PrintingAugust 25, 2005 -- Fold-N-Go, the patent-pending product from Convertible Brands dramatically simplifies the creation of personalized, variable data print jobs that require perforations, payment envelopes or other complex conversions. The new pre-converted paper stock will be demonstrated for the first time in the Xeikon booth at the September Print 05 and Converting 05 show at McCormick Place in Chicago.Historically, marketing materials that require envelopes and other complex conversions have been offset printed and converted afterwards. Printing overruns compensated for the waste involved in setting up the converting. The lengthy setup and specialized equipment involved limited these types of mailings to large volume runs. Today, digital presses enable personalized printing making the marketing pieces more relevant to the individual reader and significantly increasing response rates. These print runs are often small and don't fit well into the print-then-convert workflow. And even a small amount of setup waste is a major problem when every impression in the job is unique. The Fold-N-Go solution greatly reduces the time and cost associated with the traditional converting process. The Fold-N- Go stock is delivered to the printer "pre-converted" with all of the perforations, die cuts and adhesives already in position. After the job is printed, the only post-press converting required to finish each piece is traditional folding equipment. Fold-N-Go is available in several standard template sizes or can also be designed specifically for your application. The Fold-N-Go product was developed in response to the needs of a school photography company to deliver a personalized proof flier with an integrated payment envelope. Each spring season, Inter-State Studio and Publishing of Sedalia, Missouri photographs multiple poses of each student in each of the schools they service. For many years, photographic proofs were made of each pose and the proofs were attached to a static order flier. In 2004, Inter-State market tested a new four page flier, which showed each student's image illustrating each of the product offerings available. This was printed on a sheet-fed digital press and then a separate payment envelope was attached to the flier using traditional saddle stitching equipment. The new flier dramatically increased the size of the average order, but the process was too slow and cumbersome to expand. There were also complaints from some customers who found the separate payment envelope confusing.The patent pending, custom designed Fold-N-Go stock and a new Xeikon 500 web press were the answer. The 16 inch wide roll stock was designed to have self adhesive glue along the edges of the payment envelope, a remoistenable strip for the customer to seal the return payment envelope and perforations where the customer needed to separate the envelope from the flyer. After the personalized proof fliers were printed on the Xeikon press, they were folded on traditional folding equipment to create the payment envelope and four page proof flier. "The Fold-N-Go process allowed us to dramatically increase the visual appeal of our spring proofs," explains Aric Snyder, Inter- State CEO. "By using the new stock on the Xeikon 500 press, we were able to increase our proof production by 300% and supply personalized proofs to every one of our spring photography customers." "The creation of our proof fliers is extremely time sensitive," adds George Fry, Inter-State Litho Director. "The combination of the pre-converted Fold-N-Go stock and the Xeikon press allowed us to complete the jobs quickly at a cost 40% lower than using the sheet fed press and traditional post-press converting equipment." Realizing that Inter-State's flier is similar to other personalized direct marketing pieces, Convertible Brands has developed the Fold-N-Go roll stocks for a number of direct marketing, billing and other mailing applications. The rolls are available in standard templates or can be customized for specific projects. "The timing is perfect for this concept," says Melissa Hockersmith, Convertible Brand's Marketing Coordinator. "Personalized marketing pieces created through variable data printing are the best way to reach consumers today and the Fold-N-Go roll process radically increase the flexibility of what you can create using a digital web press." Inter-State's President Ed Sanders goes on to add, "Fold-N-Go is the right product at the right time for the right industry." Convertible Brands is headquartered at 3500 Snyder Avenue in Sedalia, Missouri. For more information on the Fold-N-Go stock, you can call 866-832-0217 or visit the company's web site at www.convertiblebrands.biz.