Judy Rybaczok applies glue to pads in Jasper Printing's bindery.

Edmonton 255C pressman Roger Gagne runs an Original Heidelberg Platen Press – nicknamed the "Windmill" – in one of two pressrooms at Quebecor's Jasper Printing in Alberta.

First pressman Dwayne Billey, left, and Edmonton 255C Secy.-Treas. Paul Buchanan check an advertising publication proof pulled from the 40-inch, five-color Komori Lithrone press, which Buchanan also operates as a first pressman at the company.

George Perry makes an adjustment on the Heidelberg 40-inch, two-color perfecting press. The broad range in size and capabilities of Jasper's 13 presses allow the company to print a wide variety of material.

Edmonton 255C member Greg Mattern pulls finals off a Heidelberg GTO two-color offset.

High-end desktop publishing, a full range of services from prepress to bindery, and the experienced and skilled crew represented by Edmonton 255C help to keep Quebecor's Jasper Printing plant at the top of western Canada's sheetfed printers.

The company takes pride in the work performed by the GCIU members – as well as its investment in technology. Along with the motto: "We offer much more than just ink on paper," the company cites "a skilled and empowered workforce."

Founded in 1953 and acquired by Quebecor Printing in 1995, Jasper Printing's 13 presses range in size and age from a 15-inch Original Heidelberg Platen Press to modern Heidelberg and Komori 40-inch, five-color presses. The Komori is the only press at Jasper printing that isn't a Heidelberg. The other Heidelbergs include three GTOs for smaller runs.

This wide range of presses, backed up by the prepress and bindery services, allows the company in turn to output a broad range of printing products that include cut reproductions, calendars and multi-page brochures, books, magazines and other publications, phone book covers, envelopes, and business cards. Local 255C Secy.-Treas. Paul Buchanan added that the company even prints union contracts.

Noting that with Jasper's 80 union employees and three other Quebecor plants in town, Buchanan said "Quebecor is a major employer in Edmonton."

Buchanan, who runs the Komori at Jasper Printing, said the press requires "a little bit more makeready than the older presses, but once it's up and running, it's much faster." He said the company runs the presses six days and three nights per week.

Dwayne Billey, who also runs the Komori, said he enjoys working on the complex press. Billey said he started at Jasper 20 years ago "sweeping floors." Now he is a first pressman.

Jasper Printing's conversion to desktop publishing for prepress services includes four Macintosh work stations and one DOS-based PC. Not to be left behind, the company upgraded the Macs with very fast G3 chips that allow operators to perform complex actions using Adobe, Quark Xpress, and Aldus page and graphics software much more quickly.

Shelly McBeth, who works in the newly organized desktop unit, said she has worked in the printing trades for some 15 years, including a stint in the bindery. She entered the Alberta-sponsored apprenticeship program and achieved her journeyman status while working at Jasper. "I like it," she said of the desktop operations. "There are always new problems and new solutions and keeping up with technology."

Buchanan noted: "Every time something faster, better, newer comes out, we have to learn it. We don't want to fall behind." He said the union achieved training provisions in its contract, and "the company is good about it. As technology changed, they moved hand strippers into other areas."

Jasper Printing's prepress equipment also includes a state-of-the art Scitex Dolev4pressV imagesetter. Using a laser to expose the film at resolutions up to 2,540 lines per inch, the Dolev automatically traps and loads and unloads film. It has a built-in Adobe PostScript RIP. The device can output more than 20 full-sized four-up films per hour.

Buchanan said because the Scitex Dolev can output eight negatives for eight-page, four-color material instead of the usual 32 negatives, "it cuts down on time."

Jasper's appreciation of and investment in its workforce has led to many long-time employees. Linda Holler, who works in the bindery, has been at the company for 19 years. She said she enjoys her work there. "It's interesting and varied."

Ross Lawrence shows off a fully digital Polar Mohr 45-inch cutter.

Edmonton 255C member Shelly McBeth works on a Power Macintosh fueled by the fast G3 chip.