Revolutionizing Digital Embellishment: How a Century-Old Mexican Print Shop Defies the Odds While Having Fun
Published: September 12, 2023
In the latest episode of The Digital Embellishment Podcast, host Kevin Abergel from Taktiful interviews Jose Gerardo, a trailblazer in the digital embellishment industry from Felicitos Leal in Monterrey, Mexico. The century-old, family-founded business has managed to stand out in a modern world, thanks to its early adoption of digital print embellishments. The episode covers a range of topics including the business's rich history, competitive edge, and strategies for success. Watch Video
Unboxing Magic: Our 7-Year-Old VP Explores Italic's New 3D Emblem Line Impress!
Published: August 24, 2023
Join Taktiful's 7-year-old Vice President, Aaron, as he unboxes a special package from Italic Press! Get a peek at their brand new 3D Emblem line called "Impress by Italic" through the delightful perspective of a 7-year-old. From the initial touch to the intricate details, experience the magic and wonder as only a child can express. What makes these 3D emblems so unique? How does Aaron react to seeing them for the first time? Watch Video
Tactile Wonders: 7-Year-Old Aaron Dives into Classic Color's Print Treasures & Sappi's Popup Magic
Published: August 17, 2023
New unboxing adventure with Aaron! Our favorite 7-year-old VP, Aaron, is back with another delightful unboxing. This time, we've received a special package from Classic Color! From incredibly tactile samples to an exquisite popup book by Sappi Paper, join Aaron as he marvels at some of Classic Color's finest work. Experience the textures, colors, and surprises of print like never before—through the curious and vibrant eyes of a 7-year-old. How does Aaron react to the tactile wonders? Watch Video
Launching Impress: Italic Press' Revolutionary New 3D Embellished Emblem Business
Published: July 17, 2023
In the latest episode of The Digital Embellishment Show, owners Dan Thompson and Shawn Irvine from Italic Press join Kevin Abergel to discuss the launch of their latest venture: Impress, a groundbreaking 3D emblem business. With their expertise in printing and design, Dan and Shawn have created a one-of-a-kind service that allows customers to transform their logos and designs into stunning, high-quality 3D emblems that can be used on a variety of products. Watch Video
A Talk with the Embellishment Legend Himself—Jeff Hernandez of Classic Color
Published: July 10, 2023
In this episode of The Digital Embellishment Show, Kevin Abergel talks with Jeff Hernandez, Vice President of Classic Color, and a legend in the world of print embellishments. Jeff sheds light on the critical role of embellishments in making a lasting impression, elaborates on the mindset needed to truly impress customers, and how essential it is to know your craft inside and out. Watch Video
A Journey from Pain to Triumph with Digital Embellishment: The Andy Humble Story
Published: June 22, 2023
In this episode of The Digital Embellishment Show, Kevin Abergel talks to Andy Humble, the President of Post Press Specialties. Andy holds the remarkable distinction of being one of the pioneering trade finishers to invest in a digital embellishment unit. This episode delves into his transformative journey, including the initial hardships, the learning curve, and how the digital embellishment unit has now become a cornerstone of his operations. But the journey doesn't end there. Andy takes us through his recent phenomenal victory at the FSEA Gold Leaf Awards. Watch Video
B&R Moll’s Kevin Moll on Changes in the Finishing Equipment Market
Published: June 15, 2023
David Zwang talks with Kevin Moll, VP of Sales of B&R Moll, a manufacturer of postpress equipment. B&R Moll has been seeing strong growth in such diverse applications as folding cartons and greeting cards. Watch Video
Shawn Irvine on Italic Press’s New Embellishment Offering
Published: June 14, 2023
Joanne Gore talks to Shawn Irvine, owner of Italic Press, a Toronto-based commercial printer specializing in retail, events, and agency work. The company just introduced Impress, a new type of print embellishment technique. Watch Video
HP Indigo’s Alvaro Mantilla on Specialty Inks and Toners
Published: June 8, 2023
Kevin Abergel talks with Alvaro Mantilla, Supplies Category Manager, Americas, for HP Indigo at Dscoop about the specialty inks and toner are available for HP Indigo machines to add digital embellishments to printed materials. Watch Video
Creating a New Market with Digital Embellishment Technology with Jeff Alexander
Published: June 8, 2023
In this episode of The Digital Embellishment Show, we are joined by a special guest, Jeff Alexander, CEO of Alexander's. Jeff is a pioneer in the digital embellishment industry, and he shares his insights on how he created a new market by being one of the first to market with digital embellishment technology. Watch Video
From Beginner to Master: The Evolution of Digital Embellishments at Truly Engaging with President Dave Baird
Published: June 8, 2023
Join us on the latest episode of The Digital Embellishment Show as we sit down with Dave Baird, President of Truly Engaging, to learn about his journey from being a beginner in digital embellishment to mastering the craft and now embellishing nearly 80% of his work. Dave takes us through his early days of experimentation with digital embellishment and shares his insights on how he has evolved his techniques over the years. Watch Video
Unveiling the Art of Digital Embellishments with Vince Manini
Published: June 1, 2023
In this episode of The Digital Embellishment Show, Kevin Abergel talks with Vince Manini, Partner and VP at Team Concept Printing, who shares his unique insights into the art of digital embellishments, revealing industry tips and techniques that have propelled him to the forefront of the field. Watch Video
Standard Finishing at DScoop
Published: May 31, 2023
In this video, sponsored by Standard Finishing, Standard’s Mark Hunt talks about the company’s recent appearance at Dscoop and highlights some of the recent product announcements and business and industry trends. Watch Video
Truly Engaging’s David Baird on Specialty Printing with Embellishments
Published: May 31, 2023
Kevin Abergel talks with David Baird, President and CRO of Truly Engaging, a company that produces wedding invitations, save the date announcements, and other card and invitations. They are very active in digital embellishments, and David talks to Kevin about some unique products the company offers. Watch Video
What’s Up with FSEA
Published: May 23, 2023
In this edition of “What’s Up with WhatTheyThink,” Eric Vessels talks with Foil and Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) Director Jeff Peterson about the upcoming Digital Embellishments Conference, coming June 5-7 in Indianapolis, Ind. Watch Video
Selling Digitally Embellished Packaging with Bill White from Meyers
Published: May 1, 2023
In this episode of The Digital Embellishment Show, we sit down with Bill White, Senior Account Executive for Meyers, who specializes in selling digitally embellished print and packaging. Bill has been in the print industry for over 40 years and has seen firsthand the evolution of digital embellishments. Join us as we explore the latest trends and innovations in digital embellishments and hear from Bill about his experience working with clients to create stunning and unique pieces that stand out in a crowded marketplace. Whether you're a print professional or just curious about the world of digital embellishments, this episode is not to be missed. Watch Video
Meet Jakob Stone, the 20-Year-Old Digital Embellishment Operator at Elite Print Finishing
Published: April 24, 2023
Welcome to the latest episode of the Digital Embellishment Show, where we explore the world of digital print finishing and embellishment. In this episode, we have a special guest, Jakob Stone, a 20-year-old Digital Embellishment operator at Elite Print Finishing.Jakob shares his experiences and insights into the world of digital print finishing, discussing his journey to becoming a operator, and the unique challenges he faces in his role. He also shares his tips and tricks for achieving the perfect finish, and how to maintain high quality standards while working with a range of materials and techniques. Watch Video
Standard Finishing at Hunkeler Innovationdays
Published: April 17, 2023
In this video, sponsored by Standard Finishing, Johann Laurent, Director of Business Operations for Standard, provides a rundown of the finishing solutions Standard was showcasing at Hunkeler Innovationdays. Watch Video
The Digital Embellishment Show with Special Guest Adam Stewart from Fresh Printz
Published: March 30, 2023
Adam Stewart, Owner at Fresh Printz in Tulsa, Okla., talks to Taktiful's Kevin Abergel about his experiences starting a new 100% digital trade finishing shop with zero prior experience. Watch Video
SPC’s Adam LeFebvre at Hunkeler Innovationdays
Published: March 14, 2023
David Zwang talks to Adam LeFebvre, president of Specialty Print Communications, about his first time attending Hunkeler Innovationdays and his impressions of the event. Watch Video
Xerox Partners with WhatTheyThink and Taktiful on Landmark Digital Embellishment Study
Published: March 13, 2023
Eric Vessels of WhatTheyThink and Kevin Abergel of Taktiful speak with Andrew Gunn, Global Director of Production Marketing & Product Life Cycle with Xerox, about the digital embellishment market, the new study that is in the field, and how the results will benefit the industry. Watch Video
Ricoh at Hunkeler Innovationdays
Published: March 9, 2023
David Zwang talks to Ricoh’s Mike Herold about the equipment that Ricoh was showing at Hunkeler Innovationdays last week in Luzerne, Switzerland. Watch Video
PRINTING United Alliance’s Mark Subers on This Year’s Hunkeler Innovationdays
Published: March 8, 2023
David Zwang talks to Mark Subers of the PRINTING United Alliance about his impressions of this year’s Hunkeler Innovationdays—the booths are packed and the event has experienced 3X growth since it began. Watch Video
Hunkeler’s Daniel Erni: “We Are Hunkeler. We Are Going to Stay Hunkeler.”
Published: March 8, 2023
Pat McGrew talks to Hunkeler CEO Daniel Erni about how he sees the trade show environment playing out over the next few years, and the future of Innovationdays. Watch Video
Book Manufacturers’ Institute’s Matt Baehr on Book Applications at Hunkeler Innovationdays
Published: March 7, 2023
Matt Baehr, Executive Director of the Book Manufacturers’ Institute (BMI), talks about the book manufacturing solutions being demonstrated at last week’s Hunkeler Innovationdays. BMI members include equipment manufacturers and suppliers exhibiting at the show as well as book printers looking to check out the latest equipment. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Plockmatic Group at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023
Published: March 6, 2023
Jan Marstorp at Plockmatic Group talks about emerging trends and product strategy at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Xeikon at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023
Published: March 6, 2023
Dimitri Van Gaever at Xeikon talks about emerging trends and product strategy at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Canon at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023
Published: March 6, 2023
Thomas Hofmann at Canon talks about emerging trends and product strategy at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Ricoh at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023
Published: March 6, 2023
Mike Herold at Ricoh talks about emerging trends and product strategy at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Ultimate TechnoGraphics at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023
Published: March 6, 2023
Julie Watson at Ultimate TechnoGraphics talks about emerging trends and product strategy at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Harris and Bruno at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023
Published: March 6, 2023
Juan Soto and Alessandro Bufalari at Harris and Bruno talk about emerging trends and product strategy at Hunkeler Innovationdays 2023. Watch Video
Warren Werbitt Talks with Fujifilm’s Mark Stephenson About Embellishments
Published: March 2, 2023
This week Warren talks with Mark Stephenson of Fujifilm Europe about embellishments and Taktiful and WhatTheyThink's new and exciting survey that will produce the first-of-its kind study on specialty ink usage in the printing industry. (To take the survey, click the link below the video.) Watch Video
Hunkeler’s Hans Gut on Smart Logistics Solutions
Published: March 2, 2023
David Zwang talks to Hans Gut, Chief Marketing Officer for Hunkeler, about the company’s new Smart Logistics Solutions, which helps to quickly move on-demand printed materials, such as book blocks, from press to finishing equipment, tracking and monitoring where each job is and where it’s going. Watch Video
Hunkeler’s Hans Gut on Digital Web Finishing
Published: March 1, 2023
David Zwang talks to Hans Gut, Chief Marketing Officer for Hunkeler, about digital web finishing. Hunkeler’s digital web finishing products initially served the transactional print market and has expanded into book production, launching next-generation solutions for automated book block production. Watch Video
Hunkeler’s Patrick Treyer on the Cut-Sheet Finishing Market
Published: February 28, 2023
David Zwang talks with Patrick Treyer, Area Sales Director for Hunkeler, about Hunkeler’s recent introductions for the cut-sheet finishing market including DocuTrim, a new line supporting the transactional and transformational markets that features dynamic perforating. Watch Video
Hunkeler’s Matthias Anaheim on Next Level Automation
Published: February 28, 2023
David Zwang talks with Matthias Annaheim, Head of Marketing for Hunkeler, about the theme of this year’s Hunkeler Innovationdays: Next Level Automation, and how Hunkeler equipment needs to connect to a variety of different systems often within a single printing plant. Watch Video
Ricoh Partners with Taktiful and WhatTheyThink on Landmark Digital Embellishment Study
Published: February 23, 2023
Eric Vessels of WhatTheyThink speaks with Kevin Abergel of Taktiful and Mark Little of Ricoh about their partnership on a new and exciting survey that will produce the first-of-its kind study on specialty ink usage in the printing industry. (To take the survey, click the link below the video.) Watch Video
HP Partners with Taktiful and WhatTheyThink on Landmark Digital Embellishment Study
Published: February 22, 2023
Eric Vessels of WhatTheyThink speaks with Kevin Abergel of Taktiful and Alvaro Mantilla of HP about their partnership on a new and exciting survey that will produce the first-of-its-kind study on specialty ink usage in the printing industry. To take the survey, click the ink below the video. Watch Video
WhatTheyThink and Taktiful Partner on Landmark Digital Embellishment Study
Published: February 21, 2023
Kevin Abergel, President of Taktiful, speaks with Eric Vessels of WhatTheyThink about their partnership on a new and exciting survey that will produce the first of its kind study on specialty ink usage in the printing industry. To take the survey, click the link below the video. Watch Video
Warren Werbitt Goes Printer to OEM with Jeff Karnoff of Kompac
Published: January 18, 2023
This week, Warren talks to Jeff Karnoff of Kompac about how a 24-year-old who never knew what printing was before working in it, got into it and grew to love it. Thing is, he is not a printer, but works on the OEM side. Kompac is a seller of UV and aqueous coating equipment. Watch Video
Graphco Can Offer Printers Anything They Need to Grow Their Business
Published: January 17, 2023
Graphco’s Chris Manley and Gary Greis talk about and demonstrate some highlights of Graphco’s growing portfolio of graphic arts vendors, equipment, and consumables including RMGT presses, Horizon and Foliant finishing equipment, and Kodak plates, CTP systems, and digital and inkjet solutions. Watch Video
Kongsberg’s Stuart Fox and Matt Thackray on Wide-Format Cutting Systems
Published: December 15, 2022
Stuart Fox and Matt Thackray of Kongsberg talk about the history of the 57-year-old company and showcase some of the precision cutting tables in its own portfolio, as well as that of the recently-acquired Multicam. Watch Video
The Digital Embellishment Show: Selling Digital Embellishments with Joe DeBoy of NAPCO USA
Published: December 12, 2022
Joe DeBoy, the newly minted VP of Sales at NAPCO USA, talks with Taktiful's Kevin Abergel about selling digital printed output in the rigid packaging market and provides some good tips on how to pitch the value on insourcing packaging back into the USA. Watch Video
Designing For and Operating Digital Embellishment Equipment
Published: December 5, 2022
In the latest episode of The Digital Embellishment Show, Taktiful's Kevin Abergel talks with Dominic Zaidan and Frank Deiuliis of NAPCO USA about embellishment design and equipment operating challenges they have overcome in the digital packaging world. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Standard Finishing’s Paul Steinke on Increased Automation and Decreased Touchpoints
Published: December 2, 2022
Standard Finishing’s Paul Steinke talks about how the top challenges for Standard’s customers are people and paper. To help customers with staffing shortages, Standard’s manufacturers—Hunkeler and Horizon—are increasing levels of automation in their equipment as well as improving ease-of-use for less skilled bindery operators. Watch Video
Product Strategy: VITS International’s Deirdre Ryder on Substrate Diversity
Published: December 2, 2022
Deirdre Ryder of VITS International talks about increased customer needs for improved digital inks, wider format substrates, higher speeds, and a wider variety of substrates, such as papers, foils, and films. VITS is addressing these needs by designing equipment to run wider formats at faster speeds, as well as improve overall efficiency. Watch Video
Product Strategy: W+D’s Brook Spaulding on Dynamic Envelope Conversion
Published: December 2, 2022
W+D’s Brook Spaulding talks about how the ability to custom convert envelopes on the fly is a game changer for direct mailers. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Graphic Whizard’s Max Allen on Digital Die-Cutting
Published: December 2, 2022
Graphic Whizard’s Max Allen talks about Graphic Whizard’s new highly automated digital die-cutting solution designed for longer digital runs. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Printing and Mailing Integration with Capital Mailing Equipment
Published: December 2, 2022
Troy Shatus of Capital Mailing Equipment talks about the latest industry trends, such as the increased demand to be able to print on as many different kinds of papers as possible, as well as integration of new printing equipment with mailing and binding equipment. Capital Mailing Equipment offered solutions that will address these demands and more. Watch Video
Product Strategy: Tecnau’s Scott Peterson on Overcoming Supplies and Labor Shortages
Published: December 2, 2022
Tecnau Product Marketing Manager Scott Peterson talks about how Tecnau’s versatile and easy-to-use finishing equipment helps customers address supplies and labor shortages. Watch Video