Impressions - May 2021 - 17

to manage orders since they don't have an ERP solution in place. There
are several benefits, including decreased labor costs, increased order
accuracy and faster order fulfillment. An integrated solution allows
rapid and accurate order processing that occurs throughout the day.
" This is especially important for [direct-to-garment] (DTG) products with a quick turnaround, since customers expect immediate
printing and shipping of their items, " Drinnin says. " The pandemic
has accelerated DTG and POD by at least five years. "
Before the pandemic, music-artist tours fueled 90% of
Chicago-based Culture Studio's business. " In 2020, our business shifted to 100% e-commerce and retail, " says CEO Rich Santo. However,
since the shop had developed an ERP platform called Stokkup.com
in 2015, the team successfully changed its workflow model on a dime.
Now available for all screen printers, Stokkup.com gives shop owners
an end-to-end way to manage core functions: client communication
(orders and art approvals); overall workflow (scheduling machines
and managing capacity); and shipping and distribution. One of the
platform's core functionalities is to batch orders into bulk as they
enter the system.
" When multiple orders of the same product come in, they get
grouped together for decoration, " says Oscar Flores, Sr., software
engineer at Stokkup.com. " This allows shops to increase their profit
margin, and still screen print rather than switch to digital printing. "
A challenge that shops will face in this area, according to Flores,
is figuring out an accurate production plan. " Do you have the in-

frastructure in place to keep up with on-demand and bulk orders? "
he asks. " Or will you need to sub out to other printers to keep up
with demand? Do you have a team that's knowledgeable about the
e-commerce space who can properly manage the products and orders as they come in? "
Seamlessly transmitting orders into an ERP platform - along
with product and artwork details, as well as other order information
- simplifies the order-entry process and limits human interaction.
" Your ability to accommodate multiple customer stores, shopping-cart
sites and platforms with a shop-wide system is essential, as additional integrations mean more exposure to a company's products
and potentially more online orders, " Drinnin says. " That also helps
streamline your workflow when you're a fulfillment partner and need
to get orders out ASAP. "
Communication between the ERP solution and e-commerce platforms like InkSoft gives a shop owner real-time inventory visibility
to eliminate order delays.
At Roberson Printing & Graphics, the team uses a straightforward
system: When a customer places an order online, it moves onto an
" orders " board and automatic emails go out to staffers letting them
know to procure blanks. Any art uploaded by the buyer is uploaded
to the client's folder in the cloud server. All customer correspondence
also gets saved to that folder.
" Our customers can login to their accounts and see their order
status in real time, " Roberson says.

New Innovative Products
1. Ricoma MT-8S-2003 Embroidery Machine
The world's first three-head embroidery machine  Part of the company's
MT-8S 20-needle embroidery-machine series  Large 20 " x 14 " working
area  State-of-the-art 8-inch LED touchscreen panel  WiFi and ethernet
capabilities
Use Info⋅Action #300 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

2. Vapor Apparel Sports Sleeves
Designed to be fully sublimated  Made from compression fabric with UPF 50+
sun protection  Available in three sizes for adults and two sizes for children
 Allover print (AOP) templates are available

Use Info⋅Action #301 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

3. Madeira USA Reflect Embroidery Thread
Single-color, 40-weight embroidery thread that reflects light in the dark
and adds a sparkle effect  Structure consists of a polyester core wrapped
in polyamide foil and glass beads  Durable and easy to run on industrial
machines using standard needle sizes, according to the company
Use Info⋅Action #302 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

4. Stain Imaging on a T-Shirt
Transforms a basic tee using custom imagery and gentle, dye-like stain color
 Technique shares characteristics of printing, dyeing, weathering techniques
and garment treatments  Imparts a weathered, vintage character and
delivers individuality from piece to piece, according to the company
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5. Augusta Sportswear Ladies' Momentum Long-Sleeve Tee
Style 222824  Made of Dry-Excel, 100% polyester interlock knit
 Moisture-wicking and odor-resistant properties  Tagless label, 30+
UPF sun protection and color secure technology that helps prevent dye
migration  Available in adult, youth and girls' options
Use Info⋅Action #304 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

6. Lawson Screen & Digital Products Digi-Star Elite Conveyor Dryer
Designed for curing digital, water-based and plastisol inks  Uses siliconcontrolled rectifier (SCR) power controls  WiFi-enabled touchscreen
controller  Programmable job settings for instant recall and barcodescanning technology
Use Info⋅Action #305 at impressionsmag.com/infoaction

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Impressions - May 2021

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