Gilson Graphics

Last updated

Gilson Graphics, Inc.
Company typePrivate company
IndustryPrinting
Founded Michigan, United States (June 6, 1948, as Gilson Press, Inc.)
Headquarters
2000 Oak Industrial Ave., Grand Rapids, Michigan
Number of employees
170
Website GilsonGraphics.com

Gilson Graphics, Inc. is a commercial printing company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Since its incorporation, Gilson Graphics has acquired selected assets of Knickerbocker Press, National Correct Color, Axis Digital Print and Imaging, Photolith, Commercial Printing Co., Hastings Press, and Integra Printing, Inc. Founded as Gilson Press Inc. in 1948 by Lars Gilson, the business now runs two locations in Grand Rapids and also operates a composition department in Atlantic, Iowa. Subsidiaries of the company include North Star Teacher Resources (which produces and distributes educational material) and Ignition New Media Workshop (which handles multimedia and programming). The company is one of the largest printing companies in Grand Rapids. [1]

Contents

History

Grand Rapids has a rich history in the printing industry as most area printers agree that the city has more printers per capita than any other city in the United States. [2] On June 6, 1948, Lars Gilson bought letterpress printer Dependable Printing, renamed it Gilson Press, and invested in new technology to supplement the existing equipment. [3]

As offset printing began challenging letterpress for speed and economy of operation, Gilson Press purchased its first lithographic offset press in 1952. Construction of federal highway U.S. Route 131 in 1957 caused Gilson Press to relocate to 631 North Avenue, which is the current location of their print production department.

In 1974, Lars Gilson's oldest son, David, joined the company and four years later his second son, Mark, became an employee as well.

Gilson Graphics' former logo from 1978-2007 (text as "Gilson Press" until 1991) Gilson Graphics old logo.jpg
Gilson Graphics' former logo from 1978-2007
(text as "Gilson Press" until 1991)

In 1980, Gilson Press became the first printer in Michigan to allow text from client word processors and main frames to be electronically transferred to the composition stage. [4] This venture began the practice of Gilson Press being a beta tester for new technology from manufacturers. [3] In 1983, Gilson added a programmable word processor reader to eliminate most telecommunication and to read customer-furnished floppies regardless of what dedicated word processor was originally used; the first printer in Michigan to offer this service. [5] That same year Lars Gilson's youngest son Chris entered the business, creating a family business where all three sons worked for their father's company. [4]

In 1985, Gilson installed the Xyvision graphics system (precursor to XML Professional Publisher), becoming the second in the United States to do so. [4]

In 1991, the company decided to change their name to Gilson Graphics, Inc., to reflect new capabilities as the company moved from a printing company that relied on outside sources for certain steps to one able to deliver all components of the reproduction process under one roof. [5] In 1993, the company implemented an Iris printer and installed a Dolev 800 for large format output. In 1995, Gilson Graphics was selected as one of three sites in the United States for installation of the Doplate 800 and imposition workstations to drive both the Dolev and Doplate. [3] These additions made the business the first printer in Michigan and the second in the United States with Computer to plate (CTP) workflow. [4]

Commercial Printing Co. Commercial Printing Company (Gilson Graphics) (logo).jpg
Commercial Printing Co.

In 2001, Gilson Graphics expanded prepress, layout, and design capabilities by purchasing selected assets of National Correct Color, the area's largest and oldest pre-press film separator and digital imaging company. [6] A year later, seven employees from Axis Digital Print and Imaging joined Gilson Graphics, adding short run color, variable data printing, and large format capabilities. In late 2002, Gilson Graphics opened its educational composition and quality control department in Atlantic, Iowa, working mainly on standardized testing material. In early 2003, Chris Gilson started North Star Teacher Resources to design, produce, and distribute its own line of educational material. [7]

Integra Printing, Inc. Integra Logo.jpg
Integra Printing, Inc.

In 2006, Gilson Graphics acquired assets of two companies – Photolith, Inc. (which increased sales and prepress capabilities) and Commercial Printing Co. (which added web development, small press capabilities, and increased print sales). Acquiring assets of Commercial Printing Co., a former winner of the national Addy Awards, led to the addition of Ignition, a division within Gilson Graphics that offers multimedia services. [8] In early 2009, Gilson Graphics also purchased selected assets of Integra Printing, Inc., adding about 70 employees as well as a new headquarters. [9] This move expanded the company's capabilities with offset and digital printing and created a Fulfillment and Mailing Services department, altogether nearly doubling sales revenue. [10] Most recently, Gilson Graphics became the first company in North America to install Fujifilm's new J-Press 720 system, a high quality sheet-fed inkjet press. [11] [12]

Awards and recognitions

Gilson Graphics won the 1996 Beckett Papers’ award for excellence, placing top among international entrants. In total, ten awards were given, only two of which went to U.S. companies. The winning project was produced for the Grand Rapids Children's Museum.

In 1998, Gilson Graphics won the Gold Award as North America's Printer of the Year from Sappi Inc., the world's largest papermaker. The ceremony, held in Washington D.C., awarded six printing companies in North America in individual categories. Gilson Graphics won the catalog category as judges considered the overall impact of the piece, degree of difficulty, and technical excellence. [13] Gilson Graphics was one of the first in the world to implement CTP technology, and the only company among 3,000 entrants to use it in the competition. [4] Gilson Graphics then went on to the international competition in Monte Carlo, where they competed against other award winners from Europe and South Africa for the International Printer of the Year honors. [4]

Each year since 2009, the trade journal Printing Impressions has named Gilson Graphics as one of the Top 400 printers throughout the United States and Canada. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agfa-Gevaert</span> Belgian-German imaging company

Agfa-Gevaert N.V. (Agfa) is a Belgian-German multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, and distributes analogue and digital imaging products, software, and systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital printing</span> Method of printing

Digital printing is a method of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are printed using large-format and/or high-volume laser or inkjet printers.

Prepress is the term used in the printing and publishing industries for the processes and procedures that occur between the creation of a print layout and the final printing. The prepress process includes the preparation of artwork for press, media selection, proofing, quality control checks and the production of printing plates if required. The artwork is often provided by the customer as a print-ready PDF file created in desktop publishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Offset printing</span> Printing technique

Offset printing is a common printing technique in which the inked image is transferred from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset technique employs a flat (planographic) image carrier. Ink rollers transfer ink to the image areas of the image carrier, while a water roller applies a water-based film to the non-image areas.

An Iris printer is a large-format color inkjet printer designed for prepress proofing. It was introduced in 1985 by Iris Graphics, originally of Stoneham, Massachusetts, and is currently manufactured by the Graphic Communications Group of Eastman Kodak. It is also used in the fine art reproduction market as a final output digital printing press, as in Giclée.

Quad is an American marketing company which offers marketing strategy and management services, based in Sussex, Wisconsin. It was founded as a printing company on July 13, 1971, by Harry V. Quadracci. Since 2014, the company has expanded its marketing services. The company has 50 printing facilities in 14 countries, including in Europe, Canada, India, and Latin America, with the majority in the United States. It prints numerous magazines, including Businessweek,Time, Sports Illustrated, People, and Milwaukee Magazine.

In printing, Preflight is the process of confirming that the digital files required for the printing process are all present, valid, correctly formatted, and of the desired type. The basic idea is to prepare the files to make them feasible for the correct process such as offset printing and eliminate costly errors and facilitate a smooth production. It is a standard prepress procedure in the printing industry. The term originates from the preflight checklists used by pilots. The term was first used in a presentation at the Color Connections conference in 1990 by consultant Chuck Weger, and Professor Ron Bertolina was a pioneer for solutions to preflighting in the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RR Donnelley</span> American printing and communications company

R.R. Donnelley is an American integrated communications company that provides marketing and business communications, commercial printing, and related services. Its corporate headquarters are located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. In 2007, R.R. Donnelley was the world's largest commercial printer. In 2021, it was referred to as North America's largest.

Web-to-print, also known as Web2Print, remote publishing or print e-commerce is commercial printing using web sites. Companies and software solutions that deal in web-to-print use standard e-commerce and online services like hosting, website design, and cross-media marketing.

Prinergy is a prepress workflow system created by Creo in 1999 and maintained and sold through Kodak. It is a client/server system that integrates PDF creation, job proofing, imposition, and a raster image processor (RIP) into one unified workflow.

In color management, an ICC profile is a set of data that characterizes a color input or output device, or a color space, according to standards promulgated by the International Color Consortium (ICC). Profiles describe the color attributes of a particular device or viewing requirement by defining a mapping between the device source or target color space and a profile connection space (PCS). This PCS is either CIELAB (L*a*b*) or CIEXYZ. Mappings may be specified using tables, to which interpolation is applied, or through a series of parameters for transformations.

Heinz Joseph Gerber was an American inventor and businessman. An Austrian-born Jewish Holocaust survivor who immigrated in 1940, he pioneered computer-automated manufacturing systems for an array of industries. Described as the "Thomas Edison of manufacturing", he was one of the first to recognize and develop the productivity-enhancing potential for computer automation in skill-intensive industrial sectors.

Walsworth Publishing Company is a family-owned printing company based out of Marceline, Missouri. Walsworth produces books, catalogs and magazines, and is the only American- and family-owned publisher of yearbooks. The company was started in 1937 by Don Walsworth. The current CEO of the company is Don's son, Don O. Walsworth, and the current president is his grandson, Don Walsworth. Walsworth operates from administrative offices and book printing and binding facilities in Marceline, Missouri; a prepress facility in Brookfield, Missouri; a sales and marketing office in Overland Park, Kansas; and magazine and catalog printing facilities in Saint Joseph, Michigan; Ripon, Wisconsin; and Fulton, Missouri. Additionally, Walsworth owns the Donning Company Publishers, a specialty book publisher.

Compugraphic Corporation, commonly called cg, was an American producer of typesetting systems and phototypesetting equipment, based in Wilmington, Massachusetts, just a few miles from where it was founded. This company is distinct from Compugraphics, a British company founded 1967 in Aldershot, UK that specializes in the production of photomasks used in the production of integrated circuits. In 1981, it was acquired by European competitor Agfa-Gevaert, and its products and processes merged into those of Agfa. By 1988, the merger was complete and the Compugraphic brand was removed from the market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friesens</span>

Friesens Corporation is Canada's largest printer of hardcover books. They are employee-owned, specializing in hardcover books and yearbooks, and located in Altona, Manitoba, Canada. Friesens also operates a self-publishing subsidiary named FriesenPress, launched in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electronics for Imaging</span> American technology company

Electronics for Imaging, Inc. (EFI) is an international company based in Silicon Valley that specializes in digital printing technology. Formerly located in Foster City, California, the company is now based in Fremont. On July 1, 2015, EFI entered the textile printing marketing with the acquisition of Italian digital textile company Reggiani Macchine. On June 16, 2016, EFI acquired Optitex, a 3D digital workflow provider.

Diversified Global Graphics Group — (DG3) is a printing firm located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The company also has offices in London, Hong Kong, Manila, Tokyo, and Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Made In Space</span> Engineering company

Made In Space, Inc. (MIS) is an American company specializing in the engineering and manufacturing of three-dimensional printers for use in microgravity. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, Made In Space's 3D printer was the first manufacturing device used in space.

Lowry Solutions provides RFID services, barcode and wireless networking services, bar coding equipment, automatic label applicators, software, custom labels, ribbons and supplies.

Widen Enterprises Inc. is a technology company that designs, develops and provides digital asset management and product information management software as well as digital asset management services. The company was founded in 1948 in Madison, Wisconsin by Arthur and Emily Widen, initially as Widen Engraving Co., a plate-engraving business providing printing-plates for newspapers. The company sustained business viability and longevity by adapting its products to technological advances and business model transformation. The company was acquired by Acquia in September 2021 and operates as part of the Acquia Digital Experience platform.

References

  1. ↑ "New Focus: Gilson Press Has New Equipment and a New Name." The Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, MI) (January 30, 1991): D5. Grand Rapids Press.
  2. ↑ Cassard, Mary. "Area Print Shops Booming." Grand Rapids Business Journal. Grand Rapids: January 12, 1987. Vol. 5, Iss. 2; Sec. 2. pg. P
  3. 1 2 3 Aylsworth, Karen. "Gilson Surges on Techno Roller Coaster." Grand Rapids Business Journal. Grand Rapids: January 20, 1997. Vol. 15, Iss. 3; pg. B1
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McKeown, Karen. "David Gilson: Inside Track." Grand Rapids Business Journal. Grand Rapids: June 15, 1998. Vol. 16, Iss. 24; pg. 5
  5. 1 2 Luymes, Robin. "Gilson Changes in Place." Grand Rapids Business Journal 9, no. 8 (1991): 3.
  6. ↑ Aylsworth, Karen. "Craig Lampani: Inside track." Grand Rapids Business Journal 15 (1997): 5.
  7. ↑ "Risky business to brisk business." The Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, MI) (June 10, 2003): B8. Grand Rapids Press.
  8. ↑ "Three West Michigan agencies capture Addy awards." The Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, MI) (June 21, 2001): A23. Grand Rapids Press.
  9. ↑ "Gilson Graphics Acquires Certain Assets of Integra --PI News". Printing Impressions. February 9, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Gilson Bolsters Capabilities with Acquisition". Printing Impressions. February 13, 2009. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  11. ↑ Skotzko, Stacey. "J Press 720 Moves Beyond the Showroom". WhatTheyThink.
  12. ↑ Putting a Face on a Printing Firm
  13. ↑ Ducey, Michael. "Six Printers Win Top Awards." Graphic Arts Monthly 70 (1998): 83.
  14. ↑ The 2009 Printing Impressions 400
  15. ↑ The 2010 Printing Impressions 400
  16. ↑ The 2011 Printing Impressions 400
  17. ↑ The 2012 Printing Impressions 400
  18. ↑ The 2013 Printing Impressions 400
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.