North Country Business PRINTING AND GRAPHICS REVIEW January 2009 11
ronmentally-conscious cus- much of it done by hand, ed and over time it’s evolved technological advancements
tomers. today signmaking has made to digital. It’s really evolved.” have allowed the printing and
“What we’ve changed in the leap to digital. Today, signmakers are able design industry in Muskoka
the last year is we’ve become “The technology’s really to take more complex graphic to be better than it ever has
FSC certified,” says Mark changed in the sign industry,” designs, including photo- been before. There are now
Aben. “It gives our customers says Terry Lovelace at Graph- graphs, and place them in a more options for the cus-
the opportunity to make envi- ic Encounters. “We’ve come much larger variety of places, tomer, the resulting products
ronmentally-wise choices.” from when printing wasn’t a most notably on vehicles. are better, and the industry is
FSC, or Forest Stewardship part of sign making, when it Computers, constantly leaving a smaller footprint on
Council, is a system by which was hand cut and hand paint- improving software and other the Earth.
consumers can ensure their
paper is coming from sources
which practice sustainable
forestry management.
“The idea is that FSC certi-
fied paper has to come from
an FSC certified forest, and
then every hand that it goes
through is through FSC com-
panies,” says Aben. “When
someone buys an FSC certi-
fied paper product from us,
they know that all the way
down the line it stands for the
FSC principles of sustainable
forest practices.
For Aben, offering this
service is exciting.
“There’s a growing
demand for customers com-
SIGN DESIGN: Graphic Encounters has seen
ing in and asking for it,” he
the sign industry go digital.
says. “And the certification
allows us to put the FSC logo
they’re selling the last ad at “We’ve always had a con-
onto the printed material that
five o’clock, and it’s ready to cern about the environment,”
we generate as well.”
go to press within two hours says Ted Watts. “It’s always
On that logo is a code of
of them posting all their files. been a good business practice
the company which printed
It’s allowed us to open up our to try and reduce your foot-
the job and, through that, a
market area, because we can print, because waste is expen-
customer can track where the
service newspapers that are sive. One of the things that
paper came from.
further and further away.” we’ve always done is looked
As for signmaking, the
With this change in technol- towards making the operation
industry has come a long way. The digital age has allowed graphic designer Robert Donald of Interlink
ogy, the printing process has more efficient. For instance,
While a decade ago it was not
to produce higher quality work than ever before.
allowed McLaren to become we’ve using a much more effi-
even a part of printing, with
more efficient, with precision cient ink that’s allowed us to
printing right from the begin- reduce our usage by 90 per
ning of a run. This means cent.”
printing is now much better Another way Watts has
for the environment, as less reduced their impact is with
paper and ink are required. their choice of paper.
Eliminating film also elimi- “A lot of the paper we use is
nates the processing chemi- paper that had been discount-
cals involved with that ed because the shades had
process. been discontinued,” he says.
“We also have a system on “We basically have rescued
the press that looks at each that paper from the waste bin,
impression going through,” so by making use of paper that
says McLaren. “It makes sure would have otherwise been
Wildrose
1146 HWY 141
the colours are fully regis- lost, we’re reducing the envi- DESIGNS
tered, to ensure the proper ronmental impact of that.
ROSSEAU, ON
position, and if it goes out it Over the years we’ve saved
graphic design
self-remedies and makes 100 tons of paper from being 705.773.0811
giclee printing
adjustments on the fly.” recycled that way. It’s always
At Watts Printing in gets recycled, but this way it
crafted signage
Gravenhurst, the environment gets used first.” fine art
WWW.WILDROSEDESIGNS.CA
is a definite concern and the Aben Graphics in
company’s impact on Mother Huntsville is also finding
12” x 14” CANVAS With float FRAME $34.99 ready in hours!
Nature is reduced by proper ways to reduce its eco-foot-
management of ink. print while catering to envi-
FSC Certifi ed Products… The Earth Friendly Choice
Ask us about using FSC Certifi ed Paper
on your next Print Project
92 Hanes Road, Huntsville 1.800.361.7282 705.789.4404
The Mark of Responsible Forestryinfo@abengraphics.com www.abengraphics.com
CERTIFIED
thinking
green
FSC PRINTER
SW-COC-003375
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