Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Dscoop 11 and Plans for the Future

Published April 20, 2016

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks with Dscoop's Global Executive Director John Rogers about the outcome of Dscoop 11. The organization's new approach to member communication, using a data-based approach, resulted in double the number of companies attending as compared to Dscoop X, Now they are planning for Dscoop 12 in Phoenix, March 2-4, 2017.

Marco Boer from IT Strategies on Production Inkjet Technology Advancements and New Markets

Published April 18, 2016

Marco Boer shares his analysis recent advancements in production inkjet technology including increased image quality, support fora wider range of media including the ability to print on offset coat paper, and new commercial print and packaging applications.

Ricoh Again Takes Production Inkjet Market Share Lead in U.S.

Published April 18, 2016

IDC’s U.S. Quarterly Production Print Tracker results for 2015 peg Ricoh as the only supplier that increased year-over-year market share in production inkjet.

HP's Alon Bar-Shany on Growing Digital Printing Business

Published April 18, 2016

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks to Alon Bar-Shany, Vice President and General Manager, Indigo Division, HP about the evolution of HP Indigo and 11 years of Dscoop.

Printing tissue paper on a sheetfed HP Indigo — Digiwrap has figured it out!

Published April 15, 2016

Brad Boskovic, President of Digiwrap, talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about one of the more unique HP Indigo applications we have seen -- personalized gift wrap tissue paper and Euro-style tote bags in a patented process that took about four years to develop.

ESKO: Driving Change in Flexo

Published April 13, 2016

At a pre-drupa briefing last month, duomedia hosted a large crowd of press and analysts from around the world to hear from eight different companies about their drupa plans and general strategies. This article includes links to other WhatTheyThink reporting on these announcements as well as a focus on the announcements made by the Danaher family of companies including Esko, Enfocus, X-Rite and Pantone. This included a flexo platemaking breakthrough announced by Esko that is set to create a shift in that market.

codeMantra Taking New Capabilities to the London Book Fair

Published April 12, 2016

codeMantra, which has been in the business of supporting content publishers for a decade, has just launched some interesting new capabilities that could have value for print service providers looking to expand the range of content-oriented services they offer customers. Read more.

Zazzle: A Modern Success Story

Published April 5, 2016

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne has been a long-time customer of Zazzle and was thrilled with the recent opportunity to visit the company’s manufacturing sites in San Jose CA. Learn more about the successful business this unique company has built in this article sponsored by HP.

AlphaGraphics CTO Shares Details of MIS Migration

Published April 5, 2016

Ryan Farris, CTO of AlphaGraphics, explains why the migration from EFI PrintSmith to EFI PrintSmith Vision across the network is important to the company's growth path and how the company is leveraging this migration to better integrate and automate the network.

Canon's Media Labs: Testing and Qualifying Inkjet Papers

Published March 31, 2016

John Crumbaugh, Product Manager for Ink and Media at Canon Solutions America, has a lot to say about ink and media for production inkjet, and claims to have the best job in Canon Solutions America where he runs the Boca Raton Media lab, often testing 3 or more substrates per week.

Speedpro Imaging Chooses EFI H1625 Wide Format Printers

Published March 22, 2016

Boris Katsnelson, CEO of SpeedPro Imaging, with 125 wide format locations in 31 states and an affiliate in Canada with an additional 40 locations, shares thoughts with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about why the company is introducing EFI hybrid wide format printers to its production platform.

Behind the Branding of Starbucks

Published March 17, 2016

Kristy Cameron, Creative Manager of Brand Expression for Starbucks, speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about how the Starbucks mission statement drives the brand image and the inspiration it provides to creatives. The goal is to make sure that everything they do has that human touch to it.

You can help attract younger employees to the printing industry!

Published March 15, 2016

John Berthelsen, VP of Business Development of the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF), talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the tools available from PGSF to promote career opportunities in the printing industry. PGSF needs your support in educating today's students about opportunities in the industry, which is facing challenges due to an aging workforce, many of whom are preparing for retirement.

Another New Business for EFI

Published March 3, 2016

EFI is using both organic growth and acquisitions to get to CEO Guy Gecht’s much publicized goal of reaching $1 billion in revenue this year, and another acquisition was added to the mix this week. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talked to EFI about how the acquisition of Rialco LLC fits into the mix.

TAGA in Memphis: Tech, BBQ and Music

Published February 23, 2016

Are you gearing up to attend the 2016 TAGA conference in Memphis? Senior Editor Cary Sherburne gives you lots of good reasons why you should plan to go … read more.

HP's David Murphy stresses the importance of the graphics community attending drupa 2016

Published February 18, 2016

David Murphy, VP of Marketing for HP PageWide inkjet presses, talks about why it is important to attend drupa 2016. HP plans to demonstrate new technologies across its graphics portfolio and will be occupying the entirety of Hall 17 (more than 5,000 square meters). At drupa, exhibitors are showing the promise of the future for the graphics industry. Be there!

Mercury Print: Positioned for Growth

Published February 16, 2016

Mercury Print Productions of Rochester NY reports continued growth, increased use of digital print technologies, and a new facility that consolidates 3 previous ones. CEO John Place talks about current business and future strategies in this company spotlight.

Documobi: Making Print Interactive

Published February 11, 2016

Peter Lancaster, CEO of documobi, talks about being the "new kid on the block" making all printing interactive, working with the entire supply chain. The solution enables more revenue opportunities for printers and more relevant and engaging communications for marketers.

Sheetfed Inkjet Boosts Production for OneTouchPoint

Published February 4, 2016

Steve Henck, VP of Operations for OneTouchPoint, is an early adopter of sheetfed production inkjet, migrating work from offset and toner as well as developing new applications and customers.

IDEAlliance and Epicomm Join Forces for the Benefit of the Industry

Published February 3, 2016

Yesterday, IDEAlliance and Epicomm announced a proposed merger that, pending member approval, will combine the two organizations under the 50-year-old brand IDEAlliance. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with IDEAlliance’s David Steinhardt and Epicomm’s Ken Garner to get the inside story.

EFI Connect Attendees Gain Insights from Steve Wynn Keynote

Published January 28, 2016

How does The Wynn Resort create such an excellent customer experience? Steve Wynn shared his thoughts and experience in a fabulous keynote at EFI Connect 2016.

Advanced Materials for Advanced Applications

Published January 26, 2016

Gearing up for drupa yet? At WhatTheyThink, we are. In fact, our drupa page is already up, so be sure to follow the news as the show gets closer! One of the areas worth investigating when you go to drupa is the developing area of advanced materials, whether it is resins for 3D printing, conductive inks, or advanced inkjet ink formulas.

The Value Of Trade Shows And User Groups

Published January 25, 2016

Cheryl Kahanec, SVP at high-tech commercial printer Earth Color, talks about the role and value of trade shows and users groups. She emphasizes the importance of getting out there to look at what is happening in the industry and what your peers are doing, and learning how new tools can benefit your business.

EFI Portfolio Helps Customers Drive A More Efficient Workflow

Published January 25, 2016

Frank Mallozzi, SVP at EFI, talks about the holistic approach to workflow to remove touch points and cost that he sees on customer visits around the globe.

Globalsoft Digital Now Part of the Creel Family

Published January 21, 2016

I read with interest the announcement by Las Vegas based Creel of its acquisition of Globalsoft Digital, based in New Jersey with operations in France as well. Chris Petro has done a great job with Globalsoft Digital and has always been on the forefront of technology adoption. Alan Creel’s Las Vegas operation also includes Digital Lizard. With the addition of Globalsoft Digital, he significantly expands his geographic footprint and adds a business that generates about 50% of its revenues from photo specialty printing with the balance from web-based commercial print.

EFI's Guy Gecht on EFI Connect and the Imaging of Things

Published January 20, 2016

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks with EFI's CEO Guy Gecht about EFI's new Imaging of Things Exchange announced yesterday at EFI Connect, where attendance is up 10% over last year. He also shares thoughts about the value of specialized versus generic trade events for exhibitors and attendees.

X-Rite Pantone’s CEO Ron Voigt Shares Insights

Published January 19, 2016

As 2015 drew to a close, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne had the opportunity to sit down with X-Rite Pantone CEO Ron Voigt to review the year and look ahead into 2016.

Chatbooks: Linking the Physical and Digital Worlds

Published January 17, 2016

Our President, Eric Vessels, came across the Chatbooks service in Instagram and shared it with the team. Our own Frank Romano commented on it in a video last week, and today we have an interview with Chatbooks CEO Nate Quigley for a deeper look at the service and print’s value add.

Think Outside The Box: The Harmonic Convergence Of Media Channels

Published January 11, 2016

Rieva Lesonsky, Founder & CEO of GrowBiz Media, a custom content company, talks about the role of print in an omnichannel world. Repurposing content across multiple channels increases both engagement and revenues.

An American Journalist in Cuba

Published January 11, 2016

After the U.S. executive order in early 2015 that allowed more classes of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba without seeking prior U.S. government approval, I decided I would like to visit the island to learn more about the culture and doing business there. In my role as a journalist covering the printing, packaging and publishing industries, the goal was to visit those types of companies.

Modernizing Your Color Management Workflow

Published January 6, 2016

Ron Voigt, President of X-Rite Pantone, talks about the importance of standards, instrumentation and lighting to ensure that printers can deliver reliable, consistent, accurate color, efficiently and cost-effectively. This goes way beyond simply measuring ink density.

Mark DeBoer Of Darwill: Having Fun With A Complete Multi-Technology Production Platform

Published January 5, 2016

Mark DeBoer, Director of Customer Experience for Darwill, talks about how the company leverages its multi-technology production platform, including production inkjet, to produce high-end personalized direct mail with a complete toolbox.

Xeikon Trillium: What's the latest?

Published January 4, 2016

Patrick van Baelan, Vice President at Xeikon, provides Senior Editor Cary Sherburne with an update on the company's Trillium liquid toner technology announced at drupa 2012, including beta customer status and target markets, with expected commercial availability at drupa 2016.

Cimpress CEO Robert Keane Shares Thoughts on Business Growth

Published January 3, 2016

In December, Cimpress, the parent company of Vistaprint, announced plans to acquire German web-to-print company WIRmachenDRUCK. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks to CEO Robert Keane to find out more about the company’s strategies and growth plans.

IDEAlliance: Bringing value to the industry

Published January 3, 2016

IDEAlliance offers a number of significant and valuable services to the industry, including a broad array of online and in-person training. EVP Steve Bonoff explains what is available, including a new course on Color Management for Digital.

Make Finishing System Decisions Early in the Digital Press Investment Cycle

Published December 16, 2015

Andy Fetherman, Director of Digital Solutions at Muller Martini, speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about where finishing equipment decisions should fit into the digital press investment cycle. Begin with the end in mind and scalability is key!

Another Exciting Chapter for SG360?

Published December 14, 2015

Integrated direct marketing solutions provider SG360° made an exciting announcement the other day, and I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss it.

HP 3D: Changing the Future with Additive Manufacturing

Published December 3, 2015

After doing a multi-year stint managing the established imaging and printing businesses for HP, Steve Nigro is back doing what he loves – running a start-up business. His current role is President, 3D Printing, at HP, Inc., with worldwide responsibility for creating and scaling HP’s 3D business.

Delphax elan Set for 1Q2016 Commercial Availability

Published December 1, 2015

As the production inkjet market continues to gain traction, more choices are coming to market, many of which were first shown at drupa 2012. As we approach drupa 2016, there is no doubt that a growing number of production inkjet solutions will be making their way to commercial availability. Delphax elan is one of those.

Are You Talking to Brand Owners?

Published December 1, 2015

As printing companies continue to transform their businesses by offering marketing and related services, establishing direct communication with the brand owner at client or prospect companies – the person who ultimately has responsibility for driving brand initiatives – can pay big dividends. Learn more about what these new services might look like.

Off the Wall at Comic-Con

Published November 25, 2015

If you been to Comic-Con in the last five years, you have seen Las Vegas based Off the Wall Signs & Graphics’ work. Its updated fleet of grand format printers have enabled bigger projects with shorter cycle times and are the basis for the company’s growth. Learn more in this story sponsored by HP.

Kodak CTO Terry Taber: Commercialization and Monetization of Technology

Published November 24, 2015

Five years ago, Kodak CTO Terry Taber began building a technology pipeline that he hoped would lead the company into new businesses, including a key focus area for CEO Jeff Clarke, Functional Printing. He speaks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the current state of the organization from a technology perspective.

Former Wunderman Exec Joins Tukaiz

Published November 19, 2015

The news story reporting that James Eby, a 25-year veteran of Wunderman, joined Tukaiz as Chief Creative Office caught my eye. Tukaiz, which recently started an in-house agency, agenz, has long been an innovator and thought leader in the industry. Now they have taken that to a whole new level with Eby leading agenz.

Allison Payment Systems: More than 120 Years of Innovation

Published November 18, 2015

Allison Payment Systems was founded in 1888 by Noah Allison, who is credited with the invention of the coupon payment book. The focal point for Allison Payment Systems is personalized customer communications through electronic delivery and first class mail … and lots of it.

So you’re buying a new digital press. What about the DFE?

Published November 17, 2015

The choice of a digital front end (DFE) is perhaps one of the most overlooked decisions in the purchasing process. In some cases, there is only one choice. But for a wide range of toner-based digital presses, two (or even more) options are available. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with a number of printing professionals to better understand how they are approaching this decision and what criteria they use. Read more for advice from the front lines.

Xerox DocuTech’s 25th Anniversary

Published November 16, 2015

It’s hard to believe that the Xerox DocuTech Production Publisher was launched 25 years ago last month. This was truly a breakthrough product that is credited with launching the print-on-demand market and ultimately generated billions of dollars of revenue for Xerox and its customers.

The Secret to Success: Digital Lizard sees 500% revenue growth

Published October 27, 2015

Digital Lizard of Las Vegas reports an astounding 500% growth from 2011 to 2014. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne speaks with Digital Lizard President Bill Wieners to find out how this growth was achieved and what his expectations are for the future in this article sponsored by HP.

An Update on PGSF with John Berthelsen

Published October 26, 2015

Cary Sherburne talks to John Berthelsen of PGSF about what's new with their program centered around attracting more students to our industry.

Crossing the finish line – a Cinderella story

Published October 19, 2015

At drupa 2016, expect post-press to emerge as a Cinderella story. Already, prepress and print have benefited from technologies that speed work through the production process, but for many companies post-press processes are still a bottleneck.

HP Indigo 10000 a Game-Changer for Dreamworks Graphic Communications

Published October 14, 2015

Dreamworks Graphic Communications calls its HP Indigo 10000 a game-changer, eliminating one offset press and increasing the amount of hybrid offset/digital work it does. EVP John Perkins shares his thoughts on the benefits of digital printing with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne in this HP-sponsored article.

Reinventing Swatch Books

Published September 22, 2015

Those of us who love printing and paper love to get swatch books to see the latest and greatest paper offerings. Over the last year, Neenah has taken a creative approach to swatch books with its Explore series.

Inkjet On Fire at Graph Expo 2015

Published September 21, 2015

Production inkjet held center stage at Graph Expo 2015, proving that has gone mainstream. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne looks at some of the announcements and the North American debuts for this game-changing technology.

Gavin Jordan-Smith on Konica Minolta at Graph Expo 2015

Published September 15, 2015

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks to Gavin Jordan-Smith, VP at Konica Minolta about Graph Expo and Konica Minolta's solution selling service called "Marketing as a Service" to help printing companies grow their business.

Komori and Screen: Better Together

Published September 13, 2015

Today at the very first Graph Expo press conference, Komori and Screen shared some big news: Komori and Screen have entered into a strategic selling agreement that effectively joins the two companies’ sales organizations.. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne was on the scene to bring WhatTheyThink members additional insight on the news.

Francis McMahon on the Inaugural thINK Inkjet User Community Forum

Published September 10, 2015

Cary Sherburne talks to Senior VP of Marketing for Canon Solutions America Francis McMahon at the first thINK Forum, covering highlights from the show and what it means to sponsor such an event.

New PANTONE EXTENDED GAMUT Coated Guide Offers ECG Standardization for the First Time Ever

Published September 9, 2015

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne presents details and insight relative to Pantone’s announcement today about its new Extended Color Gamut Coated guide – what is it and what does it mean for printing and packaging for designers and print providers.

Ricoh Partners with Forbes Magazine at Marketing Rockstars Event

Published September 8, 2015

Nearly 2,000 marketers attended, up from about 1,350 last year, to hear 50 speakers from companies including Google, Starbucks, Adidas, Twitter and more. Ricoh was one of 100 exhibitors with a very busy booth that featured lots of information and examples of cross-media marketing solutions, featuring direct mail.

Tsunami Coming: Prepare Now

Published August 31, 2015

You remember the effect the Internet had on your business from 1995 through today? It’s nothing compared to what’s coming your way now. That’s the basis of a new book that is a must-read for anyone who owns or manages a business. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne speaks with Scott Stawski about Inflection Point: How the convergence of cloud, mobility, apps and data will shape the future of business.

Canon on Color A Conversation with Canon Solutions America

Published August 25, 2015

In an increasingly complex and demanding printing environment, color management is critical. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Canon Solutions America executives to learn more about how Canon is approaching this issue.

Hal Hinderliter Talks Must See 'Ems for Graph Expo 2015

Published August 24, 2015

In an exclusive online interview, Cary Sherburne talks to Hal Hinderliter, who discusses the Must See 'Em program for Graph Expo 2015.

Taking Paper to the Next Level

Published August 18, 2015

Creative businesses are leveraging new digital finishing technologies to drive new business, new designs, and entry into entirely new markets for printing and packaging companies. Brands are also turning to paper structures to get their message out and enhance their displays. Learn how digital finishing techniques are revolutionizing the world of paper creations in this article sponsored by Highcon.

Blue Octopus: High Quality and a Helping Hand

Published August 11, 2015

Blue Octopus is furthering its ability to create employment opportunities for veterans with disabilities by improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of its printing operations. Learn more about how this entrepreneurial organization is blending print and social consciousness to make a better world, in this article sponsored by HP.

Adobe Takes Digital Publishing to New Levels

Published July 29, 2015

Adobe is taking mobile app creation to a brand-new level with the launch of Adobe Digital Publishing Solution 2015. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Adobe’s Bridget Roman and Colin Fleming to learn more.

How Bridgeport National Bindery Streamlines Its Digital Print Workflow

Published July 27, 2015

Celina McMahan, Digital Workflow Specialist, explains how HP SmartStream Production Center helps the company better manage 6,000 to 10,000 files per day, saving significant operator time and streamlining overall workflow.

Going for the Gold (or Silver) at Graph Expo: New Offering from Scodix

Published July 23, 2015

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne recently had the opportunity to speak with Yariv Bustan, Product Manager at Scodix, who shared a very interesting new product announcement.

Refining Packaging Cycle Time: The “Last Mile” Power of Digital

Published July 21, 2015

Packaging is one area of the printing industry where growth continues. But it is not without its challenges. Learn how leading packaging converters are leveraging digital technology to address time-to-market challenges and developing new revenue streams in this article sponsored by Highcon.

Bridgeport National Bindery: Blending the Old and New

Published July 16, 2015

Senior Editor Cary Sherburen recently had the opportunity to visit Bridgeport National Bindery in Western Massachusetts. They have a great story!

Interview with EFI's Udi Arieli on FedEx Office's Use of EFI Workflow and Productivity Technology

Published July 15, 2015

Yesterday, EFI and FedEx Office announced that FedEx Office is using EFI products for a more cost-effective and streamlined delivery of professional print services. I spoke to Udi Arieli, EFI’s Director, High End Market Business Development, EFI Productivity Software, to get the scoop for this WhatTheyThink exclusive.

Cross-Media? Multi-Channel? Omni-Channel?

Published July 13, 2015

UK-based Blackdog Digital is a terrific example of a company that has morphed from being a commercial printer to a digital printer to a variable data printer to a full-service provider of cross-media campaigns. Blackdog’s Phil Copperwheat shares his thoughts on the company’s transformation and what other companies need to do to get in the cross-media game.

Getting to Know HP’s Eric Wiesner

Published July 7, 2015

As our readers may know, Aurelio Maruggi led the InkJet High-speed Production Solutions (IHPS) division at HP since its inception and has recently moved to a new role within HP. He spent a lot of time with customers and really understood the business and their needs. His successor, Eric Wiesner, has a very different background, but one that is equally valuable to HP and customers alike. I had the chance to speak with him recently about his background and his thoughts about the future.

The Next Wave of Digital Publishing: Employee Engagement

Published July 6, 2015

We’ve been writing about the adoption of digital publishing tools for publishing and sales enablement. The next wave for this discipline is a natural: employee engagement. We spoke with Douglas Fajardo, CEO of Mirum Miami, an agency working with Sony Latin America, about the impact Sony’s employee engagement app is having on its employee on-boarding process.

EPS Doublet Brings Amazing Innovation to Experiential Marketing with Production Inkjet

Published June 30, 2015

Colorado-based EPS Doublet creates amazing event experiences for its many marquis customers and is an expert in experiential marketing. See how the company leverages large- and small-format digital printing to bring innovative solutions to its customers in this article sponsored by HP Graphics Solutions Business.

EFI and VUTEk: 10 Years Already!

Published June 4, 2015

EFI made its acquisition of VUTEk 10 years ago this week. The deal moved EFI from focusing only on digital production and print MIS workflows into the center of the inkjet graphics space. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne reviews how this acquisition positioned EFI and interviews EFI CEO Guy Gecht.

Cordoba Printing Brings Print On Demand to Israeli Publishers with Kodak PROSPER 1000

Published May 21, 2015

Adding production inkjet to its book printing operation is enabling Cordoba Printing & Binding of Israel to adjust to drastic changes in the Israeli book market as well as to pursue new business opportunities. Learn more in this article sponsored by Kodak.

Guy Broadhurst Talks about Canon Solutions America Inkjet Strategies

Published May 14, 2015

Guy Broadhurst of Canon Solutions America joins Senior Editor Cary Sherburne to talk about how Canon positions its broad production inkjet portfolio to meet diverse market needs.

Australia’s SNAP Group Signs Multimillion Dollar Deal with EFI

Published May 8, 2015

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne visited EFI’s Fremont CA headquarters to interview EFI CEO Guy Gecht and SNAP Group CEO Stephen Edwards about the multi-year, multi-million-dollar deal entered into between the two companies as part of SNAP’s Project DNA. This Franchisor, which is growing and adding centers and operates through a hub-and-spoke model, is working hard to provide franchisees with a unique, easy to use and highly functional technology infrastructure to help them grow profitable businesses and a base of loyal customers.

New Workflow Chief at Kodak

Published April 28, 2015

We recently learned that Kodak has hired a new workflow chief. Allan Brown, formerly with HP and Xerox, joined the company as General Manager of its Unified Workflow Solutions business. Read what Brown has to say about workflow and Kodak strategies moving forward.

Interview with Kevin Cushing on Alliance Franchise Brands, Franchising and More

Published April 22, 2015

Kevin Cushing, formerly CEO of AlphaGraphics, has accepted the position of President of the Marketing & Print Division of Alliance Franchise Brands LLC (parent company of Allegra Network LLC). Hear what he has to say about the company, franchising in general and the importance of a learning environment.

BR Printers Colors the World of Black & White

Published April 21, 2015

BR Printers discusses how production inkjet printing is changing the way the company does business and opening up new business opportunities in a highly competitive marketplace. This article is sponsored by HP.

Are You Doing Your Part to Make Sure PRINT’S VOICE Is Being Heard in Washington?

Published April 9, 2015

Do you know about the joint NPES/PIA program for raising Print’s Voice in the Nation’s Capital? We all complain about Congress not getting anything done, but how many of US actually do anything about it? Here’s a great program that gets the word out about print and pokes at Congress to get stuff done.

Adobe Tackles Next-Generation Digital Publishing with Summer Launch of Adobe Publish

Published April 8, 2015

We’ve written a fair amount about digital publishing in this space since we believe it presents a good opportunity for new revenue streams for printing firms – not only for traditional publishing applications but increasingly for sales enablement and other enterprise dissemination of information. Adobe is about to take this to the next level with its summer launch of Adobe Publish.

Xerox VP/GM Dustin Graupman talks about the Xerox Rialto 900 production inkjet press

Published April 2, 2015

Dustin Graupman, Xerox VP/GM Inkjet Business, talks about the Xerox Rialto 900 roll-to-sheet production inkjet press introduced at Hunkeler Innovationdays. He highlights small footprint, quality and entry-level price point.

Hunkeler InnovationDays: 22 Years of Collaborative Success

Published March 18, 2015

While many other trade events are struggling to survive in a dynamically changing environment, Hunkeler Innovationdays, which has taken place in Lucerne, Switzerland, every other year for the past 22 years (11th event this year!) has continued to grow in both size and vitality. Here’s an overview of the 2015 event.

Quad/Graphics CEO Speaks Out about Book Platform Transformation, State of the Industry, Go-Forward Strategy

Published March 17, 2015

Quad/Graphics has been in the news a lot of late … first with its agreement to acquire at least 20 HP T-Series Inkjet Web Presses, and then with the attempt to acquire book printer Courier Corporation. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with CEO Joel Quadracci to get more information and find out what else Quad is up to.

Strategic Gamble on Production Inkjet Pays Off for Liturgical Publications

Published March 10, 2015

Facing typical offset run lengths of 750 or less, make-ready waste of as much as 50%, and with evolving customer expectations for more color and higher expectations of color quality and consistency, Liturgical Publications turned to production inkjet as a strategic gamble which has turned into a strategic advantage for this innovative publisher.

Marco Boer and Cary Sherburne talk Jetcomm

Published March 6, 2015

Marco Boer, VP at IT Strategies, talks to Cary Sherburne about the inaugural HP inkjet web press user group event - Jetcomm. They discuss what was learned and the success of this first year of the event.

Allegra Network, Avanti and Ricoh: The Inside Story

Published March 5, 2015

In early February, Ricoh and Avanti announced that Allegra Network had chosen Avanti Slingshot as the core of its WorkStream™ integrated web storefront/MIS/workflow automation solution. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with the franchisor’s executives to get the details of what this means for franchise members and customers.

Happy 2nd Anniversary, Canon Solutions America!

Published March 4, 2015

Senior Editor Cary Sherburne joined a group of 40 journalists and analysts to help Canon Solutions America celebrate its 2nd anniversary and to learn what is new from the organization and where it is going in the future

Franz Hunkeler shares thoughts on a successful Hunkeler Innovationdays 2015

Published February 27, 2015

Franz Hunkeler, Chairman of the Board at Hunkeler, looks back over the week at a very successful Hunkeler Innovationdays 2015, the history of the event over the past 22 years, and a peek ahead to 2017.

World Bank Group’s Printing & Multimedia Touts Production Inkjet as a Game-Changer

Published February 18, 2015

Jimmy Vainstein, senior project manager of the World Bank Group’s Printing & Multimedia explains how investing in a production inkjet printing solution has revolutionized the institution’s business and increased its value to Bank Group clients.

Are You Going to TAGA?

Published February 17, 2015

While the TAGA Annual Technical Conference doesn’t draw huge crowds, it should. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne speaks with Printing Industries of America’s Dr. Mark Bohan about this year’s program featuring new ideas and solutions for growth.

Producers of drupa Explain Three-Year Plan

Published February 17, 2015

Sometimes, trade shows don’t even have to open before they start making news. Yesterday, officials of Messe Düsseldorf, producer of the drupa expo, held conference calls with journalists to explain the drupa committee’s decision to shorten the interval between the events from four years to three starting in 2016.

EFI Connect: Bigger and Better than Ever

Published February 12, 2015

2015 saw a bigger and better EFI Connect, with more than 1,000 customers in attendance and a total attendance of more than 1,500 people. As usual, the conference featured many educational sessions and outstanding keynotes. But there were some differences this year.

Digital Book World: Were You There?

Published February 5, 2015

WhatTheyThink was present in force at Digital Book World, our first time to attend this event which is in its 6th year. Were you there? We didn’t see many printers! See what Senior Editor Cary Sherburne has to say about this event and begin planning to attend next year.

New High Definition Nozzle Architecture for HP Inkjet Web Presses!

Published February 5, 2015

Today HP announced breakthrough inkjet printhead technology to be incorporated into its Inkjet Web Presses in 2016. Summary information here with more to following in a detailed article from David Zwang on Monday.

King Printing: At the Finish Line

Published February 3, 2015

King Printing continues to grow in a highly competitive book printing market, spurred by its investments in production inkjet printing presses. In this article, sponsored by HP, Managing Director Adi Chinai explains how inkjet printing has changed its business and that of its publishers.

Walter Isaacson Discusses Innovation with Cary Sherburne

Published January 30, 2015

Walter Isaacson, CEO of the Aspen group and noted author, discusses his latest book, The Innovators. Many interesting historical tidbits are included in this interview, including thoughts from Steve Jobs and Isaacson’s conclusions about how to foster a culture of innovation in your company, including the need to cannibalize current products to prepare for the future. Watch the video, read the book. It’s important for the future of your business.

Author and Entrepreneur Seth Godin Discusses the Current State of Print and Publishing

Published January 22, 2015

Seth Godin, author of several best-selling business books, sits down with Cary Sherburne at Digital Book World in New York to share his thoughts on the current state of the printing and publishing industries. Seth also shares information on how he's distributing his latest book.

Swiss-Based Trendcommerce Group Looks to Production Inkjet for Business Growth

Published January 20, 2015

Swiss-based Trendcommerce (Schweiz) AG has always been a trendsetter in Switzerland. The company has secured its market-leading position through the acquisition of production inkjet presses. This has enabled a white-paper-in workflow, virtual elimination of offset printing, reduction in black & white toner-based volumes and a revenue growth of 50% since 2011. Read more in this HP-sponsored story.

Who’s Epicomm and what have you done with NAPL/NAQP/AMSP?

Published January 19, 2015

Today, the alphabet soup of NAPL/NAQP/AMSP, one of our favorite industry associations, is getting rid of the unwieldy name generated by a series of mergers and acquisitions in favor of brand-new branding as Epicomm. I spoke with Ken Garner, CEO of Epicomm, to learn more about the what and the why.

Articles by Cary Sherburne