Who We Are
What We Do
ANRO provides companies with a range of turnkey graphic communication services, including one to eight-color conventional, six-color digital and variable data printing, package printing, prepress, finishing, direct mail, fulfillment and multichannel marketing campaigns that leverage variable data printed direct mail, PURLs, dynamic email and text messaging.
Press Releases
September, 2006 - ANRO Stays On Top of the Digital Print Marketplace
July, 2006 - ANRO Named to Top 100 Print Manufacturers List
June, 2006 - Communicating With Ink or Bytes? ANRO Has You Covered
May, 2006 - Demand for ANRO’s Mailing Services Prompts Purchase of New Direct Impression Printer
December, 2004 - New Digital Press at ANRO Benefits Direct Marketers
December, 2004 - Strong Demand for ANRO’S Printing Services Prompts Purchase of New Press
July 1, 2003 - ANRO Adds Fifth Direct Impression Printer To Mail Facility
May 16, 2003 - ANRO Expands Dimensional Printing Capabilities
July 11 , 2002 - U.S. Postal Service Partners with ANRO's Direct Mail Facility
March 2, 2002 - Continued Growth is Business as Usual for ANRO Inc.
January 9, 2002 - New Digital Proofing Technology at ANRO is Ideal for Spot Colors
January 9, 2002 - Mailroom Capacity Continues to Expand at ANRO
August 3, 2001 - Third Computer-to-Plate Device Benefits ANRO's Smallest Presses
June 11, 2001 - New Press a Testament to the Success of Digital Printing at ANRO
March 9, 2001 - New DocuTech Boosts Digital Printing Capacity at ANRO
August 14, 2000 - ANRO installs Another Computer-to-Plate Unit and Implements a Prinergy, PDF-based Workflow
April 20, 2000 - Offset and Digital Print Capabilities Expanded at ANRO
June 2, 1999 - ANRO Inc. Enters Package Printing Market
January 26, 1999 - ANRO Inc. Installs a Indigo TurboStream Digital Press
November 3,1998 - ANRO Inc. Installs Heidelberg Signasetter 43" film Imagesetter
September 10, 1998 - ANRO Launches New Internet and Multimedia Services Division
September 3, 1998 - ANRO INC. Installs Trendsetter Computer-to-Plate System
May 1, 1998 - ANRO Expands T-1 Internet Connection
September 1997 - ANRO Names MIS Director
January 1997 - ANRO Appoints Director of Marketing
October 1996 - Rossi's Honored for Crime Prevention Efforts
July 1996 - ANRO Installs 8 Color Heidelberg
August 1995 - ANRO Takes a Bite Out of Crime
ANRO Stays On Top of the Digital Print Marketplace
DEVON, PA – September 18, 2006 - "State-of-the-art" is a phrase often heard when ANRO's digital printing operations are described. The company has long boasted a very sophisticated conventional pressroom, but ANRO's digital printing services have grown to become an industry leading standard as well.
The recent addition of two new HP Indigo digital presses at ANRO is yet another testament to the company's dedication to providing best-in-class printing and communication services to their clients.
ANRO's two new digital presses, both six-color HP Indigo 5000 models, join a third six-color HP Indigo and three Xerox Nuvera presses in the company's digital pressroom. The new presses significantly boost the company's digital printing capacity, enabling ANRO to keep ahead of the growing demand for smaller print runs and one-to-one personalized print collateral.
The HP Indigo 5000 digital presses are equipped with a new proprietary matte coating capability that can be applied in a single pass along with four-color process and corporate (PMS) colors. Matte coating is a unique feature among digital presses, and it can be used to enhance designs with a subtle, tone-on-tone highlight.
THE EVOLUTION OF DIGITAL PRINTING AT ANRO
One of the first commercial printers to fully embrace computers and network production efficiencies, it's been many years since film, razor blades and drafting tables were the tools of choice ANRO used to convert a client's artwork and type into printed materials. Rows of Mac and PC computers, high-resolution scanners, and libraries of software replaced their analog counterparts more than fourteen years ago in the company's prepress operations.
Digital files soon formed the foundation of the company's print production, improving both the efficiency and quality of conventional offset print operations. It didn't take long for ANRO's digital prepress capabilities to gain a reputation for being among the best in the nation.
The adoption of digital printing at ANRO was further facilitated by the company's decades of experience in providing direct mail services, managing addresses and related data for financial and pharmaceutical companies, universities, and other large organizations. Unlike most of its peers, ANRO already possessed the critical data management skills, and experienced programmers and designers needed to successfully manage their clients' digital printing, and especially variable data, printing projects.
VARIABLE DATA PRINTING
Digital presses, because they do not use fixed printing plates like conventional presses, can produce a unique image on every single sheet. The ability to personalize each printed sheet with images and text unique to individual recipients is a key benefit of digital printing. This level of personalization - tailoring content to enhance the relevance for each recipient - is called variable data printing (VDP).
A VDP piece is designed as a template, with each unique component (variable image or text field) identified in a separate database. ANRO's professional support staff assists clients with strategic and design considerations, and then uses graphic design and equipment-specific software to program the links between the design template and database, specifying the relevant content for each sheet of paper being printed on the digital press.
One-to-one marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), and database marketing are a few of the business trends helping to drive the growth of variable data printing. The ability to customize the language and images in printed collateral has been proven to be a very effective communication tool for marketers. The increased relevancy of VDP direct mail pieces, for instance, has been shown to increase response rates by magnitudes of two, four and even more times that of conventionally printed mail pieces with static content.
DIGITAL SERVICES
Today, digital files are delivered to ANRO, manipulated and then output to either conventional offset or digital presses, as best suits the given project. The same data and design framework can also be used to develop and coordinate non-printed communications. These latter, multi-channel marketing services include email, text messaging to cell phones and PDAs, and personalized Internet landing pages (also known as PURLs).
ANRO's many products and services can be accessed and managed by their clients online. This capability ranges from relatively simple single-purpose applications (such as online proofing or ordering business cards) to complex customized ecommerce websites. These websites are developed and hosted by ANRO to meet the specific needs of each client and their projects. Using this capability, organizations can streamline their internal and external processes for managing print collateral, direct mail, inventory, fulfillment, and marketing communication programs.
ANRO CAPABILITIES
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail services that specializes in meeting a broad range of corporate communication needs. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, package printing, black & white digital publishing, up to six-color digital and variable data printing, MICR printing (magnetic barcodes), digital prepress, finishing, direct mail, and inventory and fulfillment programs.
ANRO also offers sophisticated digital communication services that include digital asset management (DAM), integrated Internet services, custom online print management portals, Print-On-Demand programs (POD), and multi-channel / database marketing support for email broadcasting, text messaging to cell phones and PDAs, and personalized websites (PURLs).
ANRO Named to Top 100 Print Manufacturers List.
DEVON, PA – July – Devon commercial printer ANRO Inc. has been named one of the top 100 print manufacturers in the nation by the Document Management Industries Association (DMIA).
In a list published in a recent issue of DMIA’s Print Solutions Magazine, ANRO was ranked 24th in overall sales in DMIA’s substantial member and subscriber based poll of almost twelve thousand commercial printers. ANRO also scored high in two other areas, ranked second in overall sales among commercial printers, and placed as the tenth fastest-growing print manufacturer.
ANRO’s 2005 sales achieved an impressive 18% growth rate over the previous year. When asked about the company’s impressive growth, Larry Wolf, ANRO’s Director of Sales & Marketing, noted, “Double-digit growth isn’t atypical for us. ANRO has seen steady growth in annual sales over the past decade.”
When asked for the secret to ANRO’s success, Mr. Wolf credits dedicated employees, and “continuous investments in new technologies and services which allow us to offer new solutions to meet the needs of our existing clients, and attract new clients who are looking for a single-source provider.”
About ANRO
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail services that specializes in meeting a broad range of corporate communication needs. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, package printing, black & white digital publishing, up to ten-color digital and variable data printing, prepress, finishing, direct mail, inventory and fulfillment programs.
ANRO also offers sophisticated digital communication services that include digital asset management (DAM), integrated Internet services, custom online print management portals, Print-on-Demand programs (PoD), and multi-channel / database marketing support for email broadcasting, text messaging to cell phones and PDAs, and personalized website (PURLs).
Communicating With Ink or Bytes? ANRO Has You Covered.
DEVON, PA – June 27 – Continuing to expand their digital asset management and online print management services, Devon commercial printer ANRO Inc. has launched multi-channel marketing services that include email, text messaging (content sent to cell phones and PDA’s), and personalized web landing pages (PURL’s).
These capabilities are being offered to clients who are looking for better ways to leverage their existing customer data in order to increase both the efficiency and effectiveness of their multi-channel communications and promotional campaigns, and evolve their single-channel campaigns to multiple mediums.
ANRO has a long history of adopting new technologies and adding new services both to improve their core printing capabilities and address their clients’ changing graphic communication needs. In the company’s 53-year history, direct mail, fulfillment, packaging, computer-to-plate workflows, stochastic offset printing, digital and variable data printing, and Internet production workflows are a few such examples. Today, new technologies play an even larger strategic role in ANRO’s ability to provide best-in-class service to their corporate and nonprofit clients.
ANRO was one of the earliest proponents of the benefits of online print management programs (custom web portals) to corporate and nonprofit organizations. Until recently however, available technologies focused almost exclusively on tracking and managing print collateral and direct mail campaigns.
The company’s online print management programs enable customers, distributors, and even end-users to request literature on a website. The request is then translated into an order for personalized printed materials to be produced and possibly mailed.
Using ANRO’s newest digital services, the same data entered online can now be used to generate an email or text-messaged acknowledgement or follow-up offer. Each message is automatically formatted for the Internet browser, email software, type of cell phone, or
PDA device on the receiving end. The message can also include a link to a web page that’s built on the fly and personalized for each individual inquiry.
“The industry lacked good turnkey solutions to take the digital information used to produce personalized printed materials and re-task it to drive content to other communication channels,” states Larry Wolf, Director of Sales and Marketing at ANRO.
“Fortunately that’s changed, and we already had the resources in place to offer these new capabilities to our clients,” he adds. “These newest digital services are a natural extension of ANRO’s expertise in data and graphic digital environments.”
“Now, in addition to managing print, mail and fulfillment programs, we can use the same raw data to help our clients incorporate email, cell phones, PDA’s and websites into their marketing mix.”
Coordinated, multiple exposures to the same message using cross-media marketing have been proven to enhance a message’s effectiveness, recognition and recall, as well as increase response rates by factors of two, four, or even more.
Giving consumers the ability to receive and respond to messages using their preferred channel (mail, website, cell phone, email, etc.), also serves to increase response rates and enhance customer loyalty.
ANRO’s sophisticated digital communication services include integrated Internet services, custom online print management portals, Print-on-Demand programs (POD), and multi-channel/database marketing support for email broadcasting, text messaging to cell phones and PDA’s, personalized websites (PURL’s), and digital asset management (DAM). Other new technologies at ANRO include MICR secure financial printing (magnetic coding for checks), greatly expanded digital storage space, and additional conventional offset and digital printing equipment.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service print communications company. Their comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, package printing, black & white digital publishing, color digital and variable data printing, prepress, finishing, direct mail, inventory and fulfillment programs.
Growing Demand for ANRO’s Mailing Services Prompts Purchase of New Direct Impression Printer
DEVON, PA USA - In response to growing demand from their corporate and nonprofit clients, ANRO Inc. has expanded their direct mail production with the addition of an MCS Graphic Imaging System 4250 to their mail facility. The MCS 4250’s continuous ink delivery system and advanced software represent the latest technology in direct impression printing.
Continuous Ink Delivery System
ANRO’s MCS 4250 is equipped with a continuous ink delivery system. Each print head is fed by multiple ink storage compartments, which combined can hold over 70 times more ink than cartridges used in previous models (3 liters versus 42 milliliters). In addition to greater ink storage capacity, the MCS 4250 is programmed to automatically switch to a different cartridge when the first gets low on ink. This eliminates the need for frequent stops during a production run to replace ink cartridges.
The equipment typically used in direct mail operations lacks continuous ink delivery, requiring cartridges to be changed every 20,000 to 50,000 pieces. The MCS 4250 can process as many as three million pieces before all of its cartridges are expended and need to be replaced.
The MCS 4250 is also equipped with a self-cleaning mechanism, which eliminates additional time needed to clean the print heads both during and between production runs.
“Continuous ink delivery is the most advanced technology in direct impression printers,” says Mark DiLucca, ANRO’s Director of Mail Services. “In addition to the MCS, we are in the process of testing a continuous ink system on another of our direct impression printers. If that goes as expected, we plan to install continuous ink delivery systems on all of our inkjet devices.”
The advanced technology in ANRO’s new equipment enhances the efficiency of the addressing process, as well as enabling the company to accommodate much tighter turnaround times. Increased automation, reduced requirement for operator intervention, and less machine downtime translate to lower operational costs. These savings are passed along to ANRO’s clients.
ANRO’s other direct impression devices include two VideoJet 5010 PrintMail systems, a VideoJet WideArray printer, and the MailQuip Image Pro Stealth printer.
Advanced Software
The MCS software is the most advanced technology available in direct impression printers. Many of its features are usually only found in laser imaging systems. Using this advanced software, the MCS 4250 can print up to 10,000 conditional bitmap images in resolutions up to 600 dpi (dots per inch). It can also rotate images, apply paragraph formatting and print advanced barcodes.
With these capabilities, ANRO can print aesthetically pleasing address fields that are much more attractive than traditional direct impression labels, offering ANRO’s customers greater flexibility in their addressing options. ANRO’s clients can be confident that their direct mail will be delivered looking professional and well-designed, inside and out.
The MCS 4250 can print up to 25,000 pieces per hour, depending on the type of mail and the complexity of the printed image. It can handle mail pieces up 13 inches wide, with a maximum print area of 4 ¼ inches.
About ANRO
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail services that specializes in meeting a broad range of corporate communication needs. The company’s comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, package printing, black & white digital publishing, up to ten-color digital and variable data printing, prepress, finishing, direct mail, inventory and fulfillment programs.
ANRO also offers sophisticated digital communication services that include digital asset management (DAM), integrated Internet services, custom online print management portals, Print-on-Demand programs (PoD), and multi-channel / database marketing support for email broadcasting, text messaging to cell phones and PDAs, and personalized website (PURLs).
New
Digital Press at ANRO Benefits Direct Marketers
DEVON, PA USA - To see technology’s impact on the commercial printing industry one need look no further than the pressrooms of commercial printer, ANRO Inc.
The most recent example of cutting-edge technology here is the company’s ten-color web-fed digital press, the centerpiece of ANRO’s newly renovated digital pressroom. ANRO’s new ten-color web-fed digital press is the only press like it east of the Mississippi, and one of only four in the entire country.
Long a regional leader in conventional sheetfed printing, ANRO has also taken the lead in providing their clients with the versatility and efficiencies digital printing imparts to the appropriate projects, notably personalized printing.
The primary benefit of ANRO’s HP Indigo w3200 is the ability to efficiently produce high volume personalized printing. Like ANRO’s other digital presses, the HP Indigo w3200 is equipped with variable data printing (VDP) capabilities. Using VDP, individual pieces within a print run can be customized with different images and text, greatly enhancing the relevance for each recipient. This capability is exclusive to high-end digital presses, and is one of the most exciting new technologies in print communications.
VDP enables marketers to design print collateral that communicates one-to-one with their audience. This is done by pairing a database of recipient names, relevant text, and images with a design template that is merged on the fly during the printing process.
Designing VDP materials is relatively simple from a client’s perspective, but it does require sophisticated programming expertise and equipment from commercial printers.
“VDP is much more than personalization of names and addresses; pictures, phrases, entire paragraphs, coupons, promotional offers, as much as 100% of the design and copy can be tailored to each individual recipient,” states Larry Wolf, ANRO’s Director of Sales and Marketing.
“Consumers are inundated with thousands of pieces of direct mail every year. To get their message across, it’s more important than ever for direct mail marketers to reach their audience on a personal and relevant level.”
Industry sources abound with case studies of direct mail campaigns that have used VDP to achieve response rates that are eight or more times higher than the results from previous campaigns using conventional static designs.
“Our clients in the financial, pharmaceutical, educational, and retail industries - to name a few - who’ve taken advantage of ANRO’s VDP capabilities have been very impressed with the results they’ve seen firsthand,” Mr. Wolf confirms.
The web-fed technology (paper is fed from a continuous roll instead of cut sheets) and perfecting capabilities of the HP Indigo w3200 make it the most efficient solution on the market for large runs of personalized mailers and other marketing collateral. This opens up new opportunities for one-to-one marketing campaigns, versioned collateral, and print-on-demand literature fulfillment programs, all of which can be coordinated through ANRO’s online custom print management programs.
ANRO’s HP Indigo w3200 digital press can print up to ten colors in a single pass, providing for a wider color gamut overall, as well as the capability to print 5-over-5 (four-color process plus a spot color on each side). Printing both sides in a single pass is not only more efficient, but coupled with HP Indigo’s one-shot technology, guarantees both sides of a printed piece will be in perfect registration.
Like all HP Indigo presses, the w3200 uses liquid ink and is equipped with enhanced ink adhesion technology that together produce a printed quality that rivals conventional offset printing. The w3200 press also prints on a wide range of substrates, including the lighter weight papers commonly used for direct mail.
In terms of VDP capabilities, ANRO is the recognized leader in the Mid-Atlantic market. The company’s equipment and experience - including programming and production design expertise - is unmatched in the region. Partnerships with Hewlett Packard and Adobe Systems Inc., SAP enterprise software, and custom online print management programs also play important roles in ANRO’s ability to provide clients with cutting edge graphic communication solutions.
ANRO Inc. provides turnkey conventional sheetfed and digital print, mail, and related services to Fortune 1000 corporations and other organizations. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, stochastic printing, dimensional and package printing, black & white and up to ten-color digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment, custom online tools, and integrated print management programs.
Strong
Demand for ANRO’S Printing Services Prompts Purchase of
New Press
DEVON, PA USA - Employees at ANRO Inc.’s Chester County commercial printing plant are pleased to see no hint of a slowdown in the steady pace of the many presses running there.
“Many in our industry have not been so fortunate. Hit first by the economic downturn, many printers delayed or were simply unable to make investments in their business, only to find themselves after just a few years to be competitively challenged by the rapid innovations in technology and service” states Chief Financial Officer, David Spinelli.
“ANRO’s new 41-inch four-color KBA Rapida 105 offset press is one of an ongoing parade of investments in equipment, technologies, and people that hasn’t slowed in the past ten years” Mr. Spinelli adds.
This large piece of equipment is as much an investment in the future, however, as it is a testimony to the strength of demand today for conventional offset printing at ANRO. Although the company has made, and will continue to make significant investments in digital printing technologies, the quality and efficiencies of conventional printing will continue to dominate the market for some time.
The new KBA Rapida 105 sheetfed press adds to ANRO’s already extensive capacity for conventional sheetfed printing, and further extends the company’s package and dimensional printing capabilities. The press comes equipped with inline perfecting, an inline coating tower, and the ability to handle package-grade substrates.
The 41” KBA joins ANRO’s already well-equipped large-format pressroom, which until now has been exclusively Heidelberg. The company selected the KBA Rapida 105 in large part for its versatility. ANRO General Manager Jim Spinelli states, “KBA is known for the flexibility and versatility of their presses. The Rapida 105 is a good example, giving us both perfecting capabilities and the additional package printing capacity our customers need, all in one press. This is important, both in terms of space considerations and return on investment.”
The KBA is equipped with several enhancements that make it well suited for package printing, including the ability to accommodate up to 40-point board, which is more than sufficient for a variety of packaging requirements. Additionally, the automatic coordination and calibration of feeder-end processes makes it easy to transition between the heavier stocks used in package printing and the lighter-weight stocks used to print brochures, business cards, and other materials. This feature provides enhanced versatility without an increase in make-ready times.
The KBA is ANRO’s third press equipped to handle package stocks, joining a 5-color and a 6-color Heidelberg. Large-format proofing systems and state-of-the-art design and prototyping software and equipment, including computer-aided design (CAD), round out ANRO’s full-service dimensional and package printing capabilities.
In addition to package printing, the new press is equipped with an inline aqueous coating tower, enabling a protective clear covering, such as a gloss highlight or satin matte finish, to be applied on press to each press sheet after the other inks have been laid down. An extended delivery feature provides enough time for the other inks to dry before the coating is applied, without slowing the press’ impressive operating speed of 18,000 sheets per hour.
“Clients are also impressed with the professional look of their marketing materials achieved by the inline application of aqueous coating. The KBA gives us additional capacity for this service, so we can continue to meet growing demand,” states Jim Spinelli.
Another important feature of the KBA Rapida 105 is its perfecting capability. The KBA can print both sides of a press sheet in a single pass, providing the flexibility to print a variety of ink combinations, such as 2 over 2 colors, or 4 colors on one side, all with the option of an inline aqueous coating.
Printing both sides in a single pass not only provides increased efficiencies, it also guarantees perfect front-to-back registration. The KBA is equipped with several features to ensure precise sheet alignment and consistency, including the ability to make feeder-end adjustments from the console. These features not only increase registration accuracy, but they also make adjustments easier and less time-consuming, resulting in reduced make-ready times, faster runs, and more efficient operations overall.
ANRO Adds Fifth Direct Impression Printer
To Mail Facility
DEVON, PA USA – ANRO recently added a VideoJet PrintMail WideArray direct impression printer to its mail facility.
The WideArray system is ANRO's fifth direct impression printer, joining a VideoJet Cheshire 7000, a Rena 610, and two other VideoJet PrintMail systems. Like ANRO's other PrintMail systems, the WideArray system provides addressing flexibility, with the ability to print TrueType fonts, up to six different colors, and graphics with resolutions of up to 600 dpi (dots per inch). The WideArray can print up to 28,000 pieces per hour, depending on the size and shape of the mailing piece and the complexity of the graphics.
The new system was added both to increase overall mailing capacity, and to meet the demand of customers whose mailing pieces require data synchronization. Data synchronization occurs when there are multiple fields of information associated to one record within a mailing database. All fields within the record correlate to each other, so it is important that the fields remain linked together throughout the addressing process. The WideArray system achieves this by synchronizing data at the PC level. Each record is sent from the PC to the printer as one single image, so the fields within it cannot become separated.
This feature provides a specific advantage to customers whose mailing pieces contain more than one image area. If there are two or more image areas on each piece of mail (for example, the address area would count as one image area and a response code printed somewhere else on the piece would be a second), the data fields are sent to the printer independent of each other. If one of the fields is missed on one piece, all subsequent pieces will not match. "WideArray provides an additional benefit to our customers by providing greater accuracy on mailings where multiple data fields must correlate to each other," states Mark DiLucca, ANRO's Director of Mailing Services.
In addition to correlating data fields, WideArray also has conditional bitmapping capabilities. Conditional bitmapping works by linking selected fields within a data record with designated bitmap images. For example, if a customer has more than one location, they may want to personalize each mail piece with an image appropriate to the recipient's geographic region. To do this, each zip code within the database would be linked to a specified bitmap image. The data record and bitmap image would then be synchronized at the PC level and sent to the printer as one single image. Conditional bitmapping enables customers to add another level of personalization to their mailings, while still ensuring data accuracy.
ANRO Inc. provides turnkey print, mail, and related services to corporations and other organizations. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, dimensional and package printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment, Internet development, custom online tools, and integrated print management services.
ANRO Expands Dimensional Printing Capabilities
DEVON, PA USA - Design and prototyping equipment, software, and additional printing capabilities have been added to ANRO's dimensional and package printing services.
These new services build upon the company's success in the production and marketing of printing on paperboard and other heavier stocks common to dimensional and packaging needs. Printing presses with inline aqueous coaters and special large capacity cylinders were installed several years ago, enabling ANRO to pursue this unique niche.
"The recent addition of computer-aided design (CAD) equipment and software to produce three-dimensional prototypes of new boxes, point of purchase (POP) displays, and other dimensional pieces, as they're known in the industry, was the next logical step for our company and clients," states Stan Golas, ANRO's package design consultant.
Physical samples, or prototypes, of dimensional pieces produced by ANRO allow clients to fully assess the viability of any given design. The ability to view and handle physical samples of a proposed package or other dimensional piece adds flexibility and removes much of the risk inherent in the design development stage. Prototypes can be examined and even used in trial applications to confirm their functionality and structural integrity before committing to production volumes. This is considerably more cost effective than the alternative of producing trial runs, which incur the same significant setup costs as full production runs.
In addition to prototype samples, ANRO can also provide software and sample files that enable clients to view three-dimensional images of a proposed package design - complete with graphics - on their own computers. Using these electronic foldup dummies, designers can see what the piece will look like from any angle and at any stage of assembly - from a flat die-cut template to a completely converted piece, and any stage in between. ANRO's customers have found this to be both a cost-effective and convenient solution for their internal design process needs.
Mr. Golas' extensive experience in the print and dimensional industries is particularly helpful for clients navigating the complex design requirements associated with dimensional print pieces. "We can provide clients with standard design templates, adapt those templates for their unique needs, or develop completely new templates as appropriate."
"We noticed that many of the layouts we were being given, particularly those requiring die cutting or some type of conversion, were often incorrectly designed. As a result, we needed to modify, and at times, completely redesign the graphics to accommodate the requisite changes."
"By encouraging customers to involve us early in the concept and design stages," Mr. Golas continues, "we were able to successfully reduced the time and expense required to develop new dimensional pieces."
"We found our new physical and electronic prototyping tools to be particularly useful to our clients during these initial design stages." Mr. Golas elaborates, "Once a design has been refined and approved, we forward the completed electronic template to the designer, and they simply place their graphics on the appropriate panels."
Both the physical prototyping and computer-generated imaging capabilities were added in response to the needs of the company's dimensional print clients. Chief Financial Officer, Dave Spinelli states, "The expansion of ANRO's dimensional printing capabilities is one more example of our ability to leverage and expand our existing services to help simplify the jobs of our clients."
Mr. Spinelli continues, "ANRO has continued to grow, despite the economic conditions of the past few years, in part by holding fast to our policy of finding and implementing new value-added technologies and capabilities."
ANRO Inc. provides turnkey print, mail, and related services to corporations and other organizations. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, dimensional and package printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment, Internet development, custom online tools, and integrated print management services.
U.S. Postal Service Partners with ANRO's Direct Mail Facility
DEVON, PA USA - The direct mail operation of ANRO Inc., a Chester County based commercial printer, has qualified for the placement of a U.S. Postal Service plant-load office within the company's direct mail facility.
Staffed by a postal employee, this arrangement streamlines the distribution of ANRO's large volume of direct mail by prescreening it at the company's own facilities.
The awarding of plant load privileges, as it's officially known, provides ANRO with the on-site expertise of an experienced USPS employee. Augmenting the company's extensive direct mail experience, this individual is able to provide additional insight into postal regulations and protocols, including their impact on specific mail campaigns.
"This immediate feedback is very useful in providing design recommendations to our clients, and improving classification and distribution strategies," states Mark DiLucca, Director of Mailing Services for ANRO.
Mr. DiLucca continues, "The most significant feature of the plant load status for ANRO is the ability to have our bulk mailings inspected and approved before they leave our plant. As a result, our mail avoids the screening bottleneck at the regional distribution centers."
Bob Festa, USPS Mailing Standards Specialist, confirms the company's mail moves quickly through the system thanks to the plant load privileges, stating, "ANRO drivers don't get queued-up behind other trucks, and once ANRO's mail is dropped off, it's on the first truck out of the distribution center. It can mean the difference between catching a truck out the same day, versus the next morning."
The thirty-five year veteran, Mr. Festa, is careful to note "Plant load privileges aren't granted unless there are benefits for the Postal Service. The volume of mail handled by ANRO, their location, and track record working with us make this arrangement more efficient and cost effective for us as well."
Another advantage of onsite approval is the flexibility it provides ANRO in distributing bulk mail. The company can presort and deliver mail directly to the regional distribution center closest to the individual delivery addresses. For large mail campaigns, the resulting reduction in postage rates can easily offset the additional shipping costs incurred.
"Some of our customers have already realized significant savings from this strategy," states Mr. DiLucca. "Known as plant verified drop shipments, this capability provides ANRO with greater control over the timing of bulk mail deliveries as well, a factor of considerable importance to many direct marketers."
ANRO is a member of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Postal Council, the Mailing and Fulfillment Service Association, and a U.S. Postal Service Business Partner. Headquartered in Devon, Pennsylvania, ANRO Inc. provides turnkey print, mail, and related services to corporations and other organizations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment, Internet development, custom online tools, and integrated print management services.
A New Addition to ANRO’s Bindery
DEVON, PA
USA - ANRO
recently added a Standard Horizon Collating/Bookletmaking system
to our bindery department, enhancing our capabilities for providing
personalized and
print-on-demand services. This system combines collating, binding
and face trimming into one semi-automated operation, providing
higher accuracy for jobs containing personalized elements. The
system is a series of four components set up to perform one
inline operation. The first component is a SpeedVAC-100 vacuum
feed tower, which features a rotary vacuum-pulse feeding system
and 10 collating stations. The tower is also equipped with eight
sets of feed error monitors, which automatically stop the machine
if a sheet is missing, double-fed, etc. Any errors are then
displayed on the machine’s easy-to-use programming screen,
allowing for fast diagnosis and correction of the problem.
This feature is especially important for variable data jobs, since one misfed personalized piece could cause all succeeding sets to be collated incorrectly.
The next component of the system, a ST-40 Inline Stacker, enhances accuracy even further with its own sensitive error rejection system. Another benefit of having this component inline is that, at the touch of a button, the operator can switch between jobs that require stacking only or jobs that require further finishing operations. Either operation can be performed as a single continuous process.
Once the sets are collated, they go to the SPF-20 Stitcher/Folder, where they are folded once and saddle-stitched into booklets. The SPF-20 is equipped with two Hohner stitching heads that move in tandem, allowing for more accurate positioning of the staples.
In the final step of the process, the booklets (which need to have already been trimmed to finished height before the whole operation begins) are cut to finished width in the FC-20 Face Trimmer. Equipped with a self-sharpening shear-action scissor system, the FC-20 can cut up to 48 sheets of 50 lb. offset paper.
The greatest benefit of the Standard Horizon system lies in its accuracy. With a collating/binding rate of 3,600 pieces per hour, this system is not as fast as some of ANRO's other binding equipment. However, the accuracy that results from the system's sensitivity to errors, coupled with the fact that pieces are collated, bound, and trimmed in a single operation, make it perfectly suited for variable data projects. Because individual pieces are personalized when printed, great care must be taken to make sure that all pieces “match-up” correctly during the finishing process. The Standard Horizon’s continuous operation and sensitivity to errors allow us to complete these types of jobs accurately and efficiently for our customers.
Continued Growth is Business as Usual for ANRO Inc.
DEVON, PA USA - Local print powerhouse adds equipment and technology to keep ahead of demand for their services.
Suburban Philadelphia based commercial printer ANRO Inc. continues to add new equipment and capabilities as their business grows. The arrival of another large offset Heidelberg press in the company's Devon plant is the most recent dramatic example.
Equipped with an inline aqueous coater and the ability to print on package stocks, this is the company's second large Heidelberg press with these capabilities. ANRO's five-color press also boasts the same extended delivery feature installed on the company's large six-color press. This option allows the matte or gloss finish applied by the aqueous coating unit of the press time to dry without slowing its impressive operating speed of fifteen thousand forty-inch sheets per hour.
"Our large six-color, ANRO's first press with an inline coating tower, has been kept busy by clients who saw the enhanced professional look that our aqueous coating lent to their marketing pieces and other print collateral," notes Larry Wolf, Marketing Director for ANRO.
"This feature is made all the more attractive since we translate the efficiency of the inline coating process to a competitive value for our customers. The resulting popularity we've witnessed with this process is responsible for our acquisition of a second large Heidelberg press with an inline coater," Mr. Wolf points out.
Whether
it’s the delivery of another industrial-sized piece of
pressroom equipment, new inserters and cutters in the bindery,
behind the scenes workflow software, or print management Internet
interfaces, there's no shortage of customer driven investments
at ANRO.
"Despite the less than favorable recent economic conditions,
and industry trends to the contrary, we've been very fortunate
in our ability to gain new business and clients," states
Chief Financial Officer, David Spinelli.
"Our strategy of investing in new equipment, technologies and skills allows us to continually improve existing operations and offer new services of value to our clients. The resulting growth is used to fund additional capital investments so it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle," Mr. Spinelli finishes.
The newest addition, the Heidelberg CD Speedmaster 102-5+L, brings the total to seven Heidelberg presses in ANRO's pressroom. Heidelberg is widely regarded as manufacturers of the highest quality offset presses in the industry. ANRO's pressrooms include large and small offset presses, a variety of high-speed black and white digital publishing systems, and a six-color digital press.
New Digital Proofing Technology at ANRO
is Ideal for Spot Colors
The Kodak Approval XP4 proofing system is another recent advancement in prepress technology in place and at work at ANRO.
The new halftone proofing system's ability to output spot colors provides the missing piece to ANRO's digital proofing environment. Using the Approval XP4 system, both process and spot colors are reproduced in halftones, the same dot pattern used on press.
As chief operating officer Jim Spinelli points out, "This capability is a significant advancement over the industry's previous digital solution using inkjet, continuous tone proofing systems. This enables printers, for the first time, to provide accurate digital proofs of spot colors."
"In addition to better accuracy," he continues, "the Approval XP4 system reproduces a much wider spectrum of colors, including metallic inks. Technology has finally advanced to the point that ANRO can offer prepress proofing solutions to match the comprehensive capabilities of our pressroom."
The Kodak Approval compliments ANRO's existing proofing systems, which include a Creo Trendsetter Spectrum, large and small format Hewlett Packard imposition printers, a variety of color and black and white lasers, and online proofing alternatives.
Proofs produced on ANRO's Kodak Approval XP4 and the company's other digital halftone proofing system, the Creo Trendsetter Spectrum, are generated from the same
RIP (a device specific digital file translation), use Kodak consumable materials, and are driven by the same state-of-the-art PDF workflow solution, CreoScitex's Prinergy.
Both of the company's industry-leading proofing systems offer specific advantages to ANRO's proofing environment. The new XP4 provides accurate spot colors and has an edge in both speed and cost for many jobs. The company's Trendsetter Spectrum holds the advantage in large format (four or eight-up) proofs, and provides the additional flexibility of stochastic screening and plate production capabilities.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of mail, fulfillment and Internet services. The company’s comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment and Internet development, programming and commercial hosting.
Mailroom Capacity Continues to Expand at ANRO
ANRO recently added a fourth high-speed direct impression printer to their mail facility, expanding their capacity and inline addressing and sealing capabilities.
The Marconi Data Systems 5010 Printmail System compliments ANRO's existing arsenal of high-speed direct impression printers, which includes another Marconi Data Systems 5010, Rena-DA 610, and VideoJet Cheshire 7000 printers. This equipment eliminates the need to print and affix separate labels, saving time, labor and associated costs.
ANRO's newest direct impression printer processes up to 22,000 pieces per hour, depending on the type of mail and complexity of the printed image. The Marconi Data Systems 5010 will handle mail pieces in sizes up to 17" x 16.5", and can reproduce graphic images up to three inches in height.
Configured to run from the Windows operating system, the Marconi Data Systems 5010 is simple to operate and comes equipped with integrated list management capabilities. The latter feature enables the extraction and printing of specific records in a mailing list, which eliminates the need to transfer files to and from a personal computer whenever records require editing.
An inline
tabber that can apply either wafer seals or postage stamps is
an added feature of the new machine. This built-in tabbing capability
eliminates the need for the pieces of mail to go through a separate
machine to be sealed or stamped, also saving time and labor.
In addition to improved efficiency, the Marconi Data Systems
5010 provides addressing flexibility, including the ability
to print TrueType fonts, up to six different colors, and graphics
in resolutions up to 600 dpi (dots per inch). The results are
aesthetically pleasing address fields that are much more attractive
than traditional direct impression labels.
As Mark DiLucca, ANRO's Director of Mail Services, states, "Recipients are more likely to open the mail they receive if the package is appealing, which includes the address label on the envelope. Direct mail is an important promotional tool for our clients, and this is one way we assist them in improving the response rates for their mailings."
Mark concludes, "The Marconi 5010 is a great addition to our mailroom operation. Despite recent national events, we continue to see demand increasing for our mailing services, and this machine will help keep us ahead of the curve."
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of mail, fulfillment and Internet services. The company’s comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment and Internet development, programming and commercial hosting.
Third Computer-to-Plate Device Benefits
ANRO's Smallest Presses
DEVON, PA (August 3, 2001) ANRO's installation of a third computer-to-plate (CTP) device extends the advantages of film-less technology to all of the company's offset presses. The new Heidelberg Primesetter 74 platemaker with an integrated Carnfeldt processor produces polyester printing plates ideally suited for ANRO's smallest offset presses.
"Our first two CTP devices were put in place to make plates and halftone proofs for jobs that were destined for our larger Heidelberg offset presses," states ANRO prepress technician, John Cox [pictured with the new Primesetter]. "The advantages of better efficiency and increased capacity were quickly realized, making the addition of a CTP platemaker for our smaller presses a relatively easy decision."
The Primesetter is ANRO's third CTP device. As such, it produces plates directly from a computer file, eliminating the intermediary step of generating film. The resulting reduction in material costs coupled with laborsaving automation conserves both time and money in the print production process.
Quality is also enhanced because a first-generation dot is placed on the plate, rather than the conventional process of copying an image from film onto the plate. As a result, registration and dot geometry on each plate and on the final printed piece is noticeably improved.
ANRO's Primesetter will be used to produce polyester plates for the company's Heidelberg Quickmasters and other small presses. The new machine is formatted to accommodate the smaller plates required by these presses.
Polyester
plates produced by the Primesetter are less costly than traditional
aluminum plates, but equally effective in reproducing images
on press. Consequently, ANRO clients receive the best of both
worlds - quality printing in an economical environment.
ANRO's Primesetter is equipped with a Carnfeldt EG processor.
This, the largest physical portion of the system, integrates
the image development step to fully automate plate production.
The Primesetter is just one more example of cutting edge technology
at ANRO. The company employs a policy of continual evaluation
and investment in new technology - adopting the best tools available
to deliver the best results possible.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail and related graphic services. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, package printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, sophisticated prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment, and web development and programming.
New
Press a Testament to the Success of
Digital Printing at ANRO
DEVON, PA (June 11, 2001) Growing demand for printed materials that can be targeted to small, well-defined audiences prompted the installation of a new six-color digital press at ANRO Inc.
With a speed twice that of its predecessor, ANRO's Indigo UltraStream digital press gives a significant boost to the company's digital printing capacity. Its speed, variable data capability, and a quality unmatched by any other digital press made the UltraStream an obvious choice for ANRO.
"During the past several years, we've seen a steady increase in demand for our digital printing services," notes general manager Jim Spinelli. "Our first Indigo press was kept busy as more customers saw it was possible to print quality color pieces in smaller quantities than would be economical on conventional presses. When we saw the UltraStream, we realized we were looking at the solution to our approaching need for more capacity."
The UltraStream represents best of class in digital print color. Most color digital presses rely on an outdated toner-based technology (with results comparable to office copiers). The Indigo UltraStream uses liquid inks that enhance color reproduction and form a much more durable finish. An offset process unique to digital printing and six-color capability also contributes to the UltraStream's superior quality. The latter enables jobs to be printed in four-color process plus two spot colors in a single pass.
Producing large screens and solid colors without banding is difficult at best for other digital presses. The demonstrated ability of the UltraStream to handle both was a pleasant surprise for ANRO pressman Steve McNamee. "I wouldn't have believed that there was as noticeable a difference in quality from the previous press, if I hadn't seen it for myself," Steve comments.
Until recently, the expense of small print runs in process color prevented many companies from extending their niche marketing strategies to their printed materials. Smaller print runs translate to higher costs per piece because setup costs, such as printing plates and labor, must be allocated over a smaller number of finished pieces.
Digital presses, by virtue of their ability to print directly from a computer file, eliminate many of the setup costs associated with conventional offset presses. As a result, digital presses can print smaller quantities economically, making them the ideal tool for niche marketing.
Equipped with variable data printing capability, ANRO's UltraStream can deliver the ultimate in niche marketing, one-to-one personalization. Variable data printing is a specialty within digital printing that enables different images and text to be placed within otherwise identical documents.
For instance, companies can design a mailer to include the name and address of the recipient, pictures of products related to a previous purchase, and personalized messages including special offers or coupons. Even though thousands of these mailers may be printed in a single run, each one will be different.
In addition to a state-of-the-art color digital press, clients benefit from ANRO's experienced staff. As early entrants to the market, their prepress professionals and press operators are much further along the learning curve than most commercial printers. This expertise is evident in the quality and efficiency of ANRO's color digital printing.
ANRO's capabilities include both digital printing (color and high-speed black and white) and conventional offset printing. The company's conventional offset presses include large five-, six, and eight-color networked Heidelberg presses and a pool of smaller two-color presses. Regardless of an organization's commercial print needs - small or large runs, color or black and white - the right press for the job is at ANRO.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail and related graphic services. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, package printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, sophisticated prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment, and web development and programming.
New
DocuTech Boosts Digital Printing Capacity at ANRO
DEVON, PA (March 9, 2001) ANRO Inc. increased their digital printing capacity with the addition of a Xerox DocuTech 6180 network publishing system.
The new DocuTech augments the company's high-speed black and white digital printing solutions, which include another Xerox DocuTech publishing system and a T/R MicroPress networked printer array. ANRO also provides commercial offset and color digital printing.
At 180 pages per minute, the new DocuTech is 33% faster than its predecessor. The maximum sheet size is also slightly larger at 14.3" x 17". Both of the company's DocuTechs boast a resolution of 600 dpi (dots per inch). ANRO's most recent model goes a step further using Xerox's ImageSense technology to enhance halftone and fine line reproduction.
Marketing Director Larry Wolf points out "Although document scanning and reproduction are part of their capabilities, the DocuTechs are much more than enormous copiers. Documents can be manipulated and produced directly from computer. The printing is done at speeds and quantities beyond the reach of their tiny cousins, with a resulting quality that's also superior."
Using the machine's technology, and the expertise of the company's prepress department, improvements can be made to photos and other graphics by adjusting darkness and contrast, sharpening or softening an image, and adding halftone screens. Subtle designs are accommodated as more than four thousand shades of gray can be printed.
ANRO's DocuTechs also provide automated in-line production using
multiple papers, and stitching and tape binding options. Model
6180's integrated interposer and multiple trays enable the use
of up to five different papers in a single production run. By
taking advantage of ANRO's color digital or offset printing
capabilities, color covers can be combined with black and white
text to inexpensively produce professional, visually appealing
publications.
The equipment's software accepts a wide variety of formats, including PDF (portable document format), the industry-leading workflow standard adopted by ANRO. The DocuTech 6180 is also equipped with DigiPath integrated electronic submission, scanning, and make-ready software.
Information Technology Director Paul DeSantis comments, "DigiPath provides us with the flexibility of ripping [assembling and translating] files in prepress or on the front-end of the equipment itself, according to the needs of each project. It's just one more demonstration of having the best solution for a wide range of print needs in house, at ANRO."
One-to-one personalized documents can be created by combining data files, such as a simple spreadsheet file, with a letter or other document template. In this manner, individual sheets printed within one large continuous production run can contain unique pictures and text, each targeted to an individual recipient. This capability is known as variable data printing. All of ANRO's digital printing equipment, both color and black and white, are equipped with this capability.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider
of direct mail, Internet and multimedia services. The company's
comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color
conventional offset printing, package printing, black &
white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing,
sophisticated prepress services, in-house finishing, direct
mail and fulfillment, survey scanning, Web development, programming
and commercial Internet hosting.
ANRO installs Another Computer-to-Plate Unit and Implements
a Prinergy, PDF-based Workflow
DEVON, PA USA (August 14, 2000) ANRO is pleased to announce the installation of its second Creo Trendsetter™ computer-to-plate (CTP) device and the implementation of a Prinergy™ workflow.
Computer-to-Plate technology enables commercial printers to produce plates directly from a digital file, eliminating the time and costs associated with film production. CTP technology also enhances quality by placing a first-generation image on the plate (rather than reproducing the image on film and then again on plate), and through the use of a tighter, more controlled "dot" (the base unit of a halftone).
As Paul DeSantis, Director of Information Technology, points out, "With the installation of ANRO's second Creo Trendsetter, we've increased both plate making capacity and workflow flexibility, while significantly enhancing proofing technology. Proofing is enhanced thanks to our ability to use the second Trendsetter's Spectrum option to generate proofs of the plates produced on the first unit. As both units are identically configured and driven by the same RIP (a computer translation of the digital image files), the proofs produced are the most accurate available, second only to an actual press check."
As an additional benefit, the second Creo unit is equipped with the ability to reproduce images on plates using stochastic screening. Stochastic printing closely approximates continuous tone (photographic) images by applying a variable dot rosette pattern rather than the standard fixed dot to the printing plate. The subsequent improvement in reproduction accuracy is driving an increased interest in this process.
At the same time the additional computer-to-plate unit is being installed, ANRO is implementing a Prinergy workflow and upgrading related hardware and software systems. Prinergy is a scalable PDF-based workflow management system that organizes prepress activities, managing and automating such tasks as file optimization, trapping, proofing, imposition, film and plate making, and archiving. The underlying database intelligently stores job status and history, linking any errors to specific job elements and provides an ideal environment for ANRO's team of prepress professionals to process incoming data files for output onto a range of imaging devices.
As explained by Kevin George, Prepress Manager, "Our new workflow improves productivity, streamlining a variety of operations. The portability of documents using a PDF workflow simplifies both internal and client communications and other front-end tasks currently performed by both groups."
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail, Internet and multimedia services. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color conventional offset printing, package printing, black & white and up to six-color digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services, in-house finishing, direct mail and fulfillment, survey scanning, Web development, programming and commercial Internet hosting.
Offset
and Digital Print Capabilities Expanded at ANRO
DEVON, PA USA (April 20, 2000) Two new additions bolster ANRO's
existing print operations, helping to ensure the company's position
as the premier provider of conventional offset and digital printing
in the region.
Recent installations at ANRO demonstrate the company's ongoing
commitment to enhance their conventional offset and digital
printing capabilities. Offset capabilities are boosted with
the addition of a Heidelberg Speedmaster SM52 Six-Color Perfector
press. The company's digital printing capabilities are likewise
expanded with the installation of T/R MicroPress Print System.
The newest Heidelberg press at ANRO is a six-color 20.5" format
press with perfecting capabilities, enabling both sides of a
press sheet to be printed in a single pass. The press is an
excellent tool for producing quality smaller format print needs,
including envelopes of all sizes, and other direct mail pieces.
"There's no doubt that Heidelberg makes the best offset presses
available," states general manager Jim Spinelli. "Their presses
typically sport new refinements and enhancements, making it
easier to consistently produce quality jobs. Like us, they're
always striving to improve. But even I was amazed at how quickly
we were able to produce production-quality images from our newest
six-color."
ANRO's most recent digital printing equipment, a T/R MicroPress
Print System, is comprised of a print server with dual Pentium
500 processors, and five high-end Minolta and Hewlett Packard
networked postscript laser printers. This black & white digital
print solution includes variable data capabilities for producing
personalized letters and other documents. Designed for maximum
scalability and flexibility, this system can process a single
job and deliver it to each of the five output devices simultaneously
for optimal turnaround, or handle a variety of jobs at once
according to the workflow needs.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider
of direct mail, Internet and multimedia services. The company's
comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color
conventional offset printing, black & white and up to six-color
digital and variable data printing, digital prepress services,
in-house finishing, DocuTech publishing, direct mail and fulfillment,
survey scanning, and Web development, programming and commercial
hosting.
ANRO Inc. Enters Package Printing Market
ANRO Inc., a Devon, PA based printer, adds package printing to their broad range of graphic services and expands their traditional printing capacity with the recent installation of two new presses.
DEVON, PA (June 2, 1999): ANRO's newest large format press, fully equipped with package stock capability, six ink stations, and an inline coating unit, can produce process color plus two additional spot colors and a coating in a single pass. Also at this time, a new two-color press has been added to the company's already extensive list of operating equipment.
Installation of the six-color Heidelberg Speedmaster CD102 marks ANRO's entrance to the packaging market. Package printing requires the ability to run stock that is much heavier than the paper used in other printing applications. With this press, ANRO can accommodate print stock up to an industry weight of 36-point board, more than sufficient for a large variety of packaging requirements.
In addition to its package printing capability, the new six-color press is equipped with an inline coating station. This additional unit of the press enables an aqueous coating, such as a gloss highlighting or protecting finish, to be applied to each sheet as the press is running.
General Manager Jim Spinelli points out, "Typically, presses with inline coating capability must run slower than optimum to allow time for the finish to dry. Thanks to the eight-foot 'extended delivery' option on the coater, our new six-color can run at full speed, up to 15,000 impressions per hour, even as an aqueous coating is being applied."
Mr. Spinelli adds, "This is a very efficient and versatile press. Its ability to handle anything from product bulletins to packaging board, coupled with the inline coater, make it a great tool for producing high-end color work for all types of jobs, both package and otherwise."
ANRO has also installed a two-color Heidelberg Printmaster QM46. Despite its compact nature, the Printmaster is faster and delivers better quality than similar presses twice its size. Innovations such as a new ink fountain with laser slit ink blade and a steel ink fountain roller result in quicker and more precise adjustment of ink flow for faster make-readies and higher quality. Other improvements on the Printmaster include a compact feeder that accommodates a wider range of stock types and sizes, more efficient feeder design, refined blanket wash-up device to speed changeovers between jobs, and redesigned dampening units with external oscillation.
The addition of these two presses brings the company's total to sixteen presses of varying sizes and capabilities, from two to eight-color, conventional offset and digital. Both new presses, the six-color Speedmaster CD102 with inline coating and packaging stock capability, and the two-color Printmaster QM46, are manufactured by Heidelberg. ANRO uses Heidelberg exclusively for their large offset presses because of their proven efficiency and reliability, and an earned reputation as the best presses in the industry.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail, Internet and multimedia services. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color offset, digital, and variable data printing, digital prepress, bindery, direct mail and fulfillment, and survey scanning services, multimedia development, and Internet programming and commercial hosting.
ANRO Inc. Installs a Indigo TurboStreamDIGITAL COLOR PRESS HELPS COMPANIES REACH THEIR CUSTOMERS. ANRO's revolutionary new press combines the quality of offset printing with the convenience of individual personalization.
DEVON, PA: (January 26, 1999) ANRO Inc. has completed the installation of a Digital Offset Color press, the Indigo TurboStream. The most advanced digital press available, the Indigo TurboStream combines high performance digital imaging technology with liquid ink-based offset printing. With this revolutionary press, ANRO can produce glossy, high-quality printed materials in runs as short as a single copy, or large runs of individually personalized pieces.
ANRO's Director of Marketing, Larry Wolf, points out that "as corporations focus on defining and meeting the specific needs of increasingly narrow market niches, the ability to reach small groups and individuals with targeted communication pieces grows in importance." By utilizing clients' own databases, individual pieces within a large press run can be designed with unique text messages or graphic images that are relevant to the demographics or needs of each recipient. "The ability to truly personalize printed materials according to individual profiles brings tremendous value to our customers' marketing efforts," states Mr. Wolf.
Paul DeSantis, Director of Information Technology, explains that "the Indigo TurboStream works directly from PostScript files, translating the digital image from computer to printed piece with no intervening need for film or printing plates." Like conventional offset printing, Digital Offset Color printing transfers a liquid ink image from the imaging surface to a printing blanket, and from the blanket to paper. However, unlike conventional offset printing, Digital Offset Color printing creates a new ink image with each impression, and due to a proprietary electrostatic technology, it leaves no residual ink on the blanket. Unlike the toners used in other digital presses, the Indigo press provides a density and richness of color comparable to offset print. Mr. DeSantis adds, "our digital press accommodates up to six colors (four-color process plus two 'spot' colors) and will print on a wide variety of substrates. This provides our customers with additional flexibility in designing their printed materials."
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer located in Devon, PA. Their sophisticated graphic communication capabilities include: single through eight-color printing; digital color printing; digital prepress; traditional, computer-to-plate, and completely digital workflows; in-house finishing; direct mail and fulfillment; survey scanning; Internet and multimedia programming and hosting. For further information about ANRO Inc. please contact customer service at (800) 355-2676, Email info@ANROinc.com, or visit their Website at www.ANROinc.com.
ANRO Inc. Installs a SignasetterDEVON, PA USA (November 3, 1998) ANRO Inc. has completed the installation of a Linotype-Hell Signasetter LPS-125 used to transcribe digital images onto film.
The Signasetter's
ability to generate eight-up film (eight letter-size pages of the
final output on a single piece of film) and an automatic transport
system significantly enhance the efficiency of ANRO's film generation.
A forty-inch output format, with integrated standard punch, eliminates
the need for manual steps in the stripping process, improving both
turnaround and quality.
This recent equipment addition enhances the company's workflow flexibility and complements ANRO's recent addition of a Computer-to-Plate system (a film-less plate generation process). The addition of the Signasetter ensures that projects requiring film negatives can take advantage of the best technology has available in this workflow environment as well. Each process is fully integrated with Heidelberg's Delta Technology, enabling graphic files to go directly to film, plate or proof without the need to re-rip. Consequently, ANRO clients are ensured rapid turnaround and excellent quality regardless of their output requirement.
ANRO Inc. is a full-service commercial printer and provider of direct mail, Internet and multimedia services. The company's comprehensive capabilities include: single through eight-color printing, sophisticated digital prepress, in-house finishing, DocuTech publishing, direct mail and fulfillment services, survey scanning, multimedia development, Internet programming and commercial hosting, and Web Site construction.
For further information about ANRO please contact 1-800-355-2676, Email info@ANROinc.com, or visit their Website at www.anro.com.
ANRO Launches New Internet and Multimedia Services DivisionANRO Inc. is expanding its printing and graphic communication services into the Internet and multimedia fields. Web construction, programming, corporate hosting and multimedia presentations are being offered under the newly formed ANRO.net division.
As commercial printers, we've taken great pains to keep ahead of rapidly changing digital technologies," states General Manager Jim Spinelli. "The majority of our work is now processed electronically and consequently we've developed a significant amount of expertise in handling graphic digital files. These skills are critical components of our new services."
Information Technology Director, Paul DeSantis, adds "We've also established a very robust infrastructure, multiple T1 lines and servers, hardware, software and personnel to securely support our clients' need for fast, comprehensive and reliable service."
The introduction of ANRO.net enables clients to further consolidate their corporate communication projects. ANRO, founded in 1953, provides printing, direct mail, and now Internet and multimedia services to companies throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Details of the new services now available can be viewed online at www.ANRO.net.
ANRO INC. Installs Trendsetter Computer-to-Plate SystemDEVON, PA USA (September 3, 1998) - ANRO Inc. recently installed an auto-loading Heidelberg/Creo Trendsetter AL at their Devon, Pennsylvania headquarters. ANRO is a full-service commercial printing company offering single to eight-color printing, electronic prepress, in-house finishing, direct mail, fulfillment, Internet and multimedia services. The new Computer-to-Plate (CTP) equipment further automates the printing process, eliminating the need for film in plate production by directly producing press plates from a computer workstation. The resulting plate boasts a clean, sharp image identical to its digital master.
Larry Wolf, Director of Marketing notes that "ANRO and more importantly, our clients, will benefit from a streamlined process, reduced raw material costs, and enhanced print quality. The latter is improved through the application of a precisely measured first generation dot right onto a press plate, versus a copy generated from film."The installation of a CTP process at ANRO has gone smoothly, with the first plate hitting the press on day two of the installation. Reaction in the pressroom is very positive according to Lou Ruggieri, Plant Manager, who states, "The press operators are very happy with the quality of the plates. Registration is tight, dot gain is not a problem - everything came together very well."
ANRO has thrived because of their dedication to providing complete graphic communication solutions to a broad range of customers. The ongoing evaluation and acquisition of state-of-the-art technology is an integral component of this strategy. Given the reliability of Heidelberg's equipment and the favorable feedback from the few initial CTP installations, adding the Trendsetter to ANRO's family of printing solutions was a natural progression. Says Wolf, "We carefully orchestrate the acquisition of new equipment and processes to ensure our customers have access to the best service available."ANRO's client base spans multiple industries throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and includes financial institutions, manufacturing and service operations, utilities, and advertising/graphic arts agencies. To meet the diverse output requirements of their customers, ANRO has installed a combination of large and small format presses, including seven large Heidelberg presses and an 8-Color Heidelberg Perfector Press, as well as numerous single- and dual-color presses. The Trendsetter AL was integrated into ANRO's existing Delta workflow.
ANRO Expands T-1 Internet ConnectionDEVON, PA -- May 1, 1998
ANRO Inc. views the Internet as the information and job delivery vehicle of the future. With this in mind, ANRO has increased their SMDS T-1 connection to the Internet to a full 1.54-MB per second of bandwidth. This exciting new technology is available to clients via the company's Website at www.anroinc.com, FTP, and Email services. ANRO professionals can provide assistance to clients in order to best utilize this expanded communication capability.
ANRO Names Information Technology Director
Devon, PA -- September 2, 1997
Paul DeSantis joins ANRO Inc. as Director of MIS. In this position, Mr. DeSantis will be responsible for all computer-related activities and ensure the continued evolution of ANRO’s electronic capabilities. Digital workflow plays an increasingly important role in commercial printing and ANRO remains well positioned to take advantage of rapid advancements in technology, including Internet related opportunities."ANRO has provided me with all the necessary tools to keep our company in the forefront of the digital revolution with the goal of providing truly superior service to our customers," states DeSantis. "It is an exciting time to be working here."Mr. DeSantis’ experience includes management, and computer and network consulting positions with Systems Solutions, Inc. and Raytheon Engineering Services. He received his Bachelors degree in Computer Engineering from Spring Garden College.
ANRO Appoints Director of Marketing
Devon, PA -- January 20, 1997
ANRO Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Larry K. Wolf as Director of Marketing. This new position will be responsible for the marketing activities of ANRO's commercial print, mail and fulfillment businesses. The company is also exploring the many advantages that the Internet brings to the print industry and is positioned to translate these tools into new efficiencies and opportunities for ANRO's customers.
"I am impressed with ANRO's history of quality service throughout the Greater Delaware Valley and investment in state of the art technologies, equipment and training," states Wolf. "The pride exhibited by each employee in guaranteeing that every job can be traced to a satisfied customer makes my job all the easier."
Mr. Wolf's experience includes marketing and sales management positions in the biotech, chemical and other commercial industries. He received his Bachelors of Science in Marketing from the Pennsylvania State University and a dual Masters degree in Marketing and Finance from Drexel University.
Rossi's Honored for Crime Prevention Efforts
Harrisburg, PA -- October 4, 1996
Angelo and Rose Rossi were honored in Harrisburg, PA as recipients of the 1996 Governor's Award by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. On hand to present the award to the Rossi's was Lieutenant Governor Mark Schweiker. The commission recognized Rose and Ange for their donation of over 40,000 copies of the Crime and Drug Prevention Coloring Book which was distributed to many schools and police department throughout the state. The Rossi's were also recognized for their many other contributions to crime prevention at both the state and local levels, thereby helping to make the community a safer place to live.
ANRO's One-of-a-kind 8-color Heidelberg Increases Turnaround, Saves Time & Money
Devon, PA -- July 1996
Advertising agencies, corporate communicators, small businesses and marketing professionals in the tri-state area now have an option for higher quality printing in a fraction of the time from ANRO Inc. in Devon.
The 8-color Heidelberg Speedmaster/Perfector just installed at ANRO is capable of printing eight colors on one side or four colors on both sides simultaneously. Printing time is cut by more than half, since both sides of a job can be checked at once, clients do not have to make a second trip to proof the second side. "If time is money, the customer saves," says ANRO General Manager Tony Spinelli. "It saves printing time, it saves the customer checking time and shortens the delivery time. Today everyone seems to want things yesterday."
To put the capabilities of the new press in perspective, it prints the equivalent of more than 1.5 million color sheets a day. That's 3,000 reams of paper!Because the press can handle so many different types of jobs it is difficult to compare directly to other printing equipment. As an example, Spinelli estimates that the new press will cut delivery time for a four-color, 16-page catalogue by at least one-third. It may cut the time for other work in half.
State-of-the-Art 8-Color Capability
According to ANRO Sales Manager Tom Reeder, this new press makes four-over-four perfecting printing possible at the level of quality that sophisticated customers demand.
"We now print 4-color, 5-color, 6-color, 7-color and 8-color on a 40-inch press. Adding this 40-inch 8-color capability undoubtedly gives ANRO the most unique blend of in-house press capacity in the Delaware Valley. That's a very powerful edge for customers."And, its state-of-the-art 8-color capability is also unequaled in the Delaware Valley.
"This press prints color consistently -- guaranteed," says Reeder. "Spectrophotometry measures and maintains a specific level of color throughout the run."
Customer Pleasing Innovations Increase Quality
Many prestigious pieces need regular 4-color plus "identity" colors, such as those in a logo. The Heidelberg does these simultaneously. And, the color this press produces is unequaled in the industry, allowing ANRO to stand out at the high end of the color field.
"This Heidelberg produces flamboyant special effects, super photo-realistic reproductions -- and anything in-between," says Reeder.
Another advance is a special ducter system that minimizes paper dust and particles in the air -- known as hickeys -- that leave tiny spots on the printed paper and have been the bane of printers in the past.
"These innovations create higher quality printing, faster turnaround time and superior service," says Reeder. "That's our goal for every client. Those we have told are tremendously excited -- and the enthusiasm is contagious. Our employees know the new Heidelberg puts us in the forefront of where the industry is moving."Commitment To Cutting-Edge Technology
The 8-color Heidelberg Speedmaster/Perfector from Germany is the only one of its kind in the US and the latest model of only about 100 such presses around the world. Although there are two similar presses in the United States, neither one has the advanced technology offered by the press at ANRO.ANRO purchased the new press to meet increasing demand for high quality color printing and to compete in new markets.
"We looked at three different presses and the Heidelberg did the superior job," Spinelli says. "There is no machine of this size or capability made in the US."
ANRO Increases Staff, Buildings and Wage Tax Base
"The new press is creating a need to increase the capacity in all other departments, including administrative areas," says David Spinelli, CFO of the company. "We have already hired 25 new employees and will add at least another 75. By doing this we are adding over $2.5 million to the wage tax base."
Over the next three years, ANRO's staff will grow to more than 225 from the current 125. In addition to the multi-million dollar 8-color printing press, the company is buying another building to expand its direct mail operations, adding a new folder, stitcher and two new inserters to complement the increased capacity.
All of this is designed to keep pace with technological advancements and changing times.
"There are some excellent printers in this region," says Reeder. "ANRO continues to be one of the premier printers in the tri-state area by investing in the cutting-edge tools we need to stay ahead."ANRO, Inc. began as a duplicating and secretarial service in 1956 and today is one of the largest full service commercial printing and direct mail service companies in the Delaware Valley. The owners, Rose and Angelo Rossi, are still involved in the daily operation of the company.ANRO's services include single to eight-color printing, desktop publishing and typesetting, high speed duplication, bindery services, and mailing and fulfillment services. For more information call (610) 687-1200.
ANRO Inc. Takes a Bite Out of Crime
Devon, PA -- August 1995
ANRO has been awarded The Crime Prevention Business of the Year Award for the state of Pennsylvania. The award was presented to ANRO at an awards ceremony on April 20th at the Fourteenth Annual Crime Prevention Symposium in White Haven.The Pennsylvania Crime Prevention Business of the Year Award is given each year to a business that promotes the participation and cooperation of its citizens, businesses and governmental agencies in helping to control and reduce crime in Pennsylvania. ANRO also won this award in 1990 and 1992.
ANRO has a proud history of extensive involvement in many programs in their surrounding communities. ANRO is most dedicated to educating school children about Crime and Drug Prevention. A continuing project is the design, printing and distribution of McGruff Crime and Drug Prevention coloring books that are made available, free of charge, to police departments and schools throughout the Delaware Valley. To date, over 50,000 McGruff coloring books have been distributed.Free copies of this coloring book are available in the ANRO lobby.