Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

The Regulated Package: Product Container and Social Contract

Published December 6, 2016

Given all of the mandates and expectations placed on packaging today, there may be something socially significant to add to the list of traditional packaging functions.

From Sharklet and Sappi, a Release Paper that Takes a Big Bite out of Bacterial Growth

Published December 2, 2016

Neoterix ST gives medical institutions and other germ-fighting environments the first completely non-toxic solution for blocking bacterial growth on high-touch surfaces.

The View from “Oz”: Label and Packaging Producers Chart a Changing Business Landscape

Published November 29, 2016

To many, Australia may seem to be on the far side of the world, but the business issues confronting packaging and label producers there are much the same as they are anywhere else. A recent conference by a newly formed trade association addressed some of them.

How KBA Is Surrounding the Packaging Market with Solutions

Published November 22, 2016

KBA's intensive focus on the packaging market can be seen in the large portfolio of products it has developed for packaging applications of many different kinds. Eric Frank, director of marketing, talks about the new VariJet 106, a hybrid inkjet/conventional/finishing platform that will be built to order for specific market segments. He also reviews KBA's capabilities in flexography, diecutting, metal decorating, and VLF (very large format) offset.

“Push to Stop” the Presses: Heidelberg Demonstrates Concept of Autonomous, Navigated Printing

Published November 8, 2016

Imagine a press so thoroughly automated that it almost seems to be a member of its own crew. This is what Heidelberg says it has made possible with the concept it calls “Push to Stop.”

Omnichannel Content Publishing and Marketing to Be Demystified at Idealliance’s “INKredible” Conference

Published November 4, 2016

Idealliance is billing INKredible as “a showcase for innovators in orchestrated content marketing and publishing”: a category that most definitely includes print service providers.

From Pitney Bowes, Nth-Degree Mail Processing Efficiency

Published November 1, 2016

No vendor understands mail processing workflows better than Pitney Bowes. Here, PB's Grant Miller explains how the company has put what it knows into the AcceleJet printing and finishing system, a "white paper factory" solution for commercial printers and other print/mail environments. With AcceleJet, rollfed white paper goes in, and fully printed and finished mailing pieces come out. As this is happening, a cloud-based software solution called Clarity Suites gathers production data that can be used to make the workflow even more efficient.

Apprenticeship, Training, and Skills Development in the Printing Industry: An Appraisal

Published October 25, 2016

The industry’s solutions for cultivating workforce talent aren’t perfect. But, given the graying of the industry and the thinning of its ranks in production occupations, it’s urgent to use them to their full extent.

"We believe in the printed word"

Published October 23, 2016

"We believe in the printed word". So declares Claus Bolza-Schünemann, president of KBA, as he reviews the state of the industry as a whole and his company's position within it. He says that the success of drupa 2016—an event he traveled the world to promote as chairman of its executive committee—proves that there is no longer any excuse for "whining and crying about how bad the industry is." He also discusses how KBA regained its strength and forward momentum after several tough years of post-recession restructuring.

At Graph Expo 2016, a Respectable Showing for Labels and Packaging

Published October 12, 2016

Although not a show about labels and packaging per se, Graph Expo proved to be a worthwhile place to go for information on innovative ways of producing them.

INKredible Coming to NYC in December

Published October 7, 2016

If you’re intrigued by the idea of a conference where the presentations are capped at 25 minutes and the proceedings are enlivened by 15-minute “inspiration bursts” in which speakers can deliver “hard-hitting rants,” pencil in December 6 at the Princeton Club in New York City. That will be the premiere of INKredible, a new event hosted by Idealliance for printing, publishing, and advertising professionals. Here, conference organizer Steven Schnoll explains what will make the program special.

Graph Expo Rides the Orange Blossom Special

Published October 3, 2016

Last week, Graph Expo 2016 made a successful change of scene from its traditional home in Chicago to a new venue in Orlando. It was apparent on day one that the show had traveled well and that its value to exhibitors and visitors was intact. Graph Expo returns to Chicago next year and is scheduled to be back in Orlando in 2019.

Graph Expo 2016 and the Satisfactions of Scalability

Published September 30, 2016

Graph Expo’s first outing in Orlando proved that how large or small a trade show is matters less than how well it fits its surroundings—and vice versa.

The Museum of Printing Exhibits Its One-of-a-Kind Collection in a New and Much Improved Venue

Published September 23, 2016

After 38 years, multiple relocations, and herculean labors, this extraordinary collection has a permanent home and a compelling story to tell.

A Toast—and Another One—to the Genius of Corrugated

Published September 20, 2016

Corrugated packaging protects effectively, presents handsomely, and succeeds environmentally. What’s not to like or to give credit where due?

You Are the Package. Do You Like What You See?

Published September 16, 2016

We interact with packages so much and so often that we sometimes begin to merge with them—and they with us.

Human Resources Management: the Legal Considerations

Published September 7, 2016

For the last 20 years, Dallas attorney Chris Antone has acted as a labor and employment counsel to printing companies. He says that in order to run their businesses without fear of intrusion by government agencies, printers must stay up to date on developments in HR-related laws and regulations. There can be "severe legal implications" for those who run afoul of these rules, says Antone, adding that the best policy is to have "trained, first-line supervisory staff who know how to manage people."

Packaging Innovations Are in the Vanguard of the Fight to End Food Waste

Published September 2, 2016

Food waste is a shameful spectacle wherever it occurs. The problem is global, but so are efforts to solve it with new solutions for extending the edible lives of packaged foods.

Why Collective Intelligence Makes a Difference

Published August 24, 2016

The trade association IDEAlliance operates Leading Indicators™, a survey-based summary of metrics, trends, and issues critical to print, mail, fulfillment, and marketing services providers. Printer Warren Werbitt is a regular contributor to and a firm believer in the Leading Indicators database, which he calls essential to making educated decisions about business strategy. He also talks about why he's "thrilled" to see Epicomm and IDEAlliance become one organization.

New from PCMC: CI Flexography in a Compact Format

Published August 23, 2016

The Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) recently introduced its newest central impression (CI) flexographic packaging press, the Fusion C, in an open-house event at its factory in Green Bay, WI. PCMC’s Rodney J. Pennings talks about what makes the Fusion C unique and discusses the company’s commitment to lean manufacturing.

CI Flexo Technology for Packaging and Family Values for Leadership Are Showcased at PCMC Impact 2016

Published August 9, 2016

The Paper Converting Machine Company is North America’s only remaining manufacturer of CI flexo presses. It’s also distinguished by the humanistic style of its leadership—a management philosophy that cherishes employees as family members.

Process Control: Not If, But When

Published August 4, 2016

Printing to numbers in a calibrated production environment using grey balance as the reference—this is the essence of the G7 process control methodology, and by now, most printers have heard about it. Fewer have embracedit, but IDEAlliance's Steve Bonoff foresees greater adoption as brands press their print service providers to adopt a uniform approach to process control. Then, he says, the ROI of G7 can come quickly.

Fujifilm Introduces EUCON as the Press That Makes Inkjet Feasible for Flexible Packaging

Published August 2, 2016

The disconnect between flexible packaging and inkjet printing is wide, but not necessarily unbridgeable. Fujifilm thinks it has the answer in an innovative LED-UV inkjet press it showed at drupa 2016.

Now, Automated Content Marketing to the MAX

Published July 27, 2016

Content marketing—every organization with customers wants to do it, but creating, targeting, and distributing high-quality content is hard, time-consuming work. Enter MAX From InterlinkONE, a software tool for automating content marketing campaigns. InterlinkONE's Karen DeWolfe says that with MAX, users can easily integrate and share content of all types in true cross-media fashion.

The Nutrition Facts Label Gets a Makeover, and the Label Industry Gets a Mandate

Published July 26, 2016

In one way or another, the changes will alter the labeling of virtually every packaged food and beverage product. But, label producers expect to be able to take it all in stride.

Where is the "True North" of Print Business Performance?

Published July 22, 2016

John Falconetti, a printer in Jacksonville, FL, says he keeps his company pointed at it by taking part in Leading Indicators™, a benchmarking program launched last year by Epicomm (now part of IDEAlliance). As a member of the Leading Indicators reporting group, Drummond Press gets monthly updates on how its business performance compares with that of other printing companies in the database. Falconetti also has good things to say about the association's apprenticeship and peer networking programs.

The Trade Association Connection: Better and Stronger Together

Published July 20, 2016

As president of the trade association Printing Industries Alliance, Tim Freeman sees his job as helping printers help each other by bringing them together in productive programs such as the guided tour he organized for his members at drupa 2016. He says that when printers take part in trade shows and other association-sponsored activities, they coalesce as an industry and find new ways to solve common problems. Printing Industries Alliance has an admirable record of making this happen in the membership territory it serves.

Mike Kellogg on the Role and the Rewards of Trade Shows

Published July 18, 2016

As a former chairman of Epicomm, Mike Kellogg served as an advisor to the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), producer of the Graph Expo and Print events. He observes that because of the rise of digitization, data, and the convergence of technologies, print industry trade shows now are less about showcasing heavy equipment and more about exchanging innovative ideas. He's optimistic about Graph Expo 2016, moving for the first time from Chicago to a new venue in Orlando.

When Associations Combine, "Seamless" Is Another Word for "Success"

Published July 14, 2016

As a member of IDEAlliance's board of directors, marketing services expert Wes Powell witnessed the group's merger with Epicomm from the inside. He praises the board members and professional staff of both associations for working "in lock step" to make the new arrangement—which took full effect on July 1—a success. He says that the process was "pretty seamless" and that the result will be a broader range of services for all IDEAlliance members.

Business Transformation by the Book

Published July 13, 2016

Five years ago, John Foley published Business Transformation: a New Path to Profit for the Printing Industry. The work was and is a handbook for strategic planning, sales and marketing development, team building, operations management, and more. In the just-published second edition, Foley adds case studies from print service providers that have succeeded by putting the book's advice into practice.

Next Stop, Industry 4.0: an Interview with Anthony Thirlby

Published July 12, 2016

A master printer, a consultant, and now, the leader of Heidelberg’s Prinect workflow software business, Anthony Thirlby has a framework for process automation that he says can transform every printing plant.

Start-Up Label Producer Seeks Short-Run, Multi-SKU Opportunities

Published July 5, 2016

A new label and package printing company is open for business in Lowell, MA. It's called InTouch Labels & Packaging, and while its start-up footprint may be small, its ambitions are anything but.

GCSF Eclipses Previous Fundraising Records with Sum Amassed for 2016 Scholarships

Published July 1, 2016

In New York City, industry members who care passionately about education have given nearly $700,000 in scholarship grants to students of graphic communications—all without overhead expenses or strings attached.

IDEAlliance Welcomes Epicomm: the Chairman's Report

Published June 30, 2016

On July 1, Tim Johnson will officially step into his role as chairman of the board of IDEAlliance, a trade association that has incorporated Epicomm and welcomed the members of the three former trade groups of which Epicomm was composed. With the work of blending staffs, cultures, and management procedures satisfactorily under way, says Johnson, members can look forward to obtaining all of the advisory services they need from a single source.

"Bucket List" Trip Turns into Cornucopia of Info

Published June 29, 2016

What could make a busy printer travel all the way from Buffalo, New York, to Düsseldorf, Germany? drupa 2016, of course, and Steve Zenger, president of the Zenger Group, says that the big show—his first drupa—gave him all the trend and technical information he was looking for. Zenger came to the fair as a member of a productively organized "drupa experience" tour organized by Printing Industries Alliance, a trade association representing his state and part of Pennsylvania.

Greenfield and 100% Digital, ePac LLC Sets Its Sights Exclusively on Flexible Packaging

Published June 28, 2016

Digital printing for flexible packaging has been slow to take hold, but a start-up company in Madison, WI, says it is equipped and ready for a fast break into this potentially lucrative market.

What’s the Story? Ask a Package

Published June 28, 2016

Packages used to have just two principal functions: to protect their contents and convey them safely to the point of sale. Now they also have to be “brand narrators” that hold consumers in sustained post-sale engagements with the brands. Digimarc Corp.’s Larry Logan explains how technology can ensure that packaging remains “the most salient touch point between the consumer and the product.”

HP Inc.'s Enrique Lores Discusses Deals Closed at drupa 2016

Published June 23, 2016

It would be hard to turn in a stronger performance at a trade show than the one HP Inc. achieved at drupa 2016. The company held hundreds of customer meetings, sold most of the equipment (more than 50 digital presses) at its stand, and announced record deals with the likes of Cimpress and Shutterfly. But, says Enrique Lores, president of HP Inc.'s Imaging and Printing Business, the splash at drupa is only typical of the success the company has been enjoying as HP Indigo presses and other products continue to gain market share.

From Container to Showcase: Mike Ferrari on the Evolution of Branded Packaging

Published June 22, 2016

Now a branding consultant, Mike Ferrari spent more than 30 years at Procter & Gamble as a specialist in producing branded packaging. He says that over that period of time, packages have taken on a central role as promotional vehicles in omnichannel shopping for consumer goods. At drupa 2016, he saw how workflow and other advances in production are making packages even better able to meet the marketing objectives that brand owners have for them.

drupa 2016: the Package Tour (Part 2)

Published June 21, 2016

The business of printing labels and packaging is changing with almost unnerving speed. Made reassuringly clear at drupa was the fact that new technologies for label and packaging production can give printers the capabilities they must have.

For KBA, the Key Product is Progress

Published June 15, 2016

How did a manufacturer of newspaper presses become a supplier of equipment for nearly all major printing applications, including digital output? That is the story of KBA, and the company's president, Claus Bolza-Schünemann, tells it with justifiable pride. Among the latest highlights is KBA's ongoing development, with Xerox, of the VariJET 106, an innovative hybrid sheetfed press targeting the folding carton market.

drupa 2016: the Package Tour (Part 1)

Published June 14, 2016

drupa 2016 wasn’t exclusively a packaging show, but for label- and packaging-minded visitors, it might as well have been—there was that much to see and be impressed by.

The Direction of drupa: a Presidential Perspective

Published June 8, 2016

Claus Bolza-Schünemann currently is the president not only of KBA but also of drupa, the international printing and paper trade fair. Here, he traces its evolution from a heavy-iron expo into a full-spectrum graphic communications showcase that puts specialties like 3D printing and functional printing alongside the latest developments in conventional and digital print production. The goal, Bolza-Schünemann says, is to make drupa "a very attractive fair for all of our customers" that also promotes the world-bestriding stature and influence of printing in all of its forms.

RMGT Showcases New Offset Technology at drupa

Published June 5, 2016

Ryobi and Mitsubishi merged two years ago to create RMGT. At drupa the company is showcasing new offset technology that leverages the synergies of the two companies.

A First Look at EFI's New Single Pass Inkjet Press for Corrugated

Published May 31, 2016

Exclusive Interview with EFI SVP/GM Scott Schinlever on the Launch of the Nozomi C18000 inkjet press. The single pass inkjet press brings high-speed corrugated board production to the $130 billion corrugated packaging industry.

Time Well Spent, Advice Well Received

Published May 27, 2016

The main criterion for presentations at trade association meetings is relevance. Printer Tom Mercier gives high marks for relevance to the sessions he attended at the recent Epicomm Experience gathering, where mergers and acquisitions, sales development, and personnel recruitment were among the many pertinent subjects under discussion. Mercier also thinks that the success of the conference bodes well for Epicomm's merger with IDEAlliance, which he calls "a win-win for print, mailing, and everything else we do."

A Postal Professional Assesses the State of Direct Mail

Published May 26, 2016

David Mastervich spent much of his 33-year career with the U.S. Postal Service promoting the use of direct mail. Today he works for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, but his focus on direct mail hasn't changed. Mastervich says that as printers and mailers have embraced data management and digital production, direct mail has become a much more targeted and responsive medium than it used to be. He saw plenty of evidence of this progress at the recent Epicomm Experience event, where the emphasis was on technologies for mailing.

Metzgers of Ohio Hosts Pre-drupa Event for RMGT of Japan

Published May 26, 2016

Nobody ever said that the sheetfed offset equipment market is easy to do business in. But RMGT, a partnership between two of Japan’s best known press manufacturers, thinks it has what it takes to make the most of the opportunities that the market still holds.

"The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It"

Published May 25, 2016

So advises John Cassidy of Duplicates INK, who explored creative strategies in a highly rated presentation called "Cross the Line and Disrupt Your Market" at the recent Epicomm Experience conference. Cassidy believes that innovation is still possible even in mature industries like printing. Printers can achieve it, he says, by asking their top customers two questions: "What do you want more of out of me? What can I do to be a 10?"

Need Help? "All You Have to Do is Show Up at a Meeting and Ask"

Published May 24, 2016

Steven Portrude learned a long time ago that there is no substitute for the wisdom of his peers in the printing industry. At the recent Epicomm Experience conference, he talked about what he has learned from other owners he has come to know through taking part in trade association activities. Even competitors open up to one another at these gatherings, Portrude says. "This is where you get an education on how to run a business."

Epicomm Experience: a Participant's Review

Published May 24, 2016

Malia Lageman, who traveled all the way from Honolulu to Savannah to take part in Epicomm Experience, found that the program made the long trip more than worthwhile. Here, she talks about the networking opportunities it gave her, especially with exhibiting vendors; the high energy of the speakers she listened to; and the ideas she gained during conference-related plant tours.

"It Clicked": Ken Garner and David Steinhardt Review the Epicomm - IDEAlliance Merger

Published May 23, 2016

On July 1, the trade associations Epicomm and IDEAlliance will go forward as one under the IDEAlliance name. Ken Garner and David Steinhardt, respectively executive vice president and president/CEO of the combined organization, talk about how bringing the groups together will enhance the value of membership for the more than 3,000 companies now under the IDEAlliance banner. They say that the first positive outcome is the launch of a certification program for mailing professionals.

What Will It Take to “Mainstream” Digital Printing?

Published May 12, 2016

Production digital printing is 25 years old, yet only 2.5% of all printed pages come from digital devices. Yishai Amir, CEO of Landa Digital Printing, says that if digital printing is to move into the mainstream, it will have to prove that it is fully competitive with offset lithography in quality, speed, printable format size, and cost to print. According to Amir, just one process—the one he is responsible for bringing to market—can demonstrate all of these capabilities.

“Nobody Can Do It by Themselves”

Published May 11, 2016

Because trade associations mirror the industries they serve, it’s no surprise to see consolidation taking place among the groups that serve the printing industry. IDEAlliance, an association promoting technical standards, demonstrated this by incorporating Epicomm, a group representing commercial printers, quick printers, and mail service providers. According to Marriott Winchester, the chairman of IDEAlliance, the outcome is a highly complementary relationship that benefits everyone concerned.

Pride of Place for Labels and Packaging at Pazazz

Published May 10, 2016

Warren Werbitt is a passionate printer, and one of his most successfully cultivated passions is the production of high-quality, high-margin labels and packaging.

Pitney Bowes Seeds the Cloud with a New Set of Commerce Enablers

Published May 4, 2016

The company, traditionally known for postage meters, sees a $40 billion marketplace for its digitally enabled shipping and transaction services.

“Publishing” Redefined for a Mobile Marketplace

Published May 4, 2016

Jonny Kaldor is the creator of Pugpig, a mobile publishing platform for delivering content in whatever format is optimal for the end-user’s device. He says that as devices and mobile channels continue to proliferate, the only way to keep up with them will be to embrace a create-once, render-many publishing workflow. This is called structured content, and Kaldor thinks that nontraditional publishers may find it easier to develop and share than publishers locked into design-centric, print-based workflows.

Eyes on the Packaging and Labels Prize: an Interview with Sappi’s Mark Odgers

Published May 3, 2016

Sappi’s credentials as a supplier of coated fine papers are impeccable. Now the company is taking steps to achieve the same high profile as a source of papers for packaging and labels.

Packaging Industry Must Digest New Food Labeling Rules

Published May 3, 2016

Marriott Winchester (SGS Americas) says that new Food and Drug Administration regulations for food labeling represent “the most significant generational event in the food and beverage industry that we’ve seen” since placing nutritional information on labels was first mandated 23 years ago. In this conversation, he explains why food producers and packagers should move full speed ahead toward compliance.

The Coolest Packaging Innovation You Never Saw

Published April 25, 2016

Have you ever stressed out at a self-checkout station because you couldn’t scan the #@?§#! UPC code on the package? Digimarc Corp. has come up with a way to make the entire surface of the package scannable, but in a way that’s invisible to the eye. Digimarc’s Larry Logan explains how the innovation makes packaging a part of the Internet of Things.

At Last, Nano Is Now as Landa Nanographic Printing Presses Line up for Market Entry

Published April 21, 2016

The wait has been long, and the anticipation has been intense. But, Landa Digital Printing believes it can amply reward both with what it will debut at drupa 2016.

HP Previews Extensive Catalog of Print Innovations for drupa 2016 (Part II)

Published April 19, 2016

HP’s sense of itself as a change agent for digital printing is strong. The very broad range of digital solutions it will show at drupa 2016 befits the size of its ambition.

Inside the Brand Makeover at NYC's Duane Reade Pharmacy Chain

Published April 13, 2016

When equity investors decided it was time to give the 250-store Duane Reade pharmacy chain a brand makeover, they handed the task to Todd Maute and his partners at the CBX branding agency. CBX accomplished it in part by creating five private-label brands that required large volumes of printed packaging. Maute says the experience shows how printing technologies can put powerful branding tools in the hands of brand owners and creatives.

Unqualified Support for a Standard

Published April 13, 2016

Administered by IDEAlliance, the G7 protocols for grayscale definition and device calibration have become widely accepted standards for color management. No organization has made a stronger commitment to G7 than Konica Minolta, which claims to employ more G7-certified experts than any other printing systems vendor. Konica Minolta’s Dino Pagliarello talks about what makes the company’s belief in G7 so firmly rooted.

Production Management in the Cloud with HP Print OS

Published April 12, 2016

HP PrintOS is a new cloud-based print production operating system that will be launched by HP at drupa 2016. It consists of web and mobile apps designed to help print service providers boost the productivity of their HP devices. Simon Lewis, in charge of its development, talks about the genesis of Print OS and the range of benefits it can deliver.

With Print, Brands Live Haptically Ever After

Published April 11, 2016

Haptics is the branch of neuroscience concerned with the sense of touch. Daniel Dejean of Sappi discusses why the tactile appeal of print—along with all of the other kinds of sensory stimulation it provides—can be such a powerful advantage for the medium in brand marketing campaigns.

HP Previews Extensive Catalog of Print Innovations for drupa 2016

Published April 6, 2016

If you are planning to attend drupa 2016, make sure your agenda gives you plenty of time to review what HP will be bringing to Hall 17. There is going to be a great deal to see.

HP Makes Bid to Enter Flex Pack Converting

Published April 5, 2016

HP is venturing into post-print production with Pack Ready, a set of solutions it is patenting and develop with partners. The first product is Pack Ready Lamination, which uses a thermal lamination process to convert flexible pouches immediately after printing on HP Indigo equipment. HP’s Dr. Asaf Salant says that Pack Ready Lamination will be of keen interest to converters who want to reduce time to market and to label printers who want to break into flexible packaging.

How Labels and Packaging Can “Touch the Future”: an Interview with drupa’s Sabine Geldermann

Published April 5, 2016

A decision to attend drupa 2016 represents a major investment of time and travel expense. The director of the global event talks about why label and packaging producers are among those who should most seriously consider making it.

Landa: Nanography Will Keep Its “Promise” at drupa 2016

Published April 4, 2016

Exclusive Interview: Benny Landa says that the nanographic inkjet printing process he unveiled at drupa 2012 was a “promise.” At drupa 2016, he intends to deliver on that promise with live demonstrations of nanographic equipment that he says can print offset quality at offset speed on any paper stock at an offset-competitive cost. In this exclusive interview, Landa discusses why he believes the commercialization of nanography will be the second time one of his technologies has revolutionized digital printing.

Nielsen Measures Ad Trustworthiness, Finding Much in Traditional Media

Published March 23, 2016

Now, what was it you wanted to sell me? If the format of your advertising pitch is one that inspires confidence and trust, we may be able to do business.

Heidelberg Promises to Look “Smart” at drupa 2016 (Part II)

Published March 22, 2016

The company finally has made a full commitment to digital, most notably with the coming launch of a B1 inkjet press. But conventional production will still anchor its presence at the show.

National Print Owners Association Successfully Enters Post-Startup Phase

Published March 9, 2016

Starting a trade association isn’t the same thing as establishing a trade association. Giving it a base for an extended life of service to its members requires long-range planning and determined execution. This is the story of NPOA.

Heidelberg Promises to Look “Smart” at drupa 2016 (Part I)

Published March 8, 2016

As the event nears, Heidelberg wants to be seen in a different light: less dependent on equipment, more open to partnership, wholly focused on production efficiency.

The Payoff of Everyday ERP: an IT Manager Explains

Published March 8, 2016

At Lofton Label, Jimmy Rana obtains measurable benefits from using EFI's Radius enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to optimize processes through comprehensive data gathering and analysis.

Labels and Packaging: Entrepreneurial Springboard for Che International Group

Published March 1, 2016

To build a multi-capable network of companies, what better place to begin than the label and packaging business? Just ask Christopher Che.

Company on Fire: Heidelberg Debuts a Branded Digital Printing Portfolio

Published February 22, 2016

To have a branding strategy for digital printing, there first has to be a cohesive family of digital printing products. Heidelberg says that it now has both.

Brain Science Deems Print a Brainy Choice for Marketers

Published February 17, 2016

What instinct tells us about the effectiveness of print has now scientific backing that links it to measurable brain activity, as detailed in a study commissioned by the U.S. Postal Service.

What Price Privacy? The Pew Research Center Tries to Find Out

Published February 15, 2016

Does “privacy” have meaning any more? People are sometimes willing to trade personal information for rewards—even when they know they are going to regret it. There are implications for print in the conflict.

Packaging Finds Its Proper Place on the Agenda at EFI Connect 2016

Published February 9, 2016

The user conference was too wide-ranging to have a single keynote, but it was a good place to catch up with what EFI is doing to streamline packaging workflows.

No Packaging Necessary—No Question?

Published February 4, 2016

There are those who envision a future free or nearly free of packaging. Although it might seem unachievable, some tentative steps in that direction have been taken.

Fresh, Flexible, and Family-Inspired: Values that Breed Success at Emerald Packaging

Published February 2, 2016

Look around the produce section of your supermarket. Notice how many colorfully printed flexible bags there are? Meet the company that put some of them there.

Gecht and Wynn at EFI Connect: for Printers, the Ultimate Vegas Double Bill

Published January 25, 2016

As leaders in their respective fields, Guy Gecht and Steve Wynn share an exceptional ability to hold a stage and captivate an audience. Both played to a packed house as keynote speakers at EFI Connect 2016.

What’s in Your Wallet? A Printed Piece of $1.34 Trillion

Published January 18, 2016

Paper currency has been part of the American mindset ever since Benjamin Franklin pamphleteered for it in 1729. But, folding money has to confront 21st-century trends that could displace it.

3D Printing Makes Room for a Fourth “D”

Published January 13, 2016

Just when we thought that the definition of “printing” had been pushed to the limit, along comes a new one that envisions morphing objects made of self-assembling materials.

Heidelberg Crosses the Digital Divide: an Interview with Jason Oliver

Published January 12, 2016

Now a committed developer of digital printing systems, Heidelberg knows where it wants to go in the digital equipment market and what it can do to get there.

Digital Applications Make Gains in Packaging, but Progress Is Hard Won

Published January 5, 2016

A special report ahead of drupa 2016 sees the event as the setting for a turning point in the adoption of digital printing for packaging production.

Tidings Are Good and Not So Good for Ever-Popular Greeting Cards

Published December 22, 2015

The greeting card, a tradition and an industry in one, is struggling in its present form but faces no shortage of creative possibilities for the future.

#SharePackage Puts Holiday Boxes to Compassionate Use

Published December 21, 2015

A promotional campaign for paper and packaging goes for the heartstrings with special boxes to be filled with gifts for kids spending the holidays in hospitals.

The Graphical Genius of Albert Einstein

Published December 18, 2015

Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity is 100 years old, but his appeal as a creative inspiration for graphic illustrators is 100 years young.

Tech Trends for Labels and Packaging: the Year in Review

Published December 15, 2015

2015 was a chock-full-of-news year on the technology front—but only a curtain-raiser for what lies ahead in 2016.

Stocking Stuffers: “The 12 Days of Packaging”

Published December 15, 2015

Santa Claus, who knows a thing or two about packaging, has a sackful of innovations for fans of the art form this year.

Why Digital Print for Corrugated? HP Inc.'s Eric Wiesner Explains

Published December 11, 2015

HP Inc. believes that the same "megatrends" toward short-run, on demand production and versioning that have transformed other print markets will have a comparable effect on packaging. It's potentially a $13.6 billion opportunity, and HP Inc. sees corrugated as an ideal place for the transformation to begin.

Holiday Retailing Season Is Shaping Up Nicely - with a Few New Twists

Published December 9, 2015

For the holidays, “shop early and shop often” is still good advice—assuming that you know what “early” now is starting to mean in the retailing world.

KBA's Claus Bolza-Schünemann on Co-Creating the PageWide Web Press T1100S with HP

Published December 8, 2015

The two technology leaders want to take digital printing for packaging to the next level—and to several levels after that—with a 110-inch-wide web inkjet press specifically for the corrugated market.

Aiming at Packaging, HP and KBA Introduce the Widest Inkjet Web Press Yet Developed

Published December 8, 2015

Two technology leaders want to take digital printing for packaging to the next level—and to several levels after that—with a 110-inch-wide web inkjet press specifically for the corrugated market.

A Power Partnership: How HP Inc. and KBA Will Bring the T1100S Inkjet Web Press to Market

Published December 7, 2015

The R&D and the building of the first working model took just two years. Now, HP Inc.'s Eric Wiesner and KBA's Christoph Müller discuss how the companies will deploy marketing, sales, and support strategies with the same kind of high-efficiency cooperation.

Articles by Patrick Henry