25 years of excellence
This year, the Thibault family is celebrating Unigraph International’s 25th Anniversary.
And every day, Unigraph customers are also celebrating in pressrooms across North America – because of Unigraph’s unique ability to solve virtually every problem related to pressroom chemistry and print production.
Indeed, after 25 years, Unigraph has become the leader in pressroom chemistry in Canada, manufacturing top quality, environmentally friendly products and conducting ground-breaking research and development, all aimed at making work in the pressroom problem-free.
“At the beginning, we only manufactured solvents and served mostly small and medium-size printers,” says CEO and Chairman Leo Thibault. “In 1990, the marketing of the fountain solution Lithofount, and several other specialized products, marked a turnaround for our company and put us in the ‘big leagues.’ Our biggest strength has always been to be pioneers in the development of innovative products that meet the industry’s stringent standards. We possess this unique technical expertise,” he adds.
Forseeing the need for a solution free of isopropylic alcohol, the company launched the Alcofount solution a year later. In 2002, it launched its second generation of dampening solutions to meet the needs of the new CTP technology. In 2007, its research led to the development of one step Lithofount, a revolutionary fountain solution that completely eliminates the double procedure.
“Technologies are quickly evolving and the printing industry must adapt to all these changes. We’re working hand in hand with printers to develop formulas that optimize the performance of their equipment,” says Thibault.
The company’s products are manufactured in accordance with the highest quality standards of the printing industry and cover sheetfed presses, heatset web and coldset newspaper web. Products include fountain solutions, additives for fountain solutions, alcohol replacements, plate cleaners, protective gums, solvents, silicone and other specialized products.
Every product is designed to help solve common problems that occur in the pressroom such as bleeding, binding, calcium carbonate build-up, dot sharpness, ghosting, glazing, hickies, linting, misting, motting, oxidation, ph/conductivity, picking, piling, plugging, poor drying of ink, premature plate wear, scummimg, tinting, trapping – you name it!
Unigraph’s concern for the protection of the environment, and for the safety of consumers as well as pressroom employees, has also led them to develop biodegradable products in accordance with toxicity standards and VOC emissions. Unigraph International is currently an industry leader in the manufacture of ‘green’ products containing no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The company offers a wide selection of chrome and phosphate-free fountain solutions, products that are both environmentally-friendly and completely biodegradable, water-soluble solvents and numerous highly specialized formulas.
Unigraph also provides personalized consultation service to its clients by conducting hundreds of visits annually throughout the plants it services. Susan Thibault, Vice-President of Sales, insists that providing adequate support and assistance is essential.
“When customers are having problems printing a job, they need immediate support. Our 24-hour technical support allows them to solve their problems quickly and avoid downtime that could be extremely costly,” she says.
All Unigraph products are manufactured in their own plant from premium quality, carefully selected raw materials. The plant also houses Unigraph’s Research & Development lab as well as their testing and control labs.
And every day, Unigraph customers are also celebrating in pressrooms across North America – because of Unigraph’s unique ability to solve virtually every problem related to pressroom chemistry and print production.
Indeed, after 25 years, Unigraph has become the leader in pressroom chemistry in Canada, manufacturing top quality, environmentally friendly products and conducting ground-breaking research and development, all aimed at making work in the pressroom problem-free.
“At the beginning, we only manufactured solvents and served mostly small and medium-size printers,” says CEO and Chairman Leo Thibault. “In 1990, the marketing of the fountain solution Lithofount, and several other specialized products, marked a turnaround for our company and put us in the ‘big leagues.’ Our biggest strength has always been to be pioneers in the development of innovative products that meet the industry’s stringent standards. We possess this unique technical expertise,” he adds.
Forseeing the need for a solution free of isopropylic alcohol, the company launched the Alcofount solution a year later. In 2002, it launched its second generation of dampening solutions to meet the needs of the new CTP technology. In 2007, its research led to the development of one step Lithofount, a revolutionary fountain solution that completely eliminates the double procedure.
“Technologies are quickly evolving and the printing industry must adapt to all these changes. We’re working hand in hand with printers to develop formulas that optimize the performance of their equipment,” says Thibault.
The company’s products are manufactured in accordance with the highest quality standards of the printing industry and cover sheetfed presses, heatset web and coldset newspaper web. Products include fountain solutions, additives for fountain solutions, alcohol replacements, plate cleaners, protective gums, solvents, silicone and other specialized products.
Every product is designed to help solve common problems that occur in the pressroom such as bleeding, binding, calcium carbonate build-up, dot sharpness, ghosting, glazing, hickies, linting, misting, motting, oxidation, ph/conductivity, picking, piling, plugging, poor drying of ink, premature plate wear, scummimg, tinting, trapping – you name it!
Unigraph’s concern for the protection of the environment, and for the safety of consumers as well as pressroom employees, has also led them to develop biodegradable products in accordance with toxicity standards and VOC emissions. Unigraph International is currently an industry leader in the manufacture of ‘green’ products containing no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The company offers a wide selection of chrome and phosphate-free fountain solutions, products that are both environmentally-friendly and completely biodegradable, water-soluble solvents and numerous highly specialized formulas.
Unigraph also provides personalized consultation service to its clients by conducting hundreds of visits annually throughout the plants it services. Susan Thibault, Vice-President of Sales, insists that providing adequate support and assistance is essential.
“When customers are having problems printing a job, they need immediate support. Our 24-hour technical support allows them to solve their problems quickly and avoid downtime that could be extremely costly,” she says.
All Unigraph products are manufactured in their own plant from premium quality, carefully selected raw materials. The plant also houses Unigraph’s Research & Development lab as well as their testing and control labs.
The pionners: From left to right, Susan, John, Léo, Mike and Ann Louise Thibault.
