Resurgence of “Catalogs the White”
After a decline, catalogs are on the rise again. Heidi Tolliver-Walker looks at the resurgence of print catalogs—and how they have changed with the times.
Adobe Adds Integrated Print Capability to Adobe Express
Cary Sherburne looks at a new collaboration between Adobe and Zazzle that adds integrated printing capabilities to Adobe Express and allows users to design and order printed products through an open print ecosystem.
Customer Value Proposition: Product/Solution Offering
In the latest edition of his Smart Strategy Insights Series, Wayne Lynn explains how you must have the capabilities to provide the “deliverables” the customer needs to secure their desired outcomes.
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Industry News
- HP Large Format Ignites Scalability and Growth for Print Service Providers
- Graphco Unveils Groundbreaking Automatic Stud Welding (ASW) Technology on the Augusta F150R Pro CNC Cutting & Routing Table
- Avery Dennison Announces 2025 Training Schedule at SEMA 2024
- Championing Consumer Clarity: The Essential Role of Labels in Enhancing Recycling
- Learn How To Work Smarter, Not Harder!
- TOPPAN Inc. at Automotive Interiors Expo 2024
- Allied Packaging Chooses Mark Andy
- GMG Color Americas Plans to Impress at Expográfica 2024
- Introducing: NEW HP Premium Clear Window Film
- Nobelus Gains Certification for Recyclable Carton
- Around the World in 48 hours
- Meteor Inkjet Launches MetVision for Nozzle Status Detection and Correction
- Next Week’s DS Printech China to Enhance Customization and Efficiency with Innovative Printing Solutions in Guangzhou
- Clampitt Paper Acquires Colorado Envelope, Expanding Product Offerings and Service Excellence
- Orion S.A. to Increase Prices for Certain Specialty Carbon Black Grades
- Oxygen AI Positron Assistant 4.0 Released
- Proforma Printhouse Acquires Fourth Business in Four Years
- BASF Celebrates Opening of New Production Line in Heerenveen, the Netherlands
Kodak: Reestablishing a Brand
The Kodak brand became ubiquitous with photos creating the tagline a “Kodak moment” and becoming a part of the vernacular. Then came technological and market shifts, bringing them to bankruptcy. However, they are now profitable and innovative again, with what appears to be a future of growth.
A Primer on Web-to-Print Integrations: Automate Operations and Offer More Value
In this article written and sponsored by Propago, learn how efficient integration in web-to-print solutions is crucial for printers to automate operations and add value. With diverse integration methods, systems communicate seamlessly, reducing errors and manual tasks. Connecting key platforms streamlines workflows, enabling real-time updates, improved data accuracy, and a responsive customer experience.
Cereus Graphics Quietly Steals the Show
Phoenix, Ariz.’s Cereus Graphics recently won multiple awards from the Foil and Special Effects Association (FSEA) for Excellence in Foil Stamping and Embossing—a nice way for a company to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Heidi Tolliver-Walker chronicles Cereus Graphics’ journey.
Sizing the Print Industry in Europe—Greece
This bi-weekly series of short articles provides details on the size of the printing industry in Europe per country, especially tracking the number of printing establishments. This time we look at Greece.
Still Wondering About the Epson Fiery Acquisition?
As noted at the time by my colleague David Zwang, many were scratching their heads over Epson’s acquisition of Fiery. Last Friday, November 1, Epson provided more detail about its strategy and expectations related to this acquisition, which are summarized here.
Industry Data
Printing Outlook 2024 - The WhatTheyThink Overview of the Current State of the Printing Industry
The Printing Outlook 2024 report provides detailed analysis of the latest WhatTheyThink Printing Industry Survey, the latest industry economic data and macroeconomic trends, as well as industry and cultural technological trends to look out for in 2024 and beyond.
Sizing the Print Industry in Europe—Greece
This bi-weekly series of short articles provides details on the size of the printing industry in Europe per country, especially tracking the number of printing establishments. This time we look at Greece. Full Analysis
Tales from the Database: Packing it In
Drawing on six years’ worth of Print Business Outlook surveys, our “Tales from the Database” series looks at historical data to see if we can spot any particular hardware, software, or business trends. This issue is in part devoted to labels and packaging, so we delve into the data to gauge print businesses’ interest in adding packaging capabilities. Full Analysis
September Graphic Arts Employment Remains Fairly Flat
Overall printing employment in September 2024 was not much changed from August with production employment down 0.2% and non-production employment up 0.5%. Full Analysis
WhatTheyThink Magazine
WhatTheyThink Magazine is the resource for the Commercial Printing, Visual and Graphic Arts Industries. Industry experts share their ideas and technical knowledge on ways to improve operations.
Subscription are free to qualified industry professionals or via paid subscription.
Around the Web
WhatTheyThink's weekly miscellany
Around the Web: Logo Library. Auctioning AI. Plonk Packaging. Damned Domain. Cryptid Carnival. Echo Education. Super Stations. Fitting Footwear. Future Food.
The Space Exploration Logo Archive (SELA) is a series of printed books celebrating 70+ years of space travel. Artwork by robot artist Ai-Da is up for auction at Sotheby’s. A study by the UK’s Wine Society found the most sustainable option for wine packaging, although we have questions. Did you know that domain names can be “haunted”? Reconstructing the face of a 400-year-old vampire. Johnstown, Pa., hosts the annual “Squonkapalooza” to celebrate a mythical beast. An electric scooter that uses a graphene-based battery. Get rid of autumn leaves with ease using a leaf blower mounted to a robot dog. Learn how to echolocate in 10 weeks. Fifteen “stunning train stations.” A line of sneakers that grow with your kids. Whole Foods’ culinary trends for 2025. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
Around the Web: Real Raven. Nurdle Negation. Wallpaper Warming. Color Kindle. Code Controversy. Computer Chronicle. Runner’s Racket. Snack Sobriquet.
The inspiration for Poe’s “The Raven” A new line of sustainable wrapping paper. A paper-based alternative to plastic “nurdles.” A research project intended to “improve the reading experience for people with low vision through typography.” Electric wallpaper for home heating. The invention of the barcode was not without controversy. A 1968 Bell Labs computer documentary that inspired Stanley Kubrick. A simple, ingenious invention for runners: the Runbell. Goldfish—the snack cracker—is changing its name to “Chilean Sea Bass,” for some reason. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
Around the Web: Type Tournament. Price Package. Drone Delivery. Mobile Museum. Absent Accordions. Screw Story. Food Fallacies.
Show off your mad typing skills with “Typing Bowl.” A German company print the price of its products right on the packaging. Delivering food by a robot–drone team. When online, visit the Mobile Phone Museum. An elaborate, Rube Goldberg-like snooze alarm. A graphene-based “electronic tongue.” The last French accordion manufacturer has gone out of business. Why is it called a “Phillips head screwdriver”? Many of America’s most “traditional” food recipes were based on marketing campaigns. New TikTok-inspired “smoked Cheez-Its” are coming. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
Recent Discussion
John Zarwan on Kodak: Reestablishing a Brand
nice summary David. I haven't met the current management team or really followed Kodak much in the last five or six years, so these comments are all pre-pandemic. Kodak really did foresee the end of conventional film as early as the 1970s and 1980s. … Full comment Reply
Mike Sternfeld on Frank's All About the Benjamin
Dear Frank, My wife and I visited Boston in 2015 and stayed with our nephew and niece in Franklin, MA. I had the privilege of visiting the Franklin Library in Franklin. The most wonderful part was seeing the books he donated in 1790 to the library… Full comment Reply
Mike Philie on Up All Night with Gina Danner: Scaling Up Requires a New Approach to Leadership
Great article Gina, and you are spot on with the changes necessary as the business grows. When a business starts to struggle to grow, I use the term "it has hit that ceiling of complexity." What I mean by that, is that the way they've managed the bus… Full comment Reply
Alvaro Mantilla on Frank's All About the Benjamin
for sure we need more Ben Franklin in today's USA Reply
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Joe Treacy on Frank's All About the Benjamin
We could use Ben Franklin here, now. Best, Joe Treacy Director of Typography Treacyfaces.com Reply