U.S. Patent Office Awards Revolutionary Patents for 3 Dimensional Web Printing Products to Web Communications Group Inc.

Itasca, Illinois: April 20, 1998 - After 10 years of research and development, Gary Jacobsen, President of Web Communications Group Inc., has been awarded two different patents associated with printing 3D lenticular images on heat set web lithography presses and other rotary printing processes. This remarkable technology now makes it possible to mass produce large, dramatic, three dimensional images for a wide variety of corporate event/global marketing, advertising and promotional applications for a very low unit cost.

Web Communications Group Inc.'s patented in-line manufacturing methods offer advertisers a high quality, low cost alternative to traditional 3D sheetfed printing by significantly reducing the overall costs and shortening production timelines.

The LAMIGRAM®, Web Communications Group Inc.'s new product, consists of a full 4 color, 3 dimensional printed lenticular image (8 1/2" x 10 7/8") which can be completely printed, press-pasted (laminated) into a separate paper carrier such as a 4-8 page, full-size magazine insert (5 colors on both sides), die-cut, folded and trimmed - all in-line on a single pass on specially converted web presses - ready for immediate publication insertion. Up to one million finished LAMIGRAMs® can be produced in a single day.

Web Communications Group Inc. can custom engineer many different formats to fit an advertiser's specific needs and budgets. Plus, there are many special options that can be added to give each printed piece greater value and impact.

Until now, the traditional method of creating stationary 3D printed images consisted of printing a specially separated image on sheetfed lenticular plastic and then laminating it off-line to a paper backing. The sheetfed process is very time-consuming and cost-prohibitive for high-volume, large formats such as full-page and tabloid-size magazine insertions. Plus, if an advertiser wants to paste the 3D image into a brochure or add any other options (such as scratch-offs, ink jet imaging, etc.), it must all be done off-line which requires more time and expense, or can't be done at all due to mechanical limitations.

LAMIGRAMs® can be manufactured in many different shapes and sizes. They can also feature many in-line printed options such as contour and window die-cutting, pop-ups, latex scratch-offs, fragrance scents, reply envelopes, remoistenable glue for bouncebacks, unusual fold sequences, consecutive numbering, ink jet imaging for contests, etc. to create a spectacular interactive printed sales tool. The piece can also be designed so it can be removed from the publication and saved or used as a collectible wall poster.

Web Communications Group Inc. offers complete "turnkey" 3D creative production services including 3D photography, 2D to 3D conversions, interlacing and all printing. WCG will work with advertising/promotional agencies, design firms and clients directly to produce LAMIGRAMs® for large quantity magazine and newspaper insertions, FSIs, direct mail, and in/on-packs to packaged goods.

The 3D web printing technology patents are owned by the inventor, Gary A. Jacobsen, the President of Web Communications Group Inc. of Itasca, Illinois. Jacobsen, a second generation Chicago-based printer, has over 25 years of hands-on experience in the printing industry and owns several other printing patents.

Jacobsen states "I am reserving the first printing of the LAMIGRAM® for an advertiser who wants to use this new technology for a major magazine insert campaign. It will make a huge, memorable impact with readers precisely because this format has never been done before. The interactive, hi-tech nature of our 3D printing can engage readers much better than traditional pop-ups and other printed devices, plus the unit cost is much lower."

Founded in 1984, Web Communications Group Inc. specializes in the invention and production of specialty rotary web offset lithography, flexographic and gravure printed products for major domestic and international consumer and business-to-business promotional campaigns.

Working with many of the largest advertising/promotional agencies and Fortune 500 companies, Web Communications Group Inc. emphasizes fast, highly personalized client service, creative print engineering and the application of the latest in-line printing processes to produce unique, low cost, all machine manufactured printed products.

WCG combines fine papers, plastics, metalized mylars and other printable substrates with specialty coatings and inks to produce new, innovative magazine inserts, unique brochures, mini-catAlogs and comics, kids' paper premium products, FSIs, tip-ons, promotional bags, coupon packets, security game pieces, round-trip self mailers, moving action-and-concealment devices, puzzles, punch-outs, pull-tabs, wheel and slide charts, 3D printing, multi-dimensional pop-ups, latex ruboffs, fragrance burst scents, FDA-approved printing and packaging, food in/on-packs and CD/video packaging.