Warren Werbitt, Founder of Pazazz Printing - famous for his YouTube video Printing's Alive! - talks with Cary Sherburne about the business and thoughts on recent industry developments at drupa 2012.

September, 2009

Pazazz, the the forward thinking and environmentally conscious printing company recently printed the Cascades Rolland Opaque50 and Rolland ST50 sample books. These books were printed on the KBA 56" UV six-colour press on 50% post-consumer fibre paper, a transformation that benefits nature.

UV printing is a more environmentally friendly process then conventional printing. UV inks and coatings are completely solid and friendlier to the environment since they are free from VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) and HAP's (Hazardous Airborne Particles). UV inks are fully recyclable. The UV printing process requires similar or lower electrical power than Infrared/Thermal Air systems. It yields less ink and wash-up waste than conventional print since there isn't any waste from incidental drying. As well, difficult print jobs that typically require two passes on the press are now achievable on the KBA 56" six-colour UV press in one pass, utilizing half the energy.

Because being good is never enough, Cascades is improving the environmental attributes of its 30% family by increasing the post-consumer content to 50%. Rolland Opaque50, Rolland Hitech50 and Rolland ST50 are now made with 50% post-consumer and 50% virgin FSC certified fiber. This change creates a new environmental alternative for digital and commercial printing of high quality documents.

As the production of recycled paper consumes less water and energy and generates less waste and air emissions than its virgin counterpart, the overall environmental attributes are naturally enhanced with the increased recycled content.

Cascades Fine Papers Group Inc. is a Canadian leader in environmental and security fine papers manufacturing, with a century-long reputation for craftsmanship. Green by nature, the Group produces fine papers that contain 50% and 100% post-consumer fibers and works on an ongoing basis to reduce our ecological footprint on the planet. By buying recycled-content paper, you help us save more than 1.2 million trees each year.

The evening, presented by Dragons' Den Canada host, Dianne Buckner, was capped off with the presentation of awards for printing quality. Pazazz received four awards for Printing and Labels

Variable Data
1. Silver: , My MNY

Books
2. Bronze: Pazazz, Samfet Corporate Showcase Book

Labels
3. Bronze: Pazazz, Beaupre Labels
4. Silver: Pazazz, Base Can Promotion

Environmental Initiatives

Pazazz prints with environmental consciousness. We are committed to environmental
responsibility and compliance. We have adopted practices that help reduce the impact on our
environment. We are less wasteful, more efficient and more thoughtful.

Certifications

Pazazz was one of the first printing companies in Quebec to receive triple Chain-of-Custody
(COC) certification in environmental practices in the printing industry. Pazazz received FSC
certification in January 2006 and PEFC and SFI certifications in June 2008. This triple
certification distinguishes Pazazz as a leader in environmental practices in the print industry.

Pazazz received a bronze award at the 2010 Environmental Print Awards (EPA) for Most
Environmentally Progressive Offset Printing Project.

Paper

We promote FSC, PEFC and SFI certified papers, recycled papers and papers that contain
100% post-consumer fibre such as Cascades Rolland Enviro 100™.

Pazazz maximizes paper usage and minimizes paper waste by offering 56" press sheets. The
large format sheet can set up 32, 36, and 40 pages (depending on the page size) on one 56"
sheet compared to 16 pages on a 40" sheet. That can translate into 30% less paper used. The
benefits include fewer make-readies, less paper, ink and raw materials used, less waste
generated and less energy used on press.

Plate Technology

Pazazz only uses CTP (Computer to Plate) technology in the printing process. With this
technology, an image is created in a Desktop Publishing application and is output directly to a
printing plate providing a more efficient and less wasteful process. We work closely with
Fujifilm who has been recognized and awarded for their environmental impact on plate
technology. Pazazz uses the Fujifilm FLH-Z 'ZAC' intelligent processor with the Brillia HD LH-PJ
plate to reduce chemistry usage. This processor uses the least amount of chemistry of any
processless plate in the industry. We also use the Fuji EcoPro cleaning system which returns
processor water into the environment without pollutants.

Inks

Pazazz uses use UV and conventional inks that reduce emission patterns for volatile solvents.
We promote inks that improve air quality and non-renewable resource conservation. We
recycle dried waste ink scraps through a licensed industrial waste handler.

Pazazz uses conventional inks that have minimum Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) levels
and contain on average 35% or more vegetable based oils. The oils are derived from
renewable resources (flax plants or soybeans) and are biodegradable and nontoxic.

Pazazz uses UV inks that contain zero VOCs and zero Hazardous Airborne Particles (HAPs)
while delivering outstanding quality and unparalleled effects. Our UV inks contain low levels
of Alkali, Alcohol and Nitro solvents and have an excellent ink water balance which leads to
less chemistry waste.

Benefits of UV Inks

There are three benefits with UV printing.

1. UV inks are more environmentally friendly
2. UV inks produce better print quality
3. UV inks are more efficient

1. UV inks are more environmentally friendly than conventional inks. Since UV inks cure
instantly when exposed to UV light, drying time is eliminated and no solvents are released
or absorbed into the substrate. The UV process releases no VOCs making it much safer for
operators and the environment.

Conventional inks not only have to dry via evaporation, but up to 50% of the initial ink film
applied is lost through evaporation into the atmosphere and absorption into the sheet.
UV inks are not absorbed into the stock or substrate but rather remain on top of the
sheet. UV printing improves ink holdout and dot gain. The result is a more vibrant print
and visual effect.

UV inks are fully recyclable. UV inks do not stick to the rollers like conventional inks and
therefore can be washed up with less aggressive solvents. The UV printing process yields
less ink and washup waste than conventional print since there isn't any waste from
incidental drying.

2. UV Inks have excellent colour value. In-line UV printing is known for its rich and vibrant
colours and the spectacular results it can achieve on difficult substrates. UV inks are an
exceptionally good choice for four-colour process graphic printing on coated and
uncoated stock. With UV capability, we can dry trap the inks which produces a cleaner
and sharper dot fidelity and better ink holdout especially with uncoated stocks. Because
UV inks cure immediately, they can print at higher ink densities with better trapping.
Ranging in opacity from transparent to translucent, the results are a cleaner wider color
gamut.

3. In-line UV printing is ideal for difficult jobs that typically require two passes on the press.
The result is perfect registration and less energy used to achieve a spectacular outcome.

We can print UV on a broad range of paper and synthetic substrates including recyclable
and biodegradable plastics, static cling, vinyl, styrene, lenticular, foil, flute and board, (80
lbs to 48 pts). With UV inks we can produce special effects such as strikethrough, soft
touch and scents.

Other important advantages of UV's instant drying include immediate throughput, faster
turnaround and higher productivity, even on two sided jobs. The ability to "lay down"
layers of opaque white or metallic, and then print over it in a single pass, merely hints at
the versatility and the energy savings of the UV process. Also, when UV printing is
complete, the press sheets are dry and can be sent directly to bindery without marking or
smudging the image on finishing equipment.

Pazazz is committed to being a leader in environmentally friendly standards. We work hard at
informing our clients about environmentally beneficial options and at promoting
environmentally friendly certified substrates. Our environmental commitment is ongoing.