Game board strikes it rich

Associate Editor: Laura McCluskey -- Converting Magazine, 12/1/2000

As Regis Philbin delivers his famous question ["Final answer?"] contestants on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" are hoping they've picked the correct answer.

The board game fashioned after the game show for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" made its debut in spring 2000, and Neal Chukerman, president and CEO of Chukerman Packaging, Northbrook, Ill., faced the pressure-and the pleasure-of picking a winning combination among a long list of vendors for this project. Pressman Toy Corp. of New Brunswick, N.J. approached Chukerman to produce the board game.

How does Chukerman pick the winning players for his team? "We deal with a multitude of vendors, each with a specialization in one or more components of the game. Take the Millionaire game, for instance. When we were looking for a vendor to print the questions cards, Outlook Group Corp. was the natural pick because they've done a tremendous amount of work with us, they've given us good service and-important to us-their equipment uniquely fit the needs of the 'Millionaire' job," says Chukerman.

Outlook Group Corp., Neenah, Wis., printed the question cards for the Millionaire game. In order to start the job, Chukerman Packaging obtained the 10 lb. C3S Gallery Card Stock, film and specs for printing. After receiving all the material, Outlook created the plates needed for printing on Kodak KNA3 plates. Before printing, Outlook sheets the card stock to run through its sheet-fed press. The cards are printed on a Komori 4-color press with Kohl and Madden process inks. Then the cards are aqueous coated with Inxkote AC -1264 on both sides using a Komori Lithrone L644 plus coater. Once printed and coated, the cards are sent to Chukerman Packaging where the entire game is assembled. With each run consisting of 2.3 million sheets, Outlook is in its sixth run of nine forms at 120-up.

And the rewards on printing the question cards for the board game? "Demand must be high-we're printing to fulfill back-ordered games at Outlook," notes Patricia Heckman, director of marketing and communications for Outlook. "Retailers are expecting this board game to be a hot seller for the 2000 holidays."

What's next? Keep an eye out for the Harry Potter games!

More information from:

Chukerman Packaging, 847/564-3400, fax: 847/564-5983. Circle 280.

Outlook Group Corp., 920/727-8556. Circle 281.

Komori America Corp., 847/806-9000, fax: 847/806-9038, www.komori.com Circle 282.

Kohl & Madden, 201/288-9500, fax: 201/288-0727. Circle 283.

Inx International Ink Co., 877/209-4383, fax: 414/438-4390, www.inxink.com Circle 284.

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