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Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at Océ
In this fifth article of the series, David looks at Océ, its production inkjet offering and applications.
Is MIS Going into the Cloud? ()
There were two interesting announcements made by major suppliers last week. These were both in the area of MIS systems for printers. One might ask what is the attraction of acquiring an MIS company?
The Full Package
With an estimated 75% of all retail products purchased on impulse and over 40,000 different lines in a supermarket outlet from which to choose, attention-grabbing packaging print is the crucial differentiator on-shelf and ways to achieve this will be emphasized at drupa 2012, reports Des King
Wild Apple Graphics Turns to Digital Printing for Art Prints ()
Wild Apple Graphics recently added a new digital press that allows the company to offer short runs of certain popular print sizes. Cary Sherburne spoke with Jim Chadwick, Director of Technical Services, to understand how digital printing is streamlining the company’s art print business and why they chose the digital press they purchased.
Economic Outlook with Dr. Joe Webb
Work smarter – not harder
As the possibilities and the range of applications in the world of printing, including digital, continue to expand, the manufacturers of finishing machines are having to keep pace by delivering continual innovations.
Mobile… The Fundamentals Still Apply ()
In November 2011, InfoTrends published a multi-client study entitled Mobile Technology: Making Print Interactive. This research was conducted to determine the importance of combining technologies to activate, cultivate, and engage customers. While marketers and service providers often get enamored with technology the fundamentals of good marketing still apply today. This article discusses the basic elements of quality marketing campaigns and provides some real-world examples.
InterQuest: Private Sector Talent Transforming Government In-plants
This sixth annual InterQuest continued the theme of most all printing conferences for the last decade: digital printing and electronic workflows must be in your future. This DC gathering featured successful case studies by the general managers that led their transition.
If You Want a Slice, Bring Your Own Pie
If you’re walking around trying to push your products and services on potential customers, you’re asking them to give you a slice of their pie (their business). This is a hard sale because you’re dipping into a limited resource.
InterQuest 2011: Need for Benchmarking at Federal Government In-plants
The sixth annual InterQuest conference targeting government and higher education in-plant printers was held November 30. Digital printing, electronic workflows, and in-plant case studies of successful technology and management transitions often involving newly hired, experienced private sector employees were the reenforced themes of the forum.
SGIA: More Than Ink on Paper
SGIA was flooded with small ink, roller, blade, and other screen consumable suppliers: How do so many analog screen suppliers hang on? The simple reason: screen output remains cheap-and turnaround is fast enough.
Online marketing resource centers for dealers
To promote sales of their products, manufacturers need to effectively provide their network of dealers with marketing materials that support the purchase process, and continue the post-purchase conversation.
Litho & Digital – A Complementary Mix
Today it is becoming much more common to find printers using more than one printing technology. In most cases this is adding sheet fed digital printing to complement a predominantly offset printing operation.
Mobile… It’s Part of Your Future! ()
Mobile technology is playing an increasingly important to today’s society. Despite the growing importance of mobile, all channels (print, mobile, social, online, mass media) must be a part of the marketing mix. This article provides a brief overview of how mobile can be integrated with other media types to become more effective, citing research from a recently completed study from InfoTrends
Andy Tribute on manroland's filing for insolvency ()
The major news in the past week has been German press manufacturer manroland filing for insolvency. This is the largest corporate failure in Germany for two years.
Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at Xerox
In this fourth article of the series, David looks at Xerox, its production inkjet offering and application.
Touchcode: A New Way to Make Print Interactive ()
German firm Printechnologics has developed another way for print to be interactive utilizing the increasing number of touch screens—tablets, smartphones and more—now in the marketplace. What is a Touchcode, how can it be used and when might we start seeing them in the market? Cary Sherburne speaks with Printechnologics CEO Sascha Voight.
Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at Kodak
In this third article of the series, David looks at Kodak, its production inkjet offerings and applications.
Making a Big Impression Trends in Large Format Printing
As we approach drupa 2012, what are the technologies we can expect to see that will drive change in the printing and publishing markets? Once again, we can expect to see a significant position for inkjet in the array of new technologies exhibitors have on display. This time, however, while there will still be a large presence in the production sector.
The future of graphic communication education ()
The Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, PA just discontinued their Graphic Communication Technology major. The decline in enrollment began in 2001 and only four new students entered the major in the more recent term.
CMO Perspectives: From Stretched to Strengthened ()
In October 2011, IBM published a C-suite study report entitled From Stretched to Strengthened. In this article, Barb Pellow highlights some of the key findings from this study and also discusses best strategies for next-generation service providers.
Environmental Aspects of Printing Inks ()
As printing companies move towards environmentally friendly processes and products they must sort through the misinformation in the marketplace. This article helps to educate the printer on what to look for in printing ink.
AlphaGraphics Seattle Finds Success in Search Engine Marketing ()
Printing firms today face many challenges and opportunities. Entrepreneurs like AlphaGraphics Owner Chuck Stempler provide examples of what the printing firm of the future might look like and offer services to small commercial and quick printers to help them reach their own goals.
Cross-Media Services Success… A Natural Evolution at GLI ()
This document provides an overview of how Great Lakes Integrated (Cleveland, OH) is making the shift to cross-media marketing services. The 80-year-old company established its reputation in the marketplace decades ago by providing exceptional printing quality and service. Because today’s businesses are facing unprecedented competition, GLI has revitalized its capabilities to deliver comprehensive, integrated, state-of-the-art marketing solutions.
Who Will Supply Ink for Inkjet Presses? ()
With the arrival of high-speed inkjet presses that challenge offset printing in many areas, one of the comments I regularly hear concerns the cost of inkjet inks and why one cannot buy inks from a range of suppliers, as one can for offset printing. Well things may be changing and this can be seen from the lawsuit in which Kodak is taking action against ink manufacturer Collins Ink Corporation alleging breach of contract.
Is There an iPad App in Your Future? ()
As we look at ways to ensure that print remains viable and that we have the right set of services to go with it, becoming an iPad app developer is an interesting avenue to explore that may be easier than you think. Cary Sherburne reviews two options for easy entry into this market.
Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at HP
In this second article of the series, David looks at HP’s production inkjet offerings and applications.
Lessons from Steve Jobs ()
Steve Jobs' passing created interest in his management style and the culture of the company he left behind. What management lessons apply for other businesses? Is print a commodity? Can print campaigns be too successful for their own good? One printer blamed its disappointing financial results on that very fact.
What will be the theme for drupa 2012?
Previous drupa's have been defined by a dominant technology trend, last time in 2008 it was the inkjet drupa and prior to that the show has been defined as the JDF drupa, the digital drupa, the CTP drupa and others further back in the mists of time.
It’s Time to Get Social! ()
Barb Pellow recently interviewed John Foley, Jr. (Grow Socially), Aaron Rains (Printing Center USA), and Ron Rescigno (Rescigno’s Market Connections). This article describes how these early adopters are effectively using social media in the world of print and marketing services.
The End of Communication As We Know It
In the last ten years or so our business has so fundamentally changed as to be almost unrecognizable to former participants and past industry giants. No one in our industry no matter what their title performs the function that their predecessors performed not ten years ago nor five years ago.
For Three Firms That Grew by Acquisition, the Art of the Deal Came from the Guidance of Their Professional M&A Advisors
Even experienced fishermen know that there are times when they shouldn’t cast a fly without the help of a fishing guide. A guide knows where the best fishing holes are and how to land the prize fish in them. It’s much the same with mergers and acquisitions in the printing industry. The best catches are made when the principals rely on the skills of deal-savvy M&A advisors.
Alleging Breach of Contract, Kodak Files Suit Against Collins Ink
The commercial dispute between Kodak and Collins Ink Corporation has escalated into a legal wrangle with Kodak’s filing of a lawsuit that charges the inkjet ink manufacturer with breach of contract.
Print: Driving Excitement at the Point of Purchase ()
In June 2011, InfoTrends completed its Who Buys Wide Format? study, which was designed to collect more information about the buyers of large format products. It fostered an understanding of wide format graphics buyer requirements while also tracking changes in buying patterns since the previous study from 2009. This article discusses key findings from that study and also provides real-world examples of retailers that are interacting with consumers at the point of purchase.
Ideas that Work: Drive retail store traffic with viral sharing of discounts or coupon ()
One of the key issues for all retailers is how to get more traffic to their store or restaurant. Dave takes a look at a recent direct mail campaign from Chick?fil?A.
Looking Back on Graph Expo 2011 ()
Graph Expo is an important event to our industry. In the last few years the show has evolved to address industry changes and economic conditions. Today Graph Expo is more valuable than ever as a place to interact with peers and determine where our industry is headed.
Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again?
This new series by David L. Zwang will focus on current production inkjet products and their application in the market today. This series will run every 3 weeks leading up to Drupa 2012. He will look at the current vendor product offerings, and how they are being used by some of their showcase customers. In this first article of the series, David discusses some background on drivers and obstacles to mainstream adoption to production inkjet.
Promising to Protect Customers, Kodak and Collins Ink Corp. Part Ways
With each vowing that customers won’t be harmed as a result of their estrangement, Kodak and Collins Ink Corporation have come to the abrupt end of a 10-year deal whereby the latter supplied the former with inkjet inks for Versamark digital presses.
Have We Crossed the Chasm for Cross-Media Marketing Services? ()
In the 1991 book entitled Crossing the Chasm, Geoffrey Moore creates a revised adoption life cycle for technologies consisting of Technology Enthusiasts, Visionaries, Pragmatists, Conservatives, and Skeptics. Moore identifies some key steps for successfully crossing the chasm in the high-tech market, and successful cross-media service providers are following some of these very steps to increase their profitability. This document outlines Moore’s suggestions for success and explains how they apply to the cross-media market.
Kodak President & COO Phil Faraci Clarifies Kodak Position
Recent news stories about Kodak have implied that the company’s digital transition is not going as planned, even suggesting an investigation into filing bankruptcy. While waiting for Kodak to announce quarterly earnings on November 3rd, WhatTheyThink spoke with President & COO Phil Faraci to gain his perspective these issues.
TRI-C Enterprises CEO and PIAG Chairman Bill Cole Talks About Turning His Business Around ()
Bill Cole, CEO of TRI-C Enterprises and PIAG Chairman, talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the impact last year’s PIAG book study group, featuring Disrupting the Future by Dr. Joe Webb, had on the future of his business…a wake-up call that infused new energy and excitement into his life and his business.
Pouring Another "Cup O Joe": Lenders Talk About Lending (Part 2)
As everyone knows, the recession has made business financing hard to come by. In this two-part “Cup O Joe,” lenders to the printing industry report that loan products are available and discuss how printers can obtain them.
Are You a Problem-Solver or a Supplier ()
Service providers need to know how to differentiate themselves in the eyes of marketing executives. This article provides expert feedback on how service providers can become more innovative in their selling practices to create more value and build stronger business relationships.
Delivering Value via the Web ()
Although most of us understand that electronic communications are here to stay, it can still be difficult to figure out how best to leverage it in a business sense. WhatTheyThink spoke with Mohawk’s Chris Harrold, VP, Business Development, about the company’s new service platform for digital printers, Mohawk MakeReady, a great example of using the Web to deliver valuable information while building increased credibility for the business.
Owning The Cloud ()
Andy takes a look as HP switches to move further into being a software and services company with an emphasis on Cloud based operations.
Digital Technologies Help Packaging Prepare for a Faster Future
Modern marketing means brand extensions, on pack promotions, packaging to tie in with events – all designed to increase sales and enhance relationships with consumers. This provides opportunities to printers that can meet these demands
Low Prices, New Features Mark New Crop of Kindle Devices from Amazon
This week, Amazon unveiled four aggressively priced content delivery devices: one, a multimedia tablet aimed squarely at Apple's market-dominating iPad; the other three, the latest iterations of Amazon's popular Kindle e-reader.
Production Automation: How Do You Get Started Affordably? ()
Following up on her recent article, Graph Expo Retrospective, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne takes a look at production automation, a key "Critical Technology" as identified by the Graph Expo Must See 'ems committee. Getting started might be more affordable than you think.
A New Vernacular: From Web-to-Print to Marketing Supply Chain Optimization ()
Oversights in the marketing supply chain are resulting in overspending and missed opportunities for making a real impact on the sales and demand process. While the economy is improving and marketing personnel are beginning to reinvest in demand generating programs, marketers are not in a position to ignore the waste that is being created by an unchecked and unmeasured marketing supply chain. This article outlines the components involved in delivering an optimized supply chain.
"Too Good" Was (Almost) the Phrase for Print Production Technologies at Graph Expo (Part 2)
Whatever may be happening to the demand for print, Graph Expo 2011 made one thing abundantly clear: never before have printers had as many options as they now possess for adding beauty, charisma, and value to a piece of paper.
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