Offset printing help: New services from Schiele Graphics, Chicago, Illinois, IL

The design kit software makes a new color pallet available in all major programs including Quark, InDesign, PhotoShop and Illustrator.

MetalFX® offers a wide variety of benefits to brand owners.

In the packaging sector, for example, MetalFX® can be used to make packaging stand out from the shelves over the competitors. HoloFX™ can be used to make subliminal logos and designs appear as consumers pass the product on the shelf, or LiteFX™ can be used to make lettering shine out.

MetalFX® can simply enable the use of two or three metallic colours instead of limiting your choice to just one.

The technology has been used on a variety of magazine covers, and would be adds a special metallic touch to advertising. MetalFX® is a very popular choice for corporate brochures, and is ideal for replicating the shine of metallic cars and vehicles.

MetalFX® is ideal for cutting through the clutter with a direct mail campaign, and SecurityFX™ can make vouchers, credit cards and stamps virtually impossible to copy.

The MetalFX® Design Kit enables you to incorporate up to 104 million metallic colors into artwork, knowing they can all be printed in one pass. You are no longer restricted to one or two spot colors!

SpecialFX™ are also possible, again by including only one spot channel. Make images that seem to appear and disappear (HoloFX™), or text that changes hue as the light hits it (LiteFX™). All SpecialFX™ are easy to achieve with the MetalFX® Design Kit.

Once you have designed work in MetalFX®, it is easy to both proof and print. MetalFX® colors and effects are created by overprinting the usual CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) inks on top of the special MFX® base silver ink. The results are not only striking, but also highly accurate.

This means an effect unlike anything else you've ever seen. We have the ability to proof these files so you know what you're getting before we go to press. This process is very well suited to POP, packaging, brochures and covers.

More about MetalFX is available in this PDF.

Contact me if you would like some samples showing the dramatic capabilities of MetalFX.

Spot UV
We recently purchased a press with UV capabilities. Now we've taken it one step further! With our spot UV process technique you can highlight graphic elements on your piece with gloss UV while other areas are dull. This creates a very dramatic difference between gloss and dull areas, really drawing attention to the highlighted sections. If you would like to see a sample of this neat design tool just let me know. Use this technique to dramatically enhance your sell sheets, catalog covers or brochures.

Co-Res Screening
Think continuous tone. That's right, we're now able to print at 300 LPI with a new screening algorithm. The rosette patter you're accustom to seeing is almost gone. Midtones and highlights are very smooth. This new upgrade means truly top-quality reproduction of process images--all at no extra charge! View a PDF with more technical information. Contact me if you would like a printed sample.

New developments at Schiele

I work at Schiele Graphics, a large printer with three divisions in the Chicago area. We are always working on something new! For more information please contact me. I'll be happy to help you in any way I can! Click here for a complete Schiele Group equipment list.

iGen Digital Printing Press
We have just installed an iGen digital printing press. It should be production ready in early April. The iGen is extremely versatile and offers a wide range of applications. Short run, four color pieces are it's forte. Beyond that however, is variable data printing and 1:1 marketing. This is where it gets really exciting.

Direct Mail: Short run postcards and brochures. Look for cost effective runs of between 50 and 5,000 pieces, depending on size. Test marketing multiple approaches has never been more affordable. In-line addressing saves you time and energy.

Non-profits: Communicate with your constituents on a more personal level. Variable data printing allows customization of up to each individual piece. You can send an appeal with target donation amounts based on previous donation patterns for each individual contributor!

Associations: Send out smaller pieces that drive members to a unique web url, created on-the-fly with information specific to them. It's guaranteed to boost participation. Make newsletters more appealing by varying the content based on member classification. Each newsletter becomes much more relevant.

Education: Create web-driven brochures specific to each prospective student. If they are interested in pre-med and volleyball, the brochure can address these specific areas. Again, it's a proven way to increase response.

Distributors: Don't throw away old promotional materials when it becomes outdated. Instead, print only the quantity you need. If you add lines you can produce a short-run sell sheet to drop off at your customers.

The press prints black and white or full color. Quality is excellent. The largest sheet size is 14 X 21.

More information about digital printing in general, including which projects are less expensive on a digital press is in this earlier article.

I promise much more information on how we can help you maximise ROI while reducing your costs.

Hot Leaf Stamping, Die Cutting, Embossing and Thermography
With the recent acquisition of Repro Inc, a downtown Chicago printer, the Schiele Group has once again expanded its services. For over 20 years Repro has produced top quality, short run, invitations, stationery, labels and brochures for discerning clients. These skills are now available to all customers of the Schiele Group. The craftsmanship is top-notch, but so is the service. Jobs using these techniques greatly benefit from advanced planning and that's where we shine. Our experience can be used up-front so the job comes out looking great! Don't get stuck, call us in advance.

MetalFX
This is a new process which combines the standard four-color process colors (CMYK) and silver to create a myriad of metallic colors. The colors can be applied to anything on the page including illustrations, text, photos, fills...whatever you want!

What's New
iGen Digital Press
Dramatically increase the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. Economical full color, short run press with variable data.
Use Word, PowerPoint, Publisher with Confidence
Create print-ready PDF's on-line for free.
New Services!
We now offer high-quality hot-leaf stamping, die cutting, embossing & thermography
MetalFX
Create over 1,000,000 metallic colors using CMYK and silver.
Spot UV
The most dramatic contrast between gloss and dull available on a printed piece.
Co-Res Screening
300 LPI printing and new screens come closer to continuous tone than ever possible before.
Remote Proofing
Now available in two-page spreads so you can follow page-by-page.

The image on the left (enlarged) was produced with conventional screening, 175 lpi. The image on the right (enlarged) was produced with Co-Res screening at 300 LPI. This illustrates the smoothening effects of the new screening algorithms.

Two-Page Spreads in Remote Proofing
Remote proofing is a great way to approve proofs, saving time and messenger costs. You access stable, ripped proofs from any computer connected to the internet. Now we offer a "book view" in our remote proofing software. You can see the pages of a book in printer's spreads and page through each spread. More info and a screen capture showing the two page view is on this site.