What Our Customers Say: Dalfort Media

The greatest project in the world means nothing if you can't meet the deadline.

Dalfort Media knows all about deadlines.

"I ordered a printing job from Executive Press and they finished it ahead of schedule and even delivered it to me by courier when I couldn’t pick it up, Nick Nichols told us. Nick is a principal in Dalfort Media Internet Marketing, an online branding and reputation management company based in North Texas.

"Nick asked us to print his brochure," Jennifer Beaty said. "We not only delivered it early, but we ensured that the level of quality he needed was there," she said.

Jennifer is the managing general partner of Executive Press, a full-service printing and mailing house based in Richardson, Texas.

"We understand our customers have a choice," Jennifer continued. "We go out of our way to make sure the balance is struck between quality, cost and schedule. "

"I was very happy with the quality of the work and will definitely order from them again," Nick said.

For more information about Executive Press, Call Jennifer or any of her team members at 214-217-7000.

The Executive Pressman

Offset printing

In this day and age of the digital press, there still is a place for offset printed products.

So, just what is offset printing?

"Offset printing is a printing process that transfers an image from a plate to a blanket to paper," Jennifer Beaty told us recently. "There are several types of offset printing, including photo offset, sheet-fed offset and web offset."

Jennifer is the managing partner of Executive Press, a full-service printing and mailing company based in Richardson, Texas. Offset printing is a big part of what they offer their clients.

"Understanding the offset printing process is critical to understanding printing in general," Jennifer said. "The creative input stays about the same, but the mechanical differences between offset and digital are vast."

For larger jobs, offset is the better choice. Catalogs, magazines and multi-page products with special bindings are better matched to offset, Jennifer told us.

"We are very fortunate to have some of the best pressmen in North Texas on our staff," Jennifer said. "Between them, Luke Stacy and Todd Johnson have almost 60 years of printing experience."

"When you add in Jay Norwood, our bindery manager, we have three great craftsmen working for our clients," She said.

To reach Jennifer, Luke, Todd, Jay or any of the Executive Press team, call 214-217-7000 or visit their website. They know offset.

The Executive Pressman

Executive Press Appreciates Labor-Saving Features of New Suprasetter

Running cleaner and greener is a long-term goal of Executive Press. Since we replaced a violet Platesetter with a Suprastter A75 thermal computer-to-plate device from Heidelberg we have been both.

Used to image Heidelberg Saphira Chemfree plates for the company’s four offset presses, including a 6-color Speedmaster SM 74 and 4-color Printmaster GTO, the new Suprasetter “fell right in line with our workflow,” said General Manager David Allen. Most impressive to Allen and his team is the automatic top-loading capability of the new platesetter, which provides fully automated plate loading and slip sheet removal that permits mostly unattended operation of the unit.

Executive Press has a longstanding commitment to green printing. Accordingly, the company has converted to soy-based inks and prints on post-consumer waste recycled or FSC-certified paper, unless our customers specify otherwise. The company has implemented proven systems in its production area to reduce energy usage while recycling all paper and aluminum plates used in the printing process.

The new Suprasetter contributes to this effort with its own set of environmental credentials. Consuming 0.7 kilowatts per hour, the Suprasetter A75 platesetter draws around five times less power and generates around five times less waste heat than comparable models from other manufacturers.

“Heidelberg equipment is simply the best there is, and their service technicians are well-trained, knowledgeable and persistent,” Allen said. “There’s none better.”

Approaching a quarter-century in business, $2.5 million Executive Press currently employs a staff of 12, and serves real estate and building clients and a variety of associations doing business in North Texas.

The Executive Pressman

Five Printing Terms You Need to Know

Remember vocabulary tests in school? While this won't be a test, it is importnat in business to have a broad and varied vocabulary. It helps you communicate.

A good person to be communicating with clearly is your print service provider. So today we are talking about print terminology that is valuable to know.

Let's pick five terms to become familiar with:

1. PDF
2. Digital printing
3. Offset printing
4. Press proof
5. Green printing

A PDF is a software program/product developed by Adobe that allows for a piece that is to be printed to be packaged for ease of production. Most desktop computers have the program and many printers can work directly from these files to finished printed product easily.

Digital printing is imaging done by a printing machine (press) using laser, inkjet or solid-ink technology to make the images. Xerography is a form of digital printing.

Offset printing is traditional printing that is done on a printing press and uses plates and image-transfer processes. Used primarily for large run jobs and specialty projects (catalogs, for example).

A press proof is a review of the printed project as it comes off the press during it's initial run. Ink color and density and image quality can all be judged at this time and corrections made.

Green printing is a broad term that encompasses what a printing service provider does in terms of using environmentally safe products and processes. Soy inks, recycled papers and careful recovery and use of solvents are all a part of being a green printer.

For more information, please visit www.executivepress.com. Or call us at 214-217-7000.

The Executive Pressman

Get Smart About Your Mobile Marketing

Look up! Take a look around you and you’ll see everyone doing it. Americans are nose down in their BlackBerrys, Androids and iPhones texting, checking in on Foursquare or Googling for an answer. You’re probably reading this on your smart phone right now. With the holidays coming and smart phones becoming more accessible, this trend will only grow in 2011. This means it’s time to think about mobile marketing. Here are a few ways mobile marketing can help your business.

Make your website mobile friendly.
If you look at your phone bill, you’ll notice that you’ve probably spent more minutes online or texting than actually on the phone. Smart phones can double as a computer, so it’s important that you think about how you want your customers to interact with you when they’re on the go. Of course you’ll want those potential customers to be able to find you or call you as they navigate your site. If you have an online ordering component for instance, you should consider an application that allows users to work with you online.

Text message your customers when they’re nearby.
Rather than just e-mail marketing, consider text message marketing in your mix. Mobile Marketing Watch claims the reaction rate for text message marketing is 70 percent compared to 30 percent for e-mail marketing. You can send special coupons at the exact times of day that your potential customers would want to hear from you. Of course, like e-mail marketing, make sure your customers have opted-in to receive these messages.

Apply some creativity.
If you have a smart phone you know that there are hundreds of applications that you can download to do just about anything. Think about what your business can offer in the form of a useful application that will get people to install it on their phones. It’s a great way for them to interact with your brand and to increase sales.

The Executive

http://www.executivepress.com/resources/news_archive.html/article/2010/11/08/get-smart-about-your-mobile-marketing

Providing PDFs to Your Print House

Providing a PDF file to your printed didn't used to be an option. Now, with improvements to files, software and output devices, this file type is now useful and available to printing companies for use in the production of finished, high-quality printed products.

The Adobe product is now become the standard file for file exchange and output in the design and printing community. Since the PDF format is compact and platform independent, it is versatile and fairly easy and accurate to use.

By following the simple guidelines in the step-by-step tutorials offered on the Adobe website for your platform (PC or Mac), you will be able to repetitively create usable PDF files for production of your printed materials. The advantages are:

• Speeds the creation and approval of the final product.
• Generates a virtually error-free PostScript file.
• Shows exactly on screen how fonts, graphics and layout will print.
• Speeds the whole process, thereby saving time, money and relationships.

Consider this useful tool for your next design project. For more information, contact Executive Press for step-by-step help.

The Executive

Christmas Cards

It is almost the end-of-the-year holiday season. Time to be thinking about Christmas Cards.

Whether you send out customized or off-the-shelf cards, send them to business associates or friends or family, cards mean a lot at this time of year. In business, they help you keep in touch with your clients and prospects by letting them know you are thinking about them.

Some rules of thumb when it comes to cards:

• Consider a custom card. Your contacts are less likely to find it in a store or receive it from someone else. You are more likely to be remembered as well.
• Sign your cards personally. If you have a large number of cards, this could be an issue. You might consider dividing up the list between your colleagues in the office to make it more manageable as personal.
• Do it in a timely fashion. Aim to have them arrive two weeks to 10 days before the actual holiday so that they can enjoy the card as well as be able to respond. Cards that arrive in January will be remembered but for possibly the wrong reasons.

The Executive Pressman

Jennifer Beaty, Face of the Company

You know you’ve seen her before. She looks familiar, yet you can’t quite place her. Then, when she walks over and introduces herself to you and starts her “short introductory speech, you know.

Anybody who is out networking in the business community in North Texas has met Jennifer Beaty at one time or another. The visible owner of Executive Press, it is Jennifer’s job to be the face of the company, develop new business and make and manage relationships.

“I love the printing business,” Jennifer said. “That’s why I am in and stay in this business.”

With nine years in the business, she got into it after a career start in being a network administrator in the IT business didn’t take hold.

“I love math and seeing a finished product,” Jennifer told me. “I also like people and love to network,” she added.

The last part is what drives the rest of life. Besides all of the business associations she keeps up with from the North Dallas and Garland Chambers and networking groups like First Tuesday, her kids and their activities keep her running.

“We have two teenaged girls who are involved in sports,” Jennifer said, ”As a result, I am treasurer of the Garland High School Boosters Club.” But that’s not all.

“Every summer, our family gets involved together in a number of charities,” Jennifer continued. “We require the girls (and their two brothers) to volunteer or contribute to at least two charities each year. ”Habitat for Humanity, Komen for the Cure and Special Olympics have been the recipients of the Beaty clan’s attention in recent years.Those relationships will continue this year and for years to come.

Executive Press is proud of our people and the work they do for our customers and in the community.When you call in, you can be assured that Jennifer and the rest of our team will do their best to meet your communication needs.

The Executive Pressman

Using Soy Inks

Using soy inks is a part of being a green printer and being FSC certified.

What are soy inks and how are they made?
Instead of being made from petroleum, soy inks use a base of soybean oil. The soybean oil is refined and blended with pigments, waxes and resins. Using soy inks makes it easier to recycle the paper printed with soy inks.

Why use soy inks?
To be environmental friendly and supportive of our environment. The manufacture, use and disposal of soy inks do little, if any, harm to the environment. Since soybean oil is naturally cleaner than petroleum inks, the colors are brighter. Images printed with soy inks are sharper, studies show. While they can be used in most applications, they take longer to dry. But that tradeoff is minimal considering the advantages of image quality and cost.

When did soy inks take over?
Since the late 1980s, newspapers began using soy-based inks to save money (over expensive petroleum-based inks) and to give them sharper, cleaner images. In 2004, over 95% of newspapers in the US used soy-based inks.

Who uses soy inks?
Printers and suppliers who are either FSC certified or environmentally friendly or conscious, use soy-based inks and printing products. Plus anybody who wants to save money.

How do you make sure soy inks are used?
Ask your printer if they use soy inks. Or specify them when you place an order. Or ask your designer to specify soy inks.

The use of soy ink is so pervasive and become such an industry standard that the National Soy Ink Information Center (established in 1993) was closed in 2004. Soy ink use is now regulated by the National Soybean Council.

The Executive

Primer on Paper

Paper is a basic ingredient in anything printed. But there is more to it. Here is a basic primer on paper. There is more to paper than what you will read here, so our intention here is to share some basics to get you started.

Paper is comprised of ingredients like all things. Most papers include paper pulp, cotton, postconsumer waste fiber, millwaste fiber, calcium carbonate, dyes and colorings, optical brighteners, fillers, sizings and coatings.

When choosing paper, consider:

• "Hand"
• Grade
• Weight

"Hand" is the way paper feels to the fingertips. It will be the first impression a reader or viewer gets of your brochure, book, catalog or other printed piece.

Grade refers to the quality and type (application) of paper. Grades include:

• Opaque
• Offset
• Coated
• Writing (bond)
• Text
• Cover

Ways to measure paper start with weight, but also include:

• Caliper (the thickness)
• M weight (the weight of 1000 sheets)
• Basis weight (weight of 500 sheets in a specific size)
• GSM (grams per square inch, a metric measure which standardizes weight regardless of size)

This should get you started and prepare you for that discussion with your designer and printer. For more information visit us at Executive Press (www.executivepress.com)

The Executive

Source material for this post came from www.mohawkpaper.com

Digital Printing Made Understandable

Digital printing is printing using techniques developed for computer printers such as inkjet or laser printers.

Many graphic projects begin with analog sources such as 35mm slides, transparencies or reflective art (photographs, original artwork). To produce a digital image, these elements are converted to digital files that can be manipulated on a computer system.

Digital printing differs from other types of printing (lithography, flexography, gravure, and letterpress) in these ways:

• Every print can be different, because printing plates are not required.
• There is less waste of chemicals and paper,because there is no need to check for registration and position during the actual printing.
• The ink or toner does not permeate the surface it is being printed on, as do conventional inks.

Because there is less initial setup, digital is useful for rapid prototyping, and cost effective for small print runs.

Digital printing is used for personalized printing and print-on-demand (POD) systems. This is ideal for short run books of varying page quantities and binding.

The Executive

Thanks to Wikipedia for some background information used here