23.6.08

Vegetable based inks - tell me more?

We've have been using bio-inks at Maslands for 10 years now, but what are the benefits?

Some of the pigments used in ink contain metallic substances which are harmful to human health and the environment - such as cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury. Conventional printing inks are petroleum-based and used with alcohol-based solvents. As alcohol and petroleum evaporate Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are emitted. VOCs represent environmental pollution and a health hazard to pressroom workers. In terms of atmospheric pollution, VOCs react with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight to create ozone pollution or photochemical smog.

One solution to VOCs is the use of soya or vegetable-based inks
which have lower rates of VOC emissions. Petroleum inks emit 25 to 40 percent VOCs when they dry, while rates for soya and vegetable-based inks are as low as two to four percent. Vegetable oils used in printing inks are essentially non-hazardous.

In sustainability terms, mineral oils are typically refined from crude oil which is a valuable resource and logic tells us this will run dry at some point, also the energy requirements for extraction, refining and treatment are high. In contrast vegetable oils, which
can be made from a variety of sources including soy-bean, corn and linseed oils, are derived from renewable and readily available resources. Another extra benefit of vege-based inks is their ease of removal from wastepaper during de-inking for recycling.

To us it's a 'no-brainer', we are committed to ensuring we prevent any avoidable pollution, reducing our environmental impact and becoming more energy efficient - keep an eye on our blog for further info on our environmental policies...




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17.6.08

Soaring Paper Costs...

Paper merchants have again increased their prices this month, with most grades going up by 8%, this is the third time costs have risen this year!

Paper mills are citing escalating energy costs and the fluctuating Euro as the main causes. Recognition also of the increasing demand for FSC/PEFC stocks are putting premiums on these kinds of paper.

The current fashion for accredited stocks is a hot topic in paper circles as the impact of specifying such a sheet is up for debate, something for us to discuss in future posts...




Printing Business Cards | Postcards | Flyers | Leaflets | Letterheads | Compliment Slips | Stationery Sets | Posters | Brochures | Folders | Greetings Cards | Wrapping Paper...

16.6.08

Smarten up!!!

Progressing with our re-brand, we're tidying up the troops and polishing up our image with some corporate clothing.

You might have noticed that our new logo is a little brighter than previous designs - we want to be recognised - and whilst considering clothing designs we toyed with the idea of bright orange shirts (well you wouldn't miss them would you!), but with the great British weather providing not much in the way of a tan we felt that the colour may be a little un-flattering for those of us with paler complexions!

In production as we speak, we should be all kitted out by the end of the month - look out for the purple printers!!

P.S. If anyone's wondering, there is meaning to those three orange dots ...




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6.6.08

Say 'Cheeeeeeeeeeese'...

Model Stanley Hobbies Eating & Sleeping Wants to be a... Pedigree Taste Tester!

Overall we're a pretty camera shy bunch, so when someone (Mike!) suggested that a photographer come around and take some pics of us all for our new website (due for launch later this year) and various other bits of marketing material in the pipeline, we all felt the hairs rise on the backs of our necks and tried hard to melt into the walls and go un-noticed.

Our photographer Paul Duriez, however, had an amazing skill of catching you before you even realised he'd lifted his camera and he got some great shots. Look out for them in the little bits of interesting print that will be coming your way soon...




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5.6.08

A little bit of history...

...we thought you might like to know a little of how we came to be.

Founded by William Masland in 1878, Masland & Son was established at 42 Fore Street, Tiverton. Here the firm operated as commercial printers for 73 years. The business was considerably increased by adding a library and a bill posting service, William also started a weekly news sheet called ‘The Little Journal’ which was discontinued during the first war.
Sometime later William decided to concentrate solely on commercial and general printing. He sold the Bill Posting to an Exeter Firm and the shop premises to WH Smith & Son Ltd, continuing to print at the back of the premises.
When William died the age of 94, he was succeeded by one of his four sons, Ernest, who continued the business until his own death at the age of 93 in 1960. The sole surviving child of William, Miss Margaret Mary Masland, decided that this old established family business must continue. She formed a Private Limited Company on the 1st July, 1961, under the name of Maslands Ltd with herself as chairman, Mr Kyle (who was a great friend of Ernest Masland) and Mr Neate (a key worker in the firm for 26 years) as co-directors. When Margaret Masland died, she left half of her shares to Edward Neate and the remaining half to the firms accountant, Mr Lesley Daniel. Edward and Lesley ran the business together, concentrating on the expansion of the letterpress printing process.
On Mr Neate’s retirement in 1982 the business was left in the hands of his daughter and son-in-law, Margaret & Chris May, who had both joined the company in 1961 (although they weren’t married at the time!). Still using letterpress techniques at this time, they took the bull by the horns and steamed into the integration of lithographic presses. Although late getting into this technology, every effort was made to bring the company back into line with its competitors.
In 1981 Andy Jackson joined as a machine minder, with his enviable drive and dedication it wasn’t long before he had proved his worth and in 1983 Andy was appointed as a Director running production. With the addition of some ‘young blood’ in the form of Chris and Margaret’s son Andrew in ‘89 and daughter Louise in ‘92, and later on their partners Natasha and Michael, Maslands goes from strength to strength.
Since Chris & Marg retired in 2007, there have been a few 'tweaks'. With our new image, fresh enthusiasm and a great interest in modern technology coupled with a wealth of experience, knowledge, age-old principles and tradition we know we’re really good at what we do.




Printing Business Cards | Postcards | Flyers | Leaflets | Letterheads | Compliment Slips | Stationery Sets | Posters | Brochures | Folders | Greetings Cards | Wrapping Paper...