THE MANUFACTURER US
Manufacturing in Action
APRIL 11, 2006

Disc Graphics manufactures and prints specialty paperboard packaging, including pre-recorded video sleeves, compact disk and audiocassette packaging, and folding cartons for entertainment software, food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. It also prints posters and pressure-sensitive labels, as well as undertaking general commercial printing tasks. The company's customers include software, CD-ROM, and video distributors; vitamin, cosmetic, and fragrance companies; and major book publishers. Disc Graphics has facilities in New York, New Jersey, and California.

Disc Graphics is a one-stop shop with printing, packaging, and manufacturing capabilities that include design, complete pre-press electronic services, and folding carton printing and conversion. Its expertise is recognized in its designation as an authorized Pantone Hexachrome printer, reflecting a decade’s investment in the Hexachrome six-color process. The Hexachrome six-color process dramatically increases the achievable color gamut over the four-color process, and Hexachrome allows the reproduction of nearly 90 percent of the Pantone Matching System colors, making it a cost-effective tool over printing spot colors. Disc Graphics uses the process to produce high-quality folding cartons for the private-label pharmaceutical, vitamin, and nutritional markets.

In 1998 Disc Graphics took top honors from Pantone, winning the Power of Color award for Hexachrome printing. Last year Pantone presented the company with the 2005 Color Excellence Award at the 63rd annual Association of Graphic Communications Awards Exhibition. A panel of judges chose the Disc Graphics 2005 “Panorama” Calendar for the first place Hexachrome Award. “We are delighted by Pantone's recognition of our work, and we are committed to advancing the use of the Hexachrome six-color process system,” said Disc Graphics president and CEO, Don Sinkin. In presenting the award, Dr. Juergen Stolt, executive vice president (sales and marketing) for Pantone commented, “The judges noted that the calendar was one of the best examples ever of Hexachrome printing.” The calendar was printed on 130-pound Ikono gloss cover stock provided by M-real and Lindenmeyer Munroe and printed with foil stamping and spot UV coating. Disc Graphics chose matte stock so that it would be easy to write on and use.

The calendar, which Disc Graphics gave as a year-end gift to its clients, was distinguished by its panoramic art. “Each photo has a UV coating, so they all really pop," said Disc Graphics’ marketing and new business development senior vice president, John Rebecchi. “All but one photo is an outdoor shot, so with the Hexachrome printing process, which adds orange and green, the sky and the grass in the photos are breathtaking.” He added, “We design with cost in mind, and we always try to be more than an ink-on-paper printer. The Hexachrome process, which we have been using for about 10 years, enhances all the images that we print.”

Art direction and design for the project were undertaken by Berwald Design of Centerpoint, NY. The photography was supplied by Brenner Lennon Photo Productions of Plainview, NY, and the oversized calendar was bound by Mid-Island Bindery in Farmingdale, NY. Rebecchi points out that one outstanding feature of the product was the foil stamping on the calendar’s dates. The Pantone award was one of several prizes won by the calendar. It also earned Disc Graphics a silver in the National and World Awards for wall calendars, technical divison, best printing, and a gold for Brenner Lennon in the promotional division, “most original” category. It also earned Berwald Graphic Design a bronze in the promotional division for best graphic design.

Disc Graphics is rightly proud of its press room equipment, which includes a two-color 28 x 40 Heidelberg perfector; a five-color 28-inch Heidelberg with convertible perfector (4/1) with aqueous coater; a six-color 40-inch Heidelberg with convertible perfector (4/2) with aqueous coater, closed-loop register and color control system; and a six-color 28 x 40 Heidelberg computerized press. There is also a six-color 56-inch KBA Rapida interstation with UV capabilities, with aqueous and UV capabilities in-line (closed-loop color system); a seven-color 29 x 41 KBA Rapida computerized console with in-line aqueous coating and waterless coating capability; and an eight-color 28 x 40 Planeta computerized console with in-line aqueous coating. The press room also has a Tobias two-dimensional sheet-scanning densitometer and complete in-house ink and quality labs. Recent investment in equipment for the company's label division includes a Rotoflex rewinder, video plate-mounting, plate-making, and infrastructure improvements. Disc Graphics’ 10-inch Nilpeter UV flexo press has special dual web capabilities to produce extended content labels, and its advanced technology provides improved print quality.