Color Ink

Sussex, Wisconsin-based Color Ink began as a commercial printer more than three decades ago, but after seeing local companies turning to outside graphic design firms to develop their packaging, Color Ink decided it was time to enter the packaging market. The company has made a big splash, not only producing packaging, but producing the products to be packaged.

Another successful Wide-Format Technology Summit was hosted by Fujifilm North America, Graphic Systems Division, this time at the company's all-new Chicago Technology Center in Hanover Park, IL. Nearly 50 people were in attendance to experience inkjet innovations and wide-format print applications, and also receive a tour of the new 23,000-square-foot facility.

Color Ink of Sussex, WI, created realistic 1:1 scale models of Olympic bobsleds for client Century 21 Real Estate just in time for the Olympics. Century 21 is an official sponsor of the U.S. bobsled team and its objective was to display a handful of the replica bobsleds at various locations during the Winter Olympics that took place in February 2014.

Commercial printer equipment installations and other news from Printing Impressions’ August 2014 edition, featuring Printing Impressions' recent "Opportunities in Wide-Format Digital Printing" colloquium; and Ultradent Products, which specializes in the dental manufacturing markets.

Printers looking to break away from the commodity trap should consider digital signage, banners, wide-format graphics and point-of-purchase/point-of-sale (POP/POS) output as a way to expand their sales and profit margins. That was the key takeaway from Printing Impressions’ “Opportunities in Wide-Format Digital Printing” regional colloquium held last month in Oak Brook, IL.

Two subsidiaries of Color Ink Printing and Communications of Sussex, WI—FunDeco Furniture & Decor and Jim Meissner Fine Art—celebrated the opening of a retail store and art gallery with a ribbon cutting ceremony and private showing last week.

For 30 years, Jim Meissner has operated Color Ink in Sussex, WI, as a successful large commercial printing operation, while at the same time refining his skills as an artist.

Meissner's professional career and hobby were fused together last week when the Plan Commission heard a proposal that would provide retail space for Color Ink's latest and most unique product, as well as Meissner's art work.

"There is some of Jim's work on display at Color Ink,"said Ben La Forest, vice president of finance for Color Ink. "But, we thought we ought to give the community a better opportunity to enjoy it.

Color Ink, a full-service, sheetfed offset and digital printer based in Sussex, WI, has expanded its large-format inkjet printing capacity and capabilities with the purchase of a Uvistar Pro-8 printer from Fujifilm. “We know our customers need quick turnaround and the new Uvistar Pro-8 gives us the ability to respond faster while meeting the demanding quality expectations of our customers.”

The 2012 Printing Impressions 400 list of the largest printing companies in the United States and Canada as ranked by annual sales.

Jim Meissner, founder and CEO of Color Ink in Sussex, WI, has reduced his duties to pursue his passion for fine art/oil painting. An exhibit of his work begins this month at Landmarks Gallery, located here. His work includes dramatic views of vistas in the Southwest, landscapes of Wisconsin, and paintings of places he has visited in Italy and Hawaii. Lisa Arsenault has been appointed president of The McArdle Printing Co., Upper Marlboro, MD, a subsidiary company of BNA Inc. Arsenault steps into the job from her previous role as vice president of sales. Under her leadership, McArdle's sales grew more than 25 percent in