2009 DESIGNER FRIENDLY COMPANIES

Laser Excel
A pioneer in the industry, Laser Excel continues to master laser cutting technology. Growing from a small stencil cutting operation, Laser Excel got its roots by working with cake and cookie stencil designs. With one laser and dedicated owners, it expanded to a well-known company with locations in Wisconsin and California. Laser Excel has a vast array of capabilities, but the one of most valued is the ability to intricately laser cut materials up to a 1” in thickness. Acrylic, Paper, MDF, Wood, Mylar, and fabric are just a few of the materials being cut daily. For graphic designers, high volume sheetfed cutting on paper and card stock is a important specialty. Applications include greeting cards, promotional materials, fine art pieces and packaging. The company has also incorporated routing, screen printing, digital printing, packaging, and fulfillment into their facility.
T 800.285.6544
W www.laserexcel.com

Masterfile Corporation
Masterfile is a major independent stock photo agency with a large collection of rights managed and royalty free photos and illustrations by world-class artists covering a wide range of subjects. Last month, the company launched a new user interface, Endless Media. The project has been under wraps for more than a year. John McDonald, Vice President of Product Development and the technology’s creator, says: “Think of it as visual logic for designers with the extreme speed of a desktop application. It’s a ‘type less and see more’ paradigm where users follow their own visual instincts to direct the search. There is nothing out there with its speed and simplicity… and this is just the beginning.” Among the features: an “endless” horizontal image display eliminates the concept of pages; design logic that prevents users from losing their place when they refine their search within results; a powerful history feature; an improved SimSearch that automatically displays visual similars as well those from the same shoot; and a ”pairing” feature allowing users to use any image to find other visually similar images of a different subject.
T 800.387.9010
W www.masterfile.com

Magnum Magnetics
Magnum Magnetics operates two manufacturing facilities in Ohio totaling 160,000-square-feet and produces a wide variety of flexible permanent magnet including sheeting, strip, and extrusions. The company opened its doors in 1991 and completed its first run of flexible magnetic sheeting in May 1992. Printable products for graphic design applications include Flexoprintable Magnets, Offset Printable Magnets, Digital Printable Magnets, and Screen Printable Magnets.
T 800.285.0991
W www.magnummagnetics.com

Microsoft
It’s hard to add too much to the legendary Microsoft story. Founded in 1975, and now the largest software company in the world by far. The company offers products — such as Microsoft Word, Windows, Office and Office:mac. Very notable are the growing sophistication of the suite of professional design tools know as Microsoft Expression Studio 2 Collection— Expression Web 2, Expression Blend 2, Expression Design 2, Expression Media 2 and Expression Encoder 2 — which now work seamlessly with Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Studio 2008 to address the age-old designer and developer workflow challenge. The innovations in Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML), used by both Expression Studio and Visual Studio, allow for closer designer-developer collaboration for the creation of both standards-based and Microsoft Silverlight-enhanced Web experiences as well as Windows Vista and .NET Framework 3.5 client applications.
W www.microsoft.com

Minneapolis College of Art and Design
The Minneapolis College of Art and Design dates back to 1886, when a group of art lovers decided the relatively new town of Minneapolis should be as culturally sophisticated as any other in the country. Today, the school is recognized nationally and internationally for its innovative approaches MCAD offers majors in advertising, animation, comic art, drawing, filmmaking, fine arts studio, graphic design, furniture design, illustration, painting, photography, print paper book, sculpture and web and multimedia environments. The offerings cover undergraduate, M.F.A. and continuing studies.
T 800.874.MCAD
W www.mcad.edu

Modern Postcard
Modern Postcard prides itself on helping clients attract and retain their best customers. With over 25 years of printing experience, the company specializes in direct mail with postcards. Its state-of-the-art 75,000 square foot facility located in Carlsbad CA makes it possible to print and mail the highest quality postcards on the market at the most competitive rates, combined with quick turnaround. Everything from start to finish — typesetting, individual drum scanning, direct-to-plate digital imaging, printing, shipping, bindery and complete mailing service — is produced inhouse. Complete and sophisticated mailing services also add convenience, improves delivery and maximizes postage savings.
T 800.959.8365
W www.modernpostcard.com

Mohawk Fine Papers
Recognized for its technical innovation and progressive environmental initiatives, the company manufactures a range of premium printing, writing and digital papers. Signature grades include Strathmore, Mohawk Superfine, Beckett Concept, Beckett Expression, BriteHue, Via, Mohawk Color Copy, Mohawk Digital Papers and the Inxwell products, Navajo and Options. Mohawk papers are used in a wide variety of communications, including corporate reports, corporate identity systems, brochures, packaging and everyday business communications. A true leader in environmental stewardship, Mohawk is the first U.S. paper mill to offset 100% of its electricity with renewable wind power and the first U.S. premium paper mill to shift toward carbon-neutral production. Also offered are recycled papers certified by GreenSeal and papers certified to the FSC standards by SmartWood, a program of the Rainforest Alliance. A new initiative: Renewal Folding Board 80% PC White, a sustainable packaging alternative.
T 800.THE.MILL
W www.mohawkpapers.com

Monadnock Paper Mills
Named for the mountain that dominates the local landscape, Monadnock Paper Mills was founded in 1819 and is one of the oldest continuously operating paper mills in the U.S. The mill’s entire line-up of Graphic Arts Printing and Packaging Papers and Boards is now FSC Certified. These are showcased in a new sample book that includes them all in one place. Also new: a redesigned website that is intended as a resource to the creative, printing and packaging communities. The site is replete with educational resources in design, printing and finishing. “The new website is in keeping with the tools Monadnock is committed to supplying to the printing, design and converting communities,” says Jim Clemente, vice president of sales and marketing. All Monadnock printing and packaging papers are made using 100% renewable electricity, are manufactured carbon neutral, and are made under strict requirements ISO Environmental and Quality Management Systems.
T 877.877.2098
W www.mpm.com

moodboard
Moodboard is the brainchild of Mike Watson, creator of award winning royalty free agency Digital Vision. In Watson’s own words, moodboard brings together “the most experienced and professional team in the industry today with the aim of raising the quality and value of stock photography worldwide. Myself and my team are leveraging all our experience to take advantage of new product and pricing opportunities, as well as inviting anyone who passes our strict editing standards to participate in our exciting new journey.” The idea is provide innovative ideas, clear price points, simple search and creative imagery to challenge the larger U.S. stock agencies. A new blog site — the factory — offers photographers and creative professionals a platform to share ideas on anything and everything to do with images.
W www.moodboard.com

mPress Graphics
MPress Graphics, led by industry veterans Gerry Schneiderman and Maggie Black, has extensive experience working with top graphic designers and corporate end users in the New York metropolitan area. MPress’s business model is to align itself with leading production and manufacturing resources in the industry and to find exactly the right fit of capacity, capability and quality for clients. Offerings include engraving, offset printing, thermography, embossing, foil stamping and die cutting. The company has been marked by extremely rapid growth built, say the founders, on their ability to “stand in their clients’ shoes” so as to understand their needs and deliver. mPress crafts the Award Certificates for many of GDUSA’s competitions.
T 212.398.1500
W www.mpressllc.com

Murphy Catton
MurphyCatton, Inc. is currently celebrating its 25th year of developing, engineering and fabricating custom exhibits and environments. Located a stones throw from Cincinnati, clients extend from museums and science centers to zoos, aquariums and environmental graphics. MurphyCatton creates quality, theatrical and artistic exhibits, environments and attractions that tell a company’s brand or story through cutting-edge innovation, leadership, collaboration and “a touch of magic.” The two principals, Mike Murphy and Mark Catton, founded the firm in November 1983. Since then, it has grown to more than 30 full-time employees. Its mission: to fabricate dynamic, innovative and customized solutions of supplied designs or create turnkey design/ build solutions.
T 888.700.6739
W www.MurphyCatton.com

My1Stop.com
My1Stop.com is an online printing superstore that offers a comprehensive range of printed products. The company has been in the printing industry for over 30 years, with a tradition of customer service and extended service offerings such as graphic design, b-to-b ecommerce and print management solutions. By pulling together its website and printing capabilities. My1Stop offers everything in one place, including business cards and letterhead, marketing collateral, product labels, presentation folders, plastic cards, unique magnet applications, long run labels for distribution centers, healthcare forms such as wristbands, short run checks for small businesses and even unique magnet applications. President Michael Del Chiaro notes that improvements continue: the company has recently added more international shipping options, more breadth and depth to plastic cards and presentation folders, and completed upgrades to the already award-winning website.
T 800.MY1STOP
W www.my1stop.com

National Envelope
Founded in 1952 by William Ungar, National Envelope has grown into the largest private envelope manufacturer in the United States. The company represents most specifier major paper mills, has coast-to-coast facilities and offers a broad selection of envelope styles and sizes. To accommodate growth, the company recently opened a state-of-the-art 315,000-square-foot facility in Ennis TX, which operates the finest state-of-the-art folding, prepress and printing equipment and provides National Envelope with the platform to supply and satisfy the broad requirements of today’s customers. Meanwhile, sustainable energy practices and the conversion to environmentally friendly envelopes remain a top priority. Many products and practices have achieved FSC, SFI, Green-e or Rainbow Alliance certification, and National Envelope is an active supporter of the Please Recycle campaign of the Envelope Manufacturers Association in conjunction with the Direct Marketing Association and the Magazine Publishers Association. Honors in 2008 included the Founder’s Award for Ungar from the Envelope Manufacturers Association Founder’s Award, and the SFI President’s Award for National the company’s efforts in supporting sustainable forest management and the importance of SFI certification.
W www.natenv.com

National Geographic Stock
This is one of the most comprehensive and unique collections of photographs and original artwork in the world. It contains more than 10 million transparencies, black-and-white prints, glass plates and pieces of original art. As one might expect from the source, the photographs are real, dramatic, accurate, thought-provoking and impactful. Importantly, the website had been redesigned, with a new system that is powerful and easy to use. The site also has information on personalized projects or needs, including custom research, all-inclusive story packages (images and text), dupes or digital delivery via CD or FTP, and assignment options. Stock footage is also available via National Geographic DigitalMotion.
T 800.434.2244
W www.nationalgeographicstock.com

Neenah Paper
For over 100 years, Neenah Paper has been an innovative leader in the creation and manufacturing of premium and specialty papers. Neenah brings state-of-the-art technology to its signature brands, CLASSIC, ENVIRONMENT, STARWHITE, NEENAH and ESSE, as well as a host of other fine paper products for graphic designers and printers. Neenah’s versatile digital papers round out its comprehensive portfolio. The company’s deep commitment to sustainability is reflected by the Neenah Green initiative, which includes mill-based solutions for minimizing environmental impact. A proud consumer of Green Energy, Neenah Paper is also a U.S. EPA Green Power Partner, and manufactures many brands carrying the Green-e, Green Seal and FSC certifications. The exclusive sponsor of GDUSA’s 2009 American Package Design Awards, Neenah’s LUXE Packaging Papers are specified for many types of classic and distinctive packaging and labeling applications including retail shopping bags, set up boxes, folding cartons, bottle labels, gift wrap and hang tags.
T 888.558.5061
W www.neenahpaper.com

NewPage
Headquartered in Miamisburg OH, NewPage Corporation is the largest coated paper manufacturer in North America. The company offers the most comprehensive product portfolio in the paper industry with grades that range from Centura, a premum paper, to Productolith® and Sterling, the No. 2 sheetfed and web offerings, to No. 3 products all the way through to our SC-A+ grade.NewPage papers are among the most specified brands in the industry, selected by design professionals, publishers, catalog retailers, commercial printers, and corporate end-users for magazines, catalogs, inserts, annual reports, books, corporate collateral, packaging, posters, newsletters, direct mail advertising and more. NewPage also offers a selection of environmentally preferred papers — most are tri-certified and contain 10%-30% post-consumer recycled fiber. All NewPage mills in the U.S. are third-party certified to the FSC, SFI and PEFC.
T 888.558.5061
W www.newpagecorp.com

NVIDIA
NVIDIA is the world leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the GPU, a high performance processor which generates breathtaking, interactive graphics on workstations, personal computers, game consoles, and mobile devices. NVIDIA serves the entertainment and consumer market with its GeForce graphics products, the professional design and visualization market with its Quadro graphics products, and the high- performance computing market with its Tesla computing solutions products. NVIDIA is headquartered in Santa Clara CA, with offices throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
T 888.558.5061
W www.nvidia.com