V3

Seasoned Direct Marketer Joins V3

AndrewHennings

Written by Ed Scully

Thursday April 5, 2012

Industry veteran, Andrew Hennings, is the newest addition to V3’s sales and marketing team. Assuming the role of account executive, Hennings will work out of the Los Angeles office and bring expertise in integrated direct marketing services and extensive knowledge of production, manufacturing, fulfillment, quality assurance and logistics.

A graduate from the University of La Verne, Hennings has over 23 years experience in the direct marketing industry and numerous certifications in customer service, quality management and USPS mail services. Prior to joining V3, he most recently served as vice president at Direct Connection Marketing Communications and was formerly vice president of operations at Harte-Hanks, a worldwide direct and targeted marketing company. His clientele included non-profit organizations, educational institutions and companies in the financial, high-tech, pharmaceutical, electronic and retail industries.

Mike Szanger, V3’s vice president of sales, remarks: “Andy is a respected leader in the business community who has tremendous insight on where the industry is heading and proven experience helping clients take advantage of it.”

In addition to his professional duties, Hennings has previously served as presidents of the Orange County Chapter of the American Marketing Association and of the California Inland Counties Chapter. Additionally, he has been a speaker at the National Postal Forum and an academic Advisory Board member at California State University, Fullerton. Hennings lives in La Verne with his wife, Leslie, and three daughters.

About V3
Quality and service have been V3’s hallmarks since 1946. Today, our Commercial Printing, Specialty Packaging and Direct Marketing solutions build on that legacy to deliver industry-leading products and technologies. Headquartered in Oxnard, California with additional offices in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles, we are employee-owned and have a vested personal interest in helping our clients move their businesses forward—without compromise. For more information about V3’s services, hours and locations, please visit us at http://www.v3corporation.com or call 1.800.882.1844.

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V3 Expands Prototyping Capability with New Zünd Digital Cutter

Written by Ed Scully

Wednesday February 1, 2012

V3 has added a Zünd M-800 cutting system to its equipment list, an acquisition that expands its capabilities in the digital finishing and production of specialty packaging, displays, POP and POS graphics, and more.

The 51-inch-by-31-inch cutter includes a conveyor that produces flat prototypes in a wide range of substrates and accommodates oversized (length) pieces. The integration of Ardensoft Impact CAD, the leading packaging structural design software, adds the capability of creating three-dimensional soft proofs prior to sample making.

Steve Alkazian, V3’s prepress supervisor, praises the Zünd for providing “superior cuts, shorter turnaround times and greater customization in design and materials at an affordable cost.” According to Alkazian, the greatest benefit is the system’s ability to create accurate, realistic prototypes prior to the die-making stage. He explains: “Our clients can see a sample in the actual material and make adjustments before creating the die. That way, they can spot and solve potential issues early in the process, save time and money in the long run, and ensure a quality final product.”

Download a 3D pdf sample here. We recommend downloading this file to your desktop then open and view using the latest version of Acrobat in order to view all features.

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USPS implements a postage rate change effective January 22

Written by Ed Scully

Thursday January 12, 2012

The United States Postal Service will implement a postage rate change effective January 22. Here’s a brief overview to help you plan for these changes.

FIRST-CLASS MAIL®
• Letters (1 ounce): 1-cent increase to 45 cents (the first increase since May 2009)
• Postcards: 3-cent increase to 32 cents (more than a 10-percent increase)
• Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 ounce): 5-cent increase to 85 cents
• Letters to other international destinations: 7-cent increase to $1.05

STANDARD MAIL®
• Presorted Standard Mail letter rates will increase between 0.3 cents to 0.6 cents.

NONPROFIT MAIL
• Rates will vary with most rates decreasing between 0.2 cents to 0.3 cents.
• There is a small increase for pieces larger than 6 inches by 11 inches. Nonprofits that mail an 8.5-inch-by-11-inch newsletter can avoid this increase and mail at the lower rate by folding the piece in half to 8.5 inches by 5.5 inches. They can also place the newsletter in a 6-inch-by-9-inch envelope and still qualify for the lower rate.

SPECIAL OFFER

The USPS will offer a free second ounce to customers sending presorted First-Class Mail letters. With the new postage rate change, presorted First-Class Mail pieces that weigh up to 2 ounces will now mail at the same rate as 1-ounce mail. The offer is aimed at increasing the use of presorted First-Class Mail to send bills and statements, which could help improve collection times. It is also an opportunity for mailers to add a supplemental piece or two to their letters.

REMEMBER
The USPS will be closed January 16 and February 20.

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V3 Adds Product Manager of Direct Marketing

RobWagner

Written by Ed Scully

Thursday January 5, 2012

Rob Wagner joins V3 as a product manager of direct marketing services. In this newly created role, Wagner will expand the company’s offerings in this area and consult with clients on their direct marketing and mailing needs.

Wagner comes to V3 with over a decade of business development and sales experience. Most recently, he was the regional director of development at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, where he oversaw major gift fundraising and an annual campaign that raised an average of $2.5 million per year. Previously, he was a cartographer and product development manager at Maps.com, a leading provider of mapping products, and an emergency medical technician earlier in his career.

Wagner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science from Westmont College and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. He is also a “DMA (Direct Marketing Association) Certified Marketing ProfessionalTM.” A native Californian, Wagner lives in Santa Barbara with his wife and three children.

Mike Szanger, V3’s vice president of sales, says: “We’re excited to welcome Rob to the team. He’s an accomplished marketer who recognizes great opportunities. He’s also attentive and insightful about what people need, making him an ideal partner to our clients—and the right person to take our direct marketing services to the next level.”

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V3 Pumps Up Color Capabilities with pressSIGN

Written by Ed Scully

Thursday November 10, 2011

V3 has expanded its color management capabilities, installing pressSIGN workstations on three of its Mitsubishi presses to increase the ability to measure and control their printing process.

This latest technology acquisition rounds out the suite of rigorous standards, controls and systems that V3 already uses to ensure accuracy and quality on press, such as:
• X-Rite’s IntelliTrax Auto Scanning System, a high-end color management solution that offers faster make-ready, improved quality control and extensive reporting
• G7 Master Printer Certified status, which certifies that V3 follows industry-leading practices for achieving gray balance and visual similarity across all printing processes, substrates and devices

According to Steve Alkazian, V3’s prepress supervisor, the integration of pressSIGN software adds invaluable diagnostic tools that improve performance: “We can identify and analyze quality and wastage issues early in the process to head off potential problems and achieve accurate, consistent color more quickly and efficiently.”

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V3 Passes Five-Year Milestone for FSC Certification

FSC_white2

Written by Ed Scully

Wednesday June 22, 2011

April 12, 2011 marked the fifth anniversary and successful renewal of V3’s Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) chain of custody (CoC) certification, a milestone that only a select few in the industry have achieved. To qualify, V3 completed a rigorous certification and assessment process overseen by leading independent auditor and certifier, Scientific Certification Systems (SCS).

V3’s 2011 recertification confirms the company’s continued ability to meet stringent tracking requirements for products carrying the FSC label. Since 2006, V3 has successfully demonstrated that its FSC-certified paper products come from responsibly managed forests and verified recycling sources in accordance with FSC standards for sourcing and procurement, inventory management, manufacturing, sales, invoicing and record keeping, V3’s license code is FSC-C001755.

Mike Szanger, V3’s vice president of sales and marketing, comments: “We’re now entering our sixth consecutive year of FSC certification. I believe we were the seventh printer in the state to become certified at that time. This certification is just one example of our commitment to being environmentally responsible from the products and services we offer to our day-to-day operations.”

To learn more about V3’s commitment to environmental responsibility, visit v3corporation.com/green-practices.

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USPS extends May 2011 deadline mandating Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMb) use

Written by Ed Scully

Thursday May 5, 2011

The USPS has extended the May 2011 deadline to mandate using Intelligent Mail® Barcodes (IMb) for automation discounts. Despite this delay, it’s the smartest way to save money and improve mailing results now.

Intelligent Mail includes a suite of barcodes that expands your ability to track individual pieces and see into the mail stream. Applied to mail pieces, handling units and containers, IMb encodes more information without cluttering your mail.

In addition to end-to-end tracking throughout the mail stream, IMb offers:
•    Lowest postal rates
•    Access to Confirm®, Delivery ConfirmationTM, Address Change ServiceTM and more
•    Better scan rates and improved deliverability
•    More effective processing of returned mail
•    Better customer intelligence and feedback on mail preparation and quality

V3 can help you begin taking advantage of all these benefits—today. For more information, contact us at 800-882-1844 or sales@v3corporation.com

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V3 Fuels Growth with New Hires

Written by Ed Scully

Monday April 25, 2011

OXNARD, April 25, 2011 — V3 announces the addition of two new staff members to its growing customer service and production departments.

Andrea Apland joins V3 as a customer service representative, bringing seven years of print production experience and a bachelor’s degree in graphic communication from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Apland was most recently a customer service representative at GotPrint, a Web-based printing company and at Quad/Graphics, a global provider of printing- and multi-channel solutions. Previous roles included production management positions at a design agency and a publishing company. Apland is a member of Los Angeles 3 Toastmasters Club and currently working toward a certificate in digital media at Otis College of Art and Design.

Jeff Samson joins V3 as its bindery manager, equipped with over 25 years experience and a long family history in the bindery business. After earning a bachelor’s degree in production and operations management at California State University, Northridge, Samson assumed roles of increasing responsibility at Bookbinders Company in the bindery, estimating and production management areas and then as an owner. Most recently, he was general manager at Los Angeles Binding and Finishing Solutions.

Mike Szanger, V3’s vice president of sales, attributes these new hires to the company’s robust sales growth: “We’re seeing a steady uptick in demand as the economy improves. In anticipation of continued growth, we’ve added capacity in numerous areas by bringing on skilled, experienced professionals like Andrea and Jeff who share our customer-first philosophy.”

About V3
Quality and service have been V3’s hallmarks since 1946. Today, our Data, Print and Mail solutions build on that legacy to deliver industry-leading products and technologies, including offset, digital and variable printing, direct marketing and mailing, data management and analysis, online marketing tools, and a full line of portable displays for point-of-purchase, trade shows and events. Headquartered in Oxnard, California with additional offices in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Templeton, we are employee-owned and have a vested personal interest in helping our clients move their businesses forward—without compromise. For more information about V3’s services, hours and locations, please visit us at v3corporation.com or call 1.800.882.1844.

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V3 Recognized for Print Excellence at PIASC’s 2011 Regional Competition

Written by Ed Scully

Friday April 15, 2011

OXNARD, April 15, 2011 — V3 received recognition for print excellence at the recent PIASC (Printing Industries Association of Southern California) Graphics Night held at the Pacific Palms Resort in Industry Hills.

V3 was among a select group, representing the best in printing throughout Southern California across 96 possible categories. Judging during PIASC’s Seventh Annual Regional Competition was based on 6 criteria: print reproduction; layout, design and typography; stock compatibility; binding and finishing; difficulty; and overall excellence.

V3’s impressive showing included eight Awards of Excellence, seven Certificates of Merit and three Best of Category awards for a total of 18. Judged as the most outstanding in their categories were the following entries:
1. Product catalog for Scosche Industries
2. Booklet for Santa Barbara Tile – Jeff Shelton Tile Design
3. Single promotional self-mailer for Artist Representation

“It’s such an honor to be considered among the best in our industry,” says Mike Szanger, V3’s vice president of sales and marketing. He adds: “These awards are a testament to the collaborative relationships we enjoy with our clients and the collective talent and commitment of our people.”

About V3
Quality and service have been V3’s hallmarks since 1946. Today, our Data, Print and Mail solutions build on that legacy to deliver industry-leading products and technologies, including offset, digital and variable printing, direct marketing and mailing, data management and analysis, online marketing tools, and a full line of portable displays for point-of-purchase, trade shows and events. Headquartered in Oxnard, California with additional offices in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Templeton, we are employee-owned and have a vested personal interest in helping our clients move their businesses forward—without compromise. For more information about V3’s services, hours and locations, please visit us at v3corporation.com or call 1.800.882.1844

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V3 exhibit considered most distinctive and memorable booth at APALA 2

apala_logoImage

Written by Ed Scully

Wednesday July 7, 2010

The Advertising Production Association of Los Angeles (APALA), Advertising Production Association of Orange County (APAOC) and Printing Industries Association, Inc. of Southern California (PIASC) held their 2nd annual event at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown L.A. on April 27, 2010.

V3′s uniqueness as an employee-owned company was the inspiration behind the “Where everybody knows your name” theme – the song used by the smash hit TV show Cheers. As an employee-owned company, we care more about our customer’s and we all know the customers’ names.

Adding to the backdrops authenticity, distinctiveness and memorable visitor experience was an eleven foot solid oak bar complete with bar stools, a bartender, beer nuts and daily special table tents.

All APALA show attendees that visited the V3 booth were given a custom V3 beer glass.

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