Big Picture - October 2020 - 12

A DV E R T I S E M E N T

Mission Critical

How the Acuity F is helping keep A&M Printing on the fast track.
of use. "For us, we were especially sold on the
high-flow vacuum" Lam says. "It definitely can
handle the tougher materials [corrugated boxes,
etc.], which is a critical element. The Acuity F
also gives us the speed as well as the quality."

ocated 45 minutes away from San
Francisco and 40 minutes from Silicon
Valley, A&M Printing (anmprinting.com)
sits just outside the heartbeat resonating from
one of the country's most culturally diverse
and innovatively paced areas. On one side is a
bastion of Fortune 500 icons, and the other, a
spate of small-and medium-sized businesses,
including wineries and real estate and building
companies - each looking to market to its
customers from all sides of the playbook.
For the past 25-plus years, the Pleasanton,
California-based commercial printer has
operated under the mission statement: "Our
customer's success is our success." That means
A&M gives every project the uncompromising
customer service and painstaking attention
to detail it deserves via its dedicated in-house
graphic design, bindery, and mailing and
fulfillment service teams.
Situated in an area known for its commitment
to environmentally sound practices, A&M has
led by example thanks to its calculated efforts
to minimize waste and pollution. The certified
G7 Master printer is a leader in green business
practices. Some of its "eco-friendly solutions"
include soy and/or vegetable-based inks,
environmentally friendly fountain solutions, and
press washes with low VOC, water-based press
coatings, and recyclable paper, among others.
The services A&M provides and the products it
uses to get the jobs done matter. But as owner,
Leo Lam, examined the jobs coming in and out
of the door, he noticed that A&M was only giving
its customers half of what they needed in some
instances. While its customers were getting

The team in front of the Acuity F, from left
to right: Juan (operator), Leo Lam (manager),
Stanly (operator).
what they needed in the way of brochures and
pamphlets, presentation folders, flyers, coupons,
etc., they were going to other vendors for things
like signage. Without a large-format printer,
A&M was not giving its customers its best shot.
"Knowing that our customers come to us first,
we realized we were only servicing half of their
needs and giving away the rest," Lam says.
"When you see that, you say, 'We have them
in here, so let's keep them here.' We needed
something that could get the job done with high
quality and in the short term. Digital was the
only way to go."

SEEK AND YOU SHALL FIND
The first step in A&M's mission to right that
wrong was to find a digital, wide-format press
that could offer the quality, efficiency, and
sustainability needed to provide a one-stop
shop for the large-format side of the business.
After researching what equipment could help
reignite their operations, the A&M brain trust
turned to long-time vendor partner Fujifilm and
the Acuity F to bolster its investment in largeformat, digital printing.
Able to produce a wide range of print applications
from close view to display print, the capabilities
of the Acuity F inkjet printer offer nearphotographic image quality, versatility, and ease

Before adding the Acuity F, the typical run
length for a standard 48- by 96-inch stock type
was two to three hours. But thanks to the Acuity
F's print speeds and high-flow vacuum power,
the A&M team can turn the same project around
in less than an hour, giving it the capability to
take on larger runs. It also enables A&M to fulfill
Lam's ultimate mission: to be a one-stop shop
for its customers.
"The F67 came in just right on time," Lam says.
"Where we are, in the Bay Area, things move at
a very fast pace. In today's digital environment,
clients expect a lot when it comes to turnaround
time. The quality is a given. What makes
us stand out is the quality we offer and our
customer service. A lot of things can affect the
pricing, but if your customers have to choose
reliability and quality, they will always take those
over price. Fujifilm has always been one of our
stronger vendors. That is what makes us so
loyal for all these years. There has never been a
reason to change."
In a time when the print industry must work
together to service the needs of customers
seeking the best solutions in the right
moments, Lam says being able to lean on a
close ally is important.
"When you do things right it keeps customers
around for a long time. You can have the best
salespeople in the world, but you have to be
able to back up your product," he says. "We
have always found the support there with
Fujifilm. You have to work together in order to
be able to succeed."

fujifilmgraphics.com

http://www.anmprinting.com http://www.fujifilmgraphics.com

Big Picture - October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Big Picture - October 2020