PARAMUS, NJ, DECEMBER 5, 2006 -- Up-to-the-minute insights on the importance of the digital smart factory concept in today's graphic communications industry are provided in an informative new NAPL podcast available free at www.napl.org, the website of NAPL, the trade association for excellence in graphic communication management. The podcast features Chuck Gehman, director of Product Marketing for EFI and co-chairman of the R&E Council of NAPL's 2007 Digital Smart Factory Forum, slated for Jan. 16-18, in Orlando. As Gehman explains, a "digital smart factory is an environment in which automation and information technology is strategically applied across the printing company to integrate manufacturing, business, and customer interfacing systems to achieve maximum efficiencies." In the podcast, Gehman discusses: -- The current market and customer trends driving the need for digital smart factory (DSF) implementation. -- How DSF concepts apply to all printing technologies: digital, sheetfed offset, web offset, flexography, etc. -- How printers can use DSF to control costs, increase revenues, and add increased value for customers. -- The various enablers of DSF, including job description format (JDF), computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), CIP4 initiatives, etc. -- Why the 2007 R&E Council of NAPL Forum is a must-attend event for printers who recognize the importance of implementing a highly efficient, integrated workflow. "The world is changing for printers," notes Gehman. "It's always been important to operate efficiently but, with today's increasing demand by customers for shorter runs, quicker turns, and more comprehensive communications solutions, it's no longer enough to have separate islands of automation. To remain competitive in today's marketplace and provide the kinds of service clients are seeking, graphic communications company must have an integrated and seamless automated workflow." The DSF podcast and other NAPL podcasts on topics ranging from business growth through acquisition to economic trends are available for free downloading at the NAPL website (www.napl.org) and on iTunes. For more information or to register for the 2007 Digital Smart Factory Forum, visit www.napl.org/events or call (800) 642-6275, Option 4.