American Book Company Publishes Educational Content with Canon Inkjet
Learn how American Book Company (ABC) - a K-12 educational publisher - went fully digital with the Canon varioPRINT i300 sheetfed inkjet press and Canon ColorStream inkjet web press to achieve its mission of helping children succeed in their learning.
K-12 PUBLISHER TRANSITIONS TO PRODUCTION INKJET SOLUTIONS WITH SUPPORT FROM CANON U.S.A.
Sowing The Seeds For Growth
The written word in print can be a profound tool, turning visions of academic advancement into life-changing learning experiences.
Starting with just $12,000 in seed money and a single, self-written GED book designed to help students pass graduation tests, it didn’t take long for Frank and Collen Pintozzi’s new business venture to take off. Within one summer, as requests for written materials poured in, they were able to quickly pay back their investment.
“In February of 1996, we sold our first book,” said Collen Pintozzi, CEO of ABC. “Our first book sale was five books. Our second sale was five books. Our third, fourth, and fifth sales were five books. Finally, we got an order for 50 books, and we knew it was time to go out to dinner and celebrate.”
Since then, ABC has had a healthy appetite for success, expanding its catalog to include comprehensive print and digital coursebooks, online testing platforms, and full-year curriculum resources that align with state standards. As educational guidelines have evolved, so too have the company’s offerings, broadening from test prep materials to complete curriculum solutions for elementary, middle, and high school students.
But with growth came higher demands and a pressing need for a faster, more reliable, and more colorful way to deliver content to its customers.
Removing The Roadblocks In Educational Publishing
In its early years, ABC’s production was resourceful but limited. The team relied on a collection of toner-based machines, including eight black-and-white devices and a pair of color printers, to create thousands of books and teaching guides. While covers could be printed in color, manuscripts strictly involved black-and-white printing.
As demand increased, the limitations of the toner-based workflow became clear. Even with multiple shifts, production couldn’t keep pace with sales. Outsourcing overflow jobs caused delays and dissatisfied customers. It became evident that the company needed a more efficient, high-volume, full-color solution to help them scale while maintaining the flexibility to serve their clients quickly.
“We had to go through some iterations to get to where the best solution was,” said Devin Pintozzi, ABC’s COO.
Implementation As Easy As ABC
After exploring several options, ABC committed to Canon production inkjet technology. Transitioning from sheet-fed toner devices to powerful inkjet systems helped to provide the quality, speed, and reliability the company needed to thrive.
Proposing a solution that would fit perfectly into ABC’s modestly sized 5,000 square foot facility, Canon didn’t just install new equipment. They provided expert support and guidance in a cost-effective package. Bringing every step of the printing process in-house not only helped satisfy customer demand but also empowered staff to achieve higher productivity.
The Technology Behind The Transformation
As part of the transition, ABC strategically implemented a fleet of Canon production inkjet presses designed to balance flexibility, speed, and quality. These devices, all of which offer a simple user interface and seamless operational adoption, include the:
- imagePRESS V800 – Utilized primarily in the production of book covers, teacher guides, catalogs, and marketing materials such as postcards and brochures. The V800 produces vibrant, repeatable color at up to 81 images per minute and offers 2400 x 2400 dpi resolution. Its automation features also help to minimize operator intervention.
- varioPRINT TITAN 6330 – Featuring Gemini technology for instant duplex printing, the TITAN helps ABC produce black-and-white books at 328 A4 pages per minute. “We use the TITAN every day,” said Devin Pintozzi. “Our samples are in color, but we still have customers that want to go with the black-and-white solution. We're using it every shift.”
- VarioPrint i300 – This high-volume, color inkjet printer, combining the productivity of inkjet with sheet-fed versatility, has become a cornerstone of ABC’s resourcefulness in eliminating outsourced jobs.
- ColorStream 6000 – With a unique combination of productivity, efficiency, and quality, this roll-to-roll inkjet system supports the staff by delivering outstanding color consistency and speed for large orders.
Together, these presses have helped to build a foundation for consistent, high-quality, full-color production. By enabling quick turnaround times and seamless in-house revisions, current clients and prospective customers are more prone to utilize ABC’s services. Additionally, through the adoption of Canon’s PRISMAsync workflow software, the organization has supported streamlined operations across their devices.
“PRISMAsync was very easy to learn, and the training was very thorough,” said ABC’s Plant Supervisor Zachary Black. “(It) definitely makes our workflow easier in that all we have to do is create one profile and then we send it to all the machines and it's exactly the same.”
Strong Results And Service That Support Confidence
Since deploying Canon technology, ABC has more than doubled its production capacity, according to Devin Pintozzi. The ability to print in vibrant full color has also elevated the look and feel of their materials, helping to strengthen their market position and expand opportunities with new clients.
“Our sales team talks about the print capabilities that we have,” said ABC’s Marketing Director Lauren Kennedy. “That directly translates into sales for them because it furthers the conversation. As long as our content impresses them, which it seems to always do, then they'll purchase.”
The new workflow also allows the ABC team to keep their promise of delivering strong turnaround times within an industry that is always on the go.
Canon’s service and support have also been key to ABC’s success. Technicians not only maintain the devices but also teach the team how to prevent potential issues before they occur, which is especially beneficial for ABC’s bilingual staff. “My relationship with Canon has been great,” Black said. “I love their customer service, and I have a close relationship with the technicians that come in here. They're very helpful.”
Building A Brighter Future
Much like the inside of a classroom is a place to cultivate new ideas, ABC has molded its relationship with Canon to help meet growing demand and adapt quickly in a constantly evolving educational publishing landscape. The company continues to explore the latest Canon advancements, ensuring that its print technology scales alongside its expanding curriculum.
With Canon’s production inkjet solutions, workflow software, and dedicated service team, ABC has graduated from a small-town publisher with limited capabilities into a dynamic, full-service educational content provider ready to empower the next generation of learners.
To learn more about how Canon inkjet solutions can help your organization thrive, contact us today.