Gill Studios renews commitment to innovation with Cartes Gemini, Jet D-Screen

There are inventions that have become so ingrained in our daily lives that they have almost erased the memory of their inventors. For nearly a century, the bumper sticker has been a staple of election campaigns, sporting events, charitable initiatives, and advertising messages, to the point that it has become one of the symbols of American popular culture. Not everyone, however, knows that it was Forest Gill, founder of Gill Studios, who – in 1934 – transformed a simple idea into a product destined to make history.    

Ninety years later, that same spirit continues to define the company, which Gill founded in the basement of his home in Lenexa, KS, USA. Today, it is recognized as one of the leading US manufacturers of stickers, adhesive labels, magnets, plastic cards, and other printed products for the advertising and promotional markets.    

Throughout its history, Gill Studios has grown without losing its identity, and today it employs over 250 people, proudly manufacturing 100% of its products in the US while continuing to combine innovation, quality, and meticulous process control.    

In mid-2025, the American company introduced two Cartes Gemini converting units – a laser diecutter and a Jet D-Screen digital spot varnish and foiling unit – to boost its production of premium labels, which are increasingly characterized by high levels of customization and just-in-time orders.  

An invisible partner for resellers and printers

Although it is now a family-owned company in its third generation, Gill Studios maintains an emancipated organizational model. No member of the Gill family holds operational roles, and leadership is entrusted to a management team that has grown from within and assimilated the founder’s entrepreneurial culture over the years.   

Among those who best embody this philosophy is Paula Bair, Director of Research & Development. She joined the company after studying Print Management and Technology and works closely with all departments in the company, including production management, customer service, marketing, and sales.

“The owners have always had great confidence in the management team,” says Bair. “Many of us have been working here for decades, but we never stop learning from one another, and we strive to pass this experience on to our customers.”    

The business model also differs from that of most printers and packaging converters. The company operates almost exclusively in the B2B market, serving a vast network of promotional-sector resellers and printers looking to expand their offerings without investing directly in new production technologies.  

“Many of our clients view us as an invisible partner,” explains Bair. “We help them develop new products while maintaining the utmost confidentiality toward their end customers.”    

Over the years, this approach has fostered strong vertical integration. Gill Studios does more than print; it produces some of its self-adhesive materials in-house. It implemented its first coating line over 40 years ago. By purchasing film, liners, and adhesives separately, the company creates proprietary materials for decals and stickers, maintaining direct control over quality and performance. Gill Studios’ core business has always been decals and promotional products. Although self-adhesive labels have been part of the catalog since the 1970s, they have only recently become a strategic priority as Gill focuses on growth in premium labels.  

Market evolution opens new opportunities

In recent years, the growth of digital printing and embellishment, short runs, and customization has transformed the label market. Many of Gill Studios’ long-standing customers have begun actively seeking a partner to help them develop premium packaging. “For a long time, we produced labels without paying them much attention,” explains Bair. “Over the past 18 months, we’ve decided to invest seriously in this segment because many of our customers have told us they want to grow with us.”    

To support this strategy, Gill Studios has introduced a fourth digital press dedicated to labels, creating a specialized department that combines flexo and inkjet printing, semi-rotary diecutting, laser cutting, and finishing to serve this growing segment. The company has chosen to maintain a predominantly near-line production setup. While recognizing the advantages of fully integrated lines, Gill Studios prefers the freedom to combine different technologies based on the characteristics of each job. As a result, the finishing of short runs highlighted the limitations of the existing workflow, while embossing began to suffer from aging equipment and the difficulty in finding skilled operators.  

Reevaluating technology at the right time

For Gill Studios, the search for a new production platform did not stem from a desire to purchase the latest available technology, but from the need to solve production problems.Paula Bair was familiar with Jet D-Screen, having been impressed by the 3-D effects achieved with digital varnish and foil during a previous visit to Labelexpo.   

“Working in Research and Development, we’re trained to see the potential in practically every new technology,” she says. “At that time, however, we couldn’t see the point of incorporating Cartes technology into our production model.”    

When the label business began to grow and high-thickness varnish reached its limits, Jet D-Screen became relevant again. The Gill Studios team then conducted an in-depth analysis of available solutions, visited user companies in the US, requested samples, sent materials for testing, and compared the performance of leading manufacturers in this segment.    

The decisive moment came between drupa 2024 and Labelexpo Americas, where the company management closely examined both the Gemini laser platform and the Jet D-Screen.

“We started with a fairly precise idea and set the bar very high,” recalls Bair. “Cartes didn’t just produce a few samples. They analyzed materials, speeds, economic factors, and application possibilities, and came back to us with a solution that exceeded our expectations.”    

More flexibility for digital converting

The chosen configuration combines the Gemini laser platform with the Jet D-Screen digital embellishment system, supporting the company’s near-line production philosophy.    

The laser unit allows quick handling of short runs without mechanical dies, while Jet D-Screen introduces embossed varnish effects and digital foil that can reproduce the visual impact of traditional embossing with the flexibility of a digital process.    

The ability to apply foil to both extremely fine details and large decorative surfaces expands the creative possibilities offered to customers, while the platform’s compact design helps reduce floor space requirements and start-up waste.    

“The machine had to be capable of doing everything we were already doing,” notes Bair, “but with the addition of new possibilities.”  

The first applications include labels for wines & spirits, as well as certificates, diplomas, and other promotional products on PS paper, where the foil serves as a key distinguishing feature. At the same time, the R&D department continues to experiment with new applications on paper and flat cardboard.

A partnership looking to the future

Technology is merely a starting point for Gill Studios. True value emerges when it becomes a tool that helps distributors and printers develop new products and business opportunities.  “Those working in the promotional products sector are very project-oriented,” explains Bair. “When one of our clients sees a sample, they immediately understand how to turn it into a product. Today, paradoxically, we have far more ideas than we have time to develop them.”    

The relationship with Cartes also reflects this approach. Gill Studios sought a partner capable of understanding its industrial goals and participating in the development of new applications. “You can really feel the passion with which the Cartes team does its work,” concludes Bair. “They took the time to understand our production process, our creative vision, and what we wanted to achieve. That’s what made the real difference.”    

Ninety years after inventing the bumper sticker, Gill Studios continues to demonstrate that innovation doesn’t mean chasing every new technology. It means recognizing the right moment to adopt it. The introduction of Cartes Gemini and Jet D-Screen marks the latest chapter in a story that began in 1934 and is built on the ability to transform new ideas into concrete opportunities for its clients.