Website: https://www.slategroup.com
Industry: Commercial Printing
Solutions: DDC-810 and DDC-8000 Raised Spot UV Coater
Slate Group isn’t just a print provider – they’re a creative, client-focused partner for brands that want their marketing to leave a lasting impression. As demand for spot UV and other premium enhancements continue to rise, Slate Group recognized the opportunity to maximize their print capabilities. To bring that vision to life, they partnered with Duplo for their digital embellishment equipment and reimagined what was possible.
From Limitation to Differentiation
Founded in 1985, Slate Group is a national full-service print provider based in Lubbock, Texas. Operating out of an impressive 100,000-square-foot facility with over 130 employees, the company offers a wide range of services. In short, these include offset and digital printing, bindery and finishing, mailing and fulfillment, graphic design, and more.
A passionate advocate for all things print, the company takes pride in the people they employ and the equipment they invest in. High-volume jobs are run on Komori presses. Digital short runs are handled by a robust lineup of HP, Ricoh, and Konica Minolta presses. Overall, it’s been their control over quality, costs, and turnarounds that has been key to their success.
Yet for a long time, embellishments of any kind remained out of reach. Any job that required spot UV, foil, or lamination had to be sent out, resulting in higher costs and extended lead times.
“The additional time and cost hindered a lot of projects, and our sales team didn’t feel as comfortable selling it,” says Trey Laverty, Director of Sales Development at Slate Group. The missed opportunities and untapped revenue became too significant to ignore.
In 2017, Slate Group made its first move into print embellishment by investing in Duplo’s first-generation DDC-810 Raised Spot UV Coater. “We saw the DDC-810 as a compact, cost-effective, and high-quality solution that could be brought in-house. It’s user-friendly and we love the precision, consistency, and high-end output it delivers,” Laverty explains. The design-driven solution, which utilizes digital inkjet technology, gives them the ability to apply high-gloss, textured enhancements on digital and offset applications – on demand.
“It’s user-friendly and we love the precision, consistency, and high-end output it delivers.”
The Profit is in the Details
The feedback was incredibly positive. Clients began reporting stronger engagement and higher response rates. Sales reps gained the confidence to actively promote it. Before long, the company was delivering more high-end business cards, invitations, and direct mail that made clients proud.
With embellishments now on the menu, the value of orders began to rise. “After installing the DDC-810, the demand for raised spot UV skyrocketed. The machine was running constantly,” says Laverty. “We have requests to enhance marketing pieces on a weekly basis.”
As a result, customer satisfaction improved too. Enhancements became a signature touch for many of the brands they work with, leading to repeat business.
“The ROI has been excellent. We’ve seen a clear increase in revenue from embellished jobs and improved profit margins,” he adds. “We actively showcase our sample portfolio to inspire new ideas. We don’t do a lot of 1-offs, but one of the advantages to the DDC-810 is that we can quickly make changes to achieve the best look.”
“The ROI has been excellent. We’ve seen a clear increase in revenue from embellished jobs and improved profit margins”
The success stories are plenty indeed. One project that stands out, for example, is from a client who wanted an invitation designed to resemble a leather-bound passport. The client initially suggested using a leather-finished substrate or embossing to simulate the texture. Instead, the team at Slate Group offered a more cost-effective method.
“We were able to save them a lot of money by creating the same finish with a raised UV leather pattern and then a flood matte UV coating to dull it back down. We were able to create the look and feel the customer wanted.” The piece was eventually added to their sample portfolio, quickly becoming a popular request.
One Spot UV Coater Wasn’t Enough
As can be seen, embellishments became a regular part of their workflow and the company realized it was time to add more. So, to keep up with the growing creativity, they expanded their capabilities with foil stamping, flood UV, and laminating equipment. They also upgraded their offset presses to support specialty inks and coatings. Many of their spot coated jobs are now laminated, enhancing both durability and appeal.
“Velvet laminate and spot UV pair the best together. We often spot UV under the laminate to create an embossed feel,” Laverty notes. “We love to experiment and push it to its limits, from trying different types of substrates as well as pairing it with other embellishments or coatings to achieve the perfect look and feel.”
But they didn’t stop there.
In 2024, Slate Group had a second DDC-810 installed to maintain the quick turnaround clients had come to expect. The following year, they took another leap forward with the addition of the DDC-8000 B2 Raised Spot UV Coater, which supports larger sheet sizes and the option to apply cold foil embellishments in-line.
“We never want quantity to limit creativity. Whether it’s a short run that benefits from the efficiency of digital or a large run that calls for the economics of offset, our goal is to provide options that make elevated print accessible across the board.”
Pushing Creative Boundaries
What began as a challenge was turned into a powerful differentiator that helped them stand out in an increasingly competitive market. By bringing embellishment capabilities in-house, they not only created new revenue streams but also raised the bar for creative print.
“The DDC-810 has been a game-changer for Slate Group,” says Laverty. “It’s empowered our sales team, impressed our clients, and helped us grow our business. We appreciate our partnership with Duplo and look forward to continuing to team up with them in the future.”
