Pictura in the News

Small Business Success Stories
Pictura Graphics : Picture-Perfect Opportunity

Twin Cities Business, Dec. 2008 issue

After more than a decade of working with small and midsize companies in the Twin Cities commercial banking industry, Paul Lilienthal was looking to buy a business. When the investment banking company he had retained suggested Golden Valley–based Pictura Graphics, he quickly realized that he’d found the picture-perfect opportunity for him.

> read more

Going Green with Pictura Graphics
How Pictura Graphics Started Its Sustainablity Journey

Wide Format Digital Imaging, The Green Guide issue

Like any corporate strategy, sustainability will be successful in different ways for individual companies, which must balance eco-conscious programs with operations that ensure economic growth. SGIA interviewed member company Pictura Graphics about its initial efforts in a sustainable workflow.

> download article

Pictura Graphics Receives Certification as 1st SUSTAINABLE GREEN PRINTER by the SGP!

Pictura Graphics has been named as a nationally certified “Sustainable Green Printer” by the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership.

The SGP is the first and only national certification for printers that have implemented environmentally sustainable business practices. Nearly 40 companies offered their facilities to the SGP for evaluation, but only 11 were selected as beta test sites. Of the companies in the beta test group, Pictura Graphics earned the honor of being one of the first companies to achieve certification by the SGP. The announcement was made in a press release issued by the SGP on August 28, 2008.

The project goals of the SGP are to define sustainable green printing and identify steps that will help the printing industry establish manufacturing practices and products that are more environmentally sustainable. The certification process evaluates printers based on the following criteria:

• The Product – input materials used to produce a products such as substrates, inks and coatings
• The Process – the manufacturing process involving press equipment and supporting technology
• The Envelope – the building, energy consumption, employees and supporting activities

> view SGP Press Release
> view Pictura's Press Release
> learn more about the SGP

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Beginning in May, Pictura made a dramatic adjustment to recycling efforts that have resulted in significant waste reduction.

Prior to May, Pictura recycled cardboard, cans and bottles. Now with a new recycling program in place, all recycled materials – including plastics, acrylics, PET, styrene cardboard and general office paper – are picked up by a local recycling center.

Pictura has made three shipments to the recycling center that have totaled 9,691 pounds, or nearly 5 tons of material. We are currently averaging about 3,200 pounds of recycling monthly....and making far less trips to the dumpster!

With the introduction of ecoIMAGES™, Pictura Graphics has taken steps toward lessening our environmental footprint in the graphics industry; a green initiative aimed at providing ecologically sensitive media, substrates, and processes designed to promote environmentally responsible graphics to the markets we serve.

> view our eco solutions

Innovative Partnerships

Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) Advisory Board

The SGP is encouraging and promoting participation in the worldwide movement to reduce environmental impact and increase social responsibility of the print and graphic communications industry through sustainable green printing practices. > learn more

Sustainable Life Media, Sustainable Brands '09 Program Advisory Board

Sustainable Life Media’s mission is to inspire and promote innovation for sustainability by linking people and ideas that are creating positive change in the global business marketplace. > learn more

Minnesota Waste Wise Member

Minnesota Waste Wise delivers strategic environmental consulting that helps businesses save money through waste reduction, resource conservation and energy efficiency. > learn more

Printing Industry of Minnesota, Great Printer Environmental Initiative Member

The PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative is a totally voluntary effort by printers to demonstrate their commitment to minimize their company’s impact on human health and the environment while producing quality printed products for their customers. > read more

U.S. Green Building Council Member

Non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. The USBGC is the developer of the LEED building rating system. > read more