Blair Graphics Named Oce 'Green Reprographer
of the Year'
 TRUMBULL,
CT, May 29, 2009 - Oce, an international leader in digital document
management, has announced the winner of its second annual, “Green
Reprographer of the Year” award during the IRgA 2009 Annual Convention and
Trade Show held April 29-May 1 in Pittsburgh, PA. Blair Graphics, a leading
California-based innovator in the reprographics industry for more than 50
years, was selected as the winner from a pool of qualified entrants who
submitted applications via Oce’s website. Applicants outlined their
achievements in the area of green business practices and explained how these
efforts have assisted their customers to meet their own sustainability
goals.
“In recognition of their substantial efforts to promote sustainability
via the products used in their business operations, the services provided to
their customers and internal employee programs, we are proud to announce
that Blair Graphics is the winner of Oce’s second annual ‘Green Reprographer
of the Year’ award,” said Sal Sheikh, Vice President of Marketing, Wide
Format Printing Systems division of Oce North America. "We received numerous
entries for this award, showcasing the relevance today’s reprographers place
on environmentally friendly business practices. Oce can help reprographers,
and their customers, reach their sustainability goals, through
environmentally conscious products that also adhere to the quality and
reliability for which Oce is recognized.”
An independent panel of judges, including Denise Gustavson, Editor of
Wide-Format Imaging magazine, Dave Barista, Managing Editor of Building
Design & Construction magazine, and Ed Avis, principal of Ed Avis
Associates, a communications firm specializing in the imaging industry, and
author of The Green Reprographics Handbook, selected Blair Graphics as the
winner based on its enterprise-wide dedication to sustainability.
An American Reprographics Company (ARC) reprographer, Blair Graphics has
incorporated sustainability into nearly every aspect of its business
operations. The company uses Oce recycled paper for printing construction
and other large format black & white and color documents (Oce 45-111R
recycled paper). They also offer small format document printing on recycled
paper. The company manufactures wrapped covers on recycled paper for
wrapping of prints around a chip-board core instead of wrapping prints with
a petroleum-based product. The majority of its mounting substrates are made
from recycled materials, and Blair Graphics uses a rice-based adhesive for
mounting onto substrates.
In January 2009, Blair Graphics procured an Oce ColorWave 600 printer,
which further supports their sustainability goals by producing no ozone,
odor, or fine powder emissions, employing reusable packaging, and printing
color images on recycled bond paper. The company has been instrumental in
promoting the benefits of this new large format color printing system to
customers who look to certify their projects through the U.S. Green Building
Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Certification Program.
“From the products it offers and the services it provides to the policies
that company management have put into place regarding its employees and how
its facilities are run, Blair Graphics gets it. They understand that
sustainability is a process and a journey and that every piece is required
to make up the whole and arrive at the end goal of a green and sustainable
business,” said award judge Denise Gustavson.
In that spirit, Blair Graphics has strived to think outside the box to
embrace new applications and services that enable their customers to print
only what they need when they need it. They promote online digital services
for sending files to their shop electronically rather than using a driver to
pick-up content. They provide online document management and Invitation to
Bid services like the PlanWell online plan room and BidCaster and Sub-Hub
software.
Furthermore, Blair Graphics continues their sustainability push to lower
carbon emissions by offering the innovative new ishipdocs program, which
facilitates the distribution and local printing and delivery of documents
nearly anywhere in the world. They also offer onsite services and “Easy
Print” solutions that clients can leverage to download and print files in
their own offices, eliminating the need for printing at Blair Graphics and
delivery of prints.
Internally, Blair Graphics adheres to a number of green practices to
reduce the company’s impact on the environment – from updating all fixtures
with energy-efficient bulbs that save an estimated 19,955 kWh of energy and
7,675 kW of power annually, to turning off all non-used power sources like
A/C after hours, to installing motion sensor light switches and
water-filtration systems to reduce bottled water consumption. To reduce the
company’s carbon footprint, their delivery fleet consists of 45% hybrid and
45% fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles. Employees are encouraged to
communicate electronically, and the company has eliminated the use of fax
cover sheets, posts a single memo for all employees and adheres to only
two-sided copying when copying is needed.
Employees of Blair Graphics are encouraged to support the company’s
sustainability goals and consider alternate commute options. A “Share the
Ride” computer match program helps reduce single-ride commutes plus provides
convenient parking options. Discounted bus passes are also available. Nearly
25% of employees either “Share the Ride,” use public transportation, bike or
walk to work. In addition, the company adheres to a detailed recycling
program throughout the facility.
Blair Graphics even provides comprehensive employee training regarding
company policies and how to better reduce consumption of resource-intensive
goods. Additionally, they encourage employees through their employee
suggestion program to continually offer new ideas on how the company can
eliminate waste and further reduce environmental impact, specially
recognizing those whose suggestions are implemented.
Blair Graphics participates in several dedicated “green” programs and
causes, including:
- Providing clients with recycle bins
- Sponsoring and participating in eco-friendly events like Heal The
Bay
- Donating signage printed on biodegradable material mounted on
recycled boards to the USGBC Water Garden Construction event
- Supporting L.A.’s Chapter of the USGBC’s yearly fund raiser
- Supporting the L.A. Conservancy in all of its functions
- Active involvement in the Sustainable Works Business Greening
Program
“Blair Graphics has demonstrated a thorough commitment to being green,
from building a low-emission delivery fleet to encouraging a wide range of
green behaviors in its employees,” said award judge, Ed Avis. “Blair has
also taken its commitment an important step further by supporting many
green-oriented organizations, such as Heal the Bay and Sustainable Works
Business Greening Program.”
About Oce’s Dedication to Sustainability
Sustainability has been part of Oce’s DNA for the past 130 years. This
includes the innovative three-tiered approach to supporting sustainability:
1) Create and design sustainable products; 2) Utilize environmentally
conscious manufacturing; 3) Enable customers to operate in a sustainable way
(i.e. print with lower heat and energy usage, produce the least amount of
detectable ozone, print onto 30% post-consumer waste recycled media 100% of
the time).
Oce focuses on four key areas in product design to help its customers
minimize their environmental impact. They are:
- Minimize incorrect and unnecessary prints
- Minimize energy consumption per print
- Maximize reuse of materials and minimize non-reusable waste
- Minimize emissions of ozone, dust and noise.
One example of this eco-friendly approach to product development is the
popular Oce Eco Design family of printers, including the new Oce PlotWave
300 printer. These printers distinguish themselves from conventional
technologies by their extremely low energy consumption, quiet operation, and
low ozone and heat emissions.
Another example is the environmentally friendly Oce ColorWave 600 printer
using unique Oce CrystalPoint technology. This technology has no ozone
emissions, no odor, no system contamination by powder or ink, and minimal
waste disposal since the toner waste is completely non-toxic, solid and can
be disposed of as part of regular office waste.
For more information about how Oce can help you meet your sustainability
goals click here.
About Blair Graphics
For more than 50 years, Blair Graphics has provided top quality service
and technological innovation to Southern California’s design, architectural
and construction industries. They continually enhance customer experiences
through greater efficiency, education and expertise. Blair Graphics joined
the American Reprographics Company in 1998. With a presence of over 300
locations nationwide, ARC is the largest reprographics services company in
the nation, servicing more than 160,000 clients nationwide.
Blair Graphics truly is a one-stop-shop, whose services include large
document plotting and copying, small document printing, large format inkjet
and photographic processes, finishing, binding, and archiving. They embrace
the challenges and opportunities provided by the Internet, and have made
substantial investments in pursuing e-commerce initiatives, including the
implementation of PlanWell, one of the largest web-based electronic document
centers in the country.
An ARC company, Blair has affiliates all over the U.S. For more
information about ARC, please visit the web site at
www.e-arc.com.
For more information, visit
www.blairgfx.com.
About Oce
Oce is a leading international provider of digital document management
technology and services. The company’s solutions are based on Oce’s advanced
software applications that deliver documents and data over internal networks and
the Internet to printing devices and archives -- locally and around the world.
Supporting the workflow solutions are Oce digital printers and scanners,
considered the most reliable and productive in the world. Oce also offers a wide
range of display graphics, consulting and outsourcing solutions.
Oce employs around 23,000 people, with 2008 revenues of approximately $4.3
billion, operates in more than 90 countries and maintains research and
manufacturing centers in the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Germany,
France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Romania and Singapore. Oce North America is
headquartered in Trumbull, CT, with additional business units in Chicago, IL;
New York City; Boca Raton, FL; Salt Lake City, UT and Vancouver, BC. North
American revenues represented approximately half of Oce’s worldwide business in
2008, and employment is approximately 10,000.
For more information, visit
www.oceusa.com.
Outside the U.S., consult http://global.oce.com.
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See Also
Oce
website
Printers and Plotters - list by TenLinks.com
Online CAD
stores - list by TenLinks.com
Additional News
Oct 29 - Oce Introduces ProCut 1600 M Digital Cutting Table
Oct 26 - Oce Arizona 350 XT, GT Printers Get Product of Year Awards
May 29 - Blair Graphics Named Oce 'Green Reprographer of the Year'
Mar 4 - Oce to Sell Newforma Project Management in US
Feb 18 - Oce Seeks Contestants for 'Green Reprographer' Award
Oct 30 - Oce ColorWave 600 Printer Wins MUST SEE 'EM Honors
Aug 1 - Oce CS4100 Color Scanners Gets BERTL 4 Star Rating
Source: Material used in press releases is often supplied by external
sources and used as is.
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