Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

3M Print Quality Management Program Explained

Published February 7, 2018

Lisa Price, Global Design Operations Manager at 3M, explains the company's Print Quality Management program that helps her manage a supply base of 700 printers. This 100-year-old company employing 90,000 people is a thought leader in the field of Print Quality Management; Lisa's story is an inspiration to others responsible for managing complex print supply chains.

Nazdar Source One First North American Distributor of EFI's Pro 24f

Published February 6, 2018

Glenn Shull, Product Manager at Nazdar Source One distribution company, talks about the company's position as the first distributor in North America to distribute the EFI Pro 24f true flatbed large format printer. The printer will be featured in the company's new Chicago demo center, where visitors will be able to experience the product first-hand.

Memjet Explores New Opportunities with DuraLink Printhead Technology

Published February 6, 2018

We recently had the opportunity to visit Memjet’s San Diego headquarters and get an update on how the business is going since our visit last summer. The Print 17 trade show gave the company’s prospect list a huge boost. Read more.

Why the Rebranding of NPES to APT is Important

Published February 5, 2018

WhatTheyThink Senior Editor Cary Sherburne caught up with Gavin Jordan-Smith, VP/GM, Industrial Print and Graphic Communications at Konica Minolta and Board member of APT, to gain his perspective on the recent rebranding of industry association NPES to the Association for Print Technologies (APT). The rebranding reflects the Association's focus on the entire value chain, beyond the physical act of printing, and fostering change in the way suppliers and producers think about their businesses.

Annual TAGA Conference: The Place to Go to Stay Current on Graphic Arts Technologies

Published February 5, 2018

Liam O'Hara, Associate Professor at Clemson University and President of TAGA, speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the upcoming TAGA technical conference, scheduled for 18-21 March in Baltimore. TAGA, celebrating 70 years of service to the industry, is one of the leading associations for disseminating research and information about graphic arts technologies. Student-oriented programs are also an important feature of this event. View the video to learn who should attend.

IPMA Explains the Value of the In-Plant Track Featured at EFI Connect 2018

Published February 1, 2018

Mike Loyd, Executive Director of IPMA, talks about why the new In-Plant Track at EFI Connect 2018 was beneficial to his members and a recognition that in-plant print shop managers often have different needs than commercial printers.

What The New Tax Law Means for Your Printing Business

Published January 31, 2018

Michael Makin, CEO of the Printing Industries of America, previews the association's upcoming webinar and highlights the benefits of the new law for printing companies. PIA fought hard for inclusion of provisions that benefit the industry. The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15, at 2 PM Eastern, and PIA experts will be on hand to answer questions.

Keeping Print in the Mix in Customer Communications

Published January 31, 2018

For many companies, digital communications promised fast, easy, relevant, and more affordable customer communications. But now marketers are realizing that print has a valuable role in the customer communications mix that cannot be underestimated. As a result, the role of print in an omnichannel world is being redefined yet again, with print as a key element.

Hinojosa Packaging CEO Talks About World's First EFI Nozomi Installation

Published January 30, 2018

Eric Bacourt, CEO of Spanish company Hinojosa Packaging, explains why he took the leap as the world's first installation of the EFI Nozomi direct-to-corrugated printing system. He also discusses the future of digital print for the corrugated business. The system is now running three shifts per day.

Industry Associations Team to Ensure Long-Term Vitality of Mail

Published January 30, 2018

Idealliance, NAPM, and PostCom announced a coalition designed "to work towards the long-term vitality of mail and ensuring that the mail industry remains at the very center of communication and commerce in the United States and around the globe." Is this the right approach? Read more for my opinion.

An Inflection Point in Textiles: Zazzle Leading the Way to the Future

Published January 29, 2018

Have you ever shopped at Zazzle? The company personalizes just about anything and has both paper and textile offerings. In past Zazzle stories, we have focused primarily on the paper side. But the company was actually founded with textiles. Read more to find out what Zazzle textile offerings - and its view of the market - looks like today.

EFI CFO Marc Olin Talks Connect, Nozomi installs, Pace Developments, and Textiles

Published January 25, 2018

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks to EFI CFO Marc Olin at EFI Connect 2018 about what is new at the event, including Nozomi installs and unique applications being employed by customers and Pace developments. They also discuss other product developments around textiles.

EFI CEO Guy Gecht at EFI Connect 2018

Published January 24, 2018

Gecht shares his thoughts on Industry 4.0 and what it means for the future of the printing industry. He encourages companies to expand their definition of printing to putting beautiful images on all types of materials, beyond ink and toner on paper, to provide the necessary growth path for the future.

20th Edition of the Color Conference Explained

Published January 23, 2018

Joe Marin, Vice President of Education and Training at the Printing Industries of America, and the PIA team did an outstanding job of organizing this year's Color Conference, the 20th edition. In this video, he talks about the strategy of bringing in fun, thought-provoking and inspiring keynotes along with the more granular sessions the conference is known for.

ThreadX Gearing Up to Be an Informative Conference for the Garment and Apparel Decorators Community

Published January 22, 2018

SGIA's President & CEO Ford Bowers shares information about the upcoming ThreadX Conference, scheduled for 25-28 February in Palm Springs. Designed to support the garment and apparel decorators community, the second largest community within SGIA, ThreadX will feature well-known speakers and thought leaders from the industry.

SGIA and PIA: Why the partnership?

Published January 18, 2018

Ford Bowers, President & CEO of SGIA, talked with us about the partnership between SGIA and PIA, and the value to their respective memberships. A key element is introducing SGIA's membership to the many conferences that PIA hosts, as well as participation in legislative affairs activities.

iLearning from Printing Industries of America: All new, available 24/7

Published January 17, 2018

Michael Makin, CEO of the Printing Industries of America, shares information on PIA's iLearning University for the printing industry, which has been completely retooled and includes the opportunity for certification across a variety of disciplines, including Customer Service. Core content included in PIA affiliate membership fees.

Idealliance: Taming the Wild West of the Packaging Supply Chain

Published January 16, 2018

Tim Baechle, Vice President at Idealliance, talks about how Idealliance is repositioning itself around three primary goals: communication, education and validation. With offices around the world hte organization's evolution to a think tank has changed the model of how it works. Programs like G7 and BrandQ create a swim lane for the packaging supply chain to create seamless communication. Baechle shares thoughts about how the organization is serving some of the worlds largest brands and converters to tame what he calls the Wild West of Packaging.

Amazon and On-Demand Clothing Manufacturing

Published January 15, 2018

Amazon’s patenting of an on-demand clothing manufacturing warehouse points to a future of on-demand mass customization of fashion.

New Strategy for Xeikon Café Exhibition & Conference Announced

Published January 11, 2018

Details for the 2018 edition of Xeikon Café Exhibition & Conference, the fourth such event held in Belgium, are becoming available,;and there are exciting changes planned. We spoke with Xeikon Corporate Communications Manager Danny Mertens to get more details. Read more.

Fed By Threads Makes Socially Responsible, Environmentally Sustainable Apparel, “From Dirt to Shirt”

Published January 8, 2018

Want a vision of the future of the world of digital textiles? Skya Nelson of Fed By Threads has a unique perspective on the market, and is already implementing much of it with the company’s “dirt to shirt” approach to socially responsible, environmentally sustainable apparel.

From 3D to 2D: An Interesting Journey

Published December 14, 2017

There has been a lot of hype over the last few years about 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, being the next big thing in the print-related world. We recently learned that EFI hired Gal Barak as its Inkjet Eastern Region Sales Manager. Barak most recently worked for 3D printing company Stratasys. Why did he make this move and what are his thoughts on 2D versus 3D? Read more.

Understanding the Alphabet Soup of Expanded Gamut Printing

Published November 14, 2017

CMYK, XCMYK, CMYKOVG, ECG, Fixed Palette – so many terms to describe various types of process printing. What do they all mean and why should you care? We’ll explore all of that in this article.

Pioneers in Graphic Design

Published November 1, 2017

I was recently given the opportunity to review a new book, Pioneers of German Graphic Design. Did you know that modern graphic design originated more than 100 years ago in Germany? I didn’t. The book is fascinating and includes fabulous imagery. I’ll recap some of it here, but you might want this one for your personal library!

Ricoh Shares Strategy with Media and Analysts at Boulder Facility

Published October 30, 2017

Ricoh hosted a small group of media and analysts at its Global Executive Briefing Center in Boulder CO last week. This is one of four sites worldwide that has extensive capability to demonstrate Ricoh’s production printing portfolio, with the others being in Telford (UK), Thailand and Singapore. The company shared its strategy for the Commercial and Industrial Print Group, formed last April, as well as provided a tour of the facilities, including the demo center and some of the labs.

NPES Teams with the CMO Council to Gain Marketer Perspectives on Print

Published October 30, 2017

All too often, it seems that within the printing industry, we spend more time talking to each other than to customers. Ask yourself: How well do you truly understand your customers’ businesses, the issues they face every day, and how your services could help them meet their goals and objectives in truly unique ways? What services could you add to be able to do this even better?

BrandQ: What Does It Mean for Packaging Converters and Suppliers to the Industry

Published October 24, 2017

Today, Idealliance announced a new program – BrandQ, designed to provide brands with the proper tools and language to better manage print quality across complex supply chains. What is not addressed in the press release is what that means for packaging converters and suppliers to the industry. We spoke with Idealliance Vice President, Global Print Technologies & Workflows, Tim Baechle to find out more.

Xeikon Café North America Draws Larger-Than-Expected Attendance

Published October 20, 2017

The first-ever Xeikon Café North America drew a larger-than-expected audience. Xeikon has been using this platform as a gathering point for its customers and prospects at its European headquarters for the last several years. The success of the event prompted Xeikon to launch a North American version, which the company reported would be convened on an annual basis moving forward.

Driving Business Growth: How Techniprint Re-Invented Its Business

Published October 17, 2017

Phoenix-based Techniprint needed to adjust its business to account for a growing trend to digitally distribute document sets for architectural and construction projects rather than printing a large number of copies of these sets. Adding two HP PageWide XL 8000 wide format printers to its business resulted in a 25% increase in revenues in the first six months.

Augmented Reality: Setting the Record Straight

Published October 16, 2017

The interest in Augmented Reality has grown, especially with recent attention paid to the technology by Apple, Google, Snap and others. But there is also a great deal of confusion about Augmented Reality – what is it, really? How is it different from other technologies like QR codes? What is the relevance to print? Read more.

NPES Responds to Print United Announcement

Published October 12, 2017

Many in the industry were surprised by this week’s announcement by SGIA and NAPCO about the launch of a reinvented SGIA Expo called PRINT United, designed to draw in more segments of the print market, including commercial print, publishing, 3D printing and more. I had a long conversation with Thayer Long of NPES, the organizers of two longstanding events, PRINT and GRAPH EXPO, to understand the organization’s reaction. Long was kind enough to provide a statement.

EFI Rounds Out End-to-End Corrugated Workflow with Acquisition of Escada Systems

Published October 3, 2017

Yesterday, EFI announced the acquisition of Escada Systems, a provider of Corrugator Control Systems for the packaging market. The UK company adds another puzzle piece to EFI’s growing ecosystem for corrugated, with its earlier acquisition of CTI (ERP) and development of Nozomi (direct-to-corrugated printer). We spoke with Nick Benkovich to get the inside story.

Koenig & Bauer: What’s Old Is New Again

Published September 22, 2017

More than 60 journalists from around the globe gathered in Würzburg, Germany, at KBA headquarters to begin celebrating with the company its 200th anniversary. The event theme is 200 years: Future needs an Origin. It was a unique experience and total pleasure to be part of this historic event, which included a factory tour and a formal gala at the local convention center. Read more.

Interview with Koenig & Bauer CEO Claus Bolza-Schünemann on the company's 200th Anniversary

Published September 22, 2017

Cary Sherburne talks to Koenig & Bauer CEO Claus Bolza-Schünemann during a press event for their 200th Anniversary Celebration. They discuss the new/old branding and how the company will be moving forward and taking on the next two hundred years.

Quality Tape and Labels Sees Dynamic Growth in Digital Label, Flexible and Shrink Sleeve Printing

Published September 20, 2017

Rob Daniels, President of Quality Tape and Labels, joins Senior Editor Cary Sherburne to talk about how a traditional fourth-generation flexo business got into the digital business. With zero digital business 10 years ago, the company now is producing more than 14 million impressions per month on three HP Indigo presses.

Perfect Communications adds HP Indigo Presses to Enhance Services

Published September 12, 2017

Joe Olivo, President of Perfect Communications located in the Philadelphia area, shares why he recently acquired an HP Indigo 10000 and an HP Indigo 7800 to be able to offer enhanced capabilities, including printing with white ink and achieving high quality CMYK printing on coated stocks. The company won an INKspiration Award with AIGA that included designs submitted by 35 designers. Benefits include enhanced productivity and a great look on uncoated stock that customers love.

Grupo Ercus Takes Packaging Production to a New Level with HP Indigo

Published September 12, 2017

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne speaks with Fernando Gomez, General Manager of Operations for Grupo Ercus in Mexico City, to learn how Ercus Packaging leverages digital printing to produce packaging for the group's candy manufacturing business. The company also brings in outside work to produce on its HP Indigo presses, including participation in the Share-a-Coke campaign with an HP Indigo 20000. The company won an INKspiration award for coffee packaging it produced for an outside client.

New EFI Fiery FS300 Pro: A Platform for the Next Decade

Published September 11, 2017

Today EFI announced a new Fiery platform. The company reports that digital front ends (DFEs) based on the EFI Fiery FS300 Pro platform will drive presses across sheetfed, high-speed continuous feed, B1 folding carton, and corrugated digital production systems. This is perhaps the most aggressive Fiery release in some time and is being described as the platform for the next decade.

Vendor Roadmaps are Important to Buying Decisions

Published September 5, 2017

Steve Ebanks, owner of Orlando-based Xerographic Digital Printing, joins Senior Editor Cary Sherburne to discuss why he recently chose to displace competitive toner devices with an HP Indigo 12000 and an HP Indigo 5600. He cites HP's robust product portfolio, aggressive roadmap and larger sheet size as the primary decision factors.

Grupo Romo in Mexico City Finds Growth with Premedia Services, Digital and Offset Print

Published August 29, 2017

Luis Romo, Director of Sales and Visual Solutions at Grupo Romo in Mexico City, a 4th generation family business founded in 1989, not only prints catalogs for its clients, but offers a turnkey service that ranges from models, photography and lighting to design, printing and distribution. Its printing services are augmented by an HP Indigo 10000 that complements its 40" offset press workflow.

Direct-to-Object Printing: How Will It Impact Label Printing?

Published August 28, 2017

Ben Adner, CEO of InkCupsNow, talks about the company's ability to digitally print to 3D objects. We observed their equipment in practice at InPrint USA, for cylindrical or other shaped objects with UV inkjet. The devices are suitable for short to mid-sized (up to 10,000 pieces) runs and in many cases will replace labels.

Printing with Fluorescent Inks on HP Indigo

Published August 22, 2017

Nick Gawreluk, Supplies Product Manager for HP Indigo, Speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about some of the unique liquid inks HP Indigo has recently developed, including fluorescent inks. Gawreluk shares application of examples using these inks.

It’s All About Me!

Published August 16, 2017

An image used in presentations at EskoWorld struck me as a telling comment on changing consumer behavior. Take a look.

Shutterfly Standardizes on HP Indigo, Adding More HP Indigo 12000s

Published August 16, 2017

At drupa 2016, Shutterfly placed an order for 25 HP Indigo 12000 digital presses, with an aggressive installation plan over the summer to be ready for the company’s peak season. Now Shutterfly has added another phase of HP Indigo 12000s to the mix. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Shutterfly to get the details.

Kodak: An Update on Strategy and Performance

Published August 15, 2017

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne tuned into Kodak’s Second Quarter Earnings Call to get an update on Kodak’s strategy. There were some surprises in the call, and more detail about strategic initiatives moving forward.

Third-Generation Printer Cockrell Enovation Improves Productivity with HP Indigo 10000

Published August 15, 2017

John Cockrell, Vice President at Fort Worth based Cockrell Enovation, has used its new HP Indigo 10000 press to migrate work from offset for more efficient production. Hear what he has to say about the future of offset in his business and the kinds of applications he is producing on the HP Indigo 10000. HP Indigo's Business Development team has been a partner in this transition.

Bud Light, HP and Esko: From Ideation to Production in Less than a Month

Published August 14, 2017

Michael Cox, a Solutions Architect at HP, Inc., talks about HP's collaboration with Esko to create limited edition Bud Light cans for a special event using Studio for Sleeves and HP's Mosaic in the design process. This eliminated the need for physical samples in the approval process. From ideation to production in less than a month -- amazing!

Is the Future of the Traditional Textbook Business at Risk?

Published August 10, 2017

Time and again, we have seen non-traditional competitors storm a market to the detriment of the establishment. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne came across a fascinating story that could be a bellwether indication of trouble ahead for the textbook industry.

Does OEE Apply to Digital Presses? This study says Yes

Published August 8, 2017

What is OEE and why should you care? How does this metric – Overall Equipment Effectiveness – play in the world of digital printing? Those are questions addressed in a new report from jzarwanpartners. We’ve got a summary of findings for you!

COT Holdings Upgrades to HP Indigo 12000 for Enhanced Productivity

Published August 8, 2017

Nigel Worme, Managing Director of COT Holdings in Barbados, was an early adopter of HP Indigo digital presses. The third generation family company is now on its 5th generation of Indigo presses with the acquisition of an HP Indigo 10000, now field upgraded to an HP Indigo 12000, providing a single sheet size for offset and digital presses that streamlines workflow.

Digital Innovation Key to Business Growth, Says Ron Sizemore of Influence Graphics

Published August 1, 2017

Ron Sizemore, Partner at NYC-based Influence Graphics, describes his digital-only shop and a variety of wide format inkjet technologies. He describes the value of community events like Dscoop as a venue for innovation and inspiration that has helped him keep his company on a growth path.

Digital Embellishment Still a Hot Topic: JetFX to bring offline sheetfed solution to Print 2017

Published July 25, 2017

Digital embellishment was a hot topic at drupa 2016, and more companies are entering the fray. We came across JetFX at an event earlier this year and were intrigued by their approach. Read more about JetFX approach to foiling, spot varnishing, embossing, and high end digital holograms.

Print and Marketing: An Awesome Relationship

Published July 18, 2017

Cece Smith, President of Toolbox Studios, worked for P&G for many years and brought her marketing expertise to SmithPrint. Now with her branding and marketing business operating as a sister company to SmithPrint, the two exploit the symbiotic relationship the two businesses offer to their respective clients. Smith cites her attendance at Dscoop as a key turning point for realizing how the two could be blended. She provides invaluable insight on how to create programs where print is not commoditized.

SmithPrint and Toolbox Studios: A Perfect Match

Published July 11, 2017

Ryan Smith, Vice President of Business Development at San Antonio based SmithPrint, talks about the company's unique relationship with its sister company, Toolbox Studios. The symbiotic relationship helps SmithPrint deliver cross-media services and variable data printing using its HP Indigo 7900 , HP Scitex FB 700 and its Heidelberg offset presses. Toolbox Studios also benefits from the ability to offer printing services along with her branding and marketing services.

How do the Danaher companies help streamline the packaging supply chain?

Published July 10, 2017

Joakim Weidemanis, Vice President at Danaher, talks about the Danaher family of companies that play in the packaging supply chain, how they work together, the challenges they address, and where the company might go for future acquisitions.

The New Xerox: What It Means for Software Strategy

Published July 4, 2017

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne recently spoke with Xerox executive Jacob Aizikowitz about his new role as head of the new Xerox Software Products Group to learn more about how the new Xerox is bringing together its diverse software development efforts.

How does a Ph.D. Petroleum Engineer become a printer?

Published June 27, 2017

Fadal Iskander, VP of TPSi in Tulsa OK, reports his company has been offering digital printing since 1978. Today, the company has a robust portfolio of HP Indigo and wide format presses it uses to produce a variety of applications, from transactional printing to wedding invitations. Despite his Ph.D. in Petroleum Engineering, Iskander has dedicated his career over the last 40 years to printing!

Sappi 2020Vision: One Paper Company’s Aggressive Plan for the Future

Published June 27, 2017

What’s the future of the paper business? One company has a bright vision of its future and is making the requisite changes to get there. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Mark Odgers, Director, Packaging Grades at Sappi North America, to get more details.

HD Flexo Wins Awards, Customer Approval, for ProAmpac

Published June 26, 2017

Joe Lydic, Art Director at packaging converter ProAmpac, talks about how Esko HD Flexo has benefited the company in its analog to digital platemaking transformation. Its first commercial job earned the company a Print & Packaging award. ProAmpac was the first printer in the Western Hemisphere to be HD Flexo certified. He also talks about how Esko workflow helps the company be more efficient.

Former Xeikon CEO Wim Maes Lands at Summa NV.

Published June 23, 2017

People seem to move around a lot in our industry, and sometimes it is hard to keep track. In this edition of “Where Are They Now?” we share Wim Maes’ thoughts on his new gig at Summa NV.

O'Neil Printing: Staying at the Top of its Game with Investments in Digital Printing and Wide Format

Published June 20, 2017

Anthony Narducci, President of O'Neil Printing in Phoenix, explains that the company has been operating in Downtown Phoenix for more than a century. But being a century-old company certainly doesn't mean they are old and stodgy! Narducci talks about its recent digital and wide format acquisitions and how they help O'Neil stay at the top of its game.

Automation in Sign & Display Graphics Business at PSP Retail

Published June 19, 2017

Ronald A. Whitfield, Automation Systems Manager at PSP Retail, a sign & display graphics provider, has taken a 4-person prepress department that was an operational bottleneck to a one-person department that is no longer a bottleneck and processes even more work. Find out how.

Mailers Weigh in on USPS

Published June 14, 2017

How is the United States Postal Service perceived by key members of the mailing supply chain? A recent Idealliance study lays it all out, the good, the bad and the ugly. While there is certainly room for improvement, and it is unclear what the USPS response to this study will be, be sure to read to the end for a view of what mail and communications would be like if the USPS wasn’t functioning as well as it is!

Esko Hosts 26th EskoWorld with record-breaking attendance, new product announcements

Published June 13, 2017

Udo Panenka, President of Esko, shares news about the 26th EskoWorld. 2017's event, the largest ever, attracted 500 customers, which included 100 brand owners from 40 companies. The event was the launching pad for three major announcements: Esko Platform for Brands, a new browser-based interface for Automation Engine and pre-configured automated workflows for label production, and expanded 3D rendering capabilities

EskoWorld: A Unique Experience

Published June 13, 2017

Last month, I attended EskoWorld for the first time. This was the 26th EskoWorld, so I am a little slow on the uptake. But the event was well worth attending and had quite a different feel from other user groups I have attended.

DME's Mike Panaggio: No Excuses Are Allowed In Our Business

Published June 13, 2017

Mike Panaggio, CEO of Daytona Beach based DME, tells Senior Editor Cary Sherburne, "We never want to have to apologize to a customer; no excuses are allowed in our business!" He also shares advice for his peers.

Heidelberg OmniFire: Printing Direct to Object

Published June 5, 2017

Dan Mauer, Vice President of Digital at Heidelberg, represented the company at the recent InPrint USA show, where the company's OmniFire direct-to-object printer. It capitalizes on the emerging demand for personalization in the industrial printing market with the ability to print in high quality on spherical, cylindrical or other objects.

Hederman Brothers' Digital Strategy

Published May 29, 2017

Terri Mascagni is Senior Account Executive at Hederman Brothers, which has been in business since 1898, is a family owned commercial printer located in Mississippi. The company recently acquired an HP Indigo 12000 to bolster its digital capabilities. She talks about the many changes the company has recently gone through to maintain its competitive position.

New Xeikon President Benoit Chatelard Shares Vision for the Future

Published May 25, 2017

In late March, Xeikon announced that Benoit Chatelard, at the time the Vice President, Production Printing, for Ricoh Europe, would be joining the company as President & CEO Digital Solutions, Flint Group, Xeikon’s parent company. Chatelard began his new role May 8th, and speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about his vision for Xeikon.

Direct-to-Object Printing: Do Converters Need to Redefine their Role?

Published May 22, 2017

Joe Morgan, formerly CEO of Standard Register and now Founder and CEO of Be Safe. Be Inspired. Be YOU. shares his insights on the InPrint USA show and the opportunities he sees for printing businesses in functional printing applications, particularly for packaging. He sees this as changing the role for the converter and requires businesses to redefine the role they will play in the future.

Omni-Channel Communications: Secrets of Success

Published May 16, 2017

Marketers’ love affair with a digital-only strategy has begun to wane, and while they are continuing to invest in digital channels, print is regaining ground as an important part of the overall media mix. This opens the door to a more active role for print service providers in moving upstream and becoming engaged with helping marketers develop and execute an effective omni-channel strategy that aligns with the way consumers want to interact with brands. We spoke with some experts to learn their secrets of success.

Where Are They Now: Joe Morgan, former CEO of Standard Register

Published May 10, 2017

We recently caught up with Joe Morgan, formerly CEO of Standard Register, to find out what he is up to these days. Now Founder and CEO of Be Safe. Be Inspired. Be YOU, Joe is translating his 20+ years of experience as a CEO into a consulting business that helps companies improve leadership and transform corporate culture to better meet the market needs of today.

Moving Industrial Applications to Digital Technologies

Published May 9, 2017

Jim Lambert, Vice President and General Manager of INX Digital, talks about the company's role in industrial digital printing. The goal is to be the company that helps its customers make the transition into digital in the industrial world. This includes the continued move from screen and pad printing to digital technologies. He explains how non-contact printing direct to objects is enabling new applications, showing real-world examples.

Electron Beam Curing versus UV Curing: What's the Difference?

Published May 9, 2017

Karl Swanson, Vice President of Global Sales for ebeam Technologies, explains the company's electron beam curing technologies, discussing the benefit of electron beam versus UV curing, especially where ink migration is a concern.

What's on Tap for Dscoop Americas

Published May 8, 2017

Ken Mead, the new Dscoop Regional Director for the Americas for Dscoop, shares a little about his background and why he decided to take on the Dscoop role. He also talks about the future of Dscoop and where he sees it going under new management, including more local events, brand owner focus and 24/7/365 member support and resources.

NPES, PIA and Idealliance: The Strategy Moving Forward

Published May 4, 2017

Last month, NPES announced it was taking on sole ownership of the Print/Graph Expo show franchise in order to give it the flexibility to make necessary major changes to the show. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with both Printing Industries of America and Idealliance to get their take and to better understand what their involvement would be moving forward.

Global/Local Marketing with Location-Based Marketing

Published May 4, 2017

Gerhard Martterer of Eversfrank Gruppe shares the company's success with location-based marketing using LOCR maps, enabling global/local advertising. Hear how his company has implemented this for magazines with circulation as high as 600,000 using digitally printed wrappers.

Spectrum Printing Weighs in on Idealliance’s G7 Master Facility Qualification Process

Published May 2, 2017

Tucson-based Spectrum Printing recently underwent the Idealliance G7 Master Facility Qualification process by leveraging G7 Expert, Jeff Collins, National Color Solutions Manager for Konica Minolta. We checked into learn more about the process and the early results. We’ll touch base again in about a month to find out what longer term benefits the company has achieved.

What Do Esko's Pre-Configured Workflows for Labels Mean for Smaller Label Converters?

Published May 2, 2017

Jan De Roeck, Director of Solutions Management at Esko, explains Esko's recently announced pre-configured workflows for label production. Leveraging its dozens of years of setting up workflows, the company has turned its expertise to helping label converters address workflow automation with an out-of-the-box solution that can be up and running in 3 days.

Frazer Chesterman on the Developing US Industrial Printing Market

Published May 2, 2017

Cary Sherburne talks to Frazer Chesterman of Mackbrooks talks about bringing the InPrint show to the USA and the developing industrial printing market in the United States.

The State of Digital Printing in Europe

Published May 1, 2017

Ralf Schlözer, Director of On Demand Printing and Publishing for InfoTrends, shares insights into the state of printing in Europe. Overall the industry is flat in Europe, but there is quite a bit of uptake for production inkjet and interest in automation. He talks about the differences between Europe and North America in this regard.

Esko Presents Flexo Innovation

Published April 25, 2017

On a recent visit to Belgium, I attended a Esko press briefing scheduled in conjunction with the company’s Flexo Innovation Day customer event.

Update on HP's JetFusion 3D Printing Solution from Steve Nigro

Published April 25, 2017

Steve Nigro, President of HP's 3D business, provides an update on HP's JetFusion 3D printing solution, which is now commercially available. After a period of hype, Nigro believes 3D printing is "frothing" again ... and talks about how 3D printing can fit into a graphic arts business, and what new skills are required. He also predicts what market growth will look like.

NPES “Bold New Direction” for 2020 and New Ownership for Print/Graph Expo

Published April 20, 2017

NPES has unveiled what it characterizes as a “bold new direction” with its 2020 Strategic Plan. The organization has been evaluating its performance and considering where it wants to be as an organization by 2020 – and what value it can and will bring to the printing industry. NPES has assumed full ownership of the PRINT and GRAPH EXPO tradeshows.

Xeikon Café and the Xeikon Panther Strategy

Published April 18, 2017

Xeikon Café marked some significant Xeikon announcements, including the company’s entry into the production inkjet business and a leadership transition. The event, held at Xeikon headquarters in Belgium, drew more than 800 unique international visitors and was supported by about 40 partners.

Esko's President Shares Thoughts on Being Part of the Danaher Family

Published April 18, 2017

Udo Panenka, President of Esko, talks about being part of Danaher, the value to the business being part of the Danaher family brings. A toolbox of proven great processes has been key to continuing -- and even speeding up -- the innovation that has enabled Esko to continue to bring new products to market. He talks also about the ability to bring these tools to customers to strengthen relationships and help them improve their businesses as well.

Eversfrank Gruppe Promotes Real-Time Printing

Published April 17, 2017

It was a pleasure to speak again with Gerhard Martterer of the Eversfrank Gruppe again at Hunkeler Innovationdays. He always has interesting applications to talk about, and this conversation is no exception. Take a look at the great success the company is having on behalf of its customers with real-time printing.

One Canon Event Shares Good News, Surprises

Published April 14, 2017

Canon didn’t disappoint with its One Canon event in Boca Raton last month. About 40 journalists and analysts gathered to hear the latest news and engage with Canon customers. It’s always a pleasure to hear from Joe Adachi, Canon USA Chairman and CEO, who kicked off the event with a broad corporate overview. And a surprise product launch occurred during the event as well.

What Do the Navy’s Blue Angels Have to Do with Print?

Published April 13, 2017

I grew up in the shadow of Navy base Moffett Field in Mountain View CA, and later lived near Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth NH, and had the opportunity to see many Blue Angels shows and practice sessions. So it was quite an experience to hear from John Foley, a retired U.S. Navy Commander who led the vaunted Blue Angels, a keynote speaker at Dscoop.

Beyond the Box: Thinking Beyond Equipment to an End-to-End Workflow

Published April 12, 2017

Jan De Roeck, Director of Solutions Management for Esko, talks about the importance of rooting out waste in every step of the business and production workflow to make sure equipment has a higher effectiveness rate. Esko published a white paper in partnership with InfoTrends and the International Signs Association on the topic.

Trends in Corrugated

Published April 11, 2017

Pat McGrew, Director of Production Workflow at InfoTrends, talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about trends in the corrugated market. The desire to create shorter run corrugated packaging is getting more popular and she explains how new digital technologies and workflows will facilitate that in a profitable manner while opening new opportunities for marketers.

Production Inkjet: Why Should You Care?

Published April 5, 2017

Paul Gardner of Time Starvd works with clients to help them build their production inkjet businesses. He shares his insights into why businesses should seriously consider getting into inkjet, taking digital printing to scale but opening new opportunities by removing constraints of traditional technology.

Printing Firm LaGwana Finds Value in 3D Printing

Published April 4, 2017

Dan Byler, President of LaGwana, a printing firm in Indiana, acquired a 3D printer to explore its possibilities and it's been worth the investment! The company modeled its new building, which led to new business in the Architectural arena; was able to print a repair part for a digital press; and is selling furniture models to Amish furniture builders! Hear the whole story.

Workflow and Automation in Book Manufacturing

Published April 3, 2017

Rick Lindemann, President of Total Printing Systems, a short-run digital book manufacturer located in Newton IL, describes the workflow the company has implemented for book manufacturing, as well as his thoughts about the new technologies and solutions he saw for book manufacturing at Hunkeler Innovationdays, and these how technology investments can pay for themselves.

Esko Receives Prestigious RedDot Design Award for Product Design

Published April 3, 2017

Esko's CDI Crystal 5080 XPS flexo platemaking solution was in good company when it was awarded the prestigious Red Dot Award for Product Design. Previous award winners have included HP, Polycom, Bosch, and others. Esko President Udo Panenka talks with Cary Sherburne about the award, which was entered into the competition by Esko's German desig agency, Designship.

RPIprint Achieves Near-Touchless Order-to-Delivery Process with Workflow Automation

Published March 29, 2017

Bryan Constable, Director of Engineering for Seattle-based RPIprint, explains the company's workflow automation strategy, incorporating RPI and partner manufacturing into a seamless, almost completely touchless, order-to-delivery process with a homegrown Order entry/workflow/MIS solution. He also talks about the future of the company's homegrown solution.

Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things: Why Printers and Packaging Converters Should Take Notice

Published March 28, 2017

On a recent visit to Switzerland, I had the opportunity to spend time with Antoine Preisig, General Manager EMEA for X-Rite Pantone. Preisig joined X-Rite a year ago with a diverse background in the dental, IT and consumer electronics industries. He shared his thoughts on how Industry 4.0 is changing the world – and our industry.

The Future Of Customer Communications In The Financial Services Industry

Published March 22, 2017

Matt Swain, Senior Director at InfoTrends, talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the latest trends in customer communications, some of which is driven by financial technology that is enabling more voice-driven communications. Consumers have increasingly demanding expectations about how they interact with financial services providers, including optimized print communications.

Print: The Strongest Component of an Omnichannel Campaign

Published March 20, 2017

Charyl Kahanec, President of Marketing Solutions at EarthColor, always has interesting insights to share, and this video is no exception. She talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the role of print in today's marketing mix. She points out that marketing is not just one channel, but rather the overall conversation with the customer; and print is the strongest component of that conversation. Hear more.

View the latest production inkjet news from Screen

Published March 20, 2017

Aron Allenson, Sales Support Specialist for High Speed Inkjet at Screen, talks about how new SC inks from Screen allow inkjet printing to commodity offset stocks without pretreatment. The ink is used in the Truepress JET 520 HD. He also explains the next generation of Truepress JET presses, the Truepress JET 520 NX, just released.

Articles by Cary Sherburne