Hello DBS, Good-Bye Jaded Jewel - CD packaging
Paper, Film, & Foil Converter

Byline: Teresa Koltzenburg Senior Editor

Name two of the famous people on The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover (John, Paul, George, or Ringo don't count!). Beatles' devotees may say "no prob," but more casual fans may need to dust off their LPs to find the answer. Music lovers that have replaced LPs with CDs will have to reference their CD packages.

You know the ones, the plastic "jewel case" packages, usually augmented with a printed insert that sometimes bear the lyrics, the copyright info, the acknowledgements, and of course, the artwork.

If you're lucky, your Sgt. Pepper's CD package isn't cracked or in pieces, and the printed insert has been protected by the rigid case. Like I said, if you're lucky.

Ahhhh...Wouldn't it be nice if we could go back to the days of the album cover? When enjoying music didn't involve fiddling with cracked plastic cases? When a recording's packaging art could include such distinctive graphic elements as a foil stamped or embossed image? Or when you could just enjoy the design without having to pull out a cumbersome, folded insert?

Well, if QC Packaging Systems Inc. has its way, those "album-cover" days (modified for CD recordings, of course) may not be too far off. The Canadian packaging manufacturer says it's on a full-encroachment course to replace those irksome jewel cases with its DBS (Discbox slider) paperboard package. According to QC Packaging managing partner Bill McKnight, the recently incorporated converter plans to do it with the help of its ten-color Arpeco press, its very recently installed BST Pro Mark Genius print management system, a solid and growing relationship with supplier Stora Enso, and "unparalleled" in-house services.