Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

No Post-Holiday Reopening for Boston’s Municipal Print Plant

Published July 7, 2010

Eleven employees of Boston’s municipal printing department headed into the Fourth of July weekend with the glum knowledge that they would not be returning to work this week. Their jobs were taken away by the city’s decision to close the 113-year-old plant and give the work to private-sector printers.

Robert C. Tapella, Public Printer, Reviews His Term in Conversation with Don Carli at NYU

Published July 6, 2010

The title of the dialogue was “Keeping America Informed 3.0: How Electronic Media, Digital Printing, and Sustainability Imperatives Will Change the Way the World Communicates.” Its main purpose, though, could be summed up in fewer words: to recap the tenure of Robert C. Tapella as the 25th Public Printer of the United States.

Federal Agencies Issue Caution on Use of E-Readers in the Classroom

Published June 30, 2010

In our rush to embrace iPads, Kindles, and other revolutionary electronic book readers, it’s easy to forget that these devices can seem anything but revolutionary to those who can’t see well enough to discern what’s on their screens. But, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education haven’t forgotten the exclusions that e-readers can cause when they are used as learning tools in classrooms where sight-impaired students are striving to keep up.

Graphic Communications Scholarship Fund Lends A Hand to 25 Deserving Students

Published June 28, 2010

Twenty-five college and college-bound students from the New York City metro area will find the high cost of higher education a bit easier to bear thanks to the cash grants they received on June 24 from the Graphic Communications Scholarship Award and Career Advancement Foundation (GCSF).

Ben Cooper and David Mastervich from Print Delivers in NYC

Published June 28, 2010

Sappi and The Print Council Explain How “Print Delivers” in NYC

Published June 26, 2010

On June 24th, The Print Council brought the sixth edition of its “Print Delivers” series to New York City in a “lunch and learn” program hosted by Sappi Fine Papers North America. The session, presented to more than 200 people at the Art Directors Club in midtown Manhattan, reiterated the Council’s message about the place of print in the marketing mix and its unique abilities to influence consumer behavior.

Preparing to acquire: the basics of due diligence

Published June 25, 2010

If you’re acquiring a company, you better do your due diligence. But what does that involve? Patrick Henry spoke to two M&A experts to get the lowdown on how to ask the right questions. This is the first of a two part series; this one deals with inspecting the facilities and determining what kind of team you’re inheriting.

How Hazardous Is the Printing Industry?

Published June 21, 2010

The post about OSHA fines hanging over a Pennsylvania printer drew some sharp comments about safety practices in the printing industry. One question was especially provocative: is the recession-battered printing industry skimping on safety by paying less attention than it once did to protecting life and limb on the job? The data we do have indicate that while it’s still quite possible to get hurt or even killed in a printing plant, print firms offer workers a safer environment than private-sector industry as a whole. What’s more, the numbers on safety in printing and related services have been improving steadily for years.

OSHA Cites Pennsylvania Printer for Violations—and Readers Think It Stinks

Published June 17, 2010

On Tuesday, the Wayne Independent of Honesdale, PA, reported that a local printer was facing fines of $107,100 for alleged violations of OSHA safety rules. Readers are having none of it. Online comments are alike in finding more fault with OSHA than with the printer. Readers also bemoan the loss of U.S. business to China in the same breath as they lambast excessive regulation in this country.

IAPHC 2010 International Gallery: Entered Yet?

Published June 16, 2010

Going for an award in IAPHC's International Gallery of Excellence remains one of the simplest and most cost-effective promotional efforts a printing company can make. Now in its 36th year, the competition is easy to enter, open to everybody, and guaranteed to boost the pride of all who capture one of its Gold, Silver, or Bronze trophies.

Virtual Press Clips: Print Firms in the News

Published June 14, 2010

You may have heard about The Green Box: a pizza carton with a lid that turns into serving plates and a tray that folds up to make a container for storing leftover slices in the fridge. Another clever idea in the same eco-friendly vein is the Globe Guard Reusable Box from Salazar Packaging.

Gamma Gold Key award winners Michael Cunningham & Florence Jackson talk graphic arts education

Published June 14, 2010

NYU Presents 2010 Prism Award to David J. Shea, Bowne & Co.; John Tenwinkel, Outstanding Graduate, Also Is Honored

Published June 10, 2010

The Prism Awards, New York University’s annual salute to leadership in graphic communications, were presented today to David J. Shea, chairman and CEO, Bowne & Co., and John Tenwinkel, a 2008 graduate of the M.A. program in Graphic Communications Management and Technology at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS). The award luncheon, a fundraising event on behalf of the M.A. program, took place at Gotham Hall in Manhattan with about 400 people attending.

Local Paper Prints Story That Gets Print Right

Published June 8, 2010

Unless they burn to the ground, mangle a worker in a press, or employ someone who gets busted for embezzlement, printing companies don’t attract much attention in the mainstream media. It’s rare that hometown newspapers portray them simply for what they are—local businesses striving to protect jobs and profits from all of the forces that seem to be conspiring against jobs and profits in the printing industry these days. A praiseworthy exception is this profile of Missouri printer Kelly Press in the Columbia Daily Tribune.

Follow-up: McCormick Place Reform Bill Becomes Law

Published June 7, 2010

Everything in life is a work in progress, including the reformation of labor practices at expo centers. Legislation overhauling work rules at McCormick Place is sweeping, but don’t expect implementation all at once.

Bernanke Asks Lenders to Provide More $$ for Small-Business Borrowers; BOA Delivers on Pledge to Do So

Published June 4, 2010

Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve System, isn’t happy with the present pace of lending to America’s small businesses. He said so yesterday in remarks at a meeting on small business issues at the Chicago Fed’s branch in Detroit.

Cunningham, Jackson Accept “Gold Key” Awards

Published June 1, 2010

Michael R. Cunningham and Florence Jackson have joined the long list of those recognized for exceptional service to education with one of the industry’s most prestigious honors. At a ceremony in New York City last week, Cunningham and Jackson became the 112th and 113th recipients of the Gamma Gold Key award, a tribute bestowed annually to industry notables since 1956.

McCormick Place Reform Bill Becomes Law

Published May 28, 2010

Reform at McCormick Place is now mandated by law. Yesterday, Illinois legislators overrode an amendatory veto by Governor Pat Quinn to pass a bill that will bring major changes to the management of the exposition center—changes that the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) and other trade show producers had demanded in return for keeping their events in Chicago.

For Memorial Day, Thoughts of Print in Times of War

Published May 28, 2010

Press coverage of the Civil War in periodicals such as Harper’s Weekly was extensive and is well remembered today. Less widely known is the printing that came straight from the battlefield out of small-format, print-on-demand equipment that’s recognizable as the ancestry of modern solutions for short-run production.

“A New Lease On Strife”

Published May 26, 2010

“I sold a used punching machine to a customer of mine, or did I? We agreed on a price of $45,000 for a used Lhermite EX-380 with a few dies, some modifications, and installation. My customer sent off his first and last payment to the leasing company. The leasing company sent me forms to fill out, which I dutifully did. My customer’s lease was turned down, not because he didn’t have the credit but because it was a used machine."

Cutting-Edge Cutter Comes to City Tech

Published May 24, 2010

City Tech ADGA faculty members Roy Nelson (left) and Steve Caputo (dark suit) with students Vanessa Kwan, Juan Moreno, Taka Nishimura, Darren Fuller, Ruben Borges, and Diana Sanchez at their new POLAR 115 X cutter. Though it’s often taken for granted, paper cutting is a crucial step in the successful production of nearly every printed job. To teach this essential skill, schools with graphics programs need up-to-date cutting equipment—such as the POLAR 115 X cutter that New York City College of Technology (City Tech) recently purchased from Heidelberg.

Is Your Firm Fit for Acquisition? Here’s How To Make Certain It Is

Published May 21, 2010

When selling out is the best exit strategy for your print company, there’s careful planning that needs to happen from the moment you make your decision. Patrick is joined by Tom Williams and Jim Russell of New Direction Partners, to review the long range preparation that will put you in the best position to make the sale.

Student Publishers, Writers Are Honored by TAGA

Published May 18, 2010

Congratulations to the young publishing team at Toronto’s Ryerson University for winning the Helmut Kipphan Student Publication Cup in a competition sponsored by the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA). This yearly honor salutes the best student-produced journal on research and technology for the graphic arts.

Possible Snag Arises in Enactment of McCormick Place Reform Bill

Published May 17, 2010

News media in Chicago are reporting that all is not smooth sailing for the enactment of legislation that would overhaul rules for exhibitors at McCormick Place. The Chicago Tribune, ABC News, and CBS News now say that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn will not necessarily sign the bill, at least not in its present form.

“We Really Want To Make Things in Chicago Work”: An Interview with GASC’s Ralph Nappi

Published May 14, 2010

The best news that the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) has heard in a long time is that cost-saving reforms finally are coming to McCormick Place, the Chicago home of the Graph Expo and Print events. And while these much-needed changes can't guarantee a successful show by themselves, they should go a long way toward easing exhibitors' concerns about the high costs and logistical headaches of taking part in what continue to be the industry's leading trade expositions.

Five Print Firms Thriving in the Inner City Make Top-100 Growth List

Published May 13, 2010

Five printing firms are among the 100 fastest-growing inner-city companies in the U.S. as recognized by Bloomberg BusinessWeek and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC). They include, above, Hotcards, led by founder and CEO Columbus Woodruff (center); and, below, Panther Graphics, owned by Tony Jackson, CEO.

Bill Mandating Changes at McCormick Place Should Mean Cost Reductions for Exhibitors at Graph Expo 2010

Published May 10, 2010

Legislation overhauling the management, work rules, and cost structures at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center promises a new deal for Graph Expo 2010 and other trade shows whose owners lobbied for changes there.

Virtual Press Clips: Print Firms in the News

Published May 10, 2010

For printers, the most iconic exemplar of ink on paper is the $100 bill, the piece of folding money that bears the portrait of their patron saint. The scientist in Benjamin Franklin surely would have appreciated all of the technology that’s been embedded in the latest version of the C-note, unveiled by the U.S. Treasury Department last month.

Intuit’s New “Small Business Employment Index” Sees Encouraging Rises in Hiring, Hours, and Pay

Published May 6, 2010

Intuit, the maker of QuickBooks, sold more than $3 billion worth of financial management and accounting software, do-it-yourself web sites, and other products and services to small firms in its 2009 fiscal year. That broad customer base is a natural source of data about trends at the small-business end of the economic spectrum—an opportunity that Intuit has seized with the launch of its Small Business Employment Index.

Goldman Sachs Pursues A $500 Million Plan to Aid 10,000 Small Businesses

Published April 28, 2010

The harsh glare of negative publicity apparently isn’t going to keep Goldman Sachs from going through with a $500 million plan to aid America’s small businesses. Announced last November, Goldman’s “10,000 Small Business Initiative” will invest $200 million in education and $300 million in developmental funding for qualifying firms. On Monday, according to a reporter for Aol Small Business, an unnamed Goldman executive confirmed that the plan was still in progress and that first steps were under way. The New York Daily News reported last week that La Guardia Community College in Long Island City would be the first community college to spearhead the educational portion of the program.

"Print is Eternal" (a satire by J.A. Konrath)

Published April 26, 2010

Moderator: Welcome to Obsolete Anonymous! I've gathered you all here to welcome our latest member, the Print Industry. Print Industry: Hello, everyone. But there's been a mistake. I don't belong here. (chuckles all around) Print Industry: I'm serious. I'm not obsolete. I'm relevant. Print books have been around for hundreds of years. They're never going to be replaced.

Pat Henry talks to Tec Lighting's Dan Hodhod at OnDemand 2010

Published April 26, 2010

Mike Fego of Konica Minolta talks about their bizhub PRESS C8000 at OnDemand

Published April 26, 2010

A Printer in NYC Writes: “Don’t Believe What You Read. Printing's not Dead.”

Published April 21, 2010

HP's Yoram Krivine gives an overview of their processes at their manufacturing facility in Israel

Published April 21, 2010

Virtual Press Clips—Print Firms in the News

Published April 19, 2010

Tactile gratification—the high-touch experience of turning covers and pages—is said to be one of print’s most enduring appeals. But, the pleasure isn’t universally shared. “For those with chemical intolerances and other illnesses that result in serious health symptoms when exposed to printing inks and papers, it can be difficult to read books, magazines, personal mail...

Simon Lewis, manager of strategic marketing with HP Indigo at VIP Event in Rehovot Israel

Published April 19, 2010

HP Showcases Indigo Presses at “VIP” Event in Israel

Published April 18, 2010

In the press assembly area of the HP Indigo plant in Kiryat Gat, Israel. HP partially raised the curtain on its presence at Ipex with the “Commercial VIP event” that it hosted last week at the headquarters of its Indigo digital press division in Rehovot, Israel. An international group of customers, print industry journalists, and analysts attended, taking part in briefings, Indigo manufacturing plant tours, and visits to Israeli end-user sites.

For Sellers, Six Scenarios—and a Word about Timing

Published April 14, 2010

Like a weak hand at the card table, a weak offering in the M&A market won’t be improved by the length of time it’s in play. Unlike a poker hand, it can’t be bluffed because the “cards”—the fundamentals of the business—are always in plain sight of the buyer and its due diligence.

Coalition of NYS Businesses, Assns, and Labor Unite to Oppose Sales Tax Increase on Promotional Print

Published April 8, 2010

New York’s marketing and printing industries have joined together with letter carriers and business advocates to oppose a recently released Assembly budget proposal that would impose a new sales tax (on average 8% statewide) on promotional and marketing materials sent by New York businesses to both out-of-state and in-state customers.

GAA Opposes Pa. Governor’s Wish to Eliminate Sales Tax Exemption for Direct Mail Advertising

Published April 6, 2010

Like their counterparts in New York, printers in Pennsylvania will have to start collecting sales tax on direct mail advertising if their current exemption from the levy is eliminated from the state’s next budget. The Graphic Arts Association (GAA) is alerting its members to the potential loss of the exemption, which would apply the state’s 6% sales tax (7% in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) to the printing of direct mail, catalogs, and other mailed matter containing advertising.

Virtual Press Clips: Print Firms in the News

Published April 5, 2010

Two Waltham, MA, printers speak of their struggles with rising health care costs in a video promoting the reelection of Governor Deval Patrick. Seen in this clip are Mayda Chaprazian, president of Arvest Press, and Shishir Mehta, who owns Fastsigns.

GASC Speaks Against High Costs of McCormick Place

Published April 2, 2010

The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) joined four other trade show organizers in blasting labor costs and union work rules at Chicago’s McCormick Place exhibition center, according to a story in today’s Chicago Sun-Times. "We've gone from complaints about labor costs to anger and demand for change," Chris Price, vice president of GASC, is quoted as saying.

Wim Maes, CEO of Punch Graphix at the pre-Ipex press event

Published April 2, 2010

Here’s Your Frosh Beanie—and an iPad to Go with It

Published April 1, 2010

It may appear to be an April Fool post, but it isn’t: starting in the fall, a college will give free Apple laptops and iPads to its freshmen. Here’s how Seton Hill University of Greensburg, PA, is pitching the idea to its student body:

Empire State Printers Risk Loss of Sales and Use Tax Exemption on Promotional Materials

Published March 30, 2010

Printing Industries Alliance says that printers in New York State don’t have much time to raise their voices against a budget proposal that could cost the state’s printing industry thousands of jobs. That grim prospect is raised by a legislative attempt to repeal an exemption from the state’s sales and use tax on printed and mailed promotional materials.

Virtual Press Clips: Print Firms in the News

Published March 29, 2010

“Lorem ipsum,” the Latin-like dummy text used by printers and typesetters since the 1500s, looks random. It’s anything but. The Lipsum site, operated by James Wilson in the UK, gives the history of lorem ipsum, discusses its use, and offers a “Lipsum generator” for those who want chunks of the text in what Wilson says is its proper format and style.

Oscar Planas talks about new Trillian plates at pre-Ipex press event

Published March 29, 2010

Kodak's Barb Willans talks about their new print practice consultant practice

Published March 29, 2010

Carsten Knudsen, CEO of EskoArtwork talks about Ipex 2010

Published March 29, 2010

Printers Confront Passage of Health Care Reform

Published March 23, 2010

It’s over. As Printing Industries of America (PIA) duly notified its members today, on Sunday, March 21st, the U.S. House of Representatives passed both S. 3590, the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (health care reform legislation passed by the U.S. Senate on December 24th, 2009), and H.R. 4870, the Reconciliation Act of 2010 (the House's "fix" of several provisions in the Senate-passed bill). Passage was a disappointment for PIA, which had urged its members to oppose the Obama administration’s plan for health care reform.

Heidelberg and PIAG Boost SkillsUSA Competitions in Graphic Communications, Advertising Design

Published March 22, 2010

Plaudits to Heidelberg for remaining a staunch supporter of SkillsUSA. This photo shows all of the Georgia students who took part in the the recent SkillsUSA graphic communications and advertising design competitions co-sponsored by Heidelberg and the Printing and Imaging Association of Georgia (PIAG) at Heidelberg’s U.S. headquarters in Kennesaw, GA.

Must-Read for Owners of Small Firms: PrintCEO Interview with Alonzo Printing's Jim Duffy

Published March 20, 2010

"Some of us get caught up in this and some of us skate through it. I do know that a lot of printers are on the edge. They’re hanging on with their fingernails and running out of cash." If you haven't already read Gail Nickel-Kailing's PrintCEO interview with Jim Duffy, leave this page immediately and go to the story now.

American Express Offers Resource for Small Firms in Search of Government Contracting Opportunities

Published March 19, 2010

Last November, American Express OPEN® launched what could be a valuable resource for small firms seeking government contracts: Victory in Procurement^SM(VIP) for Small Business. The core of VIP is an online information exchange designed to guide business owners through the intricacies of the government contracting process. The program also will help owners connect with procurement officials, form relationships with other aspiring contractors, and get coaching and mentoring assistance.

M&A Activity to Remain on the Upswing as the Industry Regroups

Published March 17, 2010

Despite the industry's shrinkage, printing companies continue to be born “under the radar screen” as firms win new leases on life by merging with other firms. New Direction Partners foresees an increase in M&A activity as the industry regroups around the strengths of its healthiest and most survivable firms.

Brace for Storm in Paper Availability, Says Merchant

Published March 15, 2010

A devil’s brew of natural disasters and man-made economic exigencies is spreading “havoc” and “turmoil” throughout the paper supply chain, according to one paper merchant. At its blog, Millcraft Papers (Cleveland, OH) advises printers not to panic, but it also urges them to plan for the likelihood of tightened access to paper for the remainder of the year.

Kodak's Kevin Joyce talks with Pat Henry at the pre-Ipex media event in Belgium

Published March 11, 2010

Punch Graphix Hosts Trade-Media Open House

Published March 9, 2010

Seeking a higher profile for Xeikon digital presses and its other print market technologies, Punch Graphix today opened the doors of its international headquarters in Liel, Belgium, to a contingent of more than 70 print industry journalists from around the world. Seeking a higher profile for Xeikon digital presses and its other print market technologies, Punch Graphix today opened the doors of its international headquarters in Liel, Belgium, to a contingent of more than 70 print industry journalists from around the world.

Briefings in Brussels Give Technical Preview of IPEX 2010 (continued)

Published March 8, 2010

Briefings in Brussels Give Technical Preview of IPEX 2010

Published March 8, 2010

Four exhibitors at IPEX—Atlantic Zeiser, EskoArtwork/Enfocus, Kodak, and Punch Graphics—are giving previews of their show plans at a combined media briefing taking place today and tomorrow at a conference center near Brussels, Belgium. Among those presenting today are Atlantic Zeiser and EskoArtwork/Enfocus.

Printing Trade Show Postponement Is Said to Provoke “Kiwi Outrage”

Published March 4, 2010

The U.S. isn’t the only country where some soul-searching—and some hand-wringing—is being done about the future of graphic arts trade shows. Print21online, an online journal for the printing industry in Australia and New Zealand, reports “Kiwi outrage” over the postponement of Printech, New Zealand’s quadrennial printing trade show, from 2010 to 2012 “due to a lack of support from both sponsors and the industry.”

Terry Tevis talks with Pat Henry about transformative technology and the digital pressroom

Published March 4, 2010

Iraqi Printers Reap Benefits of Election-Related Printing

Published March 4, 2010

Agence France-Press (AFP), the international news agency, has syndicated a timely article about printers in Iraq. There are about 500 of them, and they are enjoying, according to the story, a boom in business connected with their country’s upcoming parliamentary elections on Sunday (March 7).

In the “Social Print Experiment,” a Start-Up Printing Business Will Trace its Success—or Failure—in a Year-Long Online Chronicle

Published February 26, 2010

Can a start-up digital printing business reach $1 million in sales within 12 months at a profit margin of 30%? Partners Bob Lambie, Andrew Simmons, and Ken Williams will know the answer at the end of the year, and so will everyone else who follows their progress in an ongoing online chronicle that they call the Social Print Experiment.

A Veteran Dealmaker Declares, “Roll-ups in Print are Dead!”

Published February 19, 2010

We received the following in response to a recent article at Printing Industry Merger And Acquisitions, a special section of WhatTheyThink that tracks and analyzes M&A activity in the industry. The article profiled the recent launch of MSP Digital Marketing, a venture that will invest in building a network of specialty printers and other digital services for marketing communications.

Fujifilm Companies Announce Aid To Haiti

Published February 18, 2010

In Dubuque, a Screen-Printing Apparel Maker Helps Haiti with T-shirts

Published February 16, 2010

In Dubuque, IA, the owner of a screen-printing sportswear business is assisting Haitian disaster relief with the T-shirt pictured above. Tom Rauen, who started Envision Sports Designs in Dubuque four years ago, is selling the shirts for $10 and will donate 100% of the proceeds to the American Red Cross.

In North Carolina, a Valentine from A. Klein

Published February 12, 2010

There was a time when, if you gave your sweetheart a present of chocolates for St. Valentine’s Day, chances were good that Jesse Salwen made the heart-shaped box you gave them in. His business, A. Klein & Co., ceased operation more than a year ago, but Salwen continues to touch real hearts with the shimmery, satiny, and velvety raw materials that he used to turn into millions of cordiform candy boxes per year.

MSP Digital Marketing and TecDoc Digital Solutions: The Case History of an M&A Transaction Done Right

Published February 12, 2010

When four print industry veterans decided to form a national network of digital services for marketing communications, they knew they would need the help of an M&A expert. Realizing that the digital universe is huge, they understood that locating the right acquisition targets within it was a task they could entrust only to an advisor possessing "industry knowledge, financial acumen, and a great database." Read how MSP Digital Marketing, with the help of New Direction Partners, took a successful first toward building its network with the well-executed acquisition of TecDoc Digital Solutions.

PIA’s Michael Makin Takes to the Skies with Pro-Print Message

Published February 10, 2010

Opportunity in difficult days, Roy Grossman and Jon Fogel of MSP

Published February 9, 2010

Roy Grossman and Jonathan Fogel of MSP Digital LLC talk about the formation of the company and their other partners and discuss their recent acquisition of TecDoc. They also discuss why they are launching a venture in this economy and how they see opportunity in the changes that are taking place in the industry.

Cutting Your Tax Bill with the Help of “R&D”

Published February 8, 2010

Small-Business Loans at 40% Interest? Legally?

Published February 5, 2010

An Interview with Mark Hischar, KBA North America

Published February 3, 2010

As it did to every other print equipment manufacturer, 2009 brought a host of challenges to Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA). Declining orders, a change of leadership at the top, job cuts further down the structure, and uncertainty about the future cost this global distributor of sheetfed and web offset presses some momentum.

Articles by Patrick Henry