Author Archives: MSL

Three Years Later, the John P. Pow Company Explains How the MGI JETvarnish 3D Changed Their Business Model

Three Years Later, the John P. Pow Company Explains How
the MGI JETvarnish 3D Changed Their Business Model.

3rd Generation Publishing Services Specialist Looks Back on MGI Digital Finishing Investment with New Customers and Business Growth.


MELBOURNE, FL (USA), September 8th, 2015 – Three years ago, the John P. Pow Company and MGI Digital Graphic Technology joined forces to help expand digital finishing options for the book publishing industry. Since then, JP Pow has been building and growing the range of its publishing and printing services portfolio with the MGI JETvarnish 3D Digital Finishing Solution. Together, John P. Pow Co. & MGI are helping publishers sell more books.

A Tradition of American Publishing & Printing Goes Digital
For over 70 years, the John P. Pow Co. has been providing expert lithography & print finishing services to some of the world’s finest publishers – with a nationally recognized specialty in both paperback book covers and hardback dust jackets. “Our original investment in the MGI JETvarnish 3D was designed to provide our clients with the highest quality standards and most flexible design options possible.” said Mr. Mark Finneran, JP Pow’s Vice President.

“MGI’s technology helped launch us towards the digital future.” added Mr. Finneran. “We’ve expanded our trade service business and experienced successful growth in “touch-centric” book cover market categories in publishing like holiday, seasonal, children’s, home décor, cooking and technical works”.

“Now we have more finishing options for all kinds of book covers and other types of commercial printing projects as well. The JETvarnish 3D produces strong, finely detailed textures and a durable enhancement effect that customers love.”

MGI System In-House Leads to Improved Quality & Project Management
“Prior to working with MGI, we outsourced our Spot UV work. Now, by bringing the JETvarnish 3D in-house, we can manage our costs, ensure high quality, offer more customer options and manage our production schedules more effectively. For the last three years, the machine has been in continual production mode – at times going 2 shifts non-stop.”

Profitable Prototyping, Short Runs & POD Services
”Furthermore, the JETvarnish 3D’s ability to quickly prototype new designs and implement short runs has helped us increase our capacity for highly profitable customized projects such as limited editions, private printings and E-Commerce-driven Print-on-Demand (POD) services.”

Improved Competitive Position
“The addition of MGI Digital Finishing Services has helped us establish a better competitive position.”, Finneran continued, “The ability to quickly prototype and implement short runs gives us a sales advantage in our key target markets. The features & functions of the JETvarnish 3D give us something new to sell and show customers. The MGI digital enhancements are a brand new change in the industry and are a sexy & exciting advance towards the future of the print finishing business.”

Increased Quality Enhances Customer Experiences
Mark Finneran summarized JP Pow’s experience with MGI digital finishing technology by saying, “Our relationship with key clients has growth and strengthened with the high quality output, improved job scheduling, more flexible project management and greater customer satisfaction that comes from the MGI JETvarnish 3D Spot UV 2D coats & 3D texture effects.”

“We’re honored to help contribute to the creative skillcraft of such a respected firm as JP Pow. For three generations they have helped publishers produce great books that get noticed, purchased and read.” said Kevin Abergel, MGI Vice President of Marketing & Sales.

MGI’s JETvarnish 3D digital finishing product supports production printing applications to produce eye-catching, luxurious-feeling 3D foil & embossed textured effects. The JETvarnish 3D streamlines spot UV coating, embossed tactile coating and foiling through a fully digital process that requires no screens or dies and no minimum runs. MGI’s creative enhancement options help graphic artists & printers utilize their craft experience to offer dynamic new digital designs, features and formats.

About the JP Pow Company: Premier Printing & Publishing Specialist
In 1935, John Percy Pow started using a one-color letter press to produce advertising material for Boston businesses. The business grew when John Pow’s son Jack entered the business. In the late 50’s, Jack Pow teamed up with Tom Finneran Sr. and the two became partners. Soon afterwards, the firm moved to offset printing ranging from one to four color technology.

From then on, John P. Pow Co. steadily built a reputation for providing publishers with high-quality book components along with top-notch, personalized customer service. John Pow branched out and is now serving customers both locally and nationally. JP Pow is a strong reliable business with nearly 50 employees working day and night at their South Boston location. Even with this growth, John P. Pow continues to offer the type of personalized customer service a small firm does best. They remain a family-owned business, with the founders’ grandchildren now actively involved in operations.

MGI Media Contact:
Kevin Abergel
Vice President of Marketing & Sales
MGI USA, Inc.
+1 321 751-6755

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd. Flint, MI 48507
Toll Free: 1-800-343-4231
www.midstatelitho.net

How Printing Technology is Changing School Districts

How Printing Technology is Changing School Districts

By Terry Cruikshank

By integrating new printer technology, schools are realizing greater efficiencies and cost savings both inside and outside the classroom. Creative projects are finding a new home in schools with the ability to print in clear and white, and banner printing capabilities. Some projects previously requiring outsourcing can now be completed in-house.

Present-day schools can do much more than just make copies. In today’s tech-driven world, new printer technology allows schools to create in-house “print shops” (or communication centers as they are often called) delivering outputs such as invitations, envelopes and banners. In addition, programs, labels, posters and more can be quickly and efficiently created for theater, sporting events and other school activities. Students and faculty are excited and intrigued by the color options and collaborative projects they can create together right in their building.

Not only are the advantages to new printing capabilities creative, they’re practical too. They eliminate wasted time and the need to outsource certain materials on a regular basis.

Check out the photo below to see some samples of projects that can be printed using a “print shop” with the OKI C911dn. The possibilities are endless!

c941-printer-samples

Terry Cruikshank
Senior Marketing Manager
Thursday, June 11, 2015

Article Provided by OKI Data Americas

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Kelvyn Press Goes Digital with MGI…

def8ce2c-364d-4e64-b87f-0f1a1c669705Kelvyn Press Goes Digital with MGI’s JETvarnish 3D, iFOIL & Meteor DP8700XL+

81 Year-Old Commercial Printing Leader Expands Services & Revenue Streams with MGI Digital Printing & Finishing Technology

MELBOURNE, FL USA (August 31st, 2015) – Kelvyn Press, Inc. in Broadview, IL, started in a garage across from Kelvyn Park in Chicago many decades ago. It grew and moved into The Donahue Building in ChiTown’s storied “Printer’s Row” neighborhood. In 1968, the Malacina family took over the business and has since expanded nationally by creating a separate firm, called Financial Graphic Service (FGS) with a dedicated focus on government, financial, banking, securities, health care, legal and regulatory projects.

Kelvyn Press & MGI 2015 Print Industry Awards

In 2015, the Printing Industries of America (PIA) recognized the quality of Kelvyn’s work with MGI digital technology with a coveted “Premier Print Award” (popularly known as a “Benny” after Benjamin Franklin, the founding father and leading printer of the American Republic). Additionally, the Binding Industries of America (BIA) awarded them a Product of Excellence (POE) Award. The PIA also recognized the MGI iFOIL product in 2015 with an internationally prestigious “InterTech Technology Award” to match the one earned by the JETvarnish 3D in 2013.

Kelvyn Press & MGI Partnership: Digital Helps the Business Grow

After 80 years in business, Kelvyn Press invested in MGI technology in 2014 to launch a new Digital Print Department with the Meteor DP8700XL+ press and the JETvarnish 3D & iFOIL integrated finishing suite. They also upgraded the JETvarnish 3D with the T2 option – a second row of inkjet heads that can double throughput speed and Spot UV elevations up to 200 microns. Since then, the machines have not stopped running and their business has grown with new work producing brochures, catalogs, invitations, envelopes, business cards, books and many more profitable new enhanced print applications.

Printing Industry Trend: The Move to Digital Technology

Tony Malacina, Kelyvn’s Director of Operations, stated “Digital has been getting bigger each year. The whole industry is going digital. It is an inevitable business transition of technology. The MGI JETvarnish & iFOIL finishing solutions have opened up a whole new doorway to new business opportunities.”

MGI Digital Printing & Finishing Business Impact

“The MGI digital technology sells itself. Customers fall in love with their samples. We prepare “Before & After” samples of client work to highlight the dramatic impact & enhancement of the JETvarnish 3D Spot UV Coater & iFOIL products.”

“Working with the prototyping options of the JETvarnish 3D & iFOIL allows customers to play with ideas and experiment with different choices. The MGI digital technology brings out their creative spirit and helps them appreciate the value of print.”

“With MGI, there are so many foil, color, texture and substrate options to choose from. Customers love being able to pick and choose which variations of 2D spot coats, 3D enhanced textures and embossed foil coloring they want. We find this helps build good customer relationships, leads to more referrals and ultimately generates more revenue for the firm.”

MGI VDP Personalization & POD Customization Value:

“Clients can change their print selections and enhancement options to adapt to changing business conditions or market cycles. For example, for each season, the output can have a different theme for Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter – or an English or Spanish Version personalized for each recipient.”

Print Samples as Sales Tools:

“We’ve also created a gallery of samples in our visitor area. Customers get inspired to use their imagination for new projects – which leads to new revenue. With MGI digital printing & finishing technology, all we need is a PDF file to print a new brochure or publish a new book.”

MGI Media Contact:
Kevin Abergel
Vice President of Marketing & Sales
MGI USA, Inc.
k.abergel@mgiusa.com
+1 321 751-6755

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

B-Reliable with Baum 714XLT Ultrafold Tabletop Folder

B-Reliable with the Baum 714XLT Ultrafold Tabletop Folder

B-Reliable with Baum 714XLT Ultrafold Tabletop Folder

Your service to your customers, can only be as reliable as your equipment. We get that your reputation for reliability is important.

So here’s a quick reliability overview of our industry-standard folder, the Baum 714XLT Ultrafold:

  • Provides well proven, reliable, features that continue to make this folder an industry standard
  • A unique design that includes full 1/4″ thick tooling plate machine frames, instead of the thin, stamped sheet metal frames on other manufacturer’s folders
  • Includes heavy gauge sheet metal buckle plates that are durable and long lasting construction for reliable folding year after year, after year
  • A reliable gear drive with sealed ball bearings for maintenance-free operation

This machine is so reliable that Baum provides a 3 year parts warranty.

For more information on the Baum 714XLT visit us online or contact us at 1-800-343-4231.

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Increase Productivity with the Right Set Up of Your Older Baum Folders

Baum Folder - Productivity Next Exit

Increase Productivity with the Right Set Up of Your Older Baum Folders

Baum takes price in making equipment that lasts and lasts, so the chances are good that your company still has an older Baum folder on your floor.

This week, Baum is bringing you the basic set up guide for ensuring that your older folder is set for peak performance and profitability. If you currently use a Baum 2015, 2018 or 2020 folder, this guide is for you. Use it as a refresher, or training tool.

Download your copy of the guide here!

Article provided by Baumfolder –  April 22, 2015

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Small-Format, Fully-Automated Folder

The AF-406F Small Format, Fully-Automated Folder

Application Flexibility, Especially for Insert, Outsert, and Pharmaceutical MarketsAF-406F-1-Announcement

The Standard Horizon AF-406F is a small-format fully automated 6-buckle folder with pile feed and suction head with an optional 6-buckle second unit that can be added straight or cross-wise, for sheet sizes from 1.97” x 3.94” (2.36” with optional device) up to 16.92” x 25.98”. Small folds down to .79” can be performed. This provides application flexibility, especially for the insert, outsert, and pharmaceutical markets.

AF-406F Features

  • Automated make-ready in seconds.
  • Select sheet size and fold pattern on the LCD touchscreen.
  • Superior suction feed system and feed table control provides stable feeding operation.
  • Perforation/score navigator makes perforation/score setting simple.
  • Fully automated roller gap setting.
  • High speed feeding without scratching.
  • 7 pre-set fold patterns.
  • 200 custom jobs can be stored in memory for easy recall.
  • A user-friendly color touch-screen control panel displays all common fold formats and sheet sizes for easy selection and automated setup.
  • 6+6 Buckle modular concept allows simple to complex fold patterns.
  • Feeding system combines a rotary vacuum feeder with front and rear adjustable air separation.
  • High quality buckle plates are specially coated to reduce friction and static to maintain fold accuracy.
  • Three kinds of folder rollers available depending upon application.
  • Right-angle conveyor allows complex folding such as DL folds.
  • The system can be further enhanced with Horizon’s pXnet bindery control system which integrates JDF Workflow from upstream devices.

Advanced automated functions saves time with minimal make-ready. Visit our Standard Horizon AF-406F product page by clicking here! 

Still have questions? Please contact us today.

MSL
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Be Green: Save Your Resources

be-green_3
Spring is here. Is your production greening up as quickly as the grass? At Baumfolder, they continue to add more features to their reliable and trusted products to help increase your profits and also meet the needs of today’s marketplace. Here are just a few ways Baumfolder can help you save your resources and green-up this spring:

A One Sheet Test Mode

The BAUM 20 PFF pile feed, BAUM 20 CFF continuous feed, and the BAUM 714XA Autofold tabletop folders, all incorporate a special “One Sheet Test Mode” feature for setup. This unique feature saves waste by only feeding one sheet when this mode is enabled. In today’s world of shorter run lengths and personalized printing, having a “One Sheet Test Mode” saves time, saves paper, and saves money. All of these combined can help you Be Green.

Learn more about Baum’s folders….

MSL
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Second Pass Folding on Baum 714 Folders

714XAparup'10smSecond Pass Folding on Baum 714 XLT and Baum 714 XA Folders

Here is information on Second Pass Folding operations for BAUM 714 XLT Ultrafold and BAUM 714XA Autofold Tabletop Folders.

The BAUM 714 XLT Ultrafold and BAUM 714XA Autofold air/vacuum feed tabletop folders have unique operational design features that enable what is called “Second Pass Folding” for select folding impositions.

The term “Second Pass” refers to folding a sheet in one direction in a single pass, collecting the folded sheets, and then sending the already folded sheets back through the BAUM folder again for a second pass at a right angle from the previously created folds in the first pass.

Second pass folding is meant for very low volume folding jobs due to the requirements of the job. Second pass folding is for right angle folding. It is recommended that during the first pass, a line of scoring be performed where the creases are to be for the fold(s) for the second pass. Note that in second pass folding you will have to fold against the grains in the paper in one of the passes. It is always best to add the score(s) to insure consistent folding from sheet to sheet. BAUM 714XLT Ultrafold and 714XA Autofold folders are provided with a “soft” score tooling capability with the standard fixed center slitter shafts provided with the equipment. Optional adjustable slitter shafts for more precise and defined scoring and or the use of Technifold creasing tooling are available from Baumfolder.

Purchase a second slittershaft assembly from BAUM to use to reduce your setup time . If you need to convert back and forth from standard folding without scoring tooling and back to right angle second pass folding several times, an additional set of slittershafts enables you to make a quick changeover by simply replacing the slittershafts and not having to take the time to remove and re-install tooling and pullout tires.

Examples of Second Pass Folding:

11 x 17 beginning sheet size folded in half on the first pass to become a two panel fold of 8-1/2 x 11 size.  If the final intended fold is to be an 8-page signature where the final fold size is 5-1/2 x 8-1/2, a single line of scoring is needed on the slittershafts on the first pass.  If the final intended fold is to be an 11×17 folded down to a #10 letter fold size of 3-5/8 x 8-1/2 inches, you will need two lines of scoring on the first pass.

If the volume of second pass folding increases on a regular basis, you can also add a BAUM 714XLT Ultrafold 8-page right angle folder to your existing 1st station BAUM 714 Ultrafold folder.

Article Provided By Baumfolder; please call to confirm what is needed to adapt the equipment.

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Perfect Creases for Digital Printing Output

be-digital

Perfect Creases for Digital Printing Output

To ease bindery and production woes while adding versatility, a fine line of Technifold finishing tooling is available from Baumfolder. For use with your digitally printed material, the EZ-Fit and EZ-Fold Tri-Creasers completely eliminate fiber cracking on stock ranges from 90# text and up and produce a crease that is as good as, or better, than a letterpress. Easily produce multiple crease settings for any imaginable print/stock combination; and watch the tools work like magic on difficult, toner based, digital output.

The BAUM 20 Versatile Finishing Module (link to product page) with 1-1/8 adjustable shafts is the newest product to accommodate these waste-saving tools. Other BAUM models, with specific-sized, adjustable center-distance capable shafts include:

  • BAUM 714XLT
  • BAUM 15, 18 & 20 Pile Feed Folders
  • BAUM 20 Auto Set, Continuous, and Inline Feed Folders
  • BAUM 20 Legend Continuous and Pile Feed Folders
  • BAUM 26 Continuos Feed Folders
  • BAUM 30 Continuos Feed Folders

Please Note: Technifold finishing tools will only work on specific-sized, adjustable, center-distance shafts.

Perfect Perfing

Micro-perf is a special, very fine perforation that tears clean when pulled apart. This perforation is used for stocks that need perforations and must be fed again through copiers and printers.

micro-perf-comp

There are kits available for both 7/8” and 1-1/8” shaft sizes. The key to whether your machine can utilize a micro-perf is dependent upon if your machine has adjustable slitter shafts. The adjustment occurs in the center to center distance between the shafts. Because the micro-perf crushes the paper between a blade and a hardened metal ring, a fine adjustment is necessary to prevent tearing the paper or damaging the blade.

There is now an adjustable slitter shaft assembly available for 714 folders which can allow your table top machine to run a micro-perf assembly. This will work on certain 714 parallel machines starting with the “XE” in 1991. You can contact us to find out if your specific machine is capable of this upgrade.

Article Provided by Baumfolder – March 24, 2015

Mid-State Litho, Inc
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net

Be Profitable with Fast Finishing From Baumfolder

Be Profitable with Fast Finishing

Be Profitable with Fast Finishing From Baumfolder

The BAUM 20 VFM is a Baumfolder solution providing a Versatile Finishing Module, tailored to your applications. A high speed rotary scoring/slitting/perforating machine, the VFM utilizes a BAUM 20 Pile Feeder and Baum CF20 Folderregister, connected to a new scoring module that contains 3 sets of heavy duty shafts. This solution accommodates a variety of tooling and enables multiple lines of scoring, perforating, and/or slitting in
Baum 20VFM-Slitter-Shaftsa single pass.

Do you need to score, slit, or perforate at 90 degrees? A 2nd station VFM is available with the same scoring module, but with a cross-carrier to register the job from the first section. This allows for job completion without reloading. Learn more about the BAUM 20 Versatile Finishing Module.

Technology is constantly changing; let us help you learn how you can justify replacing some older, out-dated equipment with equipment designed for the future.

For more information about Baum’s 20VFM Folder contact our product specialists at 1-800-343-4231! 

Mid-State Litho, Inc.
5459 Fenton Rd.
Flint, MI 48507
www.midstatelitho.net