Model Graphics on Quality
FLEXO: Talk about graphics quality at Model Graphics—its importance, challenges it presents, ways the company ensures high quality, prepress capabilities, etc.
Fleissner: Model Graphics takes pride in not just graphic quality but the entire process, including customer service and support.
At the heart of every potential order and new order we get, we begin with determining what is the customer’s perfect fit, form and function, and are there any current pass or fail conditions at the time we engage at the sales or customer service level.
We revised the quality manager title and responsibilities a couple of years ago to reflect a “positive future” attitude and experience, as opposed to, “let’s find the ‘root cause,’” which inevitably points to a person in the end. That simply is not an environment that will promote a positive exchange. We refer to complaints as improvement opportunities or “I.Opps.” Our approach has always been to continuously improve our people, processes and products at every opportunity.
The new title for that position is quality improvement and training manager. We believe quality improvement is a verb and not a noun or a single process, nor anything that a single manager can do. We also believed we would never achieve any consistent level of quality without a formal training process and an individual to lead and manage in that role. It’s working and our numbers support it.
FLEXO: Where does process control fall in importance for Model Graphics?
Fleissner: Process control is right up there with quality improvement and training. I mentioned people, process and product before; without process, you are left with a two legged stool. We have an entire library that is well organized and maintained by the QI team. We were recently audited and passed by a Fortune 500 food company. This was done by a third party. We were told the high score was in large part due to our organized and well documented process control forms and work instructions.
FLEXO: Is standardization a focus at the company? Do you deploy the Flexographic Image Reproduction Specifications & Tolerances (FIRST) methodology?
Fleissner: Absolutely, it is a focus. Without that we are wasting our time with our Educate, Train and Audit system (ETA) quality improvement concept. We also follow FIRST. When we bought the Nilpeter FA press, the DuPont FAST Cyrel plate making and the Esko HD Flexo software, we had Esko in for about a week, and that was when the light went off with our prepress leader. She became our color champion and was later given the additional title of color manager. At the time, we had several people with varying opinions on how to produce the best 4-color process.
The entire prepress team rose to the top as the group I trusted with a vision of the standardization process. The team demanded that everyone follow the print by numbers concept. They managed the press profilings, fingerprintings, and on press consulting with the operators and plant leaders. Prepress now approves every first run, 4-color, process job we run.
Model Graphics on Awards
FLEXO: Talk about the print that won in the Flint Group 12th Annual Narrow Web Print Awards: Its client, run size, obstacles or challenges, any special effects and other specifics.
Fleissner: Model Graphics was excited to work with The HumaniTEA Co. on this project. The shrink sleeves for this project were produced using the low migration Ancora 50 ink system. The project was reverse printed on our Nilpeter FA press using 4-color process with two bumps of high opacity white on polyethylene terephthalate glycolized (PETG). A slip varnish was applied to provide ease of application. All prepress work and plates were produced using Esko’s HD Flexo system. The sleeves were seamed and inspected on our Accraply seamer and finisher and provided in continuous rolls.
Annual Narrow Web Awards, to Model Graphics’ Matt Fleissner.
The primary challenge for this project was with the design. Model was able to make adjustments to the layflat in a way that would allow the auto applicator to trigger properly without affecting the integrity or the original design.
Here’s what Andrew Estrada had to say about the job: “For a print this complex, we knew we needed to go to a group that was willing to take on the challenge, and not just say, ‘Yes, we can do that,’ while knowing full well it would be a difficult task. The whites are especially difficult because the design calls for double white to not show liquid through the white. Other companies had missed this mark before. And, the clear windows add an extra layer of complexity. At the end, we were happy with the result.
“Finding the right label company comes down to partnership and we have found that partner with Matt Fleissner and the Model Graphics team. Labels are not just a product for them—They are an art.”
FLEXO: What are some of the other awards Model Graphics has won in its history?
Fleissner: We joined TLMI in 1988 and won the Best Managed Company Award in 1989. On the printing front, we have won more than 30 awards. Some other notable recognition given to Model Graphics includes:
- Several Best Vendor awards
- A Best Places to Work in Cincinnati finalist
- We were the first narrow web flexo shop in North America to receive Esko’s HD certification
FLEXO: What does winning an award for your work do for the company’s reputation, employee morale and the ability to win new clients?
Fleissner: A few things:
- It adds credibility when speaking with new clients
- It reinforces the message of creating meaningful brand awareness
- It serves as fit, form and function validation. Trusting the process works
Anytime I have brought new technology in, there is always an unstated message from the team: “Does Steve know what he is doing?” An award demonstrates to everyone there is a market and one in which we can add value.