International recognition for Buroform is on the rise, as our printing company increasingly catches the attention of designers and businesses from abroad. One such enterprise is Switzerland’s Common Modern, with whom we’ve had a close collaboration since last year. The production agency specializes in luxurious office items, from planners to notepads and notebooks, distinguished by their natural prints in challenging color combinations. We spoke with founder Claire Evrard about her unique sense for quality printing and how she extends it into her so-called ‘Nature Pop-style’.

Hi Claire, starting at the beginning: why did you start Common Modern?

“I worked as a graphic designer for over 20 years for a variety of clients, from small boutiques to large international corporations. My career took me around the world, to places like Melbourne, London, New York, and Singapore. Having contributed to so many brands and seen them flourish, there came a point where I wanted to start my own brand. In Switzerland, it’s hard to find office supplies with a distinctive graphic style, so my decision was quickly made. Moreover, I’ve always loved printing. Throughout my career, I’ve worked with many printers and was fascinated to see how the printing process unfolds. Four years ago, I officially launched Common Modern, which focuses on everyday office products with a playful yet sophisticated design.”

How would you describe the collections of Common Modern?

“Nature is my major source of inspiration. Graphic patterns and motifs always start from natural forms and silhouettes. Moreover, color is key: I love bold and unexpected color combinations. This way, I’ve developed my own style, which I call ‘Nature Pop’: nature-inspired designs that simply pop. For instance, the first collection is named ‘Ginkgo Pop’. This line was created based on the leaves of a young Ginkgo Biloba tree at my home. Other collections are inspired by, for example local Swiss fruits, shells from Australia, or the forests around the region where I live.”

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Besides the ‘standard’ office supplies, you also develop custom products. What can clients expect?

“The premise of Common Modern is to design everyday office items with that little bit of extra finesse. Notebooks, calendars, cards, planners – we always try to add something special. This way, we create something that inspires people and isn’t just thrown away after use. Our products are fun to give, enjoy, and keep. Increasingly, we also design custom stationery collections for museums that connect with our Nature Pop style.”

Nature is more than just an inspiration for you. You consciously choose eco-friendly materials and production processes. How important is sustainability to common Modern?

“I’m concerned about our planet. About the future of our children. With Common Modern, the goal isn’t just to put more stuff into the world. The products need to be useful and recyclable. Materials, production processes, and partners – everything and everyone we work with most support this vision. Sustainability is thus embedded in our entire business philosophy.”

How did you come into contact with Buroform?

“A while ago, I was looking for a new technique for a special planner I had designed. At some point, I got in touch with a Belgian bookbinder, also a partner of Buroform. They recommended I visite you and introduced me to Jesse. After a fruitful discussion and a tour of the printing company, things started rolling.”

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Why choose a Belgian company?

“For me, it’s important to create products that are truly high quality. At the same time, I want to keep the production process as close to home as possible. I was looking for a partner within the EU. Since my husband is Belgian, I quickly ended up in your country. I have a lot of family here and visit regularly, also for my work. Additionally, from the first contact, I had a very good feeling. Jesse showed me around the printing company and a range of completed projects. I was thoroughly impressed. Detailing is incredibly important to me, and you can tell that Buroform is just as committed. I love the feel of paper, the sensation of writing on it, the richness and depth of colors, the perfection of binding, special printing techniques, and so on… That Jesse and his team immediately understood where I wanted to go with my story completely won me over.”

Common Modern is booming. What plans do you have for the future?

“Soon, we’ll be launching a new design service for museums, botanical gardens, and cultural centers. The idea is to release collections that tap into the story and unique location of those organizations. If this becomes successful, I’d like to extend the service to other companies and sectors. Translating strong brand stories into Nature Pop is the big goal for the future.”

Thank you for your time and enthusiasm, Claire. And wishing you lots of success!

Dutchman John Jansen must be one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the low countries over the past two decades. A good twenty-seven years ago he founded DynaFix, a repair company with an innovative vision of screening, repairing and overhauling phones. It would set the tone for dozens of similar projects that the South Limburg native then subsumed under the name “DynaGroup. In no time, the organization grew to become the Benelux market leader in smart integrated services and solutions for the total supply chain. In 2019, Jansen sold his last company: it was time for a well-deserved sabbatical. And for a book. That we were allowed to print. In tête-bêche still.

“Feel free to interrupt me if I digress too much. My brain sometimes works faster than I want it to, and then my words also dare to shoot in all directions.” John Jansen has to laugh about it himself. As driven as he is as an entrepreneur, he is so enthusiastic and open in life. “Anyway, that chaotic thing is actually also my great gift,” he continues. “My head manages to make connections that others don’t see. As a result, I come up with unexpected ideas and solutions. You know, my childhood was pretty tough. As a child I learned to shut myself off from that difficult environment and create my own world. From a young age, I had to find my own way. To cope with my problems, I came up with all kinds of crazy solutions. I later applied that approach and way of thinking to different industries.”

“My brain is a turbulent thing, but it helps me see solutions that others are often blind to”

Smart process improver

As “crazy” as his ideas may be, as an entrepreneur John Jansen is extremely thoughtful. Feel free to call the Dutchman a serial entrepreneur: over the past twenty-seven years, he successfully stomped more than twenty companies out of the ground in a variety of sectors. In all, he employed a good 10,000 people during that time and raked in numerous awards. In addition to repairs of smartphones, laptops and coffee machines, among others, DynaGroup also provides logistics services, offers IT, insurance and healthcare solutions and installs products such as televisions, washing machines and printers in people’s homes and offices.

“And say it all started with a heady idea in my garage sometime in the early 1990s,” Jansen looks back. “I was repairing medical equipment at the time. At a certain point I thought: if I can do this, I can also repair phones. About forty percent of the products sold broke down during that period. Moreover, the repairs took an incredibly long time. So I came up with a solution to repair phones faster – within 48 hours – and to optimize the entire logistics involved. Later I did the same with coffee makers. Then with laptops, drones, and so on. Each time, the approach was the same: I saw a problem in the market and looked for a solution. Then I brought together the right people to realize that idea, which translated into the improvement of numerous processes and the development of new supply chain concepts.”

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Tête-bêche book

Just before corona, John Jansen sold his last company. After decades of grueling work, sometimes up to 80 hours a week, he needed a rest. “My work had become a kind of drug to deal with the difficulties of the past,” he confesses. “By working unrestrained a lot, I suppressed that pain. I always felt that way anyway. After selling my businesses, I needed a period of reflection. I wanted to re-energize. Over time, I started writing things down. What had happened to me over the years. What was good and what wasn’t. During covid, that gained momentum. I talked to a lot of young people who were struggling with themselves, their jobs, their businesses. It gave me the idea to compile my experiences in a book. Because by bringing all those separate stories together, maybe I could help others?”

Jansen hired a ghostwriter and compiled his life story with some 30 practical examples for entrepreneurs. We then translated that duality as a printer into a book in tête-bêche or reverse printing: the bio-text starts at the “front”, the tips and tricks start at the “back,” so that the final pages of both pieces face each other in the middle of the book.

“On the one hand, I tell my story, with my own anecdotes, but also with input from partners, employees and clients. If you then turn the book over, you discover thirty life lessons. The biggest message here is that business doesn’t actually have to be difficult. You have to believe in what you are doing and then give space and shape to your imagination. This is not always obvious, but at some point you will get there. Don’t get stuck on things that don’t work out. Try again and again if necessary.”

“Don’t get stuck on things that don’t work out. Try again and again if necessary.”

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Strong corporate culture

1,000 copies of the book have been printed, but Jansen is already thinking of multiplying that print run. “I’m really impressed with the work done,” he says. “Not only from the quality of the printing, but also from everything around it. I visited a number of printing companies. At Buroform I had the best feeling: I saw people who are eager to deliver a top product. It is a young and fun team that works proactively and fulfills all agreements. I find a lot of myself in that way of working. The culture in my companies has always been an anchor. Your employees have to carry the values of your company, but you also have to create a framework that makes such a thing possible. People need to feel good in an organization. At Buroform, I feel that positivity and drive. There is something there, a story that every employee believes in and wants to rally behind.”

For companies seeking consistent brand communication and efficiency in their marketing processes, a brand portal such as BAAS is a solution. We recently successfully introduced this at Van Mossel Automotive Group.

For a company like Van Mossel, with offices in several countries and a wide range of car brands in their portfolio, managing marketing materials and corporate identity documents can be a challenge. Their own brand portal comes in handy as an innovative solution that simplifies communication and ensures uniformity.

Brand consistency

With more than 6,000 employees and offices across Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Van Mossel represents 25 leading car brands. Maintaining brand consistency in their communications was a challenge, especially given the diversity of locations and number of employees involved in these communications.

Brand portal: BAAS (Buroform As A Service)

To meet this challenge, Van Mossel implemented the digital brand portal BAAS, developed by Buroform. BAAS acts as a central platform for managing and sharing marketing materials and corporate identity documents. It seamlessly connects Van Mossel’s marketing environment with our printing presses, allowing marketing materials to be produced quickly and efficiently.

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The benefits of BAAS

Central management: All marketing assets and corporate identity documents are centrally managed in one place, resulting in a single source of truth for the entire company.

Global accessibility: regardless of location, all sites worldwide can access the same resources and materials.

Brand consistency: BAAS ensures that all communications are consistent with Van Mossel’s corporate identity guidelines, ensuring professional appearance.

Version control: Users always have access to the latest designs and materials, thanks to built-in version control.

Customizability: While staying within the corporate identity guidelines, users can easily customize marketing materials such as name cards, letterheads, envelopes, presentation folders to fit their specific needs.

Our digital brand portal BAAS (Buroform As A Service) is the direct link between your marketing environment and our printing presses. All your marketing resources are centrally managed and accessible globally.

Wondering how BAAS can help your company achieve brand consistency and communicate more effectively? We are happy to offer a free demo of our platform. Contact Jesse to discuss the possibilities.