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Volume 5, Issue 3 UV
Coating: ULI Has It Covered
UV Coating: ULI Has It Covered How much difference does UV coating make in a magazine’s appearance? The proof is right in your hands—PressProof, that is! For the first time, we’re printing PressProof in-house, and we took advantage of our new UV capability to coat the front and back pages of this issue. Take a minute to compare the look and feel of this page to that of the inside spread, and you’ll see why we’re so excited about this latest addition to our service offering. With the August installation of a new UV coater, United Litho completed the re-invention of its physical plant that began with the move to the Ashburn facility in late 1997. As Chris Azbill, vice president of operations, points out, ULI has now brought all key manufacturing capabilities in-house—and no major piece of equipment is more than five years old. Carefully selected after two years of research and a trip to IPD Printing in Georgia to see it in action, the Model 9000 UV Coating System from Kentucky-based Worldwide, Inc., was actually installed not on the pressroom floor, but up above the five-unit press. "There are two ways to install a coater," Azbill explains. "Install it when the press is installed and let it sit on the floor, or add it on after the press is installed, as we did. The challenge we had was how to install it without moving the press. Luckily, we had enough ceiling height, so we had it mounted to the side frames on top of the chill roll station." This new addition offers ULI customers all the advantages of UV coating—including brighter, more vivid colors, an increase in the perceived weight and substance of the cover stock, a harder, glossier finish than varnish, and the highest possible level of protection from scuffing and ink rub-off during transit and handling—without the scheduling impact necessitated by outsourcing the job. Previously, Azbill explains, ULI accommodated customers’ UV coating needs by sending the work to a sister company in The Sheridan Group, where covers were printed and coated on a sheetfed press. This meant, however, that the cover had to be submitted three days earlier than the rest of the job, giving ULI less direct control over the overall schedule. Additionally, the sheetfed covers tended to shrink back 1/16" or so from the face edge of the book after being trimmed, revealing a sliver of the first text page. Sales and Marketing VP Wayne Peterson says that the shrinkback issue is one of the biggest benefits of bringing UV coating in-house. "Most short-run magazine printers are UV coating their covers sheetfed," he says, "so they’re seeing shrinkback after the covers are trimmed. Because we’re producing them on a web press, we’ve eliminated that problem." Noting that the installation, training and ramp-up phases have all proceeded smoothly, Azbill says he was surprised at the excitement the UV coater has generated on the press floor. "The guys were really chomping at the bit to see who got to use it first. We’re off to a great start!" Will It Take Magic to Conform to MERLIN? MERLIN—the USPS’ new Mailing Evaluation, Readability and Look-up INstrument—is an automated acceptance tool designed to check all aspects of presorted, automated mailings, including mail makeup (package and container contents), sack tags, indicia content and barcode readability, as well as parameters for letter mail and meter strip mail (which generally will not affect ULI clients). "In essence," explains ULI Vice President of Operations Chris Azbill, "it pre-reads the mail to ensure that it can be read on the Postal Service’s high-speed sorting equipment. MERLIN’s going to force those who take advantage of barcode discounts to meet the USPS specifications for barcoded labels." MERLIN performs 23 different tests on each barcode sampled, scanning, marking and reporting on the mail pieces it processes. It also produces reports detailing the data collected for each mailing processed. Deployment in bulk mail acceptance units and detached mail units began in the southeastern United States in March 2001 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2003, with more than 1,200 machines installed in both USPS and customer plants. MERLIN will be at the Dulles Bulk Mail Acceptance Unit in November 2002 and at ULI on January 6, 2003. From that point on, all mail being entered at ULI will be subject to random audits by MERLIN. Perhaps the greatest challenge MERLIN presents to publishers who use barcode discounts concerns acceptable barcode readability. Indeed, the USPS itself was sufficiently concerned about the issue that it initially imposed an 18-month moratorium, which it lifted on August 1. Although no penalties have yet been assessed against a mailer for readability issues, ULI Mail Services Manager Hugh Tolson believes that it’s only a matter of time. Significantly, MERLIN’s readability standards are substantially more stringent than those of the automated sorting equipment it is designed to support. At existing acceptability thresholds, MERLIN can be expected to fail labels that the USPS is successfully delivering now. Of course, the impact of the barcode readability standard will vary according to both the type of label (paper or inkjet) and its source. For paper labels, the primary issues are print reflectance—easily addressed through the use of new, high-quality ribbons and/or adequate toner supply for laser-type printers—and clearance. Both Tolson and Azbill are confident that customers using ULI-generated paper labels will experience no problems with MERLIN on either front. "Over the years, we’ve gone to great lengths to create an image that meets all of the standards for both human and barcode readers," Tolson says. "Our biggest
concern is with supplied labels," Azbill adds, noting that United
Litho is working on very specific guidelines for creating those labels
to ensure that they meet the USPS clearance requirements. Given the minimum
tolerances involved, supplied cheshire labels may need to include one
less line of data than they do presently. There may yet be changes in the standard. As this issue goes to press, both printers and large mailers are pushing back, working with the USPS in an attempt to ensure that the acceptance rate on MERLIN more closely matches that of the actual sorting equipment. Clearly, the advent of MERLIN will mean changes for both ULI and its clients. In the meantime, Azbill, Tolson and the operations staff are hard at work, determined to make the transition as smooth as it can be. A
Long-Overdue Honor for ULI President Ken Garner Announcing Garner’s selection in July, NAPL President Gregg Van Wert noted, "Ken is an extraordinary business person and an active learner, with a firm grasp on the value of creating a learning organization. Known throughout the graphic arts community for his dynamic leadership and his very active role as an advocate for the printing industry, he is heavily invested in the welfare of our industry. This award—NAPL’s highest honor—is overdue, and well-deserved." Indeed, Garner—whose first full-time position at ULI was as an apprentice plate maker in 1975—has a long record of service to local and national industry associations. A current board member and past chair of NAPL, Garner has also served as director and, subsequently, chair of the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation; chair of the Environmental Conservation Board; and director of the Graphic Arts Show Company, the Printing Industry of Virginia and the Virginia Printing Foundation. He’s also received several industry honors, including the 1993 PIVA Wallace Stettinius Educator of the Year Award. But such recognition—special as it is—only hints at what Garner means to United Litho. Operations VP Chris Azbill notes, "Ken has created a wonderful culture at ULI—perhaps because he’s held so many different roles within the company and is able to see all sides. I’ve been in different industries and at other printing companies, and I can tell you that Ken’s experience is unusual at his level. Although he’s not active in the day-to-day production, there’s a high level of respect for him on the floor." Wayne Peterson, vice president of sales and marketing, couldn’t agree more. "Ken has created an organizational culture in which egos are not allowed to get in the way of the customer receiving an extraordinary experience," Peterson says. "He has an absolute passion for ULI, a remarkable ability to manage challenging issues while maintaining open lines of communication, and a true dedication to continuing improvement. He’s constantly challenging us to challenge ourselves." Garner himself lists the company’s culture as one of his proudest accomplishments: "It’s most precious to me," he says, adding that it makes ULI a "pretty good place to work." He maintains, though, that the evolution of that culture was not the result of any deliberate strategy. "I’ve had good bosses and bad bosses—and have taken a little from everyone." After more than a quarter century in printing, what’s left on Garner’s to-do list? "I want to make ULI the absolute best in class," he says. "I want our employees and our customers to look at ULI and use us as the standard of excellence when comparing us to other printers." Shannon
Marzolf Assumes New Role Dave Briggs, an account executive with ULI, has known Marzolf since he hired her as a customer service representative at Port City Press in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1997—and has continued to be impressed during her tenure as an account manager with ULI’s Blue Team. Citing her strong technical background, as well as her intelligence, motivation and "unflappable" personality, Briggs says Marzolf’s skills and abilities made her a great fit for the role. "She brings an excellent understanding of the needs of both the plant and the customer, and has always been able to step back and look at the big picture. She looks for a win-win for everyone involved." Operations Vice President Chris Azbill notes that Marzolf was selected as client services leader after an internal search produced four strong candidates. "We interviewed each candidate both one-on-one and with groups representing sales and marketing, as well as operations. It was a very difficult decision, but the fact that we had several excellent candidates is a tribute to United Litho. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve been able to attract and retain extremely professional individuals." Wayne Peterson, vice president of sales and marketing, adds, "It would have been an easier search if we were just looking for someone who had the technical knowledge. Shannon brings the ability to build mutual trust and respect with her customers. Under fire, she is absolutely calm. She thinks clearly, solves the problem and encourages the client." The
transition from account manager to client services leader will take several
months, Marzolf explains, noting that she’ll receive training from
both Azbill and Peterson. "I’m really excited about my new role,"
Marzolf says. "I plan on putting a lot of energy Summing up, Peterson says: "I’m absolutely thrilled to be working with Shannon in this role. She’s going to provide exceptional leadership, and she’s a great gift for ULI to have.” An Extraordinary Service Experience: AJR In 1977, scientists identified the cause of "Legionnaire’s Disease," then-President Jimmy Carter pardoned the Vietnam draft evaders, the Gang of Four was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party, and Roger Krantz put everything he had into the launch of a new magazine called the Washington Journalism Review. He began doing business with United Litho not long afterward, but there were still challenges ahead. At one point, too short on cash to pay for the printing of the next issue, Krantz walked into the plant, tossed his car keys on the table and said, "My ‘65 Mustang is in the parking lot—that’s my down payment." ULI extended his credit, setting the tone for a lasting partnership. In the 25 years since its launch, the magazine has changed hands twice and is now owned by the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. It’s also changed its name to the American Journalism Review (AJR), to better reflect its national scope. With a qualified circulation of 25,000 and an estimated total readership nearly twice as large, AJR is read by print and broadcast journalists, government officials, corporate executives and communications professionals. Editor and Senior Vice President Rem Rieder explains that the magazine’s mission is to examine and analyze broad coverage trends, as well as how the media cover specific stories. Devoted to examining the "news behind the news," AJR scrutinizes ethical dilemmas in the field and monitors technology’s impact on the practice of journalism. AJR celebrates its silver anniversary this November with a commemorative issue that will address the evolution of the profession, as well as the magazine’s own history. Account Manager Cheri Gulius, who has worked with AJR for nearly seven years, says that the magazine has changed significantly during that time. "AJR has evolved right along with United Litho," she says, noting that they started with a prepress house, pasting up mechanicals, and that making the transition to a digital workflow was a big step for them. "They were really pleased with the transition, though," she says. "It was even better than they expected." The anniversary will also be marked by a formal gala at the National Press Club, with a guest list that includes not only the most respected names in print and broadcast media, but everyone who has ever appeared on the cover of the magazine—as well as Gulius, Account Executive Chris Omohundro, Sales and Marketing VP Wayne Peterson and President Ken Garner. Rieder considers Garner a true friend, and adds, "We consider Chris and Cheri a part of our extended family." "We have a really good working relationship with United Litho," Rieder says. "High credits go to Chris and Cheri. …They are both wonderful people." He also speaks highly of ULI’s cooperative spirit. "[It’s] helped us quite a bit," he says. "Cheri has always managed to get our magazines where they need to be when we need them." That spirit of cooperation and partnership has taken other forms as well. Art Director Lissa Reynolds praises United Litho’s seminar series, noting that they have taken full advantage of the training opportunities offered in subjects ranging from web press imposition to software skills. In fact, she says, the imposition classes actually helped them grow during the days when they had to watch every penny. "Everything I learned about magazine production, I learned on the job with ULI’s help," Reynolds says. The admiration is mutual, according to Gulius. "AJR makes it easy for us to help them. They’re very organized—we always have their quantity, their postage and all their materials on day one, and proof corrections are minimal. They’re the ideal client!" For this issue, instead of covering a single topic in depth, I think I’ll do a little frequently-asked-question answering. Q:
Many of my advertisers are submitting photographs that were taken with
a digital camera. Worse yet, they come in at 640 x 480 pixels. I need
them to be larger than A: Start by (strongly) encouraging your advertisers to set their cameras to the highest possible resolution, with as little JPEG compression possible. But believe it or not, there are some utilities out there that purport to improve low-resolution images using some high-tech math. Let’s take a look at the printed examples in the newsletter. Notice how pixelated the image on the left—72 dpi at 100%—looks. The image on the right, having been run through GenuineFractals ($300) or VFZoom ($120), looks a little better. If this software intrigues you, download the free demos available on these companies’ web sites and check them out. Q: When I make Quark PDFs, I’ve noticed that the resolution of some of my placed TIFF files is reduced inside the PDF. What the ...? Why is this happening? A: Quark 4 and 5 have this nice "feature" that helps with printing/processing times: If it detects that you are outputting to a printer with a low resolution, it will automatically res-down TIFF files in order to save printer processing time. The way it knows how much to sample down depends on the settings in the print menu. This feature can be disabled by clicking on the "Full Resolution TIFF output" button on the Options tab and entering 2400 dpi on the Output tab in the Print dialog. So what happens when you make a PDF from Quark? Well, assuming that you’re using the PDF Filter, which bypasses the settings in the Print menu, Quark must look for a PPD (PostScript Printer Description) file to determine the resolution. The PPD that is installed with Acrobat ("Acrobat Distiller") includes various page sizes and resolutions, which make it a bad candidate to use. The solution is to use a PPD called "DDAP V3," which can be downloaded for Mac or PC. This PPD has only one resolution defined in it (2400); it also has only one defined font (Courier), which may help with the embedding of fonts. This PPD must be installed into the System Folder > Extensions > Printer Descriptions, and activated when creating a PDF in Quark by going to the Options > Output tab. Q: I’m merging Quark and/or PageMaker files and the type keeps changing when I paste the items. What’s going on? A: This may happen if you’ve made an adjustment to the standard H&J (hyphenation and justification) settings. Those settings should never be altered in files that will eventually be merged. When we transfer partial-page ads from separate documents into a main file, we experience reflow problems if H&Js are manipulated. Q: It takes me forever to collect my job! I have to grab a stack of Zip disks and fill them up. Is there a better way? A: Zip and Jaz disks are getting very outdated—in fact, since Jaz drives have been discontinued, some day soon we’ll have no way to repair or replace a broken drive. Many of our customers have purchased a portable firewire hard drive as a rugged high-tech solution. For $150, you can get a drive that can hold 5 gigabytes, which should be plenty for even the largest magazines. When it comes time to send the job in, just wrap it in bubblewrap and stick it in a FedEx box.
Copyright 1997 - 2008, United Litho, Inc. All rights reserved. |
