Congratulations to the Gravure Community!
Great new benefits, under a new banner
The GAA lives on as the Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee inside AIMCAL. The committee is led by Lou DeFlaviis of INX as the chair with JD Harris of Fresco-Systems vice-chair and John Edwards of Sun Chemical as secretary. The following link takes you to the GAA Committee page on the AIMCAL website: Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee. The page is still a work in progress.
The Mission Statement for the Committee: The Gravure AIMCAL Alliance will promote the growth of Gravure by understanding customers’ needs, demonstrating advantages of the Gravure process, developing operational efficiencies, cultivating innovation, and advocating for Gravure Education. The alliance will collect and distribute information to increase industry knowledge, while fostering an environment that builds relationships and a spirit of cooperation between member companies worldwide.
The GAA Committee is tasked with organizing subcommittees that will help to Educate, Connect and Grow the Gravure Community. The first subcommittee, “R2R Gravure Forum Track,” was assigned with finding topics and speakers to present relevant and current technical topics as specified in the mission statement for the AIMCAL R2R USA Conference’s “Gravure Forum” track. The committee of eight members led by John Edwards, including Mandee Jones, Dan Comerford, Rod Sosa, Todd Luman, Johnny Stamey, Bill Poulson and Tony Donato, compiled 18 gravure-related presentation (six a day). The following link shows all tracks for each day: R2R Agenda (aimcal.org)
AIMCAL Roll-to-Roll (R2R) USA Conference
This multi-track conference will be held in-person Oct. 18-21, 2021, in conjunction with the ICEC (International Converting Exhibition and Conference USA (www.convertingshow.com, formerly ICE USA) at the Orange County Convention Ctr. in Orlando, FL. The track session rooms are large enough for social distancing to meet attendees’ personal preferences.
The following link is the best source for information on registration and especially on the latest on Health and Safety Protocols, as the organizers address the best way to hold the conference and keep within all COVID-19 Protocols 2021 R2R USA Conference (aimcal.org), then scroll down to the “Health and Safety” shield (Updated September 16)
We are looking forward to having the first live conference since the GAA Summit in March 2020. The number of our members that have registered has been growing day-to-day and so is those planning on attending. The Gravure Community is excited to get together and attend the sessions as well as ICEC USA. Live conferences are the best way to network and learn from each other to keep the Gravure process the premium means of printing packaging, publications and products from Décor to Functional.
On Monday October 18, a Gravure Fundamentals Workshop:
Will be held by the Gravure experts who conducted the GAA Basics Virtual Seminar on May 4-6, 2021. This is a good opportunity for those new to the industry to learn Gravure process basics and ask questions. When registering for the R2R, you will see the options for signing up for a Fundamentals Course and pick the Gravure session.
R2R Conference Sponsors:
It’s good to see GAA members have come forward so far and are participating as sponsors for the AIMCAL R2R USA Conference: Amcor, Bobst, BST Group, Max Daetwyler, Flint Inks, INX Inks and Saueressig. Being a sponsor and participating on committees is a great way to embrace the merger with AIMCAL. R2R USA sponsorships are still available: Don’t be left out. R2R Sponsorships (aimcal.org)
Cylinder Society Nominations are Closing Soon
The Cylinder Society has been a way to recognize your colleagues and those who have been influential in the advancement of the gravure process across the industry. Time is running out to submit nominations for this year’s class of honorees.
Please send your nominations to info@gaa.org, put in the subject line “Cylinder Society” and the Nominee Application Form will be sent to you.
2021 AIMCAL R2R USA Industry & Entertainment Dinner on Monday night, October 18:
Our main event will be held at the Rosen Centre Hotel located directly across the skybridge from the Orange County Convention Center. Your purchase of this add-on includes admission to the event with full access to our Networking Cocktail Hour with two drink tickets, a seated Banquet Dinner, and a program full of industry updates, awards including the 2021 GAA Golden Cylinder Awards, and live entertainment. A highlight will be “The Magic of Puck” (Season 7 “America’s Got Talent” semi-finalist).
How AIMCAL/GAA Members can participate and contribute to the Gravure AIMCAL Alliance!
Call for Gravure Technical Papers and Articles:
Converting Quarterly / AIMCAL are offering to include Gravure Industry papers and articles in their e-newsletters and also in the print ad online magazine. Anyone interested in contributing a non-commercial technical paper of 600 to 650 words, please contact info@gaa.org, subject line “Article” with your idea or abstract ,and we will contact you. For longer Gravure White Papers, we can add them to the Technical Library – GAA on the GAA website. Also contact info@gaa.org, subject line “White Paper”.
Join the following GAA Committees:
A committee has been established to set the topics and recruit speakers for the April 4-5, 2022, Gravure Business Summit to be held in conjunction with the AIMCAL Executive Leadership Conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC. To join the committee and or suggest topics, email info@gaa.org, subject line “Summit”.
Walter Vail is chairing a committee to reach out to past GAA members to inform them of the expanded benefits now available with the merger into AIMCAL. To join Walter, email info@gaa.org, subject line “Membership”. This committee supports the overall GAA Committee Mission Statement by connecting those who use and recognize the importance of the Gravure Printing and Coating Process.
University and College Gravure Day:
One of the most important ways to ensure continued talent is available to the Gravure Industry is to participate in “Gravure Day”. Gravure Day is the day gravure professionals visit schools in-person or virtually and participate in an event that spotlights all the segments and job opportunities to students at schools with programs in the full workflow of printing processes. By participating, we ensure the message that “gravure is alive and well.” We want to acknowledge Michelle Fontaine Calkins of Amgraph (at RIT) and Rod Sosa of Fresco-Systems (at WMU) for participating last school year. WMU is having its Gravure Day on November 1 and has asked for virtual speakers. Anyone interested in being a speaker or any school interested in having a “Gravure Day”, email info@gaa.org, subject line “Gravure Day”.
Cylinder Society:
The Cylinder Society has been a way to recognize your colleagues and those who have been influential in the advancement of the gravure process across the industry. Please send your nominations to gaa@aimcal.org, subject line “Cylinder Society” and the Nominee. An application form will be sent to you.
GAA Services, Training and Products:
On-site Training/On-site Consulting:
Will resume as soon as restrictions are lifted. In the interim, we continue to deliver mentored training and consulting, featuring our technical experts, Bob Kikkert and Mike Gaffney. Virtual and hybrid training is also available. Those in need of these services please contact info@gaa.org, subject line “Consultant Services”.
The Gravure Textbook Sale Continues:
We continue to receive orders for the Gravure Process and Technology and for the Gravure Specifications and Tolerances (GST) textbooks, so we decided to extend the half-price sale through the end of the year. Both books are US$50 each plus freight (FOB Greenville, SC) and in addition to English-language versions ,the Process and Technology book is available in Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. Purchase at Shop (aimcal.org)
Gravure Certification:
We are happy to announce that we had two students complete and receive their certificates, and more students started the online training in August. The training consists of lessons, downloads, videos and quizzes. Each student has to pass a quiz that tests what the student learned in each lesson before they can advance to the next lesson. All quizzes and lessons have to be completed before receiving the certification; this ensures students truly earn their certificates.
There are four levels of Certification training available online:
• Level 1 Assistant Certification (suitable for assistants and especially new hires)
• Level 2 Operator Certification (suitable for experienced press operators)
• Level 3 Application Specialist Certification (suitable for non-pressroom personnel and sales)
• Level 4 Master Operator Certification (suitable for press operators with advanced press-room experience)
Information and registration for all four levels of the certification is available at https://gaa.org/services/training/online-gravure-certification-training/. Special Member pricing has been established for the Certifications. For pricing and to register, email info@gaa.org, subject line “Certification”.
Want to be a member:
Anyone interested in having their company become a member of this dynamic association of companies that are promoting the gravure process, please go to: Become a Member | AIMCAL Questions? Contact AIMCAL Member Outreach Director Tim Janes at tim@aimcal.org
The October 2021 GravurExchange will have information from the AIMCAL R2R USA and other news.