SPRING 2018

WOW CoverFeatures

Rebel Girls 2TransportationUpdate

Digital Connections

TheImmeasurablePlace

Sales Meetings

JEMPHOTOGRAPHYPROJECT

001-024 CC.indd 1 2018-02-21 12:16 PM

INTRODUCTIONGreetings from Altona, where the sun is shining and winter is almost behind us. 2017 is now history, and we are into another year of planning and manufacturing books for publishers throughout North America. We are happy that the printed book continues to thrive in this era of all things digital. Other printed products have not done as well against the new competition, and we need to be vigilant in ensuring that we make the changes necessary for continued success. While books are not usually associated with riches, it is interesting to note that the world’s richest person today began making his fortune by selling books.

This first issue of the year features many of the incredibly beautiful books we produced last fall. You’ll find a recap of the year at Friesens with what worked and what needs improving this year. Our other regular features outline some of the plans we have for the coming year.

We hope that all of you had a great year in 2017 and that this year will be even better. We thank you for all the work you placed with us and hope that we were able to help you in your success.

THE YEAR THAT WAS AND THE YEAR AHEADByron Loeppky

This past year was my first full year as general manager of the book division of Friesens. Previously, I had been head of all production, and taking on responsibility for the entire division was exciting. Our year was a busy one in all areas. Book publishers seemed to find renewed enthusiasm for books of all kinds. While we had seen some hesitation in the publishing of new titles and in the numbers ordered, the floodgates opened up in 2017. Things were busy from January through December. All areas of production were stretched to produce the books that our sales staff were able to sell.

Our sales were up four percent in book, while web sales were flat. Given that the previous year was another Harry Potter year, we were happy to equal our sales. Since 2017 did not include a large run for the next Harry Potter book, a flat sales year was satisfactory at web.

All areas of production saw increases, including sheetfed press impressions up 11 percent, web press impressions up five percent, and digital impressions up 19 percent. Softcover books bound were similar to the year before, but hardcover books bound were up eight percent, the first increase in several years. The biggest increase of all of our processes was in cover sheets UV coated, which were up a whopping 58 percent.

2

An area in which we unfortunately increased was in jobs shipped late. After seeing big improvements in jobs shipped on time in 2016, we slipped last year. Too many delivery dates were moved in fall due to heavy loading, equipment challenges, and more trainees on our newly added shifts. Improving in this area will be a major focus for us in 2018 because we know how important it is that books are in your hands, not ours. I will detail some of the things we are doing to get back on track in this very critical area.

We are budgeting for a five percent sales increase in both of our divisions in 2018. In order to achieve this and to increase on-time delivery, we are implementing improved online tools. We have identified five areas in our scheduling system that will create more accurate loading data. We will have these completed by the end of the first quarter and expect that they will be of help in our ability to get your books out faster.

We have also purchased a new eight-colour Manroland press with LED technology. This press will be used specifically for running jobs with heavy ink coverage. See “Friesens to Install LED Press” in this newsletter for details on what this press will do to improve quality and turnaround time.

Each year we hire and train new staff. As much as automation is important in our business, we cannot do without sufficient staff to run the equipment and transfer paper, book blocks, covers, and finished books from one department to another. These staff have already been hired and are now being trained so that they will be productive during our busy summer and fall season. Another staffing issue that we will be working on is how we handle vacations during the busy summer period and during our annual Christmas shutdown.

Still in the early stages of planning is a complete restructuring of workflow of our printing and binding. Later this year we will be taking over the more than 70,000 square foot building that has been leased by Supreme Wholesale Stationers. Some of you may recall or have heard that we once owned a wholesale stationery business and sold it almost twenty years ago. Their lease has now expired, and we will be taking over the space for our own use.

There has recently been a big change in the bookbinding field, the fallout of there being fewer book manufacturing firms. For many years, there have been two major competitors – Müller-Martini and Kolbus –who made book lines, both softcover and hardcover. Several weeks ago they announced that Müller-Martini would take over this business from Kolbus. While this will not affect you directly, it is never a good sign when one company has majority control over the business.

001-024 CC.indd 2 2018-02-21 12:16 PM

FEATURE BOOKS

3

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPrinceton Landmark Publications 12 x 10 • 192

Publisher Trim Size/PagesUCLA Chicano Studies Research Center Press 11.25 x 11.875 • 288

Publisher Trim Size/PagesParallax Press 11 x 9 • 160

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPediment Group Inc. 11 x 8.5 • 160

Publisher Trim Size/PagesTribe of Daughters 11 x 8.5 • 48

Publisher Trim Size/PagesAriane Media LLC 11 x 8.5 • 32

001-024 CC.indd 3 2018-02-21 12:16 PM

4

Publisher Trim Size/PagesCanada FBM2020 11 x 7.5 • 128

Publisher Trim Size/PagesHell’s Backbone Grill 10 x 10 • 288

Publisher Trim Size/PagesWorthy-Ideals Publishing 10 x 10 • 32

Publisher Trim Size/PagesAlicon Holdings 10 x 9 • 160

Publisher Trim Size/PagesSmithsonian Books 10 x 9 • 120

Publisher Trim Size/PagesHeartland Associates Inc. 10 x 8.5 • 280

001-024 CC.indd 4 2018-02-21 12:16 PM

5

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPhoenix International Publications Inc. 9.75 x 11.875 • 24

Publisher Trim Size/PagesArt Gallery of Nova Scotia 9.75 x 11.25 • 240

Publisher Trim Size/PagesCofield Press LLC 9 x 12 • 328

Publisher Trim Size/PagesAngel City Press 9 x 12 • 262

Publisher Trim Size/PagesLexisNexis Canada Inc. 9 x 12 • 256

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPajama Press 9 x 12 • 40

001-024 CC.indd 5 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

6

Publisher Trim Size/PagesWeldon Owen Publishing 9 x 11 • 192

Publisher Trim Size/PagesNasher Museum of Art at Duke University 9 x 11 • 144

Publisher Trim Size/PagesCapstone 9 x 11 • 32

Publisher Trim Size/PagesUniversity of Minnesota 9 x 10 • 412

Publisher Trim Size/PagesCascadia Green Building Council 9 x 9 • 208

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPortage & Main Press 9 x 7 • 32

001-024 CC.indd 6 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

7

Publisher Trim Size/PagesJohn Loeb Jr. 8.5 x 11.25 • 720

Publisher Trim Size/PagesRoyal BC Museum Corp. 8.5 x 11 • 704

Publisher Trim Size/PagesAndrew Wommack Ministries 8.5 x 11 • 296

Publisher Trim Size/PagesLinda Franz 8.5 x 11 • 32

Publisher Trim Size/PagesCollins Entertainment LLC 8.5 x 11 • 32

Publisher Trim Size/PagesAmerican Society of Microbiology 8.5 x 10.875 • 760

001-024 CC.indd 7 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

8

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPatagonia Inc. 8.5 x 9.5 • 264

Publisher Trim Size/PagesThe Historic New Orleans Collection 8.25 x 10.25 • 176

Publisher Trim Size/PagesEVOKE Press 8 x 11 • 320

Publisher Trim Size/PagesU of T Press Higher Education Division 8 x 10 • 352

Publisher Trim Size/PagesLes Publications Modus Vivendi Inc. 7.875 x 9.5 • 216

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPatagonia Inc. 7.75 x 11 • 352

Publisher Trim Size/PagesTouchWood Editions 7.5 x 9 • 312

Publisher Trim Size/PagesBoréal 7.5 x 7.5 • 144

Publisher Trim Size/PagesGoose Lane Editions 7.5 x 7.5 • 116

001-024 CC.indd 8 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

9

Publisher Trim Size/PagesNimbus Publishing 7.25 x 9.25 • 200

Publisher Trim Size/PagesChickey Design 7 x 11 • 144

Publisher Trim Size/PagesWilfrid Laurier University Press 7 x 10 • 552

Publisher Trim Size/PagesTimbuktu Labs Inc. 7 x 9.5 • 224

Publisher Trim Size/PagesRed Chair Press LLC 6.5 x 9 • 32

Publisher Trim Size/PagesGreystone Books 6.25 x 9.25 • 304

Publisher Trim Size/PagesHouse of Anansi Press Inc. 6 x 9.25 • 432

Publisher Trim Size/PagesBookMobile 6 x 9 • 576

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPenguin Random House Canada Ltd. 6 x 9 • 496

001-024 CC.indd 9 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

10

Publisher Trim Size/PagesRocky Mountain Books 6 x 9 • 400

Publisher Trim Size/PagesUniversity of Manitoba Press 6 x 9 • 352

Publisher Trim Size/PagesEidens Inc. 6 x 9 • 208

Publisher Trim Size/PagesRoyal Roads U niversity 6 x 9 • 156

Publisher Trim Size/PagesQuébec/Amérique 6 x 6 • 144

Publisher Trim Size/PagesPortage & Main Press 5.5 x 8.5 • 240

Publisher Trim Size/PagesFlanker Press 5.5 x 8.5 • 192

Publisher Trim Size/PagesNeuwirth & Associates 5.5 x 8.25 • 528

Publisher Trim Size/PagesCormorant Books Inc. 5.375 x 8 • 240

001-024 CC.indd 10 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

NEW BOOKLINE INSTALLATIONFRIESENS TO INSTALL LED PRESSByron Loeppky

Friesens Corporation is pleased to announce the purchase of its first LED press. The press is a 40” 4/4 perfector press from Manroland. We have a long-standing relationship with Manroland and had before this purchased a 73” 4/4 press which was installed in 2015. This new LED press comes with all the goodies including direct drive plate mounting, colour pilot, and auto register to name a few. However, the biggest news for our customers is that it will be prepped to run LED inks. LED is the evolution of UV printing without some of the negative attributes of conventional UV.

Friesens has printed with conventional inks on its sheetfed presses since its beginnings in the printing business. Conventional ink has many advantages. It is cost-effective, can print on multiple substrates, is pumpable in large totes, stays open, dries well on most stocks, and has a lot of suppliers in its market space.

So, why LED?

The advantages of the LED inks include immediate drying on all substrates, less power consumption than conventional UV, minimal or no setoff powder required, elimination of chemical ghosting, no need to varnish the sheet for protection, and the ability to bring sheets directly into the bindery for finishing after printing. But all of this comes at a cost. A few examples are inks which are double the cost of conventional inks, tighter operating windows on press, and washes/rollers that carry a 20–30 percent premium.

The press is scheduled to arrive at the end of March with installation beginning in early April and a May go-live date. The press will be installed in the same location where our six-colour press had been located. This means there will be no need to cut back on capacity while the installation takes place.

You will hear more about this press as we gain experience on it and find more ways this new technology can benefit you.

11

Left to right: Steve Gardner Müller Martini rep, Ernie Klassen, Andy Featherman VP of Sales Müller Martini, Mark Friesen,

Werner Naegela President/CEO of Müller Martini North America, Byron Loeppky, Jim Kehler, Jake Heinrichs

001-024 CC.indd 11 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

US-based mills, Canadian-based mills, coated, uncoated … all of them have announced price increases. Some of these represent late implementations of price increases that were announced in September and October of last year, but many of the announcements are quite recent:

Twin Rivers announced December 12, 2017 $2.00 per cwt USD increase

Sappi announced December 15, 2017 4 – 6% increase

Verso announced December 16, 2017 $2.00 per cwt USD increase

Lecta announced December 19, 2017 4% increase

Moorim announced December 21, 2017 5 – 7% increase

Domtar announced January 11, 2018 $2.50 per cwt CAD increase

Intnl Paper announced January 16, 2018 $2.50 per cwt CAD increase

Rolland announced January 17, 2018 $2.50 per cwt CAD increase

Glatfelter announced January 18, 2018 $2.00 per cwt USD increase

Boise announced January 19, 2018 $2.00 per cwt USD increase

Verso announced January 20, 2018 $2.00 per cwt USD increase

Catalyst announced January 25, 2018 $2.50 per cwt CAD increase

We have tried to contain or diminish some of these price increases, and we have a few agreements that ensure the current prices will be held until the end of March, but at this point we expect that virtually all of these increases will “stick.” And that means there will be some upward movement in the prices that printing companies and book manufacturers offer to their customers.

Lastly, on the bright side, I’m happy to report that we continue to be quite pleased with the cover paper that we use for softcover books. We switched our “house” program about eighteen months ago to Kallima C1S and C2S coated cover paper and continue to be well-served by this paper. Runability has been excellent, and the quality of print has been very good with this paper. If you would like to learn more about this paper and its attributes, you can do so at www.kallimapaper.com.

PAPER/PAPER/PAPERAndrew Fennell

Turmoil! Yes, that is the word I would use to describe the fine paper industry in North America right now. This is driven by three primary factors:

1. supply constraints emanating from the recent and quite sudden closures of two coated paper mills (Appleton Coated and WestLinn) and one uncoated paper machine (Flambeau River)

2. truck shortages affecting many industries including paper mills

3. raw material cost increases (pulp, chemicals, etc.)

The implications of these challenges for printing companies and book manufacturers are now emerging. In recent weeks, we have seen a few paper mills running into supply chain difficulty. There have been several unexpected instances of longer lead times, delayed shipments, and incomplete shipments. And there has been some talk of allocation from one of the uncoated mills.

To minimize the risks, we have stepped up our level of monitoring incoming paper shipments, and are working more closely with several paper merchants. We have also taken a larger inventory position with our key “house” stocks to ensure that we have a larger buffer in the system. Of course, that doesn’t mean we will be able to satisfy every request that comes our way. We can only hold a finite amount of paper inventory, so if there’s large, sudden, or unexpected demand for certain papers, it’s possible that we could run short. However, we do our best to forecast effectively, and due to the current turmoil in the paper industry, we are reacting to mitigate the potential risk of paper shortages. I’m hopeful that this situation at the paper mill level will dissipate quickly, but until that time comes, we will need to be diligent.

One way our customers can assist with this situation (and this would of course prove beneficial for them as well) is to submit orders further in advance. If book specs, page counts, and confirmed quantities can be provided to Friesens four to six weeks in advance of the file-in dates for a job, we will be in a much better position to satisfy the needs of our customers. The sooner we have the information, the better!

You might also know that virtually every paper mill in North America has announced price increases in the last two months.

12

001-024 CC.indd 12 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

INDUSTRY AND FRIESENS PRINT SALES GROWTH FOR 2017Ryan Hildebrand

Unit sales of print books increased in 2017, as indicated by final year-end reports. This marks the fourth year of growth for print books. Reports indicate printed book units were up 1.9 percent in 2017 as compared to 2016. That means printed book sales are up 10.8 percent since 2013. These year-over-year positive results have helped fuel our confidence in the book business, and our plans at Friesens are for continued growth.

The indicators we follow continue to give us optimism for the coming years and confidence to make continued large investments in new equipment and added facilities. Our recent capital expenditures include new equipment such as an MGI UV machine, five colour Heidelberg press, eight-colour Manroland press wih LED, Müller-Martini hardcover encasing line, as well as software and computers to automate our production processes.

Following are the year-end industry results for print book sales in the United States:

Unit Sales of Print Books, 2014–2017 (in thousands)

2014 2015 2016 2017Change 2016–2017

Total 635,093 652,673 674,151 687,230 1.9%

By Channel

Retail & Club

518,901 546,719 573,761 593,659 3.5%

Mass Merch./Other

116,191 105,953 100,389 93,571 -6.7%

By Category

Adult Nonfiction

240,130 256,042 273,589 281,573 2.9%

Adult Fiction

138,712 141,690 140,221 139,184 -0.7%

Juvenile Nonfiction

48,882 54,624 55,456 59,764 7.8%

Juvenile Fiction

176,685 171,383 178,043 181,734 2.1%

By Format

Hardcover 173,483 178,255 187,940 194,699 3.6%

Trade Paperback

338,940 355,737 370,019 375,532 1.5%

Mass Market Paperback

71,758 64,318 59,357 55,577 -6.4%

Board Books

27,092 30,978 33,280 36,878 10.8%

Audio 5,128 4,434 3,836 3,327 -13.3%

Source: NPD BookScan

Our partnerships with new and existing customers have helped us outpace the industry growth. Following are Friesens’ results from 2017 compared to 2016:

• Total print impressions on sheetfed presses – up 11%• Total print impressions on web presses – up 5%• Total print impressions on digital presses – up 19%• Total signatures sewn – up 22%• Total softcover books bound on our short run

binding line – up 24%• Total softcover books on our traditional binding line

– down 1%• Total hardcover books – up 8%• Number of titles produced – up 6%

Based on some lead measures of quotes done and jobs already booked, we see 2018 being another positive year of growth for the book market. As I write this, we also read about positive January sales numbers in the retail markets, which only adds to our optimism.

UPCOMING CONVENTIONS Friesens will be attending the following conventions in the coming months. We would welcome to the opportunity to connect at one of these events.

Convention Dates LocationSalon du Livre de Paris March 16-19 Paris, France

Independent Book Publishing Association

April 8-7 Austin, Texas

London Book Fair April 10-12 London, England

Canadian Museum Association

April 11-13 Vancouver, British Columbia

IPG Publisher Summit April 23-24 Chicago, Illinois

National Museum Publishing Seminar

May 3-5 San Francisco, California

Book Builders of Boston

May 8 Boston, Massachusetts

Book Expo America May 31- June 1 New York, New York

Association of American University Presses

June 17-19 San Francisco, California

Outdoors Writers Association of America

June 2-4 Fort Wayne, Indiana

13

001-024 CC.indd 13 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

WOW COVER FEATURERyan Hildebrand

We recently completed our Friesens 2018 Gift Journal, which has been getting rave reviews from many customers. Our designer, Jef Burnard, put a lot of time and effort into creating a unique cover that uses the new Friesens UV technology to create a matte/gloss effect along with raised UV texturing. In our Fall 2017 Publishers’ Newsletter, we included an article outlining our new Friesens UV technology. This UV coating technology has been a hit with our customers. Usage in 2017 was up 58 percent over the previous year.

The specifications for this case are as follows:• Cover stock: 95 lb. Sterling Ultra Brite C1S FSC• Ink: four process colours with matte layflat scuff

resistant laminate• Regular edition – two passes of UV coating, each

layer has 100 microns of coating to create a very dramatic textured finish

• Special edition – three passes of UV coating; each layer has 100 microns of coating. The special edition was then placed in a special gift box

Following are images of the UV coating files for each of the passes.

Our goal with the special edition was to push the limits of the machine and achieve results that have not been possible until now using standard UV. With the new Friesens UV coating, technology registration challenges of the past have been virtually eliminated. In addition to the exact registration, the ability to change the coating thickness from 10 to 100 microns in a single pass has also allowed more design flexibility to create unique covers.

Some things to keep in mind when using our new Friesens UV coating technology:

• Multiple passes add time in production process• At certain quantities, it may be less expensive to

look at a multi-level embossing die in combination with UV depending on the design and intricacy of the piece

Ask your sales representative for options when it comes using our new Friesens UV coating to make your next cover a WOW cover.

14

8” x 10” HC .7326” spine (.375 gutter)

Foils Used:

Docket #: 228891-2 Name: Corporate Gift Journal SPECIAL

Materials Used: Sterling Ultra Brite C1S FSC White 95#Scuff Resistant Matte Lam.

Special Instructions: Orange indicates MGI Gloss Varnish, the color will nor print.

8” x 10” HC .7326” spine (.375 gutter)

Foils Used:

Docket #: 228891-2 Name: Corporate Gift Journal SPECIAL

Materials Used: Sterling Ultra Brite C1S FSC White 95#Scuff Resistant Matte Lam.

Special Instructions: Orange indicates MGI Gloss Varnish, the color will nor print.

8” x 10” HC .7326” spine (.375 gutter)

Foils Used:

Docket #: 228891-2 Name: Corporate Gift Journal SPECIAL

Materials Used: Sterling Ultra Brite C1S FSC White 95#Scuff Resistant Matte Lam.

Special Instructions: Orange indicates MGI Gloss Varnish, the color will nor print.

001-024 CC.indd 14 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

FOIL STAMPING: THINGS TO CONSIDERRalph Hamm

Humans have been decorating objects with gold leaf or gold foil for thousands of years. At one time this process was done totally by hand. Today, foil stamping is done regularly for many of our customers. It has become so common that little time is spent discussing the process and possible pitfalls that can occur when the combination of particular designs, cover materials, and foil selection do not yield the desired outcome for you our customer.

Foil stamping can be the focal point on a cover, especially when it is used on books where there is no dust jacket. At Friesens, we have produced many covers with ornate and intricate designs. The success of these projects always comes down to understanding what the customer’s expectation is, and then setting up the project for success.

Do not confuse foil stamping with embossing. The processes are similar, but embossing requires more complex and expensive designs, and more pressure. Foil stamping applies metallic foil to your cover or jacket, but the design is not raised or lowered.

Foil stamping is relatively simple. It involves a die, some foil, and pressure. The die is created using the customer’s file. This die is then stamped onto foil, generally using heat, which transfers the design onto the cover in the specified foil colour. I have listed some terms and supporting information below to consider when developing your foil stamping designs.

Foil Stamping DieS

These dies are most commonly made of magnesium or copper. Magnesium dies are less expensive and can be used for most cover or jacket designs. Copper dies are considerably more costly and are required when the design has fine lines or is more intricate. On rare occasions a brass die is needed, but that is generally

only for embossing. Our planning and bindery staff work in concert to review and approve which die should be ordered for each project.

Foil material

The use of metallic foils is more common than pigment foils. Metallic foils come in a variety of colours and finishes. Foil is composed of several layers, and it is the metallic layer which allows this foil to achieve better coverage,

and/or create a more consistent finish than does the pigment foil. Pigment foils come in a wide range of colours, and it is this variety that prompts designers to select this product. It is important to remember that pigment foils are not as opaque as are metallic foils. This can cause the final colour or finish of

pigment foil to not match the original swatch colour because the colour of the cover material is not being completely blocked out or covered. The other concern with pigment foils is that they are best used on smooth cover materials, because they do a poor job of covering up or filling the valleys that exist on premium cloth materials.

amount oF Coverage

All foils have a release-coat layer. There is no one foil that can be used for all applications, as a design with minimal coverage or thin lines will require a different release than a cover which has large solid areas of coverage. At Friesens, we work closely with our suppliers of foil to ensure that we are using the correct foil for the amount of coverage needed.

Cover materialS

Materials which are smooth are the best choices and result in the best finish. Real cloth cover materials, which have a heavily textured finish, can pose challenges. A smooth, consistent finish on this material relies on the foil being able to fill the peaks and valleys of this material. Metallic foils do a better job than pigment foils, but the finish is not always perfect. Metallic foils also have the benefit of being reflective, and this trait can also make small imperfections less apparent.

Softcover materials also stamp well. That being said, the softness can pose a different set of challenges. The softness can make the foil spread as there is not the same hard contact which is needed for the foil to separate cleanly between the areas where it is required and the areas where it is not wanted.

Open lines of communication and evaluating how the combinations of the design, foil selection, and cover material are key factors in getting the result you are hoping for. Our sales representatives and marketing department have a variety of previously produced work that exhibit how certain combinations of materials and designs have worked in the past. We would also invite you to send foil files early in the process to be evaluated by our cover decorating staff. This process can be coordinated with your CSR. Collaboration and communication between our customers, customer service staff, production staff, and vendors will help produce a project that meets or exceeds your expectations.

15

001-024 CC.indd 15 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

FRIESENS NATIONAL SALES MEETING JANUARY 2018Ron Such

There are few things as invigorating as a trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba, in January. Sunshine, ice castles, and a “balmy” minus 32 degrees Celsius. Perfect!

It was a great setting for this year’s National Sales Meeting. Our North American sales reps, managers, and plant personnel met to discuss the book manufacturing business, where it stands now, and where it’s heading.

We shared ideas on printing and paper trends, publishers’ requirements of printers, and how we at Friesens can improve our processes and manufacturing strategies to meet the changing demands of today’s print world. We had sessions led by sales reps, sessions led by plant managers, and sessions led by our team leaders, our managers. During three days of extensive meetings, some of the highlights were:

• Discussions of Friesens’ printing highlights of 2017. What worked well, some of the challenges we faced, and how, moving forward, we can improve.

• An inspiring presentation by our president and CEO, Chad Friesen, highlighting our company’s short and long term visions.

• An interactive session with all reps sharing stories about individual territories and unique book projects. Many reps showed great books from their territories.

• A session with all our CSRs (Customer Service Reps). We discussed potential strategies for how we can work together to increase efficiency when communicating with customers.

An additional highlight of the week was a visit to our plant in Altona. We not only saw all stages of book manufacturing, but we also had sessions with our prepress, binding, and press folks. As reps, our “takeaway” from our sales meeting was the enhancement of our knowledge of the current printing business, what’s working well, and we will pass this knowledge on to the clients in our territories.

The tone of the meeting was more than positive. In general, the printed book business in North America is headed in the right direction, and Friesens feels we’re positioned to partner with our publishers in continuing to provide the marketplace with quality books.

Oh, and those dudes from Altona sure know how to curl. The rest of us? … Not so much.

16

001-024 CC.indd 16 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

GOOD NIGHT STORIES FOR REBEL GIRLS 2Glenda MacPhail

Timbuktu Labs are once again bringing the world’s greatest women into the spotlight. Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo returned to Friesens this past fall to press check for over seventy-five hours of printing on our 73” Manroland press. Their newest title is called Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2. They also crafted a gift set box, produced through our packaging division, that will hold both volumes.

Elena and Francesca produced a live tour of the plant while they were here to allow their backers and thousands of social media followers to have a glimpse of the manufacturing process. This tour was hosted by Eugene Letkeman and streamed live on the Rebel Girls Facebook page. When we last checked, the video had more than 10,300 views. Check it out!

Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2 is a hardcover sewn book that includes one hundred new stories about women

from countries all over the world including China, North Korea, and Canada. The book is illustrated by all female illustrators, and features brave and powerful women like Beyoncé, J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, and hero Irena Sendlerowa, a Polish woman who secretly saved 2,500 Jewish children from Nazi forces during World War II.

Before the original book became a New York Times bestseller, it was the most funded children’s book in the history of Kickstarter, raising more than $675,000 from 13,000 backers in 75 countries in one month. The original goal of $40,000 was met in less than 48 hours. It’s no wonder they have won countless awards and keep breaking records everywhere they go.

An interesting fact that our purchasing department has noted is that the raw materials alone on this project included more than 1 million pounds of paper and more than 260,000 yards of ribbon, which equates to 148 miles!

A year ago, they were just getting started on the translation rights for Volume 1. That title has now been translated into thirty languages, reaching all corners of the globe.

The long-awaited Volume 2 was released in November 2017, and has already been featured on CNN and in The Guardian. Incredibly, in January 2018, The New York Times Best Sellers list featured BOTH titles, marking Volume 1 in third place and Volume 2 in fifth place.

We continue to wish Elena and Francesca a great amount of success. We can only wonder along with the rest of their fans and backers if a Volume 3 is in the future. Follow their incredible journey on social media at the links noted below.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rebelgirls

Instagram: @rebelgirlsbook

Snapchat: @rebelgirlsbook

www.rebelgirls.co

#nybestseller #rebelgirls

#friesens #manroland73” #cmyk

Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FriesensCorporation/

17

Above Elena and Francesca are busy helping the press operator by moving skids of covers over to the laminator

001-024 CC.indd 17 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

18

THIS IMMEASURABLE PLACE: FOOD AND FARMING FROM THE EDGE OF WILDERNESSTim Hewitt

In 2012, the population of Boulder, Utah, soared to an impressive 220 people. During that time, Deb and Doug Symington first visited Boulder and increased the population by a whole percentage point, albeit temporarily.

Jen Castle and Blake Spalding’s award-winning restaurant, Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm, now in its eighteenth season, serves food and drink that reflect a deep commitment to sustainability and relies heavily on its own six-acre organic farm, located just three miles from the restaurant. Between the six-acre farm, a hoop house, and a straw-bale greenhouse, over 22,000 pounds of produce is grown each year. What most struck Doug, beyond the amazing food, was the quality of Blake and Jen’s first book, With a Measure of Grace, and he maintains that it is the only cookbook he has read cover to cover, as the story they told was so unique. Jen and Blake have endeared themselves to the community and have brought Zagat-rated food to Boulder, along with plenty of press from Salt Lake City to Washington to New York.

In 2016, Doug Symington sent an exciting email to Duncan and me, mentioning that this incredibly remote (think two truck deliveries a month to the entire town) restaurant he had visited was planning a second cookbook, and preorders were well underway. After a little digging, and more than a few conversations, we were lucky enough to be selected as the printer for this new, well-sought-after book. I could, in a much more longwinded way, recount the history of the restaurant, but Elissa Altman has done a much better job than I could:

Written in the shadow of the magnificent, now-threatened Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, this book tells of the sanctity of place and the sustenance provided in the tiny, traditionally Mormon town of Boulder, Utah, by Buddhist-principled chef-restaurateurs Blake Spalding and Jen Castle at their award-winning Hell’s Backbone Grill. Filled with remarkable recipes and essays, it breathed life back into my radical, sometimes flagging hope for humanity, and is as inspiring as it is mouthwatering. We need this book now more than ever.

-- Elissa Altman, author of Poor Man’s Feast

The book has been a journey for them and for us alike, and I feel it perfectly conveys the look and feel they were hoping for. We are soon expecting to print a second edition of their first cookbook to match the look and feel of This Immeasurable Place. Meanwhile, the first books have arrived and a reprint was ordered within days of their arrival, a true testament that remote locations like Boulder, Utah, and Altona, Manitoba, can produce amazing books, desired by many around the world.

001-024 CC.indd 18 2018-02-21 12:17 PM

19

THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF JIMMY CARTERMargo Grace

When you hear the name Jimmy Carter, you probably think: former president of the United States, Habitat for Humanity volunteer, and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Woodworker probably doesn’t come to mind.

Carter learned from an early age to work with his hands. As a young man, Carter was given chores to do for the family. One task was to take the first peanuts picked in the morning into town to sell them. He would also fix things for the family’s rental property.

The thirty-ninth US president has said he enjoyed farming and looking back at a field he had worked to see what he had accomplished that day. He also found the same satisfaction working with wood.

I still have similar emotions while working in my woodshop. Periods of drudgery that come with the repetitive use of chisel, drawknife, spokeshave, plane, rasp, scraper, sandpaper or paint brush fade into relative insignificance when I can examine the results of my labor. The excitement of an original design, the meticulous detail of the chosen wood, the heft and beauty of the hand tools—some of them ancient in design—are all positive aspects of crafting a piece of furniture. I like to see what I have done and what I have made. The pleasure does not fade as the years go by; in fact, with age my diminished physical strength has eliminated some of the formerly competing hobbies and made woodworking even more precious to me.Jimmy Carter, The Craftsmanship of Jimmy Carter

After President Carter left the White House, his cabinet and staff equipped a woodworking shop for him to use when he went home to Plains, Georgia. It was there that he honed his skills, making wooden items for his home and to donate for fundraising efforts.

The basic purpose of this book is to show how those with limited talent can develop adequate skills to produce worthwhile things. The entire process, from learning to creating, can be enjoyable. There is no limit to the skill that woodworkers can seek, and a few may uncover a level of artistry that is professionally beneficial.

Friesens had the honour of printing and binding this book for Mercer University Press and President Carter. The president was honored at the thirty-eighth annual Mercer University Press Authors Luncheon in December. I had the honour of representing Friesens at that event and meeting President Carter. The president said he was pleased with the book and thanked Mercer Press, the designers Burt & Burt, and Friesens for producing a beautiful book. It was such a pleasure watching the president see his book, and see his face fill with joy and appreciation. It just shows that books matter!

-Special thanks to Mercer University Press

JEM PHOTOGRAPHYDonovan Bergman

It was mid-2016 when I connected with photographer John Marriott to ask about any new projects he was working on. He mentioned that 2017 would be his twentieth anniversary of becoming a professional photographer and he was contemplating doing a new book. In our minds, there’s no better way to celebrate twenty years of living out your passion than with a book!

As 2017 started, the early discussions on the book revolved around a regular edition and some kind of special or limited edition. In the end, John settled on printings of regular edition books, limited edition sets, and special collector’s edition sets.

The limited edition sets included:• a signed and numbered certificate (supplied by the

customer)• a special book cover with a full colour tip-on image• a clamshell box to hold the book

001-024 CC.indd 19 2018-02-21 12:18 PM

20

The special collector’s edition took things up a notch and is certainly one of the most unique projects I’ve ever worked on. Customers purchasing the special collector’s edition received:

• a signed and numbered 12 x 12” print (supplied by the customer) in a custom envelope (made by Friesens)

• a special book cover• a stamp set (supplied by the customer) in a custom

envelope with a die-cut window (made by Friesens) to show only the stamp with John’s image on it

• a coin box from the Royal Canadian Mint with one of John’s images on the coin (supplied by the customer)

• a vellum print of Frank the Tank, one of John’s favourite animals, which is seen immediately upon opening the box

• a neck box with a hinged lid and a custom-built foam insert to hold all of the components

Some of the limited and special collector’s editions were going to be sold at book launches and presentations in the fall. But many of them were going to be sold online and shipped via courier to customers in North America and around the world.

As the team at our packaging division worked on the two boxes, the discussion about distribution came up. Special editions require special boxes. See a picture of the roll end lock front (or RELF) box that holds the limited edition. Foam bumpers on four sides along with a thin foam insert top and bottom help to protect the boxes as they are shipped from John’s home in Canmore.

Given that the box making involved our packaging division, it was critical to get them involved in the process very early. For

both of the boxes, we had to create prototypes for approval, which was followed with a bit of back and forth to make some small tweaks to the final boxes.

The finished sets were shipped in batches to meet the timeline John had given us. A lot of the assembly is done by hand, making the box production labour and time intensive. The final files for printing arrived in early October, and the first batch of completed sets was delivered in late November in advance of the first presentation of John’s tour.

When working on a complex project like this, it’s important to:• Create a work back schedule with your sales rep

and CSR to ensure enough time is allowed to get the book and the box set done

• Confirm the details of your book (like page count and trim size) as soon as possible as the prototype(s) cannot be made and material cannot be ordered until this is complete

• View samples of various boxes on our packaging division website (https://www.friesens.com/packaging/) to give you ideas for your project. If you need to see physical samples, do not hesitate to request them from your sales rep or CSR. In the case of the sets above, the neck box with a hinged lid was a relatively new product for our packaging division and ended up being the perfect solution for John’s special collector’s edition.

If you have seen a sample that you’d like to replicate, send some images to your sales rep and CSR to see what we can do to make this happen.

Though the concept and design of the sets pushed us to come up with creative options for both the display and distribution, I am thrilled with the execution of the plan and how our team created such an impressive piece.

CURRENT CHALLENGES IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRYAndrew Fennell

Recent circumstances have created what some might call a “perfect storm” for trucking companies and purchasers of truck services. Driver shortages, increased demand, winter storms, and the introduction of the new ELD (electronic logging device) have all contributed to supply chain issues throughout North America. And the consequences could be with us for many months ahead.

001-024 CC.indd 20 2018-02-21 12:18 PM

21

“According to an industry analysis by DAT Solutions, just one truck was available for every 12 loads needing to be shipped at the start of 2018, which is the lowest ratio since 2005.” – NPR, January 9, 2018

“… the improved economy, peak retail season, holiday shipping and significant winter storms have resulted in truck availability at historically low levels.” – Domtar, January 18, 2018

“A nationwide truck shortage is forcing thousands of shippers into a tough choice:

postpone all but the most important deliveries, or pay dearly to jump to the front of the line.” – Wall Street Journal, January 24, 2018

“The electronic logging device mandate only exacerbates a chronic shortage of drivers … the capacity shortage is here — and it’s not going away any time soon.” – supplychaindive.com, January 26, 2018

If you’ve been affected by shipping delays and higher freight costs, you are not alone! It is a significant issue affecting almost all industries in North America right now.

At Friesens, we rely primarily on LTL (less-than-truckloads) carriers to transport finished products to our customers, and although there have been only a few bumps along the way in the last two months, we are anticipating that the truck and trucker shortage will affect us more significantly over the next few months. We have been working with our primary carriers to ensure timely delivery of finished goods. We have been smoothing over the rough spots as best we can, but we are expecting that there will be more challenges ahead, including rate hikes as the trucking companies come to the realization that rising costs must be passed on. We will keep you apprised of the situation as best we can through our customer service reps and our sales reps.

One way to assist us, and to increase the probability that you will receive your books when you want them, is to provide us with shipping instructions as soon as possible. When we receive shipping instructions within a few days of the planned ship dates, it provides very little time for us to process the instructions and arrange for the correct freight services. As with job specs and confirmed quantities, the sooner we receive the shipping instructions, the better. Thank you for your business and for any assistance you can provide in this regard!

A CULTURAL EVENT – SALON DU LIVRE DE MONTRÉALDominic Papineau

This past November we attended one of the most exciting book events in North America, the Salon du livre de Montréal.

This unique event is an opportunity for not only publishing professionals to do business, but also for the book community to gather to buy, sell, and talk about books. It is exciting to see the busloads of adults and kids arrive daily to spend their money on books and meet some of their favourite authors. It is a place where an author becomes a celebrity and their work is celebrated. If you want to attend a book event to get you excited about being in the book business, we encourage you to put this on your “bucket list.”

Spending time at the event reminded us how grateful we are to be part of a vibrant book community and culture. It gives us a chance to meet many of those with whom we do business and connect with those for whom we hope to produce books in the future. It gives us an appreciation of the challenges our customers face and the areas in which we can grow to support them in selling more books.

As part of the Salon, Friesens was once again sponsor for “La soirée du livre en fête,” which brings together many of the publishing professionals in Canadian French Publishing. It is our tenth consecutive year sponsoring the event. More than four hundred people were in attendance including authors, translators, publishers, distributors, and of course one important printer.

We look forward to attending and being part of this event again this year. Please give me a call if you want to learn more about the event and are interested in joining us for the soirée.

001-024 CC.indd 21 2018-02-21 12:18 PM

should be avoided as these are areas where the spot UV can crack or flake. If the softcover also has flaps, the wraparound area contains a score line where the fold could crack the spot UV. Hardcovers can have spot UV on the spine and also the front and back cover panels. The stress areas to avoid on hardcovers are the hinge area on each side of the spine and also the edge of the panels where the wraparound begins. Dust jackets have similar stress points as softcovers with flaps. The edges of the spine and the wraparound area between the panels and flaps should be avoided. For covers and jackets where the spot UV application does not infringe on the stress points of the cover and jacket, the PET regular matte laminate and OPP matte both provide a viable option at a lower price point.

If the cover design is such that the spot UV is running into the stress points of the cover or jacket, the matte nylon scuff resistant laminate is the superior choice as it provides better adhesion between the spot UV and the laminate material. As a result, the matte nylon scuff resistant laminate provides a solution for the 10 micron application of spot UV where the design requires spot UV that extends off the edge of the cover or crosses the fold between the spine and cover panel. This laminate does not have any restrictions regarding the stress points on the cover.

Here are several example templates for different covers. The areas marked in red indicate the various areas of the cover where there is a fold, bend, or trimmed edge. The white areas of the cover are the safe zones for both laminate options.

For a softcover, the stress points are the trimmed outer edge and the edge of the spine.

by Brad Schmidt

JET VARNISH SPOT UV

Spot UV is a cover treatment that we offer to publishers as a way to highlight details of their covers. The spot UV treatment is usually coupled with one of our matte laminates to create a contrast between gloss areas on a cover and the surrounding matte background.

We have recently replaced our jet varnish machine and are able to offer the spot UV treatment in a variety of thicknesses. Spot UV is available in the standard thickness of 10 microns which provides a gloss finish in contrast to the matte laminate without a difference in thickness between the matte and gloss areas. A thicker option of 50 microns provides some texture in addition to the gloss finish. The thickest option available in a single application is 100 microns, which increases the effect of the texture. In order to print at increased thicknesses, the formulation of the spot UV has changed. In most applications this makes no difference in the end product. What we have discovered is that the strength of the bond between the spot UV and the cover laminate changes depending on the laminate selected. We offer a selection of three matte laminates, including matte nylon scuff resistant laminate, OPP matte, and PET regular matte laminate. The combination of the laminate selected and the thickness of the spot UV will determine which areas of the cover can have spot UV treatment applied. Stress points such as folds, hinges, and trim edges must be considered when designing a cover to ensure that cracking or flaking are avoided.

The main products where spot UV is used include softcovers, softcovers with flaps, hardcovers, and dust jackets. When selecting PET regular matte laminate, avoid running spot UV off the edge of the cover where the cover will be trimmed. For a softcover, the spot UV can be used anywhere within the front and back panels. Spot UV can also be used within the spine area. The edge of the spine and the trim areas on the top, bottom, and outside edges

backcover

frontcover

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

• Soft cover template

001-024 CC.indd 22 2018-02-21 12:18 PM

The softcover with flaps is the same as the softcover except for the additional fold for the flaps.

For a dust jacket, the five zones including the back flap, back cover, spine, front cover, and front flap are all safe for spot UV other than the folded or trimmed edges.

Hardcovers have a hinge on each side of the spine and also the wrap on the edge of each panel that can put extra stress on the spot UV.

Here is an example softcover to show the different options that could be selected based on the cover design. The white cover with the Friesens logo on the front cover and book logo on the spine is an example where any of the three laminate options could be used successfully. None of the blue logo elements touch any of the stress points on the cover. This changes, however, if I decide to

highlight the yellow area of the cover in a gloss spot UV treatment. The yellow areas cross the spine folds and also the trim edges on both sides of the cover. To execute this design successfully, I would need to select the matte nylon scuff resistant laminate. When selecting the thicker 50 and 100 micron spot UV options, the matte nylon scuff resistant laminate should be used because the adhesion on this material is better.

When creating a file for the spot UV, make a copy of the cover file. This will ensure that the spot UV file is exactly the same size as the printed cover. This also makes it easier to keep the spot UV in perfect alignment with the printed elements. Within this copy of the cover file, those areas that are to receive a spot UV treatment will appear in 100% black and the background, which is to be the matte finish, will be white. The spot UV needs to have sharp edges. As a result, the spot UV file does not have any gradations or feathered edges. Using fonts, vector drawings, or bitmaps ensures that the edges of the spot UV are well defined.

When creating a design that uses spot UV, there is always a decision to be made about which elements will be selected to receive the gloss treatment. After selecting the main elements for the gloss treatment, there can be a temptation to include very small elements too. Our equipment can handle small type and thin lines, but there is really no benefit because such a small amount of gloss in an area is difficult to see. Avoid spot UV on type that is 10 pt. or less.

Knowing the laminate material options and understanding the spot UV characteristics will enable you to select the best laminate and cover treatment to achieve the desired design results.

Tech Support

204.319.8135

bptech@friesens.com

backcover

frontcover

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �apbackcover

frontcover

• Soft cover with flaps template

backcover

frontcover

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

• Soft cover example cover

backcover

frontcover

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

• Dust jacket template

backcover

frontcover

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

front �ap

back �ap

backcover

frontcover

• Hard cover template

001-024 CC.indd 23 2018-02-21 12:18 PM

24

PRIN

TED

IN C

ANAD

A

001-024 CC.indd 24 2018-02-21 12:18 PM