Margie Dana shares her "Print Tips Column" with the PrintPlanet forums.
Take a moment to read. Then discuss and debate the content on the
printbuyer discussion forum on printplanet.com.
Margie writes:
If you're in business, you handle envelopes. Long and lean or short
and squat, the envelope is in your face with every mail delivery. It
would take time and tens of thousands of words to cover all there is
to know about envelopes - from manufacturing to printing to paper
issues, plus design tips and postal concerns. I dare not attempt that
here and now.
But for new print-buying professionals, envelopes present a bit of
mystery. Where do they come from, anyway? I remember starting out in
print production at Boston University's Office of Publications
Production. It was way back in the '80s (and I had the hairstyle to
match). I assumed that envelopes came from the print shop. Well, they
do and they don't.
Printers don't make envelopes. They print them.
Envelope manufacturers make envelopes, by converting paper into
envelopes. I had a conversation about this with Paul Raymond of Bruen
Printing & Envelope in Ashland, MA. He was quite enlightening.
WORCESTER, MA, A MECCA
In New England alone, there are three very large envelope
manufacturers: Worcester Envelope and National Envelope, both in
Worcester, along with Mead/Westvaco Envelope in Enfield, CT. I
learned there are several smaller ones, too. Raymond tells me that
National is the largest privately owned envelope manufacturer in the
country. It also owns Old Colony Envelope near Springfield, among others.
It turns out that Worcester, MA, is quite the Mecca of envelope
manufacturing. The first successful envelope machine was patented by
Dr. Russell Hawes in Worcester back in 1853. Also, the first
mechanical self-gumming envelope folding machine was developed by
Henry and David Swift, also of Worcester. Raymond thinks that at one
time, the Worcester area had more envelope manufacturers than the
rest of New England combined (doesn't it still?). In addition to the
two mentioned above, Sheppard Envelope and Classic Envelope are in or
near this central MA city.
WORK WITH YOUR PRINTER
Typically, customers (end users, that is) don't deal with envelope
manufacturers. They leave this to their printers. Most printers buy
their envelopes from paper merchants as they do most of their other
paper supplies. Others simply outsource the entire envelope project
to envelope specialty printers, who have equipment specifically
designed for printing nearly any variety or style of envelope.
If you're designing a job that will require a custom envelope, that's
a different issue. You want to learn about standard sizes (among
other things), which will keep your costs down. Printers who do a lot
of envelope printing can guide you, so talk with them early to avoid
costly problems.
OPTIONS GALORE
Envelopes have their own terminology. There are Baronial envelopes
(pointy flaps) and A-size envelopes (square or straight flaps), for
example. Catalog envelopes have the flap on the short dimension,
while booklet envelopes have them on the long side.
When you're measuring an envelope, always quote the smaller dimension
first and then the larger one. The same applies when measuring a
custom window, advised Raymond: height first, length, position from
the left and from the bottom. When measuring for a custom window,
always position the envelope with the flap at the top to ensure
accuracy. Ask for a mockup proof of the envelope.
There are many different flap styles, seam styles, and sealing
methods for envelopes. Don't get me started on window options - there are tons.
TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
There's a major US trade association devoted to the manufacture of
envelopes, at http://mdana.c.topica.com/maafG15abwkcLa6dwTObaeQyjU/ ,
the site of the Envelope Manufacturers Association. I found some
interesting statistics on this site, including annual US envelope
shipments and sales.
At the end of 2005, there were about 195 billion envelopes
manufactured in the US. Compare that to 1995, when there were 168
billion envelopes manufactured, or to 1985, when 150 billion were made.
I've been to many printing facilities, but never to an envelope
manufacturer. I guess a road trip out to Worcester, MA, is in order.
Let me thank Paul Raymond of Bruen Printing & Envelope for his
enlightenment on the envelope. Bruen's web address is
http://mdana.c.topica.com/maafG15abwkcMa6dwTObaeQyjU/ , and their
phone is 800.852.2226. Yes, they do envelopes. They PRINT them, that
is, on something called a Jet press (not to be confused with an
ink-jet press), manufactured by Halm Industries (
http://mdana.c.topica.com/maafG15abwkcNa6dwTObaeQyjU/ ).
Standard or custom, printed from stock or printed and converted,
envelopes deserve close attention when you produce them, or else you
could overspend. And they don't grow on trees. Technically speaking.
==
About Margie Dana had a career as a corporate print buyer. She was
never a printer and never worked for a printer. However she
"Parlez-Vous Printing" in plain English. Margie Dana is the founder
of the Boston-area Print Buyers Club. Located in Newton, Ma, she can
be found at http://www.bostonprintbuyers.com/ and reached privately
by email at mdana@bostonprintbuyers.com
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