Day2_26

GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_26_2016

Gasch Printing Puts Trust in Standard Finishing Systems In early 1982 Doug and Linda Gasch started a print operation in their 100-square-foot basement. For two decades, the shop operated with a few employees, a one-color duplicator, and a homemade lamp to expose printing plates. As the advent of digital printing came, the company changed with the times. By 2002, Linda and Doug’s son, Doug Gasch Jr., took the helm and began moving in a new direction. And in 2006, when the shop teamed with BrightKey, a large warehouse and distribution company that wanted to partner with a print provider to cater to its publishing and association customers. “We began to realize the niche that we had in front of us,” Gasch recalls. Today, digitally printed books represent 95% of all the jobs produced at Gasch Printing. The balance is companion commercial print work. They still run some of their Canon/ Océ (Booth 1500) legacy digital presses, but more recent investment in print technology is already getting the bulk of the workload. In June, the company installed a Canon ColorStream 3900 with an in-line Standard Hunkeler Roll-to-Stack solution. The press represented a new technology, but Gasch was already perfectly familiar with the fi nishing system. They had Hunkeler equipment in-line with a Canon toner press for several years. “When it came time to buy a new press, we looked at every option, but the quality of the Canon solution made the difference,” Gasch says. And, it was the quality of the fi nishing solution that made for an easy decision about the Standard (Booth 1548) Hunkeler Roll-to-Stack, too. The Roll-to-Stack system combines a Hunkeler UW6 unwinder, a CS6 rotary cutter, an SE6 offset stacker, and a LS6 non-stop stacker. The solution is capable of producing up to 1,650 book blocks per hour. That speed was essential. It needed to keep pace with the press, and it does. “We’ve had a relationship with Standard Finishing Systems and Hunkeler for a long time. We’re still running a Standard Horizon bookletmaker that we purchased 20 years ago. So we had a relationship in place, but more importantly, we appreciated the Standard Hunkeler Roll-to-Stack’s ability to run lighter-weight papers, and we didn’t have the trust in other vendors to do that effi ciently.” After an installation that Gasch described as “smooth”, by the following month the company was successfully printing and fi nishing book blocks—even with lightweight 30-lb. stock. Gasch is so encouraged by the solution that he’s set a goal to invest in a second Canon Color- Stream with the same fi nishing confi guration in order to add capacity and manage a growing workload. The team at Gasch Printing and their Standard Hunkeler Roll-to-Stack solution. (L to R): Doug Gasch, President; Jeremy Hess, Director of Sales and Marketing; and Joe Fowler, General Manager. These aren’t the only investments the company has made. At GRAPH EXPO 15—and with the help of their local dealer, Atlantic Graphic Systems of Columbia, MD—they purchased a Standard Horizon BQ-470 Perfect Binder with PUR adhesive. The machine was a complement to the Standard Horizon BQ-470 EVA solution they already had. The new BQ-470 is confi gured in-line with the HT-1000V Three-knife Trimmer, and it beautifully manages the fi nished book blocks coming off the combined Canon-Standard Hunkeler line. “It allowed us to have more automation and quicker setups,” Gasch says. “Plus, it allowed us to now bind coated jobs in house.” The quality and unique capabilities of these investments have enabled Gasch Printing to become true specialists in the digital crafting of books, but it’s the service behind the equipment that makes it all possible, he notes. PGSF Finds the Industry’s Next Generation of Leaders The Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) (Booth 563) is holding its annual board meeting on the morning of Tuesday, September 27, during GRAPH EXPO 16. The board will evaluate the progress that has been made during the year, and plan for 2017. 2016 marks the 60th anniversary of the PGSF. “We’re pleased at the results of the renewed marketing and promotional efforts that have been put in place during the past couple of years,” says John Berthelsen, VP-Development, PGSF. These efforts have resulted in a record number of applications for scholarships by young people who are interested in a career in the graphic arts industry. The organization has also succeeded in generating increased awareness of the industry throughout the country by expanding its outreach to high schools, as well as through social media. “It’s through the support of dedicated individuals and companies that we are able to accomplish our mission,” says Berthelsen. The board meeting is closed to the general public, but GRAPH EXPO 16 attendees are invited to visit the PGSF’s booth during the show, located on Education Main Street in Booth 563. “We have exhibited at the show for many years and fi nd this a great way to connect with past recipients of scholarships as well as potential donors,” says Berthelsen. “We appreciate the opportunity to connect with more of the industry and increase the awareness of what we provide to promote the future of the graphic arts in America.” Peek Inside Kirk-Rudy’s Manufacturing Facility Kirk-Rudy (Booth 1771) released a short video featuring its manufacturing operation. The video shows how Kirk-Rudy begins at the design stage and then transforms raw materials into a fi nished product, highlighting the fact that they have been manufacturing mailing equipment since 1967. Sponsored by HP (Booth 1825), this video focuses on the equipment that Kirk-Rudy developed using HP’s thermal inkjet technology, including the KolorJet, an incredibly fast color inkjet printer for mail and transactional printing. The company was founded in Libertyville, IL by Harry Kirk and Fred Rudy who were both employed by the Cheshire Company in Chicago. The two engineers believed they could build a better product than what was currently on the market. Harry Kirk held several patents on Cheshire’s methods and parts. Harry is still the active CEO, and at the factory most every day providing his engineering expertise and industry knowledge to the entire operation. The video is available for viewing at kirkrudy.com, YouTube, and Vimeo. 26 | September 26, 2016 | GRAPH EXPO 16 Offi cial Show Daily | PrintingNews.com


GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_26_2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above