough as possible. Depending on whether you are creating the plan for your own personal use or as an application for a loan or a grant, there may be different paths for you to follow at this stage. It is important to carefully determine the main goals and objectives of your company, while including well thought out financial plans and cash flow forecasts.

A meeting with an accountant will send you in the right direction as you begin the steps of registering your new business. Decide if you are going to be a Sole Proprietorship, a Partnership, or a Corporation. Each has its own merits so you need to decide which works best for you at this point. If you are creating a partnership, it is essential that you form a clear contract indicating in unambiguous terms whom is entitled to what in the event that the partnership dissolves or is terminated. Once you have decided which type of business best suits your needs, get yourself legally set up to do business by obtaining the appropriate business numbers, import/export accounts, and tax accounts as necessary.

Have you thought of a name for your business? Ensure that the company name reflects what you do and who you are. These days, a quick Google search can help you determine if the name is already being used, but it is still prudent—depending on which province you live in—to perform a name search before moving forward. A lawyer can help you with any trademarks, should you decide to go ahead in that direction.

Next it will be time to create a corporate image for yourself; the artwork of which should be included in your business plan. If you are starting a graphic design business, this is the fun part (and you’ve probably already done it)! If you’re not a designer, then find someone who can do the work for you at a fair price. Remember to obtain a high resolution eps of your logo so you can continue to access it should you lose touch with your designer. Your corporate image, depending on your business, will include logo development, signage, business cards and promotional materials, and a website.

You are now ready to start into business. Startups are often expensive, so if you are short on cash for advertising, then get creative with ways to market your new business. Consider joining local interest groups (such as Women in Business groups, Young Entrepreneurs, etc.) to make contacts and begin to move forward.

The above isn’t a comprehensive guide to starting your business, but merely a few pointers to guide your thoughts. Having your own business can be rewarding, offering increased income opportunities (albeit often at a higher risk), the ability to be your own boss, and of course flexibility—you can work whichever 24 hours of the day you choose.

Best of luck!

I recently gave an interview that outlines the importance of self-development to business success.

“Let’s start with an obvious question: why is self-development so important?”

We need to continually improve our skills if we want to maintain a competitive edge. Also, business is always changing—what worked well last year, last month, or even last week may not be effective now. Thus, upgrading your skills is critical to your long-term success.

“What are some of the mistakes salespeople make when it comes to self- development?”

The most common mistake that I see is that many salespeople think that they don’t need to update or upgrade their skills because they attended a program or training workshop sometime in the past.

I have also talked to many companies who say they’re not interested in a training program because they “did one” a few years ago. Sadly, these companies often lose market share to their competitors who do invest in developing their sales people.

Another mistake is that people rely on their employers to either foot the bill or initiate something. If you’re not willing to invest in your future, you won’t reach your full potential. I’ve noticed that self-employed or independent sales professionals are more likely to invest in their personal development than employees of a company.

“What self-development ideas do you recommend?”

I recommend doing a quick self-evaluation to determine specific areas to improve. Then decide what you’re going to do to improve. This could mean attending a training workshop, a tele-seminar, or perhaps a conference to hear different speakers. If you get just one good idea that helps you improve your results, then it’s worth the investment.

“I think we’ve all heard about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude. Why is this so important for sales people?”

Sales is a great career but it’s also a challenging one. The attitude we display is contagious and our customers and prospects pick up on it. But even more important is the fact that a positive attitude helps us get through the difficult times and occasional slumps we encounter from time-to-time.

“What can we do to maintain a positive outlook?”

First, we have to choose to be positive. No one can tell us how to behave and we can always choose to be in a great mood or a negative one. It’s not always easy, but when you put negative experiences into perspective and look at the big picture, you can often see why it’s more important to focus on the positive.

I know two people who both lost major clients this past year. One person chose to focus on getting new clients and maintained the mindset that she would be able to replace that client with a better one that would generate even more revenue and profit. The second person fell into a slump and frantically worried about the revenue he lost. His sales are sliding downward while the first person is experiencing a sales increase.

Next, associate with other positive-minded, goal-oriented people. I once worked with an individual who was very pessimistic and negative and I always felt drained of energy after talking to him. Eventually, I stopped associating with him because he made it difficult for me to stay positive.

I also recommend starting your day with something positive like reading or listening to motivational material instead of reading the newspaper or watching the news. Other things like exercise, yoga, or meditation are also a great way to start your day. It’s like tending a garden. If you don’t remove the weeds they will eventually take over and choke the flowers. Starting your day with something that is inspiring will kick start our day and keep the weeds away.

“What final words of advice do you have for our readers?”

Improvements don’t happen overnight. Try to incorporate one change into your approach or routine every week. Each change, even if it’s small, makes a difference and can improve our results.

It’s like physical fitness. You can’t go from a being a couch potato to competing in an Ironman competition in a week or two. It takes time to build your stamina and strengthen your body so it can handle the stress effectively.

Make small changes but make them consistently and you will notice great results.

Picture a typical pile of dockets at the start of the day. Someone looks through them and decides where to start, prioritizes them, and then puts them back in the pile. Of course there is often a second person who shuffles through them again after that. The point is that the pile often sits somewhere waiting.

What if all the files could be examined automatically? Routine files could be opened, checked and PDF’d, and files requiring work could be sent to an Operator to manually make the necessary fixes. The PDFs created by Automation will require only a visual check before proofing or plating and the pile of dockets is now moving around the shop instead of sitting.

Now, what if Prepress operators had a tool that could easily put together workflows based on their own knowledge and experience in their environment? They could create automated workflows by Customer or by Job type. They could set jobs up to wait in a queue and run overnight if they take up valuable RIP time or Proof time. They could use FTP tools and email tools to automatically upload, download, and provide email notifications to customers and CSRs.

These tools aren’t imaginary, they’re real. And you don’t need to know anything about scripting to use workflow automation software. There are scripts available that can be used right out of the box. Workflow software uses built in Configurators that talk to the products that we want to automate. They have user friendly pop-up menus allowing the choice to be made based on existing setups in the workflow—such as a list of PDF distiller settings from Acrobat Distiller.

Create Workflows that Automate Quark 7 and Creative Suites 3 Together

Workflow software allows you to put a packaged file in a workflow, use the fonts in the package, update the links in the package and create a PDF using your own PDF export settings. If you prefer, you can create a Postscript file with your own Print settings and add Acrobat Distiller to the flow and produce the PDF with your settings that way.

The newest version of FullSWITCH and PowerSWITCH from Gradual Software has been released with many new features. The products were already configured to automatically save files using Photoshop CS3, Indesign CS3, Illustrator CS3, and Acrobat Professional 8. This latest version allows automatic saving of Postscript files from Quark 7 as well.

Use these items in conjunction with other Configurators such as Stuffit Deluxe, Acrobat Distiller, PitStop Server, and Quite Imposing Hot to make a complete automated workflow for all your routine jobs. The product ships with built in configurators for over 25 different prepress products. The scripting API gives you the capabiltity to create your own for a scriptable product running in your shop.

For custom workflows, PowerSWITCH has an updated scripting API that allows you to create workflows for your own custom plugins for the product. It also has strengthened its original scripting capabilities that included support and integration of XML, JDF and XMP along with EXIF and IPTC data allowing a new feature, Variables, to update embedded data.

The new interface has added a dashboard so you can see the processes that are currently running and pinpoint bottlenecks and problem applications in your own setups. You can also view multiple flows running at once.

The Client is a powerful tool supplied with PowerSWITCH. You can use it to create your own XML or JDF data when submitting files via CD/DVD or folder. The data follows the job through to the end of the flow and can be exported into the job folder for pickup later. The Client can also remotely view the jobs in progress on the server and any log messages pertaining to their jobs.

A Prepress Department that frees up operators to work on the time consuming jobs while the routine jobs run through on their own can be yours. It is something that could be implemented now using existing software in your shop and automation software that pulls it all together. Automating also presents the opportunity for updating skills of operators and maybe getting their feet wet with scripting, XML, JDF, and XMP metadata.

Gradual Software is at www.gradual.com , where you can can download a free trial of FullSWITCH or PowerSWITCH.

Apple Inc announced on October 16th that it will ship the next generation of its operating system—10.5, a.k.a. Leopard—on October 24, 2007. Leopard maintains Apple’s tradition of stunning graphics, incorporates over 300 new features, and continues to be extremely compatible with other hardware and devices—all while being based on the extremely secure and stable UNIX operating system.

Many new software enhancements make the system easier to organize and will make users more productive. One such feature is “Spaces”, which allows the user to create groupings of applications into separate workspaces. For instance, one could gather Mail, Address Book, and Safari into one group and QuarkXpress or Indesign, PhotoShop, and Illustrator into another. The user could then switch between communications and page design and layout without cluttering up the activities.

Within the Finder are many new features that will speed up work. When using “QuickLook”, users will be able to preview movies, multiple-page documents, and images without having to launch another application. The Finder also incorporates “CoverFlow”, originally introduced in iTunes 7, which allows users to flip through large previews of documents as with a digital rolodex. “Stacks” aims to clean up the Desktop clutter by creating groups or stacks of documents and downloaded files.

“TimeMachine” is another breakthrough application which, with the purchase of a second hard drive, will allow users to painlessly back up their work. “TimeMachine” creates snapshots of the files on the computer which will enable users to “go back in time” to find files or versions of files saved on previous days. By scrolling back to an earlier hard drive state, users can recover a previously deleted file and drag it back to the present day Desktop.

Additionally, “Back to My Mac” will give users a connection to Macs at home while on the road. Users will be able to connect to and navigate on remote machines to get those presentation files accidentally left at home. iChat adds the ability to share each user’s desktop and files with others while chatting via video conference. With this kind of built-in collaboration, users can work in groups across the office or across the country.

Currently users can use .Mac to share photos and blogs and to create web sites, as well as being able to sync Bookmarks, Addresses, and email. With Leopard, users will be able use .Mac to sync their Dashboard widgets, Dock settings, etc, so that all of their Macintosh computers will appear the same and have the same settings.

Apple has also included more features in Parental Control to protect tender minds. BootCamp is also now a standard feature allowing users to run Windows XP SP2 and Vista on an Intel Mac.

Any new Mac purchased since October 1, 2007 is entitled to a free copy of Mac OS X 10.5. Otherwise it can be purchased for $129 for single copies or $199 for a five-user Family Pack. Leopard also requires that users have a Macintosh with Intel Mac, PowerPC G5 or PowerPC G4 processor, a minimum of 512 MB RAM, a DVD for installing and 9 GB of hard drive space. (TimeMachine and .Mac require additional purchases.)

Along with Leopard, Apple has also introduced Mac OS X Server 10.5 which employs a new simplified set up. This means that you don’t need an IT Guy (Hey! Wait a minute‚Ķ) to quickly set up and configure a server. Server 10.5 will be ideal for users and groups who need a workgroup solution. Both Macintosh and Windows users can share files, share managed printers, employ virtual private networks, as well as share Mail, FTP, Web and Open Directory services.

New features in Mac OS X Server 10.5 include the iCal server for collaborative publishing and sharing of events and appointments. Wiki Server takes the “geek” out of setting up a company-wide community where users can create and edit content collectively. Also included is a Podcast Production server so that companies can create podcasts to share information and create training materials. The Spotlight Server creates an index of files on mounted volumes throughout the office allowing users to search and find a file—further reducing Finder surfing.

Mac OS X Server 10.5 will sell for around $499 for a 10–user license or $999 for an unlimited license. More information can be found at http://www.apple.com/server/macosx/.

Tired of “playing the piano,” as Heidelberg’s Jeff Polley puts it, with the ink keys on your press to ensure even colour? Frustrated with the high percentage of waste on short-run offset jobs? If you answered yes to either of these questions, and are looking for a reliable short-run-ready offset press, Heidelberg Canada hopes that you will stop by their booth at Graphics Canada to witness the Canadian premiere of their Speedmaster SM 52 with Anicolor inking units.

The Anicolor is a short inking system (with dampening, so as to retain the advantages of wet offset printing) which uses an ink chamber, instead of the conventional ink zones. The precise, laser-engraved Anilox roller—a version of which is already in use in coating units—means that ink distribution across the sheet is uniform, eliminating the frustrating time that a press operator would normally spend adjusting ink levels in the different fountains. The form roller and plate cylinder are the same size as the Anilox roller, which also makes for greater efficiency. Sheet waste is also significantly lower than that of a conventional press, down to as little as 20 sheets on most jobs.

Correct and even ink coverage becomes a joy instead of a burden with the Anicolor. There are no zonal adjustments. However ink density changes are possible by changing ink temperature.

Although the Anicolor is approximately 15% more expensive than a conventional SM 52, it is up to 25% more efficient due to quick ink unit response, fewer waste sheets at the beginning of each job, resulting in faster makeready. At a recent demonstration at Heidelberg’s Mississauga headquarters, three 250-sheet jobs went from start to finish in less than 35 minutes. Packagers and label printers—for whom consistent colour is paramount—could stand to benefit immensely from Anicolor technology, as could shops worried about the departure of short static runs to digital suppliers. The breakeven for the Anicolor is rated at 500 sheets, but can be as low as 250.

Heidelberg premiered the Anicolor at Ipex in 2006, but has saved the Canadian premiere for Graphics Canada 2007. There are about 50 machines produced, mostly installed in Europe, and 4 in the U.S. at TaylorCorp. Comparable machines include the 20-inch waterless KBA Genius with Anilox.

No Anicolors have yet been installed in Canada—your shop could be the first!

Why is it that employees get disillusioned when companies come out with a new program?

In many organizations it seems that every six months there is another new program being introduced, whether to improve productivity or to boost morale. Employees often don’t understand why the program is introduced, or how it can help them directly. Did the boss read a new management book? Was the introduction of this new program on the agenda of the conference that management went to last month? Did a management consultant with a high profile do a good sales job on the owner?

FAILURE TO EXPLAIN

New programs can be introduced into organizations for any of the reasons listed above. Unfortunately, many managers fail to introduce the new program properly, resulting in disillusionment, passive resistance, and even negative results. The value inherent in the program is frequently lost—not because the program is bad or ill-conceived—but because there is no buy-in from the employee body.

Often times the new program is introduced as being the new answer to all management problems. The fact that management has not previously recognized a problem in a particular area doesn’t matter. The new program will solve all things.

When introducing a new program, management needs to recognize that a problem exists. They need to communicate this shortfall to their employees. After they have communicated what the problem is, they can then introduce the new approach after explaining how it will address the problem at hand.

When employees understand what is trying to be achieved, they are more likely to receive the new initiative with open minds. Those employees that are truly working for the organization (there are always a few people drawing paycheques who aren’t really working for the company) will be able to appraise its impact and determine if the result is positive. They will be able to determine if the cost of learning the new idea or technique is worth the effort.

If the organization has an environment where good, honest communication is encouraged, employees will be able and willing to give management feedback.

WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE OLD WAY?

Recently, when working on the introduction of a new performance management program for a client, I was preparing a presentation for the employees. My presentation set out the various benefits of the new program. It described the rationale for the new program and provided implementation guidelines.

Although I was relatively familiar with the client’s existing program and recognized its shortfalls, I had not planned on referring to it to any great extent in my presentation. Fortunately, I realized my error before making the presentation—not referring to or outright ignoring the old or existing program is never a good idea when implementing a new program.

If a program has been in place for a period of time and was promoted as being good, then what message is sent when a new program is introduced without any mention of the old?

In order to be more successful in introducing new concepts, managers must compare it to the old practice. Explaining where the programs are similar as well as where they are different will enhance employees’ understanding of the new initiative.

Occasionally, when developing the comparison between the two programs, management may determine that the new program does not provide enough added value to overcome the cost of its introduction and implementation. The wise manager will drop the new idea at that point even though the speaker at the conference said that it was the “successful new way” of addressing the problem area. Being transparent enough to admit mistakes and realize when you’ve made a wrong move (or are about to make a wrong move) is vital in all aspects of management—especially when introducing new programs.

Giclée printing was invented in the early 1990’s by Graham Nash (of Crosby, Stills & Nash fame) and his associate Mac Holbert, who discovered new ways to use their Iris inkjet printer. Early Iris printers were developed specifically for the digital proofing market, but Nash & Holbert completely revamped theirs to produce the first Giclée print. Since then, Giclée output has improved with every new generation of inkjet printers from manufacturers such as Canon, Epson, and HP.

Giclée is an invented name to describe the making of fine art prints using ink-jet printers. “Giclée”, is a French verb meaning “to spray” (as from a nozzle), and was coined as a printing term by Jack Duganne, a printmaker working in the field. The intent of the name was to distinguish commonly known industrial “Iris proofs” from the type of fine art prints artists were producing on those same types of printers. The name was originally applied only to fine art prints created on the Iris printers but now the term is used for archival prints coming from any of the high quality pigmented ink printers.

What is Giclée Printing?

Giclée printing is a great opportunity for printers to diversify their revenue stream. Artists seeking reproductions of their artwork are now looking for print-on-demand solutions, and, with Giclée, artists can have their original paintings scanned and printed to create limited-edition prints for a fraction of the cost of traditional printing. The growing interest in Giclée—which closely replicates original paintings on either archival paper or canvas—has created dozens of ‘fine art printing’ companies.

Giclée prints are beautiful, high-quality and durable, and can come from original paintings, photography, or digital artwork. Artists can produce several prints, hand embellish them, sign and number them, and then sell them. They can produce small numbers at a time, and will always be ready to produce more.

How does it work?

The first step is to “digitize” the artwork by using either a scanner or a digital camera to produce a raw or tiff image file. When using any camera, a proper lighting set-up is critical to achieving good results. When reproducing a highly-textured oil or acrylic painting, do spend a little extra time to get the lighting just right, in order to enhance the 3D effect of the brush strokes. I’ve had customers’ faces six inches away from these kinds of Giclée prints, wondering if they were the originals—that’s how good they can look! If you don’t have access to a hi-resolution scanner or camera, consider out-sourcing this service to a photo studio.

Next, load the digitized picture into a graphics program such as Photoshop to size, crop, modify background, do color adjustments, and “clean up” the image. All adjustments are done in this step.

Now you’re ready to print the picture. You should first print two different 5” x 7” test prints to ensure that you have correct color settings. This also gives the customer two options to choose from. Check the printer settings to ensure the output quality is what you’re looking for. You may wish to create a custom profile for the paper or canvas you’re using.

After the customer has approved the test print, you may print on canvas or watercolor paper as many prints as are requested. Keep your digital files organized so you’ll be ready when the customer asks for more prints.

The Finishing Touch

Moisture or UV rays can damage Giclée prints, so you’d be wise to treat the surface after letting the print cure for at least 24 hours. The inks are water-based and will smear if liquids are accidentally splashed on the surface. Apply a spray inkjet liquid laminate over the artwork. It will not only protect the print, but it will give it a lovely “work of art” finish. If you would like to give your print a brush stroke effect, visit your local art store and purchase a good quality textured gel medium and brush it on.

Research before investing

You can spend between $2495 and $25,000 for a wide-format Giclée digital printer. Do your research so you don’t spend more than is necessary! You’re welcome to e-mail me if you have any further questions.