MELBOURNE, FL – Deep in the heart of Texas, Seidl Bindery Inc. (SBI) is creating a new model of trade finishing services with their MGI JETvarnish 3D digital print enhancement capabilities. SBI is a success story of traditional postpress craft work and new digital technology.

Three generations of Seidl family expertise have contributed to the development of a highly successful “Printer Partnership” business strategy. That experience was combined with a vision for new business development when the firm acquired a JETvarnish 3D print enhancement press from MGI and solution provider Konica Minolta.  

The Industry Role of a Trade Finisher

Matt Seidl, SBI Vice President, explained their trade finishing business model by saying “We are business partners with the printers we serve. SBI is committed to being a professional outsourcing partner as a commercial bindery. Our job is to work together with printers to enhance their output in ways that help them to pursue more lucrative and profitable customer relationships. The MGI JETvarnish 3D solution is a key component of our strategy to help our printers succeed in the future." 
 

"The digital personalization and customization makes print fun, sexy and exciting for print buyers and end-users. The impact of MGI 2D/3D dimensional textures, special effects and variable embossed foil creates more effective communications, more successful marketing campaigns and more attractive packaging applications.  Adding value with the JETvarnish 3D strengthens our relationships across the entire printing supply chain.”  

Prototyping & Production Power

Seidl, who serves on the board of the international Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), the leading postpress trade group, continued “Every finishing job is unique. With the MGI JETvarnish 3D system, the same job setup can scale up or down for a single prototype piece, short runs of a few thousand items or continued weekly, monthly and yearly projects that ultimately involve millions of pieces coming off the line.”

“That flexibility allows us to play a business consulting role with our customers by quickly adapting our operation to their specific job requirements and recommending profitable new ideas & options. That’s one of the key reasons why we invested in a new MGI digital infrastructure. Now, our commercial printing clients can deliver new print enhancement solutions that get people’s attention in the marketplace in ways never possible in the past." 

"A JETvarnish 3D printed piece get noticed and touched. Whether it’s a business card, brochure, book or box, we create impressions that get remembered.”  

Intelligent & Adaptive Print Registration

An integral part of the JETvarnish 3D solution is the Artificial Intelligence SmartScanner (AIS). The SmartScanner is an adaptive registration system that analyzes both print and substrate to automatically adjust and modify inkjet placement of varnish and foil. This unique MGI innovation eliminates makeready setup time and waste by treating each sheet as a separate job. No registration marks are needed. The AIS allows the JETvarnish 3D to serve as operational finishing center for all types of digital, offset and flexo output.

Enhanced Print Buyer Relationships

Seidl concluded “We offer a full range of end-to-end finishing solutions: from cutting, binding, stitching and gluing to intricate, luxurious decorative craftwork for special projects. However, because print finishing is such a specialized field, the end-user often needs help in deciding on the final product. The JETvarnish 3D helps us work together with printers, agencies and marketing firms to offer more creative ideas and more profitable solutions. That type of teamwork helps to build long-term relationships that benefit us all with repeat business and referral opportunities from print buyers.”

 The Digital Finishing Future

Konica Minolta, MGI Global Business Partner, was the architect of the SBI JETvarnish 3D acquisition and played a strategic advisory role in the process. Konica Minolta VP of Southern Region Sales, Barry Nickerson said, “We’re grateful for the opportunity to support the future growth of the Seidl business with our “Industrial Print Solutions” portfolio of software, hardware & services. SBI is very well-known in the industry for the quality of their work and the JETvarnish 3D adds an entirely new digital dimension to their services. Their skill set and the MGI print enhancement technology represents the future of trade finishing in our industry.”