Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

HP Pagewide T700i Packaging Press: A Lot More than Corrugated Preprint

HP has announced a new PageWide packaging press that has a print width that fits nicely between their existing T400 and T1100 series presses corrugated preprint presses. However, the new T700i is designed for more than just corrugated preprint.

Printing Shipments: July Takes a Tumble

July 2022 shipments came in at $6.68 billion, down from June’s $6.98 billion, as the dog days of summer kicked in.

Around the Web: Blueprint Buddy. Better Bags. Tone Test. Plural Panoply. AI Art. Dead Dialogue. Insect Info. Finger Fun. Noodle Napping.

HP’s SitePrint robot for construction site printing. Graphene-enhanced bags for food storage offer greater strength and less weight and thickness. X-Rite’s quick online color IQ test. Why does English have so many different ways of pluralizing nouns? AI fails at reproducing classic works of art. Creepy AI grandma talks from the dead. Oh, NASA, we beg you not to crowdsource the name of the new Uranus Probe. Telling Queen Elizabeth’s bees about her passing. Lenovo’s new “virtual monitor” glasses. The James Webb Telescope captures a stellar nursery in the Tarantula Nebula. Creating wooden claws that fit over your fingers. A “blanket” based on udon noodles. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Print’s Role in the Digital Transformation

The digital reality has caused a shift in communication strategy, and the focus should be on improving the customer experience with superior interaction. Businesses may feel compelled to ramp up their digital communication strategies in response to consumers’ demands, but print can—and should—play a role in communications of the future. This article explores how printed communications can be used strategically to improve the customer experience.

A Guide to Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Fabric and Textile Printing—Print Customers Are Increasingly Requesting Greener Materials

What's the latest advice for sign and display graphics operations that want to print soft signage more sustainably? In this article written by Ella Faulkner of Soyang Europe, provided compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, it is pointed out that public sector spaces are under ever-increasing pressure to offer a sustainable environment filled with sustainable products. So, too, are educational and health facilities. But the biggest market is found in retail where showing off green credentials is demanded by customers. The article explains what types of textile printing are greenest and technologies that can limit waste and reduce water and energy usage.

The Liberation that Comes from Implementing Process

Process or workflow documentation sounds like something only for very large bureaucratic corporations. This is not true. The smallest companies can benefit from process improvement. Your business is a series of processes that are repeated over and over.

In a Data-Driven World, Do Printed Forms Even Matter? Some Say Yes!

Even as we cover increasingly sophisticated digitally driven and data-driven applications, it’s important to remember that traditional business still exists. This includes business forms, and while that business is shrinking, it does still offer profitable pockets of business that commercial printers might want to explore.

What a Designer Can Learn from the Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit

ColorKarma’s Shoshana Burgett describes her visit to the Imagine Van Gogh immersive exhibition and explores how the exhibit’s unique approach to providing a user experience can be applied to industry events and consumers’ relationships with brands.

The Target Report Annual Review—August 2022 TTM M&A Activity

Viewed from the perspective of M&A activity in the printing, packaging and related graphic communication industries, we are in a post-pandemic sweet spot, business is going strong, and we are not yet significantly feeling the effect of inflation and rising interest rates. Packaging is still the red-hot segment, fueled by PE-backed roll-ups chasing fewer available top-notch producers. The commercial print, direct mail, and wide format segments are not as active, but desirable candidates attract a lot of attention and deals are getting done; and more…

What Do We Talk About When We Talk about Interactive Signage?

“Interactive signage” is changing from simply providing information to creating immersive experiences. At the same time, the actual mechanism by which a user interacts with a display is changing from simple physical interaction to electronic interaction.

Sparty Mill: Reviving Textile History

Are we starting to see a resurgence in the US textiles and apparel market? In a recent article, we addressed some of the activity relative to localized cut-and-sew operations, the “last mile” for apparel manufacturing. In this article, we take a deeper dive into what Hodges International has done with Sparty Mill to help this resurgence along.

Book Printing Establishments—2010–2020

According to the latest, recently released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2020 there were 379 establishments in NAICS 323117 (Books Printing). This represents a decrease of 29% since 2010. In macro news, highlights from the most recent Federal Reserve “Beige Book.”

Around the Web: Graphene Glut. Contested Contest. Printed Python. Color Commentary. Solar Solution. Tide Tidying. Eyeing Exoplanets. Cup Clarity.

New IDTechEx study finds the global supply of graphene exceeds demand—for now. An art contest winner used AI—fair play or cheating? Flashing back to a terrifying bus wrap from 2010. How did the colors get their names? Why is Dante the father of the Italian language—or William Caxton the father of English? “Solar trees” for EV charging. A “floating waste collector” drone for cleaning up the ocean. The James Webb Space Telescope took its first photo of a planet outside the solar system. A design for an easier-to-read measuring cup. Oscar Mayer has introduced a combination hot dog/popsicle, for reasons passing understanding. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Meet Lily Elo: First Class Honors BA (Hons) Textile Design Graduate in 2022 at Nottingham Trent University

As part of our ongoing series featuring the next generation of textile designers compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, we welcome you to read about Lily Elo. Her current project INTERFERENCE focuses on the phenomena of light interference creating an iridescent color spectrum.

HP Introduces the Advantage Inkjet Platform and It’s Brilliant!

In 2006, HP commercialized its “Scalable Printing Technology,” and in 2008 they introduced the PageWide T300 production inkjet press. Now, 14 years later, with the benefit of a lot of company and customer experience, they are introducing a newly designed high performance press platform.

All Arise! Americas Print Show Hints at the Future of Events

The inaugural Americas Print Show was held August 17–19, in Columbus, Ohio, and while it had some hiccups, the general consensus, from exhibitors and attendees, was that it was a worthwhile event. What does this tell us about the future of industry events?

Sleep Number Sees 44% Incremental Sales Increases with Retargeted Direct Mail

For Sleep Number, direct mail retargeting is nothing new. A switch to a new partner, however, has turbo-charged its success, and it is now seeing 44% incremental sales rates.

Your Building Foundation vs. Your Software/Digital Foundation

Physical foundation has been our collective focus for decades. The print industry creates physical products using physical machines. Digital foundation is our new differentiator: data and systems create new business opportunities and enable you to run your business more efficiently.

Who Are You Hiring for Sales?

Hiring sales team members requires art and science. Pat McGrew talks about adopting a hiring strategy that is in sync with your sales goals.

The First Graduates of the Mariano Rivera Foundation Printing Vocational Training Program Are Ready

The Mariano Rivera Foundation brings mentorship, life skills, STEM education, and vocational training to at-risk youth. Thanks to support from industry vendors such as EFI, KonicaMinolta, Ricoh, Idealliance, Printing United Alliance, and Adobe, it will funnel much needed talent into the printing industry, as well. Heidi Tolliver-Walker provides an update on the first class of graduates.

Graphic Arts Employment Up Slightly in July

In July 2022, all printing employment was up +0.7% from June. Production employment was up 0.2% and non-production employment was up 1.8%.

Around the Web: Problematic Print. Mail Merch. Code Complaints. Display Developments. Textile Tech. Meteorology Melee. Cream Confusion. Galaxy Gazing. Table Tournament. Gravy Grappling.

What is a print-based physical disability? Play the USPS’s new Great American Mail Race board game. What is the future of QR code menus? The Bigme InkNote Color brings E Ink devices closer to competing with LED-based tablets. AI illustrates lyric music videos. New graphene-based “smart textiles” hit the market. Hungary punishes inaccurate meteorologists. No, New York State has not banned selling whipped cream to minors. The James Webb Space Telescope does a Cartwheel. “Competitive table setting.” Gravy wrestling is back! All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Printing with a Higher Purpose: Women’s Press Collective

Contributor Patrick Henry profiles a Bronx-based, all-volunteer organization that demonstrates why print remains foremost among the media as a force for social good.

Direct-to-Garment Printers Are Blurring the Lines Between Commercial and Industrial

If you’ve been paying attention to some of this year’s new DTG printer launches, you may have noticed that the traditional gap between commercial and industrial printers appears to be closing. Today’s DTG devices are delivering faster printing speeds, better print accuracy, and more advanced technologies—all with a smaller footprint and a lower price tag. This article offers a brief overview of the devices that are blurring the lines between commercial and industrial printers.

The Lighthearted Side of QR Codes

Even as the use of QR codes has become normalized thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still see some pretty bone-headed implementations. A look at three use cases in light of three important best practices.

US Debut & Launch of Super Lightweight Magnetic Cylinder Aluminum by Rotometal at LabelExpo Americas

In this article, written and sponsored by Rotometal, learn about the company that will make its North American debut at the LabelExpo Americas 2022 event and launch their super lightweight Magnetic Cylinder Aluminum.

Requesting a Demo of Print Software

The software demo is typically a key to the decision-making part of the sales process. Your definition of your core challenges before the demo can greatly influence ROI outcomes in the future.

Selling to Lapsed Customers

Do you have accounts who used to be profitable, high-volume customers but haven’t ordered from you in a while? Pat McGrew explains how to bring lapsed customers back into the fold.

A Matter of Responsibility: Know Why You’re Checking in on Your Clients

It is never the buyer’s responsibility to communicate with the seller. It is always the seller’s responsibility to communicate with the buyer. Contributor Dave Fellman explains how to establish a “contact interval” for your most important customers.

A U.S. Cut-and-Sew Boom?

One of the key barriers to reshoring textiles and apparel has been the lack of sewing talent, the final mile, if you will, of localized apparel and home décor manufacturing. Recently we have seen a number of new cut-and-sew operations pop up across the nation, an encouraging sign for the future of the American textiles and apparel industry.

Get on the Same Page: Pre-Call Prep Leads to Better Prospect Meetings

Most salespeople agree that advance prep for important prospect meetings is a precursor for successful call outcomes—and the statistics confirm that sellers can gain at least a 20% bump in productivity through consistent pre-call work. Contributor Lisa Magnuson explains how to effectively prep for your sales call.

Screen Printing Establishments—2010–2020

According to the latest, recently released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2020 there were 5,563 establishments in NAICS 323113 (Commercial Screen Printing). This represents an increase of 25% since 2010. In macro news, 2Q GDP revised up to -0.6%.

Around the Web: Preserving Painting. Brand Bios. Denim Dyeing. Golden Graphene. Drought Displays. Phone Fun. Rainless Rides. Mill Meal. Hair Hoopla. Spicy Smooching.

Keeping the art of traditional sign painting alive. A comprehensive book on the history of brand logos. A new, more sustainable approach to blue jeans production. “Graphene turns rubbish into gold, literally.” Record droughts are revealing all sorts of hitherto hidden relics in the world’s bodies of water. An interactive site where you can design the next iPhone. “Would you eat a windmill?” NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captures new detailed images of Jupiter. The USA Mullet Championship, for some reason. “The practical utility of equipping cats with laser beams.” Applebee’s new chicken wing sauce flavored lip gloss. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Textile Technology Highlights S/S 2022: Trailblazing Innovations and New Developments

With the return of in-person trade shows and events in 2022, suppliers to the industry have plenty of technical developments on display, and the industry is poised to see accelerated growth and a continuing transition to digital technologies. In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan highlights a few of them.

ISA’s Upcoming Sign Manufacturing Day Offers Sign Businesses Employee Recruitment Opportunities

On October 7, sign companies will have an excellent opportunity to potentially attract new and young talent to their businesses. Every year, on the International Sign Association’s (ISA) Sign Manufacturing Day, participating sign shops host open houses, facility tours, and hands-on demonstrations for students to show them the opportunities that exist in the sign business.

Study: Getting Personalization Right

Movable Ink’s second annual Audience of One consumer survey has many takeaways. It continues to confirm what we’ve known for a long time: Consumers want you to market to an audience of one. But it has some other takeaways about customer loyalty and customer preferences related to product purchases that are just as important.

Finding the Critical Path in Your Assembly Line

You run a print factory, you have an assembly line—find the critical path, then find what’s standing between you and your cash flow. Don’t be surprised if it's way upstream of your press.

In the Driver’s Seat: Increasing Print Business with Augmented Reality

It’s finally happened. Print and marketing firms are incorporating augmented reality (AR) into their marketing tool kits. Not just for fan engagement and brand building, but as a business problem-solving and revenue-driving solution. Far from AR competing with print, it’s driving it. Contributor Heidi Tolliver-Walker looks at several case studies that launched AR experiences from print.

Mapping the Future of the European Paper Market

The current paper shortage and price rises are the result of long-term trends in the paper industry that got upended by the pandemic and the recovery. European section editor Ralf Schlözer looks at the current situation, how we got here, and if and when paper problems will be alleviated.

QR Codes: Teleporting Print Into the Metaverse

By making it easier for people to engage with print via a simple, interactive element, QR codes bridge the physical with the digital, teleporting them to their destination in an easy and fun way. Contributor Joanne Gore explains how QR codes transform print from a commodity to a high-value communications tool capable of linking to videos, landing pages, special offers, podcasts, and more.

How Serious Is the Fashion Industry about Sustainability? And What Role Does Trade Journalism Play?

In this space, we have had a great deal of discussion about sustainability, supply chain, and the need for dramatic change in the textiles and apparel industry. In today’s article, we look at some of the important research and journalistic organizations that are helping drive this change, the important role they play, and some of their upcoming events.

Printing Shipments: The Best June Since the Before Times

June 2022 shipments came in at $6.98 billion, up a tad from May’s $6.96 billion. This is the best June the industry has had since 2019—although it’s well below that month’s $7.54 billion.

Around the Web: Paper Properties. Sign Slight. Tape Trick. Choice Charging. Dog Design. Bubble Ballad. Termite Taste. Pumpkin Palate. Candle Cuisine. Mollusk Minder.

Zapping a Gutenberg Bible with X-rays to see if Gutenberg learned about printing from Korea. Magnetic signage helps Mexican street food vendors circumvent new sign prohibitions. Converting Scotch tape packaging into a tape dispenser. Dell’s graphene-enhanced wireless charging clip. A typeface in which each letter is a dog. A music box that plays music by popping Bubble Wrap. Will 100,000 termites eat fast food? Taste test Trader Joes autumn food products and earn $1,000. Ultrarealistic candles that look like food. Immobilize your toddler with Walmart’s octopus baby outfit. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Why Are Live Workshops So Powerful? We Interview Jason Burroughs of Perfect Colours to Find Out More

Live events are back in play and here to stay! They support and connect the print community by providing a window of opportunity where networking and the transfer of knowledge go hand-in-hand. Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan talks with Jason Burroughs, Managing Director of Perfect Colours, about why their workshops offer the visitor such a valuable experience.

Print Buyers: Fitting Into a Digital World

Earlier this month, Keypoint Intelligence published the findings from its in-depth survey of over 200 print buyers in the United States. This article offers a high-level overview of our survey results to illuminate print’s changing role in the overall ecosystem.

It’s Time to Talk About NFTs

What, exactly, are NFTs? Do they matter to us in the printing industry? This article offers a simplified explanation of NFTs and examples of what they look like in the real world.

Looking Down: A Floor Graphics Application Gallery

In this photo gallery, we highlight some recent floor graphics projects that display graphics providers have produced. These application galleries are intended to serve as “food for thought” in developing creative applications for clients.

Doubling Down on the Print MIS/ERP You Own

Print MIS/ERP systems are a favorite thing to complain about and be frustrated with. This week I am trying to do the impossible: get you to double down on the Print MIS/ERP you currently own instead of throwing it out and starting over.

Smart Retail: AI in the Produce Section

David Zwang looks at the rise of retail locations featuring checkout-free virtual cashiers. Convenience or “Big Brother”?

Let’s Fire Some Customers!

Your sales plans should reflect what you sell, how you sell, and your target customer profile. A deep dive into your customer list is the only way to evaluate which customers help you produce a profit and which may cost you money. Pat McGrew explains how to sort the good customers from the bad—and how to fire those that may be costing you money.

Think Cast Vinyl Is a Must for That Project? Think Again

With myriad supply chain issues, some materials are harder to obtain than others. One such material is cast vinyl. However, for some applications, calendered vinyl—which is more readily available and more cost-effective—can be substituted for cast. This article, sponsored by FLEXcon and written by FLEXcon’s Jodi Sawyer, identifies where calendered vinyl is an acceptable substitute.

Will Supply Chain Issues Help Drive Major Manufacturing Change in Apparel?

Before the pandemic, I never dreamed I would be writing about supply chain so often. But then, before the pandemic things were different…or were they? The problems were there back then, but they were exacerbated and brought to the forefront due to pandemic-related issues. With all the supply chain noise, we wondered whether there would actually be meaningful solutions soon, and/or whether reshoring and digital production would be accelerated. A Forbes article on the topic sheds some light here.

Around the Web: Test Test. Silly Stickers. Perilous Plants. Cola Cartridge. Raincoat Reservoir. Parasol Power. Better Buds. Spider Sleep. Dog Dudes.

Your expired COVID tests may have been given an extension. An epidemic of really bad forged car inspection stickers. When in the UK, visit The Poison Garden—but carefully. The Cana is a countertop “beverage printer” that can replicate many different flavors using a single cartridge. “Celebrate rainy days” with a rainwater harvesting coat. A solar-powered umbrella that can be networked. Graphene-enhanced earbuds. New evidence that spiders may dream. The World Dog Surfing Championships. Another roadside attraction…or two. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Commercial Printing Establishments—2010–2020

According to the latest, recently released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2020 there were 16,283 establishments in NAICS 323111 (Commercial Printing except Screen and Books). This represents a decline of 26% since 2010. In macro news, inflation is flat!

Textile Sustainability Spotlights S/S 22—Innovations and Insights

In this article, compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, we take a look at textile sustainability innovations and insights, with a focus on the supply chain, greenwashing, and truly sustainable initiatives.

Direct-to-Plane Printing?

The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed a prototype robotic inkjet printing system that can print directly onto three-dimensional surfaces—specifically, airplanes. Richard Romano spoke to SwRI Senior Research Engineer Branson Brockschmidt about the project.

AR Has Reached a Tipping Point: Now What?

Augmented reality has reached a tipping point, and it’s one that is increasingly affordable, accessible, and highly relevant to even the average print shop. AR has become a way to offer solutions and help your clients sell products and engage audiences in real, practical ways.

Selling Features to Your Print Business Software Vendors

Doing a little more work on feature requests can have an oversized impact on the likelihood of getting into a product roadmap.

Imprimu Brings Online Print to Latin America

Online print is a major growth segment in the printing industry, but its market success has been country- or region-dependent. While in many European countries online print already has double-digit revenue share, in other regions—like Latin America—the share is fairly small. Start-up company Imprimu is preparing to change this, starting from their home base in Panama. Ralf Schlözer takes a look at this new start-up.

Spoonflower: One Year Later

Shutterfly acquired Spoonflower one year ago. Senior editor Cary Sherburne checks in with the company for a progress report.

Fashion Faces Growing Greenwashing Scrutiny

Greenwashing is rampant in the fashion industry, but there is growing scrutiny on this unethical practice. Will it be enough to reduce the tide of discarded clothing and other textile items that are burned or dumped in the landfill? Will we really get to any kind of circular life cycle for fashion? There are encouraging signs, but we are far from reaching any kind of critical mass.

Bucket List: Signarama Downtown Louisville (Ky.) Wins Best in Show at Signarama Sign Awards

Sign franchise Signarama’s Best in Show award this year went to Signarama Downtown Louisville (Ky.) for a project that involved designing, constructing, and wrapping a giant KFC bucket for Louisville-born rapper Jack Harlow.

The Target Report: Cenveo Returns to its Roots—July 2022 M&A Activity

Burton Family Cements Control, Envelopes are in Demand, and more…

June Graphic Arts Employment—The Production/Non-Production See Saw This Month Favors Non-Production Workers

In June 2022, all printing employment was up +0.2% from May. This time, it was production employment that was down (-0.8%) and non-production employment that was up (+2.3%).

Around the Web: Rapid Rotation. Sheep Shipping. Recommended Reading. Keeping Calendars. Casino Clock. Clever Key. Hometown Heroes. Car Cluster. Faux Fax. Balloon Bistro. Velveeta Vodka.

The Earth is spinning faster than ever—and no one knows why. New Bubble Wool packing material made from discarded wool. “Recommendmeabook.com” lets you try out first pages of books. Graphene foam-based sensors for better prosthetics and robotics. New site tells you in what year you can reuse a calendar. A 3D-printed flip clock that uses playing cards to display the time. A redesigned door key that makes it easier to orient. Interactive map lets you find famous people from your hometown. A flock of self-driving cars mysteriously show up at the same corner and idle…ominously. Remember when urban legends and conspiracy theories spread by fax? The first hot air balloon-based restaurant. “La Dolce Velveeta” heads to happy hour with the “Veltini.” All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

From Kit Miles To Sebastian Cox—Barbara Chandler’s Photo Gallery at the New Designers Expo Celebrates 37 Years of Creative Talent

Design writer, curator, and photographer Barbara Chandler, who has been writing about design and decoration for more than 40 years, has documented the New Designers in Residence program at the Business Design Centre in Islington, UK. She has meticulously recorded their details in an ongoing commentary on Flickr and has a huge archive going back some 15 years. In this article, provided by textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, you will see and learn about the program and some of her favorite images.

Taking the Guesswork Out of Social Media Marketing

Social media has proven itself to be an effective tool for brand marketing, and an online presence is now critical for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Given the importance of social media in today’s business climate, it’s not uncommon to feel a bit overwhelmed when attempting to establish or improve your position in the playing field. This article considers some of the most common challenges associated with social media marketing and offers some tips for navigating them.

Planning Video? Think “Postcard,” Not “Speech”

As video continues to grow as a marketing tool, often eclipsing text and images in terms of its power and effectiveness, there has been a rush to embrace it. But video isn’t like print or other marketing content. It’s its own animal, requiring dedicated focus by printers and their clients looking to capitalize on its power.

Your Technology Stack Conflicts with the Workforce Age

There are a lot of differences among the different demographic groups in the labor force colliding right now in your print business. The most critical for your business is both the access to technology throughout their lifetimes and the rate of change of technology in their lifetimes.

Johnson’s World: Sounds Like a Dry Martini—The Art of a Good Blog

No matter the medium, solid content will get the attention of your prospects. No amount of animation, keywords, or pretty pictures can hold audience attention without good content.

How’s Your Sales Plan Working? Buyers and Discounting

We are well into the second half of the calendar year, and to ensure a profitable end to your year, take a few minutes to look at what is in your pipeline, what has been onboarded, and what is in production. Is it what you expect? In part two of a two-part series, Pat McGrew takes a deep dive into the costs of doing business with customers and how you apply discounting strategies.

Bobst Going Private to Focus on the Future

Going private again, and being in a position to select and negotiate any financing needs beyond what JBF Finance SA can provide on its own, should minimize and streamline the undue reporting burdens of a public company, and allow Bobst to innovate and focus on the company’s present and future.

With Limited Supply Chain Access Small Businesses Face Different Design Challenges

Supply chain issues have forced small businesses to shift their thinking and approach to the form and function of their packaging design. ColorKarma’s Shoshana Burgett looks at some of the top impacts.

The Demise of Newspapers. Or Not.

The newspaper business was in decline long before the pandemic. In fact, a publication called Newspaper Deathwatch predicted the demise of the printed newspaper in the U.S. by 2017. Luckily that did not come to pass. But what has happened is a consolidation of newspapers under large chains, the closing of many, and a reduction in the number of newsroom people they employ. The good news is that entrepreneurs and others are fighting to save local journalism. You may not hear the thunk of the printed newspaper landing on your porch, but there is hope that these efforts will boost local journalism and pause—and even reduce—the existence of local news deserts. Read on to get the full story and see how you can help.

Around the Web: Box Boon. Art Action. Robot Roughness. Phone Photos. Substitute Sentences. Winging Winnebago. Fork Feasting. Spud Spoons. Bird Buddy. Creepy Claw.

A new packaging system that automatically creates the smallest possible box that uses the least amount of material. Posable action figures derived from fine art. A chess-playing robot breaks its six-year-old opponent’s finger. An online Pay Phone Museum. A sentence rephraser. Graphene-based medical diagnostic systems that can provide results within a few minutes. Winnebago’s “flying camper” from the 70s. Edible utensils for the ultimate in waste reduction. Heinz’s “spoon fries.” The Adventures of Chef and Emu. Upping the creepiness factor with the new field of “necrobotics.” All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Printing Establishments—2010–2020

According to the latest, just-released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2020 there were 22,225 establishments in NAICS 32311 (Printing). This represents a decline of 18% since 2010. In macro news, Q2 GDP declined -0.9%.

Maria Begum Wins the Epson Design In Context Award in a Celebration of Printed Excellence

The textiles industry is blessed to have many young, innovative and creative designers entering the field. Maria Begum is just one example. She was recently awarded the Epson "Design in Context Award" for her work titled "The Floating Fields of Bangladesh," which combined dye sublimation printing and laser engraving to achieve stunning results. Thanks to textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan for sharing this story with us.

SGP Summit: Sustainability Is a Whole New Ball Game

Last week, the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) hosted a day-long Sustainability Summit at Boston’s historic Fenway Park, with sessions ran the gamut from a list of easy steps for printers to reduce their environmental impact, to a detailed exploration of carbon footprint calculation, to case studies, to roundtable discussions, and ample time for networking. Richard Romano reports from this historic ballpark.

Is It Time to Invest in More Reuse + Refill Packaging?

An increasing number of companies are releasing re-use + refill packaging lines. Is this just for large companies like Proctor + Gamble and Unilever? Or is it time for small and mid-sized companies to take up the mantle, too?

The Desire to be “Just a Printer”

The production floor was the centerpiece of print businesses for decades. It determined so much about your business. Capacity, capability, and deliverability times were all dictated by your equipment mix. Today the focus is turning to what customer challenges you can solve in front of the press.

Americas Print Show 2022 Predicting a Vibrant Event

Cary Sherburne previews the upcoming Americas Print Show 2022, scheduled for August 17–19 in Columbus, Ohio, which will offer an opportunity for commercial printing professionals to once again gather in person after a long pandemic hiatus.

Post-Pandemic Print Applications in Germany—No Drop, No Growth

The German printing industry association (BVDM) recently published its 2021 print industry statistics, which includes an overview of print application revenues. Ralf Schlözer takes a look at print revenue growth in Germany and the impact the pandemic and post-pandemic recovery had on individual print applications.

Bringing A Dream To Life: SpeedPro Helps Create Massive “Dream Chicago” Event for St. Jude

SpeedPro Chicago Loop won the franchise’s “Project of the Year” with the immersive “Dream Chicago” event, in partnership with St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Arena Partners. SpeedPro Chicago Loop President and Owner Eric Lazar writes about the design and installation of this project.

Association Insights—Flexographic Technical Association

Since 1958, Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) has been enabling flexographers to grow their skills, connect with likeminded individuals, expand their reachable markets, and drive flexography to package printing dominance.

Have Book Publishers Missed the Boat?

The pandemic may have been a boon for books with people looking for things to do during lockdowns and reduced travel. But that boost is likely temporary and may be hiding a core failure of the industry to update business practices to meet changing demographics, competition from other types of entertainment, and the growth in self-publishing.

Around the Web: Graphene Graphics. Bogus Beats. Newspaper Niche. Billboard Beast. Tome Travelers. Umlaut Understanding. Ball Bot. Blood Bet. Bug Betrayal. Toilet Tech.

A graphene-based ink. A suspicious biometric in a smartwatch ad. A newspaper for a single retirement community has a higher circulation than a lot of metro dailies. A magazine we’d like to see. 3D billboards get more extreme. A gallery of the objects that librarians have found in returned library books. Kentucky’s Depression-era “horseback librarians.” Why do metal bands love umlauts? Is baseball ready for robo umpires? A dead mosquito provides crucial evidence in a burglary case. “AI litter boxes”—hopefully for cats. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly monkeypox miscellany.

Printing Shipments: The Best May Since the Before Times

May 2022 shipments came in at $6.77 billion, up from April’s $6.73 billion. This is the best May the industry has had since 2019—although it’s well below that month’s $7.92 billion.

Using Generational Marketing to Improve Communications

Marketers must work harder than ever to establish that all-important connection with their customers so they can foster loyalty and build trust. Communicating with customers based on their age is a sound strategy, but it must be done correctly. Effective age-based marketing can provide a much higher return on investment than attempting to group all consumers into a single audience.

Meet Phoebe Lewis: Creating Pigments from Seaweed for Industrial Textile Printing

We all love bright colors in our garments and home decor, but much of this color comes from toxic dyes that have deleterious effects on the environment. We congratulate professionals like Phoebe Lewis, an industrial designer focusing on developing products that help restore marine ecosystems and coastal communities, for her work in creating natural dyes from seaweed that could replace some of those toxic alternatives.

Is Influencer Marketing on Your Radar?

When was the last time you thought about influencer marketing? It’s a powerful marketing tool, and it’s growing. For PSPs, influencer marketing should be seen as a channel like any other. There are plenty of ways for PSPs to add value to an influencer campaign.

Call Goes Forth for Entries into Neographics 2022, the Industry’s Largest Regional Print Competition

Two trade groups invite printers in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York to seek fitting recognition for their best work—Neographics, the industry’s largest regional competition for excellence in print.

What is Your Competitive Differentiation?

A competitive differentiation is when you’re doing something that your prospect finds valuable that your competitors are not doing.

Product Spotlight: Canon Press Automation Modules—Optimizing and Simplifying Printing

With the aging out of skilled labor in the print and packaging industry, engaging and training new hires in the intricacies of print is becoming a problem. David Zwang looks at Canon’s Press automation modules, which can simplify the process while optimizing quality and productivity for new and even older digital presses.

How’s Your Sales Plan Working? Calculating Profitability!

We are well into the second half of the calendar year, and to ensure a profitable end to your year, take a few minutes to look at what is in your pipeline, what has been onboarded, and what is in production. Is it what you expect? Pat McGrew offers some tips for evaluating your YTD performance.

Web 2 Pack: Opportunities Exist…But Is It for Everything?

There is a growing increase in orders for short-run on-demand packaging to satisfy shifting consumer purchasing requirements and operate at the “speed of retail.” However, while there are opportunities, there are many complexities not seen in commercial print that require a level of expertise not necessarily found in the producers’ kitchen, basement, or garage.

New Product Launches at FESPA 2022—A Handful of Highlights

European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports on some of the major new product launches at the recent FESPA Global Print Expo 2022.

Future Workforce: Recruiting the Next Generation

In the pre-pandemic years, the number of printing programs were in decline due to lack of interest and budget, and we have been unsuccessful in attempts to reverse this trend. Lou Caron discusses some potential solutions.

The Truth About Vegan Leather

How vegan is vegan leather, and what is the future of this alternative to animal-based leather? In this article, we summarize the literature on the topic, including how damaging animal-based leather is to the environment, the different types of so-called vegan leather, and the future of truly 100% plant-based leather, an important element of a sustainable future.

Around the Web: Media Memorial. Creative Cursing. Bottle Bother. Battery Breakthrough. Dead Dialogue. RIP Recipes. Taco Tech. Kitty COVID. Spirit Saloon. Launcher Love. Cereal Scents.

An heirloom app ensures your digital presence outlasts you. A “Reddit chart of compound pejoratives.” Carlsberg’s dubious attempt at a wooden bottle. Upcycling discarded EV batteries to harvest graphene. Alexa goes full Black Mirror. The growing trend of “gravestone recipes.” Taco Bell’s new human-less drive-through. The first cat-to-human COVID transmission. A “giant, nuclear-powered ‘hotel airplane’” stays aloft for years. Buy a haunted bat for $250K. Three words: “Nerf rocket launcher.” General Mills’ new “cereal-inspired candles.” All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Printing Establishments—2010–2020

According to the latest, just-released edition of County Business Patterns, in 2020 there were 23,393 establishments in NAICS 323 (Printing and Related Support Activities). This represents a decline of 20% since 2010. In macro news, Q2 GDP estimates are bearish—but that may not be cause for concern.

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