4/16/01- Printers traditionally think of waste as paper used on press and in the bindery, focusing on planned "waste" and unplanned "spoilage" (anything beyond the planned allowances). However, there are many other, less tangible areas within a printing facility where waste occurs. Those invisible "leaks," says author Tim Dalton, can make a huge dent in profits. Dalton's methods for attacking invisible waste have just been published by NAPL, in The Printer's Guide to Waste Reduction: Managing Waste As A Key to Continuing Competitive Advantage. The book is available from NAPL for $75.00. NAPL members receive a 33% discount and can purchase the book for $50.00. Call NAPL at (800) 642-6275 and ask for Product Code NP329. A graduate of MIT, Dalton says that "In the current era of consolidation and Web-based publishing and e-commerce, it is easy to see that staying healthy depends on maintaining a business that is efficient and effective. Companies that are wasteful cannot compete. Whether a company becomes a target for acquisition or finds that customers are more demanding than ever, the bottom line is always about waste." The common printing definition of waste and spoilage "Is a useful distinction that has helped many printers reduce stock use," says Dalton, "but we are suggesting a new way to look beyond that." By contrast, he defines waste as "the difference between the way things are now and the way they could be or should be if everything were perfect." This broad definition allows a multitude of specific applications. It invites a closer look at the details of daily work to see where things go wrong. "Then, we can map out a perfect world and a plan for getting there," explains Dalton. This is the essence of the message contained in A Printer's Guide to Waste Reduction.