| Fine Art Care and Treatment Standards (FACTS) is re-emerging under the leadership of its new president, Terry Way. Way owns Raven Frame Works in Eugene, OR, and has been involved with the organization since its inception in 1994.
FACTS was established to determine and define terminology and establish guidelines for the picture framing industry. The standards have been widely accepted by industry manufacturers and professional organizations, including the Professional Picture Framers Association. FACTS is a non-profit, non-membership volunteer operation supported by donations from framers, suppliers, and manufacturers. FACTS website, www.artfacts.org, features all of the standards and related articles and documents.
Currently, FACTS is reviewing FRM-2000, Standard Guide for Maximum Preservation Framing. As stated on the website, “This standard guide has been developed with the aim of preventing damage and providing maximum preservation when framing art and keepsakes. This document includes standard terminology and
definitions, mandatory and recommended procedures and materials, spacing and fitting, hanging and display options, and recommendations for periodic
maintenance.”
FACTS is encouraging industry involvement and asks that those interested visit the website and download the FRM-2000 standard. All input will be considered if it is received via e-mail at office@artfacts.org no later than December 1, 2007. FACTS hopes to have a revised standard completed in time for presentation at the West Coast Art & Frame Show, sponsored by Picture Framing Magazine, to be held January 28-30 in conjunction with the National Conference, which begins on January 27.
SpecialtySoft Partners with Fletcher-Terry
SpecialtySoft, in cooperation with The Fletcher-Terry Company, has announced its latest business solution for the picture framing industry. SpecialtySoft now offers seamless integration with its popular SpecialtySoft POS, SpecialtySoft View, and the Fletcher-Terry suite of computerized matcutters.
The integration performance is achieved by utilizing SpecialtySoft as the “front end” of the system that provides fast and efficient communication between order management, visualization, mat design, and customer pricing. Then the design file is transferred to the Fletcher CMC for assigning cutting tool selection and mat cutting.
For details call 800-417-9248 or send email inquiries to sales@specialtysoft.com.
Southern Moulding in Joint Venture with LifeSaver Software
Southern Moulding is offering Photo-to-Canvas prints for frame shops nationwide via LifeSaver Software POS system. Stores can now offer Photo-to-Canvas services with no start-up cost and have it fully integrated into existing Software Frame shops that use LifeSaver software can easily add the feature into a terminal by selecting it under the configuration menu. Files will be electronically transferred at the end of each day to Southern Mouldings' data center for printing and
shipping.Southern uses a Canon IPF8000 wide-format printer that can be also used to print giclées and high-end artwork. Shops can chose to get the print delivered in many different ways. The printed canvas can be laminated, mounted, stretched, or gallery wrapped for delivery to the frame shop.
Visit www.southernmoulding.com/digital for details.
PPFA Develops Newspaper Section Program
The Professional Picture Framers Association (PPFA) in conjunction with its parent organization, the Photo Marketing Association (PMA), is launching a campaign to persuade newspapers across the country to add special PhotoStyle sections, encompassing photography, custom framing, and scrapbooking.
Newspapers currently have a number of specialty sections devoted to such topics as automobiles, travel, home and garden, and the like. The PMA/PPFA feels a PhotoStyle section would be beneficial to framers, photographers, and scrapbookers by providing an editorial setting that would support advertising from these allied fields. Retailers and suppliers in these areas would work together to raise consumer awareness and generate consumer spending for the entire industry.
Newspapers would have to be provided with plenty of editorial content and photographs by framers and other businesses covered in such a special section. Considering the number of businesses in the three types of businesses, there should be an ample amount of content. With the involvement of such digital photographic firms as Hewlett-Packard, Epson, and Nikon, there should also be a sufficient amount of advertising support for such sections.
PMA/PPFA cooperative marketing teams are getting ready for a 25-city major market tour to recruit industry suppliers and retailers interested in being on this “sales” team. The meetings will be six hours long, committees will be created, and chairpeople will be selected. Meetings and presentation to newspapers will then follow.
The plan was presented to the framing industry in Atlanta by Dennis Conforto, chairman and CEO of A-Z Media and the Smart Group, which PMA hired as a consultant for the imaging-related industries it represents. Conforto pointed out that such a newspaper section would be ideal for the framing-photography-scrapbooking industry as a whole because newspapers are looking for news and human interest stories as well as new sources of revenue. A PhotoStyle section, he said, would include such topics as business success articles, community outreach stories, an Ask the Experts column, tips, innovative designs, and more.
The ultimate goal of this plan is to raise public awareness about the framing, photo, and scrapbooking industries, Conforto said. For details on the 25-city tour or the PhotoStyle newspaper sections, contact Dennis Conforto at 760-929-7090 ext. 213.
Artgrafix and D&K Introduce Purchase Program
Artgrafix in conjunction with D&K Laminators and Supplies, has introduced the Purchase To Own Program (PTO). The laminators in this program are D&K's wide laminators including the 42 EXP Pouch Laminator, SuperKote and the 42 EXP Roll Laminator.
Printers can receive a free laminator by making a two-year commitment to buy supplies from Artgrafix. In return, Artgrafix will place a new laminator in the customer's location with an extended two-year warranty. For supply purchases during the contract period, the customer will pay only 75 percent of the value of the supplies with the balance paid from the customer's initial deposit. When the customer's deposit balance equals zero, the customer receives a zero balance invoice for the laminator. This allows printers to receive a laminator for less than buying a new laminator.
Jeff Stover, owner of Artgrafix explains “by combining the revenue from the supplies with the equipment, we were able to make it more affordable to get a new laminator. The purchase volume requirement is slightly less than industry averages with Pouch Laminator users mounting one to two boards a day on average, Roll Laminator purchases finishing eight to 12 prints a day and SuperKote users laminating about 18 prints day. It is truly a win-win program with a lower initial outlay and reduced spending for supplies during the following two-years.”
D&K is supporting the program by including an extended warranty as well as $500 in free supplies with every laminator in the program. Printers can get the full details of the program at www.artgrafix.com/pto.htm or by calling 800-443-4421.
Legion Paper Launches Eco-Friendly Website
Legion Paper, a leading supplier of fine art paper in North America, has launched a comprehensive eco-friendly paper classification system as part of its website, www.legionpaper.com. This new tool is an industry-first and provides a powerful “green” search engine.
Joshua Levine, Legion Paper’s CEO, says, “We have a very different take on green than most paper companies. The majority of the papers we supply contain an eco-friendly story so we developed a system to highlight these green characteristics, which has turned into a valuable educational tool.”
The online discussion focuses five paper categories: Alternative Energy, Chlorine-Free, Handmade Papers, Mill Certification, and Tree-Free. The “green” interface on the website allows users to search and find the papers best suited for their needs.
The site was developed in response to customer demand over the past two years. Visit the website www.legionpaper.com, or call 212-683-6990.
Framerica's Local Education Initiative
Framerica®'s banner advertisements, which appear on the table of contents and cover of industry trade magazines, have long been the work of Framerica's in-house graphic design team. Recently Framerica's senior vice president of marketing Dave Rosner and graphic artist Corinne Ferrara along with art teacher Jennifer Trettner, taught a two-session class at Ward Melville High School, Long Island, NY. Participating were students interested in a career in graphic design.
The class was intended to provide a real-world account of the profession and what marketing executives look for in job applicants. In addition, students participated in a project using the skills and knowledge they accumulated, along with their own creative ideas, to design rough ads for future Framerica banners. “The results were overwhelming,” said Rosner. “The students were talented and creative; and each was extremely dedicated to honing their skills. It was very rewarding for me personally and for Framerica as a whole.”
The results of the project include at least one banner ad (a baseball hat design) that has been published. Framerica provided Joe Mullaney, who is now enrolled at Hofstra University, with a scholarship to assist in the purchase of books and materials for his education. The company has plans to return to continue the program next year. Framerica's past and present banners can be seen at its all-new website, www.framerica.com.
Framing Success at New Headquarters
On July 26, 2007, Framing Success Inc. held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of its new 35,000-square foot corporate headquarters and state-of-the-art production at the new Taylor Frames Commerce Park, Dam Neck Corridor in Virginia Beach. Participants in the event included Virginia Beach City Manager James K. Spore and Framing Success President Richard Lansdowne.
Founded in 1989, Framing Success is one of the largest providers of custom-embossed diploma and certificate frames in the U.S., serving over 2,000 universities, colleges, corporations, government agencies and professional organizations across the country.
For more information, call 800-200-2044 or visit www.framingsuccess.com.
Larson-Juhl Branches Make Charitable Donations
The Phoenix, AZ, branch of Larson-Juhl recently made donations to several local charities. One organization the Phoenix team has a long-term relationship with is the Mountainview Home for Boys, which provides a safe place to live for boys ranging in age from 4 to 10. A team member became personally involved and brought information about the organization to the branch. The Phoenix team works with Mountainview to celebrate each boy's birthday, provide a Christmas party, and organize Halloween and Easter celebrations.
In addition, the Phoenix team made contributions to Andrea's Closet, an Arizona non-profit organization that helps children face medical treatments by allowing them to choose a special gift from a toy-filled closet. The next new closet at the Burn Center Hospital in Phoenix will be named after Larson-Juhl for its dedication over the past two years.
The Houston/Louisiana branch has also been busy with local charities. It recently made donations to the American Cancer Society and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The charities were chosen due to the involvement of many customers and Larson-Juhl team members in these organizations. “Supporting these organizations is very important to our entire team,” said Mark Nichols, the branch general manager.
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