Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Around the Web: Rapid Rotation. Sheep Shipping. Recommended Reading. Keeping Calendars. Casino Clock. Clever Key. Hometown Heroes. Car Cluster. Faux Fax. Balloon Bistro. Velveeta Vodka.

The Earth is spinning faster than ever—and no one knows why. New Bubble Wool packing material made from discarded wool. “Recommendmeabook.com” lets you try out first pages of books. Graphene foam-based sensors for better prosthetics and robotics. New site tells you in what year you can reuse a calendar. A 3D-printed flip clock that uses playing cards to display the time. A redesigned door key that makes it easier to orient. Interactive map lets you find famous people from your hometown. A flock of self-driving cars mysteriously show up at the same corner and idle…ominously. Remember when urban legends and conspiracy theories spread by fax? The first hot air balloon-based restaurant. “La Dolce Velveeta” heads to happy hour with the “Veltini.” All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

From Kit Miles To Sebastian Cox—Barbara Chandler’s Photo Gallery at the New Designers Expo Celebrates 37 Years of Creative Talent

Design writer, curator, and photographer Barbara Chandler, who has been writing about design and decoration for more than 40 years, has documented the New Designers in Residence program at the Business Design Centre in Islington, UK. She has meticulously recorded their details in an ongoing commentary on Flickr and has a huge archive going back some 15 years. In this article, provided by textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, you will see and learn about the program and some of her favorite images.

Taking the Guesswork Out of Social Media Marketing

Social media has proven itself to be an effective tool for brand marketing, and an online presence is now critical for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Given the importance of social media in today’s business climate, it’s not uncommon to feel a bit overwhelmed when attempting to establish or improve your position in the playing field. This article considers some of the most common challenges associated with social media marketing and offers some tips for navigating them.

Planning Video? Think “Postcard,” Not “Speech”

As video continues to grow as a marketing tool, often eclipsing text and images in terms of its power and effectiveness, there has been a rush to embrace it. But video isn’t like print or other marketing content. It’s its own animal, requiring dedicated focus by printers and their clients looking to capitalize on its power.

Your Technology Stack Conflicts with the Workforce Age

There are a lot of differences among the different demographic groups in the labor force colliding right now in your print business. The most critical for your business is both the access to technology throughout their lifetimes and the rate of change of technology in their lifetimes.

Johnson’s World: Sounds Like a Dry Martini—The Art of a Good Blog

No matter the medium, solid content will get the attention of your prospects. No amount of animation, keywords, or pretty pictures can hold audience attention without good content.

How’s Your Sales Plan Working? Buyers and Discounting

We are well into the second half of the calendar year, and to ensure a profitable end to your year, take a few minutes to look at what is in your pipeline, what has been onboarded, and what is in production. Is it what you expect? In part two of a two-part series, Pat McGrew takes a deep dive into the costs of doing business with customers and how you apply discounting strategies.

Bobst Going Private to Focus on the Future

Going private again, and being in a position to select and negotiate any financing needs beyond what JBF Finance SA can provide on its own, should minimize and streamline the undue reporting burdens of a public company, and allow Bobst to innovate and focus on the company’s present and future.

With Limited Supply Chain Access Small Businesses Face Different Design Challenges

Supply chain issues have forced small businesses to shift their thinking and approach to the form and function of their packaging design. ColorKarma’s Shoshana Burgett looks at some of the top impacts.

The Demise of Newspapers. Or Not.

The newspaper business was in decline long before the pandemic. In fact, a publication called Newspaper Deathwatch predicted the demise of the printed newspaper in the U.S. by 2017. Luckily that did not come to pass. But what has happened is a consolidation of newspapers under large chains, the closing of many, and a reduction in the number of newsroom people they employ. The good news is that entrepreneurs and others are fighting to save local journalism. You may not hear the thunk of the printed newspaper landing on your porch, but there is hope that these efforts will boost local journalism and pause—and even reduce—the existence of local news deserts. Read on to get the full story and see how you can help.

Around the Web: Box Boon. Art Action. Robot Roughness. Phone Photos. Substitute Sentences. Winging Winnebago. Fork Feasting. Spud Spoons. Bird Buddy. Creepy Claw.

A new packaging system that automatically creates the smallest possible box that uses the least amount of material. Posable action figures derived from fine art. A chess-playing robot breaks its six-year-old opponent’s finger. An online Pay Phone Museum. A sentence rephraser. Graphene-based medical diagnostic systems that can provide results within a few minutes. Winnebago’s “flying camper” from the 70s. Edible utensils for the ultimate in waste reduction. Heinz’s “spoon fries.” The Adventures of Chef and Emu. Upping the creepiness factor with the new field of “necrobotics.” All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Printing Establishments—2010–2020

According to the latest, just-released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2020 there were 22,225 establishments in NAICS 32311 (Printing). This represents a decline of 18% since 2010. In macro news, Q2 GDP declined -0.9%.

Maria Begum Wins the Epson Design In Context Award in a Celebration of Printed Excellence

The textiles industry is blessed to have many young, innovative and creative designers entering the field. Maria Begum is just one example. She was recently awarded the Epson "Design in Context Award" for her work titled "The Floating Fields of Bangladesh," which combined dye sublimation printing and laser engraving to achieve stunning results. Thanks to textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan for sharing this story with us.

SGP Summit: Sustainability Is a Whole New Ball Game

Last week, the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) hosted a day-long Sustainability Summit at Boston’s historic Fenway Park, with sessions ran the gamut from a list of easy steps for printers to reduce their environmental impact, to a detailed exploration of carbon footprint calculation, to case studies, to roundtable discussions, and ample time for networking. Richard Romano reports from this historic ballpark.

Is It Time to Invest in More Reuse + Refill Packaging?

An increasing number of companies are releasing re-use + refill packaging lines. Is this just for large companies like Proctor + Gamble and Unilever? Or is it time for small and mid-sized companies to take up the mantle, too?

The Desire to be “Just a Printer”

The production floor was the centerpiece of print businesses for decades. It determined so much about your business. Capacity, capability, and deliverability times were all dictated by your equipment mix. Today the focus is turning to what customer challenges you can solve in front of the press.

Americas Print Show 2022 Predicting a Vibrant Event

Cary Sherburne previews the upcoming Americas Print Show 2022, scheduled for August 17–19 in Columbus, Ohio, which will offer an opportunity for commercial printing professionals to once again gather in person after a long pandemic hiatus.

Post-Pandemic Print Applications in Germany—No Drop, No Growth

The German printing industry association (BVDM) recently published its 2021 print industry statistics, which includes an overview of print application revenues. Ralf Schlözer takes a look at print revenue growth in Germany and the impact the pandemic and post-pandemic recovery had on individual print applications.

Bringing A Dream To Life: SpeedPro Helps Create Massive “Dream Chicago” Event for St. Jude

SpeedPro Chicago Loop won the franchise’s “Project of the Year” with the immersive “Dream Chicago” event, in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Arena Partners. SpeedPro Chicago Loop President and Owner Eric Lazar writes about the design and installation of this project.

Association Insights—Flexographic Technical Association

Since 1958, Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) has been enabling flexographers to grow their skills, connect with likeminded individuals, expand their reachable markets, and drive flexography to package printing dominance.

Have Book Publishers Missed the Boat?

The pandemic may have been a boon for books with people looking for things to do during lockdowns and reduced travel. But that boost is likely temporary and may be hiding a core failure of the industry to update business practices to meet changing demographics, competition from other types of entertainment, and the growth in self-publishing.

Around the Web: Graphene Graphics. Bogus Beats. Newspaper Niche. Billboard Beast. Tome Travelers. Umlaut Understanding. Ball Bot. Blood Bet. Bug Betrayal. Toilet Tech.

A graphene-based ink. A suspicious biometric in a smartwatch ad. A newspaper for a single retirement community has a higher circulation than a lot of metro dailies. A magazine we’d like to see. 3D billboards get more extreme. A gallery of the objects that librarians have found in returned library books. Kentucky’s Depression-era “horseback librarians.” Why do metal bands love umlauts? Is baseball ready for robo umpires? A dead mosquito provides crucial evidence in a burglary case. “AI litter boxes”—hopefully for cats. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly monkeypox miscellany.

Printing Shipments: The Best May Since the Before Times

May 2022 shipments came in at $6.77 billion, up from April’s $6.73 billion. This is the best May the industry has had since 2019—although it’s well below that month’s $7.92 billion.

Using Generational Marketing to Improve Communications

Marketers must work harder than ever to establish that all-important connection with their customers so they can foster loyalty and build trust. Communicating with customers based on their age is a sound strategy, but it must be done correctly. Effective age-based marketing can provide a much higher return on investment than attempting to group all consumers into a single audience.

Meet Phoebe Lewis: Creating Pigments from Seaweed for Industrial Textile Printing

We all love bright colors in our garments and home decor, but much of this color comes from toxic dyes that have deleterious effects on the environment. We congratulate professionals like Phoebe Lewis, an industrial designer focusing on developing products that help restore marine ecosystems and coastal communities, for her work in creating natural dyes from seaweed that could replace some of those toxic alternatives.

Is Influencer Marketing on Your Radar?

When was the last time you thought about influencer marketing? It’s a powerful marketing tool, and it’s growing. For PSPs, influencer marketing should be seen as a channel like any other. There are plenty of ways for PSPs to add value to an influencer campaign.

Call Goes Forth for Entries into Neographics 2022, the Industry’s Largest Regional Print Competition

Two trade groups invite printers in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York to seek fitting recognition for their best work—Neographics, the industry’s largest regional competition for excellence in print.

What is Your Competitive Differentiation?

A competitive differentiation is when you’re doing something that your prospect finds valuable that your competitors are not doing.

Product Spotlight: Canon Press Automation Modules—Optimizing and Simplifying Printing

With the aging out of skilled labor in the print and packaging industry, engaging and training new hires in the intricacies of print is becoming a problem. David Zwang looks at Canon’s Press automation modules, which can simplify the process while optimizing quality and productivity for new and even older digital presses.

How’s Your Sales Plan Working? Calculating Profitability!

We are well into the second half of the calendar year, and to ensure a profitable end to your year, take a few minutes to look at what is in your pipeline, what has been onboarded, and what is in production. Is it what you expect? Pat McGrew offers some tips for evaluating your YTD performance.

Web 2 Pack: Opportunities Exist…But Is It for Everything?

There is a growing increase in orders for short-run on-demand packaging to satisfy shifting consumer purchasing requirements and operate at the “speed of retail.” However, while there are opportunities, there are many complexities not seen in commercial print that require a level of expertise not necessarily found in the producers’ kitchen, basement, or garage.

New Product Launches at FESPA 2022—A Handful of Highlights

European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports on some of the major new product launches at the recent FESPA Global Print Expo 2022.

Future Workforce: Recruiting the Next Generation

In the pre-pandemic years, the number of printing programs were in decline due to lack of interest and budget, and we have been unsuccessful in attempts to reverse this trend. Lou Caron discusses some potential solutions.

The Truth About Vegan Leather

How vegan is vegan leather, and what is the future of this alternative to animal-based leather? In this article, we summarize the literature on the topic, including how damaging animal-based leather is to the environment, the different types of so-called vegan leather, and the future of truly 100% plant-based leather, an important element of a sustainable future.

Around the Web: Media Memorial. Creative Cursing. Bottle Bother. Battery Breakthrough. Dead Dialogue. RIP Recipes. Taco Tech. Kitty COVID. Spirit Saloon. Launcher Love. Cereal Scents.

An heirloom app ensures your digital presence outlasts you. A “Reddit chart of compound pejoratives.” Carlsberg’s dubious attempt at a wooden bottle. Upcycling discarded EV batteries to harvest graphene. Alexa goes full Black Mirror. The growing trend of “gravestone recipes.” Taco Bell’s new human-less drive-through. The first cat-to-human COVID transmission. A “giant, nuclear-powered ‘hotel airplane’” stays aloft for years. Buy a haunted bat for $250K. Three words: “Nerf rocket launcher.” General Mills’ new “cereal-inspired candles.” All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Printing Establishments—2010–2020

According to the latest, just-released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2020 there were 23,393 establishments in NAICS 323 (Printing and Related Support Activities). This represents a decline of 20% since 2010. In macro news, Q2 GDP estimates are bearish—but that may not be cause for concern.

Elements of Noteworthy and Engaging Direct Mail

Today’s marketers have a wide variety of options to choose from when it comes to reaching their desired audience members. Direct mail can be a great way to get noticed, even in a digital world. Unfortunately, businesses that don’t understand how to create compelling pieces of direct mail are unlikely to reap the benefits that they can offer. This article explores how marketers can develop direct mail pieces that truly make an impact and encourage engagement.

PONGS Group Use Digitally Printed DESCOR PREMIUM Wallcoverings to Add Drama, Scope, and Style to Their Designer Kitchens

Home decor is a hot market, and wallpaper, which had fallen into disfavor over the years, is making a comeback, fueled largely by the high-quality, fast turn, customized wall covering products now enabled by digital printing solutions. Printer manufacturers like Xeikon are offering turnkey wall covering production solutions, and companies like Spoonflower see high demand for custom wall coverings from its maker community. In this article, complements of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, PONGS Group explains how they use digitally printed wallcoverings to add drama, scope, and style to their designer kitchens.

Software Has to Be Your Answer to Labor Shortages

Labor is forcing us to scale in innovative ways. No more “throwing more people” at every scale problem, it's time to optimize so that you can continue to grow with the team you have.

Digital Embellishments: How to Add Value—and Profitability—to Ink on Paper

Digital embellishments allow printers to embrace the power of touch by creating enhanced, desirable, memorable, and valuable brand experiences. And when there is perceived value, there is a willingness to pay a premium. Contributor Joanne Gore identifies three opportunities for PSPs to add value—and profitability—with digital embellishments.

QR Codes as a Problem-Solving Tool

How do you incorporate QR codes into a successful marketing campaign? You don’t make it about the QR code. You make it about problem-solving. Heidi Tolliver-Walker highlights several great use cases from a MindFire webinar that provide great problem-solving insights—whether you are incorporating QR codes or not.

Restarting the Live Print Show with Print4All 2022

European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports from Print4All, the largest European printing equipment fair this year, held May 3 to 6 at the Fiera Milano exhibition ground. The fair showcased several notable packaging printing and converting product introductions.

Tales from the Top Shops Database: How Have Print Applications Changed Over the Past Decade?

We recently wrapped up our Top 100 Commercial Printers for 2022 and, since we have been conducting this survey for more than 15 years, mining the database of past results can provide some valuable info about how the industry has changed—and how it might continue to change. In the inaugural installment of this series, we look at how print applications have changed over the past decade.

In Memoriam: Keith Davidson, 1936–2022

Frank Romano remembers Keith Davidson, founder and former president of Xplor International, who passed away on June 28.

The Target Report: Commercial Print Awakes from M&A Slumber—June 2022 M&A Activity

Post Capital Acquires Ironmark, Graphic Village adds another, and more…

Are You Ready for the Gen Z Work Force?

According to the World Economic Forum, Gen Zers—those born between 1997 and 2012—will make up 27% of the work force by 2025. And they will bring with them an entirely new set of needs, requirements, and challenges for the workplace. Is your company prepared? We rounded up some information about what Gen Zers are looking for and how companies are—or are not—responding.

Printing Profits: Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Despite COVID, printing industry profits have been pretty good, with annualized profits for Q1 2022 coming in at $4.55 billion, down from $4.79 billion in Q4 2021.

Around the Web: Coupon Collapse. Creative Communication. Leaf Leather. Curse Collection. Graphene Grant. Training Tunes. Shoe Show. Burger Bugaboo. Ketchup Cooler.

Clipping printed coupons is on the decline. Core77 Visual Communications Design Award winners. Making leather from pineapple leaves. A cursed object trifecta: books, a phone number, and a Kleenex ad. A grant to develop graphene-based sustainable housing construction materials. Air New Zealand is adding beds to its economy class. The keys to an effective workout playlist. Designing Saucony’s Endorphin sneaker launch event. What the optimal number of times you should flip a hamburger? French’s introduced a mercifully short-lived ketchup pop. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Next Generation Textile Professionals Focus on Climate

In this story, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, five winners of the prestigious Central Saint Martins Maison/O Green Trail competition demonstrate how the next generation of textile professionals is working to address the climate emergency. Their submissions range from transformational garments to production methods that scale textile dyeing with bacteria and spatial design that supports reforestation.

The Different Dimensions of 3D Printing and Signage

“3D printing” is one of those terms that can mean different things to different people. In the signage industry, 3D printing is often referred to as “2+D”—using UV flatbeds to layer ink into three-dimensional textures—and braille lettering for ADA signage. And new units are facilitating the process.

Why Your Projects Fail (Everything is a Project)

Look at everything as a project and you will find that you need to define everything a lot better. Goals, roles, and constraints get confused with most project and that causes a lot of project failure.

Two Steps Forward: Raspberry Creek Fabrics Patents a Unique Process for Digital Textile Printing

Utah-based Raspberry Creek Fabrics recently received a patent for unique web-to-print software for roll-to-roll fabric printing which automates the step-and-repeat process in a way that creates the smallest possible file, speeding the printing process. Senior editor Cary Sherburne talked to co-founder Justin Rammell about the process.

Seven Steps to Creating an AR Holotwin

Is it possible to create effective AR scenes without a team of tech-savvy designers? Or spending tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars? Is AR finally ready to be used even by small and mid-sized shops to solve business problems for their customers? Here is a step-by-step look at what it took to create an AR holotwin and a QR code showing the final result. Readers can judge for themselves.

Are You Selling with the Wrong Data? Part 2: External Data

You should be using data to guide your sales planning, and you should be revisiting the data you collect on a regular cadence because things change. In part one of this feature, Pat McGrew looked at how to gather and evaluate internal data. In part two, she looks at how external data can influence your sales plans.

Industry 4.0: Bringing Intelligence to Workflow One Step at a Time

Industrial revolutions have been driving global change for centuries, and one thing is certain: they will continue to happen at an increasingly rapid rate. As an industry, we have a way to go, but to succeed you need to look at the transformation process as a journey and not expect to do it all at once.

AMPLIFY Print Minneapolis was Everything A New Event Should Be

Trish Witkowski reports from last week’s AMPLIFY—a first-of-its-kind event presented by Association for Print Technologies (APTech) and the Foil and Specialty Effects Association (FSEA). The event centered around the topic of value-added print finishing and embellishment, and boasted the latest and greatest in technology, equipment, materials, inspiration, and thought leadership.

Bobst: Implementing a Vision

Bobst recently held a press event to detail its developments in packaging connectivity, digitalization, automation, and sustainability. European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports from Mex, Switzerland.

Conquering the New Frontier in Production Inkjet

The new frontier for production inkjet is high-quality, high-coverage, graphic arts applications. The challenge in this market is to precisely place high amounts of liquid ink onto porous, and non-porous, materials and dry them at high speed without damage. The very small number of presses serving this market is a testament to the difficulty of meeting this challenge. Today, we have a new entrant with a unique approach to delivering quality while driving up the economic equivalent order quantity between inkjet and offset.

Post-Pandemic: What’s the Future of Subscription Services and Fashion Boxes in Apparel?

Subscription services and fashion boxes for apparel—the ability for consumers to sign up for periodic boxes of personalized clothing selections—predated the pandemic, but arguably, these services prospered along with the rest of ecommerce as a result of retail closures, work-from-home, and a general concern with going out in public. Will that success carry forward as we enter the endemic stage of COVID? And how do these services rank from a sustainability perspective?

APTech and WhatTheyThink Joint Venture— In Support of the Graphic Communication/Printing Industry

Op-Ed by Harvey R. Levenson, Ph.D.. The joint venture between the Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) and WhatTheyThink, in my opinion, is a “stroke of genius” and an example of how an association and a media organization can combine intellectual resources for the greater good of the graphic communication/printing industry.

Around the Web: Paper Passion. Skin Sensor. Browser Bier. Future Furniture. Global Glee. Tub Trouble. Finger Fromage.

Welsh artist Polly Verity folds paper into “into elegantly suggestive sculptures.” A graphene-based e-tattoo measures blood pressure. Just-discontinued Internet Explorer gets a gravestone. Ikea has a new AR app to delete your furniture and replace it with Ikea’s. How to laugh online in 26 languages. The short-changed designer who created Nike’s Swoosh. Hacking into a “smart Jacuzzis.” A British photographer captured a transit of the ISS across the Sun. Velveeta launches cheese-scented nail polish, for some reason. A guitar made out of French fries. Kate Bush’s welcome return to the charts. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Support Activities for Printing Annual Payroll—2010–2019

According to County Business Patterns, in 2010, US establishments in NAICS 32312 had an annual payroll of $1.4 billion. Payrolls declined steadily over the course of the 2010s, closing out the decade at $1.0 billion in 2019. However adjusting for inflation, payrolls declined by -38% over the course of the decade. In macro news: AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) indicates that demand for design services remains strong, boding well for commercial real estate construction and thus signage projects.

Environmental Sustainability: Your Customers Want It and the Planet Needs It!

Summer has officially arrived, so everyone is gearing up for nicer weather and more daylight to enjoy the great outdoors. Of course, caring for our planet now will help ensure that the outdoors can be enjoyed for generations to come. People are becoming increasingly conscious about the detrimental impact that certain processes can have on our environment, so it’s more important than ever for brands to position themselves as sustainable and environmentally sound.

How to Ensure Your Design Files Are Correctly Prepared for Digital Textile Printing

Quite often errors only become visible once a textile design is printed on fabric. The printing machine is blamed most of the time for these errors, especially when the resolution is so high that every file error becomes visible when printed. In this article, provided compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, Jos Notermans of SPG Prints explains how to avoid these costly errors, beginning with proper design.

Packaging Challenges: How Is the Industry Responding?

RR Donnelly commissioned an online survey of 300 procurement, brand marketing, and packaging engineering decision makers to provide insights that inform strategy, priorities, and investments. Survey participants are located in the U.S. across a variety of industry sectors. The results are summarized in this article.

AR Increases Engagement with Salt Lake Community College Recycling Program

Think augmented reality is just for brand-building and entertainment? Think again. It is now being used to drive real, practical results for businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofits. Here is a look at how AR jump-started engagement with one college’s recycling program.

Don’t Get Stuck on One Missing Feature

Evaluating and buying software can be overwhelming, especially if the software segment is mature and therefore has hundreds of features to it. It is hard to keep track of which solution has which features, let alone evaluating if they will work in your environment.

HP Indigo VIP Event 2022: Better Together

HP Indigo held its first VIP event in three years in Israel May 24 and 15. European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports from the event, and highlights several technology introductions—as well as a few “on the horizon.”

Cutting Through the Confusion: Is There an Easy Button for Digital Embellishment Design?

Digital embellishment technologies are on the rise, and are making high-end luxurious prints easier and cheaper to do than ever before. Yet the biggest challenge most PSPs encounter is still linked to file design. Guest contributor Kevin Abergel explains how it is still the “wild west” when it comes to embellishment technologies and formats—and it’s not clear who should be leading the charge in educating designers.

Johnson’s World: Grow Your Own—Get Creative to Find New Talent

Colleges, universities, vocational schools and high schools are discontinuing graphic arts programs—even though students pursuing careers in print are much more likely to land successful positions upon graduation than students who’ve majored in web design, gaming, or computer science. Steve Johnson explains how to cultivate the next generation of printing employees.

A Sustainability Update for Textiles and Apparel

Sourcing Journal recently conducted an in-person sustainability summit in New York titled “The Road to 2030.” Sourcing Journal Founder and president Edward Hertzman spoke with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne to explain why this summit was different from other sustainability events and why he is optimistic that substantial changes will occur in the industry by the time 2030 rolls around.

April Shipments: Returning to Regular Seasonality

April 2022 shipments came in at $6.67 billion, down from March’s $7.03 billion. The general trend in all but two of the last seven years has been for April shipments to decline from March’s. That’s not really good news but suggests we’re at least getting back to normal.

Around the Web: Tome Tok. Joyce Joy. Paper ’Puter. Lionfish Leather. Robust Rugs. Solar Satellites. Wonder Worms. Gas Goof. Seat Suffering. Canine Comfort.

BookTok has caused a “print book revolution.” Modern online brands reinterpreted as their old-school forebears. Yesterday was Bloomsday—and the 100th anniversary of the publication of “Ulysses.” A prototype of a laptop that uses an e-paper-based display. Florida’s invasive lionfish is an excellent source of “fish leather.” Graphene makes wigs more durable. Adding robotic insect legs to household objects. One step closer to space-based solar energy-collecting satellites. Polystyrene-eating beetle larvae could hold the clues to dealing with plastic waste. Fired gas station manager accidentally charges 69¢ a gallon for gas; may become local folk hero. A new airplane seat design looks horrifying. A dog bed for humans. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

A Vibrant FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 Affirms Business Bounce-Back as a Confident and Investment-Ready Audience Focused on a Profitable and Sustainable Future

As the industry and the world returns to in-person events, the recent FESPA exhibition in Berlin is a good example of the pent-up energy after a long virtual experience induced by the pandemic. FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 brought the specialty print community together for four motivational days in Berlin (May 31 to June 3, 2022), in an atmosphere of overwhelming positivity that affirmed the industry’s readiness to bounce back from the challenges of the last two years.

Sustainability and Wide-Format: It’s Not Just Materials

For many years, the sustainability discussion in wide-format printing has centered on ink technologies but, like elsewhere in the printing industry, other, more pressing issues have come to the fore, typically centered around overall product use and end of life concerns. Richard Romano takes a closer look.

What Do Shoppers Really Think about Personalization?

What is the state of retail personalization in 2022? A study conducted by Coresight Research on behalf of Sailthru shows significant disconnects between what retailers think is important and what consumers think is important. The survey, “Retail Personalization in 2022,” looks at the difference in perceptions between consumers and retailers on a variety of issues related to retail personalization and data privacy, as well as areas such as loyalty programs and channel usage.

Future Fibers: Innovative Fibers Are Set to Improve Textile Sustainability

It is estimated that some 60% of apparel is made of petroleum-based polyester or polyester blends, but there are several initiatives underway to develop more sustainable fibers that are made from natural materials. Cary Sherburne looks at four of these new, cutting-edge fibers being developed for apparel.

Dreaming vs. Operational Possibility

Total automation is a common dream in the print industry (a custom manufacturing industry where the customer provides a key part of the manufacturing process at the time of purchase!). There are dreams and there is the reality of what is operationally possible with your business (a collection of constraints).

Are You Selling with the Wrong Data?

You should be using data to guide your sales planning, and you should be revisiting the data you collect on a regular cadence because things change. But there is a lot of potential data—some of it is useful in helping to set sales plans, and some of it could be considered noise. Pat McGrew helps you determine which is which.

Inkjet Integration: Flexible and Sustainable

Production inkjet is not new, but increasingly we are seeing it used in bespoke solutions that address many disparate manufacturing requirements. Importantly, this technology can also provide sustainable solutions.

FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 Felt Like a True Post-Pandemic Trade Show

The FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 was held May 31 to June 3 in Berlin, Germany. European section editor Ralf Schlözer was there, and highlights some of the major announcements and offers his initial impressions of the event.

Technology Outlook 2022—Digital & Inkjet: Overcoming Challenges Through Efficiency

In this year’s third annual Technology Outlook, Inkjet Insight’s Elizabeth Gooding looks at the latest digital printing and production inkjet technology trends and new product introductions.

Digital Technologies: Driving Change in the U.S. Textiles & Apparel Market

As so often happens, entrepreneurs in the textiles and apparel industry are driving change in the U.S. market. While digitally-driven businesses have not yet reached critical mass, there are good examples of companies that are taking advantage of new ways of working and doing business to build the businesses of the future. We’ll be discussing this in an upcoming WhatTheyThink webinar scheduled for July 20 at 1 pm ET!

The Top 100 Small Commercial Printers

For the second straight year, Strategic Factory is the WhatTheyThink | Printing News Top Small Commercial Printer. Read on for the complete Top 100, as well as a profile of the winning companies.

Book Printing Annual Payroll—2010–2019

According to County Business Patterns, in 2010, US establishments in NAICS 323117 had an annual payroll of $1.1 billion. Payrolls declined over the first half of the 2010s, at least on a current dollar basis, but started to rise again, closing out the decade at $993 million in 2019. However adjusting for inflation, payrolls declined by -25% over the course of the decade. In macro news: what’s going on with the real estate market?

Around the Web: Eschewed Entries. Password Parting. Loony Logos. Get Graphene Gear! Dog Detection. Big Birds. Canny Cane. Taking Tokens. Steak Saga.

What are the least-read articles in Wikipedia? With any luck passkeys will replace passwords. When AI tries to recreate famous brand logos. WearGraphene’s graphene-enhanced jacket is now available. COVID-sniffing dogs may be more accurate than PCR tests. Proto-chickens and giant demon ducks. “DRM wheelchairs.” A high-tech cane for the elderly. Bored Ape Yacht Club avatars are getting stolen with monotonous regularity. The fascinating history of Salisbury steak. A giant giraffe sculpted out of chocolate. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Pane Points: A Window Graphics Photo Gallery

In this photo gallery, we highlight some recent window graphics projects that display graphics providers have produced. These application galleries are intended to serve as “food for thought” in developing creative applications for clients.

Judging the Future of Design

Leading up to the UK’s Design Futures 2022 competition, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan spoke to one of the judges, designer Phoebe English. A dynamic thinker with a careful, considered approach, Phoebe is on an ever-evolving search to better her practices, making her the perfect judge for this year’s innovation challenge which is focused on design for circularity. Learn more about her advice to designer applicants.

Influencing Consumer Behavior with Color

There are many ways for brands to establish an emotional connection with their customers, and doing so can foster loyalty while also delivering a better overall experience. Marketers understand that specific colors have different effects on the human mind, and therefore trigger different responses. This article explores how certain colors can trigger an emotional response and create a deeper connection between consumers and brands.

Technology Outlook 2022—Impressive Solutions for Finishing

In this year’s third annual Technology Outlook, Trish Witkowski looks at the latest binding and finishing technology trends and new product introductions.

Technology Outlook 2022—The Art and Science of Data in a Workflow

In this year’s third annual Technology Outlook, Pat McGrew and Ryan McAbee look at how to effectively collect and use data to improve production workflows.

Technology Outlook 2022—The Labels & Packaging Market: Even Stronger

In this year’s third annual Technology Outlook, David Zwang looks at new trends, technologies, and products in labels and packaging.

Technology Outlook 2022—Wide Format & Signage and Textiles & Apparel Trends and Technologies

In this year’s third annual Technology Outlook, Richard Romano and Cary Sherburne look at new trends, technologies, and products in wide format and signage and textiles and apparel.

Is It Possible to Have Carbon-Neutral Direct Mail?

In this follow-up to last week’s article, Steve Falk, president of Prime Data, discusses how his company determined its carbon footprint, how it came to be the first carbon-neutral direct mail house in the world, and invites members of the industry to use its tools to come up with their own carbon footprints to do the same.

Opening to the Realities of a Remote Workforce

Allowing a remote workforce can improve your talent pool as well as force you into fixing your manual process habits.

The Target Report: Paper Industry in Transition—May 2022 M&A Activity

Kruger Buys Domtar Mill, Paper Industry in Flux; and more…

How to Make a Non-Standard Ink Set Conform to Standard: The Difference Between 2D Curves and 3D Profiles

It is critical to compensate for the differences in your particular papers and inks compared to the color standard you’re trying to match. Print Geek Dan Gillespie of Alder Color Solutions outlines how effectively using color science/software is the most accurate and efficient way to reach the tightest conformance achievable.

Your Package Has Been Delivered—And More Are Coming

Just as in web-to-print software solutions for commercial printers, online package creation is facilitating the rapid growth of shorter-run packaging to address the shifting market demands. These new online transaction design and procurement web-to-pack solutions, in combination with digital presses and laser die cutters, are also enabling many commercial printers to find a lift into becoming a packaging converter. David Zwang takes a look at the current web-to-pack landscape.

Print Matters for the Future 2022—Feeling the Pulse of the European Printing Industry

European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports from Print Matters for the Future, the annual conference of Intergraf, the European association representing the national printing associations in Europe. The event was held live in Stockholm on May 20, 2022 and tackled a diverse range of topics including the paper shortage, Amazon’s impact on the industry, sustainability, and more.

Fashion and NFTs

In this space, we have written a great deal about how the digital transformation is proceeding in the world of textiles and apparel. Mostly we have looked at supply chain, including the digital technologies that make reshoring more viable and production of textiles and apparel more sustainable. In this article, we take a look at how the fashion industry is jumping on the NFT bandwagon, generating an amazing amount of revenue, and, they hope, more customer loyalty.

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