Contact Information: AT SCHAWK, INC. Tim Rose (847) 827-9494 trose@schawk.com FOR SCHAWK, INC. Patti Soldavini (908) 850-6300 psoldavini@anthemworldwide.com
Schawk, Inc. Announces Its Commitment to Environmental Sustainability
Global Environmental Sustainability Team Established to Drive Progress Forward
| Source: Schawk, Inc.
DES PLAINES, IL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 23, 2007 --Schawk, Inc. (NYSE : SGK ), one of the world's
leading providers of digital brand image management solutions to the
consumer products packaging industry, announced today its commitment to
environmental sustainability. The Company has also established a global
environmental sustainability team to drive progress forward for the benefit
of its clients, employees and the communities in which it operates around
the world.
"Schawk acts in accordance with the belief that its actions as an
organization must be aligned with its philosophy of being a good corporate
citizen," said David A. Schawk, president and chief executive officer. "We
have established a global environmental sustainability team to bring
greater focus to our efforts on behalf of our clients, employees and local
communities. We are committed to discovering innovative new ways in which
to deliver on this promise."
The Schawk commitment to environmental sustainability includes seven
pledges.
1) Ensuring that its operations all over the world continue to use clean
production technologies and follow best practices for environmental
protection. 2) Providing goods and services to its clients that enable them
as brand owners and retailers to meet and exceed both regulatory and
proprietary environmental initiatives. 3) Building and nurturing
collaborative relationships with its clients, suppliers, product and
service collaborators and industry associations to enable a swift and
intelligent exchange of environmental solutions. 4) Helping its clients
streamline their brand development workflows through better use of best
practice workflows, technology, enhanced materials selection, and source
reduction. 5) Leveraging its knowledge and experience to innovate new
services and solutions that drive environmentally friendly brand
development thinking forward. 6) Nurturing the climate of innovation inside
the company that makes great leaps forward possible. 7) Creating a healthy
environment in the communities in which we live and work and to the world
community as well.
"Schawk operates every day with the understanding that the products it
generates, the counsel it provides to its clients and the decisions it
makes about operating practices impact our environment," said A. Alex
Sarkisian, executive vice president and chief operating officer. "As an
industry leader, we believe that being environmentally responsible requires
a shift in consciousness. We are working to ignite this shift internally
because we believe that environmental responsibility and corporate
profitability will increasingly work together as more industries learn that
nature 'works' for both sustainability and the bottom-line. We have, are,
and will continue this practice as a matter of conscience and culture, not
regulation."
On the premedia services side of its business, Schawk's flexographic
plate-making system is a closed loop system, meaning that solvents used in
the process are captured and recycled and not discharged. The Company's
gravure cylinder-making process is 100 percent electrostatic, eliminating
the need to use chemical pellets to coat cylinders. All the Company's
plates and cylinders are digitally engraved, eliminating the need for
solvent-based chemicals. Additionally, Schawk's color and print management
services help to reduce paper and substrate waste while improving speed.
On the technology side of its business, BLUE, Schawk's content lifecycle
management system, helps clients substantially reduce or eliminate the
volume of paper required by traditional proofing processes, as well as the
cost of overnight shipping and the transportation energy required to make
these deliveries. Additionally, Schawk offers virtual three-dimensional
packaging as an alternative to paper-based mock-ups.
On the branding and design side of its business, Anthem Worldwide, a Schawk
strategic design company, offers guidance and recommendation on the
selection of substrates, structures and inks during the design process to
maximize clients' environmental sustainability options at the point of
conception.
Schawk has also been testing the performance of water-based inks on
substrates uses in flexographic printing and employing more widespread use
of vegetable-based printing inks such as soy, which is renewable.
Schawk's globally integrated brand image management supply chain solutions
are custom-built for clients based on services that include branding and
strategic design through Anthem Worldwide, production and premedia services
through Schawk's graphic services group and content lifecycle management
through Schawk Digital Solutions. The Company's solutions deliver strategic
business value, improved speed-to-market, enhanced brand consistency, and
improved marketplace agility.
Schawk, Inc. is an approved member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.
Additionally, its Los Angeles facility received chain of custody
certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in December 2006.
Also, the Company's London facility has been re-accredited with ISO
14001-2004 management systems. ISO 14001 2004 is an environmental
management standard that specifies a set of requirements for environmental
management systems. The purpose of this standard is to help organizations
protect the environment, prevent pollution, and improve their environmental
performance.
Schawk, Inc., headquartered in suburban Chicago, is a leading supplier of
electronic visual brand services, brand consulting and design and an array
of digitally-based workflow solutions, all aimed at bringing enhanced value
to its clients. Schawk provides these advanced services for the food,
beverage, and consumer products packaging, point of sale, and advertising
and retail markets. For more information about Schawk, visit
www.schawk.com.