HOW'D THEY PRINT THAT?: Metallic Silver … and Sappi Gold

Printing for luxury automotive clients has its advantages: usually generous budgets, for one. The 2007 Cadillac Escalade Launch Catalog is a no-holds-barred example of the print medium at its finest—silver metallic ink, bump plates, vellum fly sheets and a bevy of coatings are just the tip of the hood ornament. The stunning result was fine enough to harvest gold for Graphic Press, Los Angeles, one of eight Sappi North American Printers of the Year.

The SUV’s full-size luxury is reflected in this 53,000-run, 72-page, perfect-bound brochure, trimmed to 11.5×16.25´´ final size. The XL shape and giant metallic-ink cover image of the Cadillac logo are attention-getting. Overall high-gloss aqueous coating (from Nicoat), specified throughout, enhances the sense of richness.

Features and benefits are portrayed with impeccable photography reproduced in saturated hues via more than a dozen Superior Printing Ink colors. Double blacks are particularly crisp and well held on 120-lb. McCoy gloss cover with 100-lb. book, manufactured by Sappi Fine Paper North America and distributed by xpedx. Five spot colors—PMS 259 purple, 300 blue, 5415 blue/gray, 644 gray and Cool Gray 10—are selectively scattered on various forms, as are bumps of PMS 485 red.

“Some of the images were built with 5-color process technique—UV 877 [metallic silver] built into the 4-color process,” says Graphic Press sales rep Suzanne Mozal. “Then the 877 ran with UV inks.”

The print/bind transition appeared flawless to the judges, who lauded its nearly perfect cross-overs on eight pages of short sheets and on a 10.5×9´´ booklet glued within: 16 pages detailing upholstery options and exterior paint colors. For precise color matching, actual paint chips and fabric swatches were present press-side.

This “mini” book ran in two passes through press. First came process CMYK, UV 877 silver, Cool Gray 10 and a bump of spot PMS colors 185 red, 7427 (maroon) and 7447 (purple). The second pass was solely for a spot pearl aqueous coating, also from Nicoat. Bindery tipping was jobbed out to Jenco Productions, San Bernardino, CA.

Over-sized fly sheets of Chartham Translucent (CT) vellum, from U.K.-based Reich Paper, combine sheer effects and brilliant colors. Three were specified—30-lb. clear, platinum and gold dust. The press crews at Graphic Press laid down single and double hits of opaque white on the vellum, along with a bump of PMS 877 and UV inks.

Naturally translucent and made of 100% cellulose, CT is free of the resins and chemical additives that make some other translucent brands brittle and hard to fold. It also fits the green bill: acid-free, elemental chlorine-free, recyclable, biodegradable and even naturally grease-resistant.

The job’s 17 forms were printed on 40´´ sheetfed presses from Heidelberg: an 11-color Speedmaster SM 102 with UV interdeck curing and aqueous/UV coater; an 8-color SM 102 with coater; and two 8-color CD 102s with coaters (one with the same coating configuration as the 11-color SM 102). Ad agency customer Leo Burnett furnished final, plate-ready files and color proofs to the printer. Graphic Press’s prepress department then output confirming proofs on its Kodak (Scitex) Iris system.

With 220 employees, two sites (LA and Detroit) and annual sales of $65 million, Graphic Press—soon to be renamed RCC—ranks #77 on the 2007 GAM/GABB 101 list of North America’s leading printers, published last month and available online at www.graphicartsmonthly.com.

Sappi’s International Printers of the Year Awards will be presented in Boston this fall: www.sappi.com.