The night before Christmas... in Wisconsin

Twas the night before Christmas and through the Midwest
A storm was a'brewin, the roads were a mess.
The tow trucks were rollin' to help those in ditches.
The wind was a'howlin sending shivers down my britches.
The cheeseheads were sleeping, all snug in there beds,
while Lombardi trophies danced in there heads.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear?
a strange looking elf who was sipping a beer.
His clothes were all decked out in gold and bright green.
with large Packer logos, sure to be seen.
He spoke not a word, just reclined in my chair
exuding the confidence of victory in the air.
I stood there staring, not sure what to do.
Should I call the cops or hand him a brew?
Since he seemed to be harmless and was surely a fan,
I opened the case and gave him a can.
He polished off the second and got up with a smile.
Said he was leaving, but would be back in a while.
If I needed to find him, I should check by the grill.
He'd be having a tailgate. Oh what a thrill !
But I heard him exclaim
before he took flight:
"A Superbowl win for the Packers...
and to all a good night."

Merry Christmas everyone !!!

10th Annual FTA Environmental Excellence Award call for entries

FTA Environmental Excellence Award winners received recognition for their pioneering efforts in developing innovative processes, products and management approaches that have had a positive impact on the environment. Such efforts include, but are by no means limited to: measures to reduce waste, procedures to prevent pollution, policies that protect worker/employee safety, technological innovations that have helped make their facility more environmentally friendly and overall sustainability programs.

Your entries can help promote the spread of the best environmental practices and contribute to the safety and well being of us all. Summaries of the winning entries are highlighted in FLEXO® Magazine and EHS Direct electronic newsletter.

Enter your company in the FTA Environmental Excellence Award competition. We want to hear how your company has demonstrated its commitment to improving our world! Winners will be notified by February 5, 2010. Awards will be presented at the National Environmental, Health & Safety Conference, March 15-17, 2010 in Indianapolis, IN, and announced at the FFTA Annual Forum, May 2-5, 2010 in Las Vegas, NV.

For additional information about these events –
National Environmental Health & Safety Conference www.nehsconference.org
FFTA Annual Forum www.flexography.org/online/forum/index.cfm

For more information about the Environmental Excellence Awards, contact Doreen M. Monteleone at 631-737-6020, email dmonteleone@flexography.org. Applications must be received no later than December 31, 2009.

Please note that by applying, you give permission to publicize a summary of your accomplishments. While the drive for workable, sustainable solutions for a cleaner environment may seem complex and even somewhat daunting to most of us, it is vital that we each do our part in contributing to a cleaner, healthier Earth. That is why FTA hosts the Environmental Excellence Awards. Through this awards program, the association honors companies and
organizations that utilize environmentally sound resources and practices that contribute to a healthier Earth and a better way of life.

FTA Great Lakes January meeting

FTA Great Lakes Group is planning its second meeting for January 7, 2010 at the Institute for Graphics & Imaging in Pewaukee, WI. This event will focus on improving pressroom productivity through employee motivation and education.

Mike Erwin is President of Tailored Label Products, a company routinely recognized for excellence in printing, management and community service. The company’s many honors include a National Association of Manufacturer’s Trowbridge Award, recognition as a 2008 Best Place to Work, ISO / TS 16949 certification, 2008 Friends of Education, 2007 Excellence in Technical Achievement in Printing, 2006 Best Workplace in America, and a 2006 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year award. Mike’s presentation will focus on motivating employees for top performance.

Our second speaker of the evening is Bill Malm, Midwest and West Coast Technical Sales Specialist for Harper Corp. of America. Harper Corp is renowned for its philanthropy and leadership in printer education, having sponsored the FTA’s development of the TEST (Technical Education Services Team) program.

A properly trained workforce is critical to reduced make-ready costs and time, reduced raw material consumption, improved quality, improved production output and reduced damage to press components. Bill will discuss the importance of training, process standardization and anilox inventory management as critical elements of a successful and profitable print shop. His presentation will feature an overview of the TEST program.

Ron Dahl and IGI staff will provide tours of their facility, as well as an overview of their program offerings. IGI’s mission is to support the ability of industry professionals to proactively evaluate, respond and apply new processes and technologies that will positively impact and elevate their businesses.

Refreshments will be served courtesy of Sonic Solutions, a leader in ultrasonic cleaning equipment. David Lanska, FTA Great Lakes chairman, calls this a “must-attend” event for printers looking to reduce costs and improve productivity.

There is a nominal $10 admission (FTA Members, students and seniors), $15 everyone else, for this event. Reservations are requested, but not mandatory. Please RSVP your interest in attending to david.lanska@yahoo.com.

Location:

The Institute for Graphics & Imaging

(on the Campus of Waukesha County Technical College)

800 Main Street, Building Q

Pewaukee, WI 53072

Directions

From the East or West:

From I-94, exit on County Highway T. Head north 1.5 miles, turn left on County Highway SS (College Avenue). Turn right into the first campus entrance. After 30 feet, make sharp left then drive behind building G. Make right turn at the end of the building, park in areas 14, 12 or 13.

From the East or West:

Take State Highway 16 south, exit at Main Street. Stay in center lane to head south on Main Street. Turn right on County Highway SS (College Avenue). Turn right into the first campus entrance. After 30 feet, make sharp left then drive behind building G. Make right turn at the end of the building, park in areas 12, 13 or 14.

You can download a PDF containing these directions and a map by clicking this link.

Agenda:
4:30-5:00 Registration / networking
5:00-6:00 Facility tours by Ron Dahl and IGI staff.
6:00-6:30 Presentation by Mike Erwin of Tailored Label Products.
6:30-7:00 Presentation by Bill Malm of Harper Corp of America.
7:00-8:00 Refreshments / networking

The Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) Supplier Leadership Council formed this networking group to provide a regional venue for FTA members and non-members to meet on a regular basis at different locations in the Great Lakes region and discuss topics common to flexographic printers. Networking opportunities will be available, as well as information on FTA activities. FTA Great Lakes is a subgroup on FTA's Linked In site.

Thanks to the Chicago Litho Club

I would like to thank the Litho Club of Chicago for selecting my daughter, Melissa, to receive a $1000 scholarship. We greatly appreciate it and it will allow Melissa to complete the rest of her program without having had to take on any student loans.

The Chicago Litho Club is a non-profit organization that started in 1928. It meets regularly for networking and to exchange technical information. The club meets at sponsoring printer and supplier facilities, publishes a technical journal and uses funds raised from 50/50 drawings at each meeting to fund its scholarship programs. It is a great group of people that I have been honored to have the privilege to interact with. I strongly encourage those involved in lithography in the Chicago and surrounding areas to join and participate in this wonderful organization. Additional information about the Chicago Litho Club can be found on their web site at www.chicagolithoclub.org.

Printing Industries Color Management Conference

Green is the color of nature. It symbolizes growth, wealth, harmony, and has a strong emotional correspondence with safety. As a professional within the area of flexographic printing, you will find great value in this year's Color Management Conference. Packaging is one of the most important types of printing but is often under appreciated. People may not pay close attention to the color of their packaged products, but they will immediately recognize when color goes against their expectations. This is why companies spend millions of dollars to make sure their corporate color matches on everything their brand touches, from the marketing and promotional pieces to the packaging of their end products. Come to the 11th Annual Color Management Conference and discover how to better manage color in flexographic printing. Don't miss this event! Printing Industries Color Management Conference (Presented in partnership with Foundation of FTA).

December 6-8, 2009

The Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort

Phoenix, Arizona

FTA Great Lakes makes a splash at the Lauterbach Group

The first meeting of FTA Great Lakes was a huge success. The Lauterbach Group did an excellent job of hosting the event. The way that they have brought sustainability into the fiber of their corporate culture is amazing. Rebecca Kerschinske, Lauterbach Vice President of Sales and Marketing, said that to Lauterbach, "sustainability is profitability", talking about the economic, social, employment and environmental benefits of their approach.

She said "productivity builds sustainability into their business model", improving efficiencies, lowering operating costs, improving quality and promoting a heathy, productive workplace, She said their process improvements include lean/Six Sigma, systematic elimination of waste, standardized work and scientific problem solving. At every opportunity, they seek out technology that improves efficiency and environmental performance, from digital workflow to state-of-the-art press platforms.

She talked about the reasoning behind the specific orientation of the buiilding. Before you ever enter the building, you are aware that there is something different about this facility. The lobby is actually at the back of the building to capture natural light and warmth, while providing a pleasing view of their retention pond. Natural lighting is used to save on energy costs, (both in the offices and plant). Heath Lauterbach said they have stocked the retention pond with fish.

Their parking lot is unusal as well. It was installed with extremely coarse aggregate. The porous nature of the parking lot naturally dissipates storm water to help eliminate storm water runoff. Even the landscaping is unique, composed of prairie grasses and wild flowers instead of manicured lawns. This is in tune with their philosophy: providing environmental and economic benefits (eliminating costs for lawn care). Heath said their plan is to put in walking paths through the natural prairie areas they are creating.

The office area is very open, warm and inviting,. The offices do not have doors on them, which Heath explained, promotes a very professional environment while greatly improving the efficiency of their HVAC system.

The shop is clean and extremely well organized, with thoughtful process flow to aid in their production process efficiency. Sensors throughout the facility adjust heat and lighting based on human occupation of the various spaces.

They have worked to eliminate solvent use and have installed equipment that removes the liquid content from washup water to clump the remaining solids into non-hazardous material that can be disposed of in conventional landfills.

They recycle everything they can. Waste liner materials are sent to a facility that recycles them into pallets and other simialr products. Damaged wood pallets are repaired and reused, rather than scrapped. Cores are reused. They even use real plates and silverware to eliminate waste from their cafeteria.

Rebecca went on to talk about the fact that they do not want to be simply a "green facility", but rather part of a "green supply chain". They are proud of their approach and their leadership position in promoting and cultivating a similar mindset "beyond their four walls".

She said it has been a challenge to integrate sustainability into their corporate culture, but they feel that awareness that is put into practice creates a passion for success. What a phenomenal message !

After her speach, I gave an overview of some of the many FTA resources available to members pertaining to sustainability including the Environmental Excellence Awards, EHS Newsletter, Environmental Self Assessment, The Flexo Environment and Environmental/Sustainability Committeee. I also mentioned the FTA's involvement in the SGPP, NEHS Conference and PNEAC Virtual Flexo Plant, and encouraged everyone to take adantage of all of these resources.

After that, Social Media Coach, Mary Mekelburg, gave a nice presentation on social networking avenues and strategies; highlighting participation in the FTA and FTA Great Lakes groups on Linkedin.

Mike Siegler from Badgerland Products won the surprise drawing for an autographed copy of my book, Common Sense Flexography.

All in all, I would say that FTA Great Lakes made a splash at the Lauterbach Group. Yes, you can quote me on that !

Thanks to Craig, Harry and the FTA Supplier Leadership Council for supporting the group, Doreen Monteleone for providing FTA materials for distribution; Lauterbach, Matik and Graymills for providing the refreshments, Mary and Rebecca for their excellent presentations, and Heath and the entire Lauterbach team for serving as hosts for the event and for being an outstanding example of sustainability in action.

Happy Halloween !!!

I hope you had a wonderful halloween. Thought I would share a photo of my Honda "Ghoulwing". Our trick-or-treaters thoroughly enjoyed it.

5 things your mama never told you about surviving in a tough economy.

With double digit unemployment and few signs of significant improvement in the near future, it is important to take stock of your situation and prepare for what you hope never happens - the loss of your job. It is easy to think it won't happen to you, but these days you never know. Companies can change ownership, change direction or simply go under. So what can you do to prepare yourself... just in case?

1) Give your very best possible performance at work. This may help you keep your job. If not, at least you can walk away feeling good about yourself and your efforts.

2) Do what you can to save your company money. Every dollar that you save is one less the company needs to make in profit in order to keep you employed. For those that travel for a living, there are easy ways to cut your costs.

On a single business trip, per diem food costs can really add up. Try eating at less expensive restaurants, choosing lower priced menu items, skipping deserts, drinking coffee, tea or soft drinks instead of alcoholic beverages, taking advantage of complimentary breakfasts provided by the hotel, or even packing some snacks and drinks to take along. With many sales people on the road 50-75% of the time, you would be amazed how quickly these costs can add up, especially when multiplied over the entire sales force.

Take advantage of internet-based travel service providers to book lower priced hotel rooms and airfares. I have often gotten a nice room in 3-4 star hotels for well under $100/night with Hotwire, even in cities like Chicago, Montreal, and Orlando. If you simply walk in off the street, you can easily pay twice as much.

Stay with friends or relatives when possible. I have found this not only saves a lot of travel expense, but also can be a great way to rejuvenate the road weary.

Plan ahead for trade shows to reduce airfare and hotel costs, as well as to avoid expensive shipping and overtime costs for booth set-up. Also, shop around for lower priced car rentals.
These are just a few simple ideas that can save your company a lot of money (straight off the bottom line) over time.

3) Work to improve your skill-set by taking classes, webinars, reading books, or even taking your education to the next level. These can help add value to your current position and will serve you well should you need to market yourself to a prospective employer.

4) Take care of your physical (and financial) health. There is a lot of stress in the workplace these days. Exercising more, eating better, drinking and smoking less can pay huge dividends in long-term health and short-term coping.

Get your personal budget in order. Staying on top of your bills keeps your credit score high and reduces stress.

Set up automatic transfers to savings. If you don't see the money in your pay check, you are less likely to spend it.

Take full advantage of your 401K. You may not think you can afford to increase your 401K deduction, but you can and will be happy you did. If you decrease your withholding for taxes, you can increase your retirement withholding with minimal effect on net pay. Because you have less taxable income there should be little effect on your refund, but the effect on your retirement savings will be huge. By increasing my 401K withholding each time I got a raise, I saw no ill effect on my lifestyle, but managed to inch it up to 20% over time.

5) Build your network. Linkedin, Facebook, Myspace and Twitter are some of the social networking sites. There are also industry-specific networking sites. These can be great resources for customer and supplier contact, employee recruitment, information exchange, marketing and sales techniques and much more. Inbound marketing through these sites can also be effectively used to inexpensively market your products and services.

Should the worst happen, a well developed network can be a terrific weapon in your job-search arsenal; providing job leads, recommendations and a forum to promote your education, experience and accomplishments.

Someone once said that luck is where preparation and opportunity collide. It is no fun to find yourself on the unemployment line. While your mama may never have m,entioned it, I can tell you from experience that being prepared (just in case) can be a great relief and can help you weather the storm.

Much anticipated launch of FTA - Great Lakes

FTA - Great Lakes will hold its first meeting November 5th.

FTA Great Lakes is a technical networking group of the Flexographic Technical Association.

The event will feature a tour of Lauterbach Group's new LEEDS certified eco-friendly facility, as well as a presentation by Heath Lauterbach about their environmental efforts, which resulted in receipt of an FTA Environmental Excellence award. He will also describe their participation in the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership and other environmental initiatives. Refreshments will be served courtesy of Graymills, Matik and Lauterbach Group. Social Media Coach, Mary Mekelberg, will present information on networking through LinkedIn.

Information will be available about the FTA resources available to help with your sustainability efforts.

There is no charge for this event, but reservations are requested. Please RSVP your interest in attending to Heath Lauterbach at: hlauterbach@lauterbachgroup.com .

Location:

Lauterbach Group http://www.lauterbachgroup.com/
W222 N 5710 Miller Way

Sussex, WI 53089

Agenda:

4:30 - 5:00 - Registration / networking

5:00-6:00 - Facility tours

6:00-6:30 - Presentation by Heath Lauterbach

6:30-7:00 - Social Media presentation by Mary Mekelberg

7:00-8:00 - Refreshments and networking

Please join us for this informative and entertaining evening.

A new world of possibilities opening up

After 27 years, I have left the employ of Stork Cellramic. I would like to thank all of the people that I have had the priviledge to work with and serve; particularly all of the wonderful customers that entrusted me with helping their businesses to be more successful. It is rare to stay with the same company so long and I am thankful for all I have learned and been able to contribute through those years. I am proud of my many accomplishments and look forward to whatever opportunities lie ahead. While my departure certainly will leave a hole, I am confident that Stork's customers will continue to be well taken care of.

Someone once said, "When a door closes, a window opens". I am eagerly anticipating a fresh breeze. If you would like to contact me, please email me at lanska@att.net.

What people are saying about Common Sense Flexography

“David's knowledge of Flexography jumps from each page. The humor and anecdotal features make learning fun. Anyone printing with an anilox roll should read this book. Anyone reading the book comes away with knowledge that makes printing safer and better. Additionally, understanding and employing the practices given or inferred saves money.”
Mark Van Denend, President - Print Tech Associates

“It’s no surprise that David Lanska’s book is so encompassing, thought-provoking and informative. He’s well known as one of FTA’s “turbo members,” a person who is always willing to share his knowledge to help advance the industry. David offers a fresh perspective and provides new insights that will prove valuable to many flexographers. This comprehensive manuscript is a “must read” for anyone wishing to better understand anilox roll technology and proper pressroom practices!”
Mark Cisternino, President – Flexographic Technical Association

"David covers a tremendous amount of material, from ink to pressroom management and many points between, highlighting key concepts such as the construction and maintenance of anilox rolls, and the role, construction and selection of doctor blades. The images, theory, and formulas related to aniloxes are the most comprehensive I’ve seen, yet they are concisely presented. I will be mining this book for insight and formulas again and again. Many of the subtleties of flexo, often learned only through accident or word of mouth, are examined, with a humor and lightness that takes some of the edge off of a technical subject."
Frank Burgos, President - http://www.flexoexchange.com/

"The book is a fun and easy read, is relevant to our industry, and would allow a diverse readership with varying experiences to grasp the concepts, components and processes of our industry for quick understanding."
Tom Hammer, XSYS Print Solutions

"The managment section is great."
Jonathan Bourbonnière, Directeur général - Etiquettes Multi-Action

"This book definately has a handle on what flexography is all about, someone has finally taken the knowledge it has taken printers years to learn and put it down on paper! David's humourous approach to a very technical field helps to create a balance that make it effective in all levels of the industry. I intend to put a copy in all departments of our company so this knowledge is accessible to all! Commen-Sense Flexography is a must for any serious Pressroom. As important as your Densitometer."
Colin Shannon, Plant Operations - Artcraft Label, Inc.

"This book gives a strong foundation for building a great print shop. A great reference for all the basics of flexographic printing. The title of the books says it all about it’s content. Easy reading on important information."
Patrick Wilkinson, Project Engineer - Standard Register Company

"I read the book over the weekend and loved it!
The book starts out with printing basics, for those who need it, then traverses back and forth over the Flexo printing industry covering lots of ground from basic to advance. David ties each section together very nicely in a logical fashion and builds in a proper order. I liked the shaded areas for the reason that you quickly understand that they are highlights, points of interest, tips and interesting facts. I also liked the metaphors and analogies as they helped with understating abstract or difficult to grasp concepts.
There was just enough humor and puns to keep a technical subject light without cheesing it up. The graphics and the cartoon character were great illustrations making it easier to understand the technical stuff.
David’s knowledge is apparent in his grasp of the entire industry. His breadth of industry knowledge comes from his wide range of industry reading he does as is evident in the various books and articles he quotes from.
Last, the trouble shooting section is well thought out. This makes it worth having a second copy of the book in the shop so the press people can keep one close to their work bench when they need it."
Frank Anthony, Vice President/Operations - Chattanooga Times Free Press

A new milestone

July 19th marked the 27th anniversary with my former employer. Originally known as CSI Corporation, the company was my first full time job. When I started, I made $4.00/hour sweeping the floors and undercutting steel rolls on a small engine lathe. The shop was dirty and noisy, with cobbled together equipment. We had one used industrial CO2 laser that the owner had pieced together with some other old equipment in order to engrave holes in anilox rolls, an idea he patented along with an early doctor blade system.

Jerry had a lot of ideas so it was always interesting to see what he would come up with next. If someone said "it couldn't be done', then he set out to prove them wrong. We turned an old stake body Chevy 1 ton dually truck into a motorhome complete with bathroom facilities, kitchen and bedroom. We took a 7 1/2 foot Western snow plow onto the front of a 2 door Oldsmobile Toronado (and it plowed better than the old truck ever did). It is too bad that not all of his ideas worked out so well.

Our computer system in those days used punch cards to input data, assuming a mouse (little rodent - not the electronic type) didn't get stuck in the machine. The disk drives were as large as washing machines with disks as large as small car tires. When we upgraded equipment, the old computer system and all of its components took up the better part of a semi trailer. It is hard to imagine that my cell phone has thousands of times as much computing power as all of that equipment combined.

During my tenure, I grew from a high school student to an MBA graduate. I worked in maintenance, shipping & receiving, production, quality assurance, technical support, marketing, as well as anilox (and now also engineered coating) sales. I got married (with a silver anniversary rapidly approaching for that as well). Our children grew, the oldest of which is also married.

You might say I have developed something of a name in the flexo industry. I was thrilled to receive a Flexo Magazine Author's award and honored by receiving the FTA President's award.
My work in the industry is extremely rewarding and I am proud of my accomplishments and accalaids that have resulted.

But far beyond that, I am proud of the people I have worked with and served. Many of my best friends are colleagues, coworkers and customers. I have been very blessed these many years to have the opportunity to help other people be more successful. I know I have benefitted far beyond my ability to express from the help and support and interaction I have received along the way.

Who knows what the next 27 years will bring? Based on the last 27, all I can say is 'hold on tight. It's going to be a heck of a ride".

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement

For those who do not know, I had a motorcycle accident in May. My left tibia was broken into about 7 pieces, which were reassembled in a surgery 2 weeks ago. I am feeling good and my leg appears to be healing well. I have been cleared to start working part time from home and hope to resume many of my normal activities in a few months. I do appreciate all of the well wishes and offers of help I have received.

With kind regards,

David

FTA FORUM 2009

I would like to thank everyone who attened the FTA Forum this year. As always, the Forum provided numerous networking opportunities, great technical content, and recognition for technical, environmental and print quality achievements.

The breakout sessions were filled with good information on flexo process improvements and business practices to help companies ride out the economic turmoil and come through stronger.

While the floor traffic was down a little from last year, there was still a lot of excitement and interest in the products and services presented and many excellent college graphic arts programs were well represented. The keynote address provided reasoned insight into the economy, with bright prospects for the future. The 2009 Forum even featured an international flavor with insight and perspective from FTA affilliates from around the world.

The Flexo 101 session was well attended and the speeches presented excellent information to help printers make their processes more predictable and repeatable. My presentation is available for download off of my LinkedIn account at http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlanska .

Forum 2010 will be held in Las Vegas. Don't miss it !!!

Lean, Mean and Green - Environmental Conference at WPPC - May 19, 2009

Environmental Stewardship; Sustainability; Carbon Footprint; Chain of Custody; Go Lean; Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Plan, Perform, Measure and Improve; Lend a Hand, Save the Land. These are all relatively new terms in our printing and publishing lexicon. While it's human nature to want to reduce our impact on the environment and leave a better world for the next generation, often we can't make the kinds of changes we'd like because of the cost involved. We decided to seek out ways to affect that change and still reduce our costs instead of increasing them. You might be surprised at how much bang you can actually get for your money.

Joining us to share their insights are:
 Peter LaBonte, from ASQ (American Society for Quality). He is a CMQ/OE (Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence), and has agreed to demonstrate how to apply proven and leading edge Lean principles and practices: Using Lean to provide customer value while doing more with less.

 Connie OKeefe, Manager at The John Roberts Company, will tell us about their environmental achievements. They are Charter Members of Printing Industries of Minnesotas Great Printer Environmental Initiative and have achieved carbon neutrality. Among other initiatives, they are committed to the Windsource Program and the use of alternative energy sources.

 Annette Wall, Production Manager at Kalmbach Publishing will discuss Kalmbachs transition to all soft proofing at their domestic and Asian printers. She will outline their hybrid proofing solution and talk about the value of Eizo monitors. Annette will also share some of the small changes at Kalmbach that led to big savings.

 Gregg Aiken, Mill Manager at Neenah Paper will tell the story of Neenah Green, the ecoinitiatives that include Carbon Neutral status, FSC Certification, Green Seal and Green-E certifications. This past March, Neenah won a Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award for its emphasis on environmental stewardship.

 Joe Muehlbach, Director of Facilities and Environmental Policy at Quad/Graphics will outline some of Quad's many environmental initiatives. As you might expect, in the past decade alone, Quad/Graphics has been awarded more than 20 major environmental achievement honors, both on a state and national level.

Agenda
8:00 a.m.
Registration and coffee
8:30 a.m.
Program begins
11:30 a.m.
Networking & refreshments
12:00 p.m.
Lunch (included)
12:45 p.m.
Program continues
2:20 p.m.
Door Prize drawing, including a Waterford Crystal vase
2:30 p.m.
Program concludes

How to Register
Register and pay online at http://direct-to-net.net/cgi-bin/dn_ref.pl?f=h&ei=100129&vi=100127&r=15&ci=100806, or pay at the door with cash or check made payable to WPPC. The cost is still only $40 for members and $60 for non-members AND $15 for students. While walk-ins are always welcome, we encourage you to register no later than Friday, May 15th.

The WPPC is an organization of your peers, dedicated to providing a forum for education and opportunities for networking within the publishing industry. Founded in 1990, WPPC presents timely, pertinent topics and helps its members meet the challenge of rapidly changing technologies that impact our industry and our jobs. Regular membership is open to those responsible for production of magazines, catalogs, books, newsletters, and other printed matter, as well as to designers and ad agencies. Annual dues are $50 for individuals and $150 for corporate membership. Associate (vendor) membership is open to printers, prep houses, service bureaus, paper companies, ink manufacturers, graphic arts vendors, and other suppliers to the publishing industry, at a rate of $75 for individuals or $200 for corporate (vendor) membership.

WPPC and their sponsors invite members, guests and prospective members to attend our annual meetings in September, December, January, March and May. Location varies, please check the meeting notice or www.wppc.org for details. Meeting cost: $15 for students, $40 for members and $60 for guests & prospective members.
Join now or renew your membership online at http://www.wppc.org./

Meet Our Board
Executive Director:Marty OchsA.M. Mailing Services, Inc. Ph: 608-838-9899
mochs@ammailing.com

Executive Director: Kathy ReillyPrint Production Advisory Ph: 262-241-8454
kathyppa@ix.netcom.com

Treasurer: Cathy SchnackenbergASQ Ph: 414-272-8575
cschnackenberg@asq.org

Membership Director: Gretchen Trautman RDA Milwaukee (formerly Reiman Media) Ph: 414-423-0100
gretchen_trautman@rd.com

Director at Large: Dean Flowers Harry V. Quadracci Printing and Graphics Center Waukesha County Technical College Ph: 262-695-3401
dflowers@wctc.edu

Webmaster:Joel BartonGroupE CommunicationsPh: 414-964-6907 joel@groupecommunications.com

Board Member:Erica ConwayC2 Graphics Productivity SolutionsPh: 414-431-0062
erica@c2gps.com

Board Member:Cheryl LeSageJournal-Sentinel DirectPh: 414-223-5284
clesage@journalsentinel.com

Board Member:Dennis RedmanPLUS CompaniesPh: 262-502-1900
dr@ctplus.com

WPPC100 Interstate Blvd.Edgerton, WI 53534-9399
Click hereto update your WPPC mailing list preferences.

Color workshops offered by IGI

The Institute for Graphics and Imaging (IGI) is offering two color workshops in May. David Hunter, a veteran graphic arts industry color expert, will conduct both sessions. Hunter was responsible for the Graphic Arts business segment for Aldus Corporation, and is now the principal of Pilot Marketing, a graphic arts consultancy specializing in high-end color training.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009 — Techniques for Color Control with Digital Output DevicesThis session will cover how-to techniques to trouble shoot different color control issues for any color output device. When a file does not render as expected, the problem lies in one of three areas, either the files is bad, the RIP is not configured properly, or the printer/substrate is not performing properly. This session will cover a methodical process to determine not only where the problem is coming from, but also great strategies to solve the problem. There will be hands on lessons in this workshop. For additional information and to register please CLICK HERE.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 — Advanced Color ManagementBy attending this session, attendees will learn how to effectively set up a color management system for their entire workflow. In fact, attendees are encouraged to bring actual scans and proofs with them to create custom profiles for their color devices. Attendees will learn how to use profiles in their workflow so that they can accurately manage colors between devices, increasing the productivity and profitability of your entire workflow, from design and prepress to the pressroom. For additional information and to register please CLICK HERE.

The Institute for Graphics and Imaging provides education and training in the graphic design, printing, and related industries. Supported by a vast network of industry suppliers, printers, publishers, and governmental agencies, IGI operates on the campus of the Waukesha County Technical College in suburban Milwaukee. IGI facilities, which include computer classrooms and access to the latest printing equipment, are available for sales events and corporate training courses. For additional information CLICK HERE or call 262-695-6260.

Pilot Marketing is a national organization specializing in helping dealers and their end-users incorporate ICC (ColorSync) Color Control and Digital Asset Management into their environment.

To complete a short survey on these workshops please select this Link.

Cost per session is $200* for Wisconsin Residents $395 per session for out of state participants
*Wisconsin Department of Commerce Grant subsidized

EHS Resources

Following are a variety of resources available to help you with your sustainability initiatives. Additional resources are available under the Health, Safety and the Environmental Links on the left side of the blog.

The National Environmental Health and Safety Conference for the Graphic Arts Industry (NEHS) is an annual conference covering the vast array of environmental, health and safety topics pertaining to printing. - http://www.nehsconference.org/

The Virtual Flexo Plant (VFP) is an online resource developed by the Printers National Environmental Assistance Council in conjunction with the FTA and that provides a description of hazards associated with each department in a printing operation. It provides best practices, pollution prevention, pertinent regulations, tips and suggestions, as well as additional resources. - http://pneac.org/virtualflexoplant/

The Flexo Environment is a book published by the Flexographic Technical Association pertaining to the many environmental issues involved in a printing operation. The book is available through the FTA Store at http://www.ftastore.com/.

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (https://www.sgppartnership.org/), is an independent registration organization formed as a collaboration among the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), Printing Industries of America / Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) and Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) with the primary goals of defining sustainable green printing and identifying steps that help the printing industry establish sustainable manufacturing and business practices.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a new flexography module as part of its interactive web-based training tool, Ergonomics in the Printing Industry eTool. The module and the eTool are products of the agency's alliance with the Graphic Arts Coalition. The Flexo Ergonomics Etool identifies safety hazards typical of printing operations and possible solutions to reduce the potential for injury. http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/products/etools/printing/flexography/flexography_index.html

The Flexographic Technical Association hosts an annual competition that recognizes the environmental initiatives of FTA members. The FTA Environmental Excellence Awards program honors those companies and organizations that utilize environmentally sound resources and practices that contribute to a healthier Earth and a healthier way of life. http://www.flexography.org/online/awards/enviro/index.cfm


Additional information can be obtained from the following Associations and Government Agencies:

OSHA - http://www.osha.gov/
EPA - http://www.epa.gov/
FTA - http://www.flexography.org/ (FTA offers a variety of additional resources including the EHS Direct newsletter, FTA Sustainability Committee, In-plant environmental self-assessment, and many others).
PIA/GATF – http://www.gain.net/
PNEAC – http://www.pneac.org/

FTA Environmental Excellence Awards

Every year, the Flexographic Technical Association acknowledges those companies that go above and beyond to develop processes and products that have a positive impact on the environment. This year, there was an outstanding group of nominees including Dion Label, Coating Excellence International, Overnight Labels, Creative Labels, Press Color, Allpak Trojan and The Lauterbach Group.

These firms presented a wide variety of innovative efforts aimed at energy and process efficiency, waste reduction, recycling, energy generation, and the development of environmentally friendy products. This was the largest field of nominations ever received in a given year since the Environmental Excellence Awards Competition began. The quality of the nominations made for an extremely challenging judging process. Environmental stewardship is clearly infiltrating every aspect of many organizations, as evidenced by this year's nominees. Some of the highlights of this year's nominations:

Creative Labels received an Honorable Mention for Technical Innovation for their installation of a solar energy system, which produces 45121 kwh/year and reduces CO2 production by 68000#/year.

Coating Excellence won 1st place for Technical Innovation for their development of an innovative film laminated to a woven poly bag. This material requires significantly less material to produce than conventional multiwalled bags, is recycleable, requires less ink to print on, and is produced with renewable energy. The construction of this bag is stronger, resulting in less product damage and associated waste.

Allpak Trojan received an Honorable Mention for Process Improvement for a variety of initiatives that included repair and reuse of 650 pallets/month, replacement of all solvent cleaners, developement of a recycleable protective inner packaging material, and installation of energy efficient lighting.

The Lauterbach Group recieved 1st place for Process Improvement for a comprehensive program of improvements to existing facilities, construction of a new LEEDs certified Energy Efficent plant, pallet recycling and repair, improved printing process efficiency, an awards program to recognize employees for outstanding results, semi-paperless office, ink recycling, and digital platemaking.

As an Environmental Excellence Awards Judge, I am proud to congratulate the winners and all of this year's nominees.

Blood supplies are low. Please donate today !!!

The Blood Centers of Wisconsin urgently need blood donations. Just one surgery last week required nearly 200 units of blood. They need 200 individual donations to make up the difference. Donating is easy and only requires about 1/2 hour of your time.

A list of blood drives and donation locations an be found at http://bloodbanker.com/banks/state.php?state=WI. You can also make an appointment online at the Blood Centers of Wisconsin at http://www.bcw.edu/bins/site/templates/splash.asp. Anyone who donates through March 29th is entered in a drawing for 2 Opening Day Milwaukee Brewers tickets. Please donate today !!!

Sustainability in packaging survey

I thought I would pass this along in my blog in case you would like to participate:

Greetings from RIT.

RIT is conducting a survey on gravure sustainability in packaging printing. The goal is to capture the general view of all stakeholders regarding sustainability in the packaging gravure industry. We also welcome input from associations, universities, and research institutes who care about the graphic arts industry.

Please take the next 8-10 minutes to access the survey on-line at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=zS6q6TfgHGp5esCKC5JaUw_3d_3d

The survey will end by Fri., April 10th. To those who complete the survey, there is an opportunity to win a free iPod!

Thank you for your participation. We also appreciate that you forward the survey to interested parties.

Robert Chung, Gravure Research Professor
Angelica Li, Graduate student

20% Discount still available for "Common Sense Flexography: A user's guide to improved pressroom productivity".

Time is running out to get Common Sense Flexography at 20% off list price. Details about the book are available on my LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlanska. If you are interested in purchasing the book, please contact my publisher, PIA/GATF Press at amy.woodall@gmail.com.

Breaking News !!! The Flexo Make-ready Blues is now on Youtube.

There is a link to my live performance from the FTA Forum in Salt Lake City listed under "My Links". Enjoy !

Feedback on my blog

This is my first attempt at putting a blog together. I would appreciate your comments, suggestions and constructive criticism, as well as any ideas about driving traffic to the blog.

Donating frequent flier miles to Mercy Medical Airlift

My daughter wrote me the following. I thought I would pass it along in case you have any frequent flier miles you could spare. She wrote:

If you have Frequent Flyer Miles that you will not be using, PLEASE donate them to the following chairty... Mercy Medical Airlift http://www.mercymedical.org/ (888) 675-1405

This is a service that helps those who need to travel for medical treatment, but they are presently out of funds and flyer miles to help people. This organization has flown me and my husband to the West Coast several times for my treatment for Cushing's Disease, I don't know what we would have done without them--they are truly wonderful!

Also if you know anyone who has a small plane who would like to donate time flying people, let them know. Many pilots do this to keep their licenses current. So if you've got 'em and aren't going to use 'em..... PLEASE donate your Frequent Flyer Miles! ) Also, please tell everyone you know about this wonderful charity, so others will know that they do have the option to donate their miles. It really does make a difference!

Thanks, Monica

Establishing a flexo user's group for Southeastern Wisconsin.

We are looking to get a local user's group going, which will meet on a regular basis for the purpose of: - Bringing in speakers on pertinent technical issues - Networking - Promoting FTA programs and services - Providing a forum to bring printers and suppliers together - Having a good time Are you interesting in participating, helping getting it organized, or simply offering suggestions and ideas? Your input and involvement is appreciated.