Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Print’s Enduring Role in Customer Communications

Even in today’s digital world, printed materials play a powerful role in customer communications. In fact, firms that are focused on customer experience have discovered an excellent harmony between print and digital channels. This article explores how businesses can optimize the strengths of both digital and printed media to culminate more meaningful customer relationships.

What Do Users Really Think of USPS Informed Delivery?

A look at the most recent USPS Informed Delivery update (June 2023–June 2024), including updated user stats, the latest open and click-through rates, and number of Informed Delivery campaigns.

Sizing the Print Industry in Europe—France

This bi-weekly series of short articles provides details on the size of the printing industry in Europe per country, specifically tracking the number of printing establishments. This time we look at France.

Collaborating for Visibility!

Whether you are a printer who does industry shows in the segments you serve or a vendor selling into the community printers at a local, regional, or global event, how you come to the show and the samples you share tell a story. Why not make it bigger and better by collaborating with your clients and partners?

Best Practices for Hiring and Retaining Employees in a Labor-Constrained Market

Finding talent continues to be an issue for many printing and packaging businesses, perhaps even more so than in other industries due to perceptions about the business that are no longer accurate. In this article, we offer 10 suggestions for hiring and retaining talent that may help you ensure access to the best possible talent pool in your business.

Around the Web: Kafka Covers. Grass Graphics. Costume Chemicals. Time Trends. Comma Creation. Cassette Comeback. Morticia Menu.

Using Rapid Liquid Printing to produce a handbag. Lawnmower-based graphic design. The dangers of really fast fashion: Halloween costumes. A temperature-controlling graphene-enhanced jacket. Where did punctuation come from? Cassette tapes are becoming popular. The slow acceptance of wearing pants. Burger King’s Addams Family-themed Halloween menu. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

August Shipments Indeed

August 2024 shipments came in at $7.68 billion, up from July’s $7.44 billion—the second straight monthly increase.

Innovation Spotlight: De Montfort University Unveils Scalable Textile Technologies to Enable Circularity

Future Fabrics Expo in the UK featured more than 10,000 different textiles and solutions on display for the fashion industry to exploit innovation in sustainable materials and the transition toward circularity. Read more in this article compliments of textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan.

The Intriguing Possibilities of Inkjet/Offset Integration

Installing inkjet systems inline on offset press equipment stands out as the opportunity to meld digital non-impact printing with analog impact printing in a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts.

You’ve Got 30 Seconds, What Can Your Business Do For Me?

In the latest edition of his Smart Strategy Insights Series, Wayne Lynn explains why, without a Customer Value Proposition, your business is like a ship without a rudder.

Could Community Impact Be Your Next Marketing Tool?

What is a Director of Impact? This is a role within a company that develops and leads programs focused on community growth, investment, and well-being, ensuring that sustainable practices are woven into all decision-making. Good vibes and good press have every bit as much an opportunity to benefit and differentiate a printer’s business as it does any other. Heidi Tolliver-Walker explains.

Exploring AI in Print

European section editor Ralf Schlözer reports from the German Printing Industry Association’s annual Print & Media Congress, where most of the presentations centered on AI. How is AI perceived by printers in Europe?

The Target Report: Print Providers Seek Variety Via Acquisitions—September 2024 M&A Activity

Artisan Colour Acquires MarComm, CJK Rationalizes Kodi, and more…

Leveraging Interdisciplinary Research for Smarter Fashion

Work at the ATLAS Institute at the University of Colorado Boulder is leveraging interdisciplinary research to develop new bio-based fibers that can be dissolved using heat at end of life, supporting disassembly and electronics recyclability in smart textiles, as well as to make textiles more sustainable and less reliant on petroleum-based feedstocks.

Around the Web: Graphic Gags. Hail Hamlet. Leaf Lenses. Map Mural. Absent AI. Dorito Dye. Fixing Flakes. Car Ketchup.

Print magazine talks with a former graphic designer for SNL. A production of Hamlet based on Radiohead’s “Hail to the Thief.” Virginia parks provide special viewfinders so the color blind can leaf-peep. Making a giant mural out of a Google Earth Easter egg. The Moon is getting its own time zone. This year’s Lego Advent calendars are now available. According to the New Yorker, there is no AI. Cool. “Mice made transparent with a dye used in Doritos.” Making the original Corn Flakes recipe. VW’s Gewürz Ketchup briefly available in the US. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Keypoint Intelligence Study Reveals Top Challenges and Strategies for High-Volume Apparel Decorators in 2024

In 2024, Keypoint Intelligence conducted an in-depth study examining the operations of high-volume apparel decorators across the globe. The report explores various printing technologies, including Screen Printing, Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printing, Hybrid Printing, and Dye Sublimation. This article highlights the top challenges faced by decorators using these technologies and discusses key strategies used to overcome them.

Smart Sales Training for Today’s Reps

Sales training is essential for any organization that wants to improve its revenue and build a successful sales team, but many sales representatives will tell you that they simply don't enjoy this training. This article explains why traditional training methods often fall flat and explores some alternatives that can help today’s reps sell more effectively.

Tech Highlight: The “Magnificent Seven”—Memorable Tech Takeaways from PRINTING United, Las Vegas 2024

In this article, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan highlights what she calls the “Magnificent Seven” after sifting through the plethora of new products and technologies that were on display at PRINTING United 2024.

Automation in the Order Process: Redefining Where Automation Begins

In this article, written and sponsored by Aleyant, David Graves from Aleyant highlights how printing companies can automate their processes and previews a webinar that will expand upon these points by showcasing PDF2Press, a new product from Aleyant.

Much Ado About Color: The Canon Colorado Wallcovering Challenge

At PRINTING United, Canon showcased the results of a unique challenge that highlighted the color consistency and repeatability of its Colorado line of UVgel printers. Richard Romano looks at The Wallcovering Challange.

Technology Outlook: Software and Workflow

Heidi Tolliver-Walker recaps WhatTheyThink’s recent Technology Outlook webinar on software and workflow in which Pat McGrew and Ryan McAbee looked at the trends and technology introductions in this category.

Every Business Can Use a Magazine!

Consider your options for staying in touch with your customers and attracting new ones. If your first thought is a digital marketing campaign, stop! While digital channels are a common tool, they put you into a very big pond with a lot of other bait. Think outside of bits and bytes—consider print. Specially, consider a print magazine! Here’s why!

Sizing the Print Industry in Europe—Finland

This bi-weekly series of short articles provides some country details on the size of the printing industry in Europe per country, specifically, tracking the number of printing establishments. This time we look at Finland.

Designing for Next Use: Changing the Focus in Textiles and Packaging

Circularity in both textiles and packaging is getting more attention, and importantly, not just recyclability or using recycled materials, but creating a truly circular life cycle that begins with designing for next use. This article explores this concept and uses two companies—Patagonia and DS Smith—as examples of what’s possible to truly create a circular economy.

Seiko Epson Acquires Fiery. Epson??

When the Fiery acquisition by Epson was announced, many were scratching their heads trying to understand the logic and synergies—although the acquisition does make sense when you look at the expansion and growth rate of inkjet.

Sign Manufacturing Establishments—2010–2021

According to County Business Patterns, in 2010, there were 5,824 establishments in NAICS 33995 (Sign Manufacturing). This NAICS category tumbled in the wake of the Great Recession, ultimately climbing back up to 5,865 establishments in 2019, but dipping a little in 2020, and then back up to 5,814 in 2021. In macro news: BEA leaves Q2 GDP growth unchanged at 3.0%.

Around the Web: Viva Vice. Cloned Critic. Fitzgerald’s Flat. More Mozart. Globe Goofs. Hat Hating. Railway Rodents. Breakfast Bag.

Vice is launching a subscription service—and a print edition. London newspaper is resurrecting its deceased art critic with AI. A billboard-based art project. A robotic “impact printing” system 3D prints with clay. Who would have thought that 2024 would bring us new Mozart music? The oldest surviving globe dates from 1492 and is wildly inaccurate even by 1492 standards. A flying grocery cart. Graphene-enhanced asphalt goes on trial in the UK. When did people stop wearing hats? Jimmy Dean launches a tote bag that can keep your breakfast sandwiches warm. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Printers Rally to Cause of Sharing America’s Founding Documents with Students

Like their forebears at the time of the nation’s founding, printers are doing what they do best to popularize the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. Patrick Henry looks at a project launched by the Bill of Rights Institute to help promote civics education for students and their teachers.

Shaping the Future of Print and Packaging: Insights from HP’s Haim Levit

What comes next in the Print and Packaging Industry? In this interview, sponsored by HP, HP’s Haim Levit, SVP & Division President of HP Industrial Print, shares his vision on the key trends emerging from drupa, including the role of automation, AI, and, sustainability in transforming the industry.

The Relationship Between Strategy and Business Models

In the latest installment in the Smart Strategy series, Wayne Lynn explains why It is helpful to map your strategy onto your business model—and to do this requires an understanding of the components, what each does, and how they interrelate.

Binding and Finishing: Don’t Miss the Innovations

Heidi Tolliver-Walker recaps last month’s Technology Outlook webinar on binding, finishing, and embellishment in which Kevin Abergel and Trish Witkowski provided a 50,000-foot look at the trends and technology introductions in the category.

September Event Trifecta: It Wasn’t drupa, But It Was Still a Long Week!

Recently, North America had three print technology events: PRINTING United, LabelExpo, and SuperCorrExpo—all in the same week! All three of them promised lots of new print solutions and equipment. After surviving drupa, I thought I would try to see if I still had the stamina to do this trifecta of events. Spoiler alert, I failed…

Circularity in Textiles: Some Thoughts About How to Get There

It seems like all of a sudden, news about forward movement in circularity initiatives for the textile industry are coming fast and furiously. In this article, we summarize a few of them and explain their importance—to the industry and to the planet!

July Graphic Arts Employment Was Flat Virtually Across the Board

Overall printing employment in July 2024 was down slightly in July with production employment down 0.6% and non-production employment up 0.4%.

Around the Web: Font Fracas. Singularity Soon. Data Display. Mesopotamian Meals. Pizza Profile. Eggy Equinox. Cellular Suspense. Taco Turmoil.

Have “fontroversies” become less common? Is the Singularity all that near? A three-day exhibition of radical data visualizations. The Campbell Soup Company is removing the word soup and adding an apostrophe. Make these dishes from the world’s oldest known cookbook. Have your resumé printed on Pizza Hut pizza boxes. Sunday is the autumnal equinox—get your eggs ready! How screenwriters of horror films solve “the cellphone problem.” A 3D printer designed to cut cardboard into cat scratch pads. When is National Taco Day, exactly? All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Streamlining Your Workflow with AI: Lessons from The Jetsons

The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence has spurred a widespread integration of new technologies. AI is more than just the talk of the town—it has proven that it can walk the walk. This article explores how AI integration is leading us into the future.

How Smart Manufacturing Will Change Fashion, the Textile Industry, and the Future of Retail

According to textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan, rewiring the entire apparel supply chain is underway but progress is slow and painfully incremental—and must accelerate if the industry is to make positive environmental change. In this article, first published on Pixel to Parcel, McKeegan explains how smart manufacturing in the textile industry can help accelerate this much-needed transformation.

Happy Employees, Happy Bottom Line

When done right, employee recognition not only engages employees and boosts morale, but it can improve an organization’s financial success. Heidi Tolliver-Walker looks at a recent report on the benefits of employee recognition programs.

Is GIGO Killing Your Analytics?

As we enter the last quarter of the year, you may be crunching numbers and planning strategies based on what you see. You may have a set of trusty spreadsheets that you update or rely on your ERP, MIS, and back-office programs to build reports to analyze. What happens if the data you rely on is wrong?

Sizing the Print Industry in Europe—Denmark

This bi-weekly series of short articles provides some country details on the size of the printing industry in Europe per country, especially tracking the number of printing establishments. This time we look at Denmark.

Slow Fashion and Landmark Textile Recycling Bill: Some Progress Underway, But We Still Need More!

We’ve been talking a great deal about the deleterious effects of fast fashion on our planet. Now we have a counterpoint to discuss—an effort in Congress to rein in fast fashion with the launch of the Slow Fashion Caucus. Plus, California is putting even more teeth into its recycling efforts with a proposed bill that establishes an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for recycling clothing and textile fibers. And France is proposing a Fast Fashion Tax and an EU ban on exporting used clothing.

All Other Converted Paper Product Manufacturing Establishments—2010–2021

According to County Business Patterns, in 2021 there were 358 establishments in NAICS 322299 (All Other Converted Paper Product Manufacturing). This category saw a net decrease in establishments of -22% since 2010. In macro news, inflation was virtually flat in August.

Around the Web: Darth Dreary. Horror House. Phone Folds. Misnamed Monitor. Toddling Table. Cassette Collection. Fridge Fashion. Insulation Initiative. Dew Deal.

The art of letterpress printing. James Earl Jones reads “The Raven.” “The year without summer” was great for Gothic horror. Huawei has introduced a trifold phone. The worst product name ever. The next trend in home décor: living furniture. An archive of audio cassette design. Good grief: “fridgescaping.” Traceable down insulation. Redesigning nail clippers. Trademarking “Mountain Time”? All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

The Target Report Annual Review—TTM August 2024 M&A Activity

Viewed from the perspective of M&A activity in the printing, packaging, and related graphic communication industries, the pandemic is finally firmly in the rearview mirror. Many printing and packaging businesses are doing well. However, there are some bumps in the road. Deal counts are down again, bankruptcies and non-bankruptcy closures have increased, and lenders have resumed pressuring poorly performing companies. Packaging is still the most active segment, but not close to the peak reached in 2022. The number of deals involving commercial print companies has increased for the second year in a row. Wide-format companies are showing up in greater numbers in our deal stats, while the number of direct mail companies selling or buying remains low.

Tech Highlight: Nine Digital Textile Printing Workflow Software Solutions for Accuracy, Efficiency, Speed, and Profitability

Looking for tools and solutions to increase efficiency and quality in textile printing? Look no further. Textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor Debbie McKeegan highlights nine software solutions that cater to the needs of digital textile print providers of all sizes, delivering tailored solutions to boost productivity, streamline workflows, and elevate profitability.

Why is Strategy Necessary?

If the goal of a business is to make money, both now and in the future, how does strategy help that happen? In the latest edition of bis Smart Strategy Insights Series, Wayne Lynn explains.

Technology Outlook: What’s the Future of Production Print?

Heidi Tolliver-Walker recaps last month’s Technology Outlook webinar on production print, which covered offset, toner, and inkjet.

Seaway Printing Is First with Nonstop Roll Splicing and Sheeting for Offset

It couldn’t be done until it was done by a Green Bay, Wis., printer with a keen eye for increasing press OEE and driving process improvement throughout the plant. Patrick Henry looks at how Seaway Printing boosted offset productivity with nonstop splicing and sheeting capabilities.

Remembering Bob Lindgren

Industry veteran Jim Olsen remembers his good friend and printing industry leader Bob Lindgren, who passed away on August 29.

Carbon Capture Dichotomy: Real Investments or Carbon Credits?

Two articles recently caught my attention relative to sustainability and carbon capture. Google and Microsoft are taking diametrically opposed actions. (And by the way, they are also collaborating on some initiatives!) In this article, we reiterate definitions of carbon offsets or credits and the most common ways it is implemented, as well as discuss the difference between investing in carbon capture or removal directly and through credits. Carbon capture is likely the fastest way to stem the tide of climate crisis, although it won’t happen overnight. There are some big projects underway, but many still need to reach scale and affordability. And they need to be done safely, ethically, and transparently.

Getting Ahead with Personalization: Key Trends for Print Businesses

In this article, sponsored by XMPie, Ayelet Szabo-Melamed from XMPie delves into the cutting-edge trends propelling personalization to the forefront of the print industry and highlights how print businesses can leverage these trends to stand out, engage customers more effectively, and achieve success in a competitive market.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Empower Your Wide Format Print Production with PrintFactory

Customer requirements for color accuracy, print quality, and turnaround times in wide-format printing are becoming more demanding. PrintFactory empowers wide-format printing workflows with its renowned support for thousands of devices and easy-to-implement color management capabilities. It continues to expand its ecosystem to include desktop and cloud-based software. Pat McGrew takes a close look.

June Shipments: An Unpleasant Surprise

June 2024 shipments came in at $7.22 billion, down from May’s $7.42 billion—an unexpected and unwelcome drop.

Around the Web: Cut Categorizing. Birthday Branding. Tech Tomes. Timber Towers. Bookish Burglar. Rapid Radiator. Sprinkler Sprayer. Doll Doughnuts.

What types of paper are best (or worst) for paper cuts? A simple quiz for gauging your color perception. Creating the identity for Jane Austen’s 250th birthday. An online archive of Radioshack catalogs. Milwaukee is building a second wooden skyscraper. An Italian thief stops to read a book mid-burglary. “Robot controlled by a king oyster mushroom blends living organisms and machines,” for your dystopian nightmares. A graphene radiator capable of heating a room in a few seconds. Lego is switching to renewable materials for its bricks. A mural artist who hacks lawn sprinklers to spray paint. Krispy Kreme is helping celebrate Barbie’s 65th birthday. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Getting Noticed with Direct Mail: Strategies for Success

Tried and true direct mail campaigns can still attract attention, but standing out involves more than simply showing up in a recipient’s mailbox. Citing recent research from Keypoint Intelligence, this article explores some of the strategies for direct mail that drives engagement and makes an impression.

Get Ready For ESPR: Time Is Ticking—A Must Read for All Textile Brands and Suppliers

In this article, written by Marwa Zamaray, European Climate Pact Ambassador, European Commission, and provided compliments of Debbie McKeegan, textiles expert and WhatTheyThink contributor, you’ll find an in-depth discussion of the EU’s new rulebook, in effect as of July 18, to make products more durable, reusable, repairable, and recyclable. The rules proposed under these rules will apply to all products placed on the EU market, whether produced inside or outside the EU. Take note if you are, or are planning to, sell your products in Europe!

The Goal Approach to Strategy

In the latest installment of the Smart Strategy Insights series, Wayne Lynn takes an in-depth look at the critical success factors that must be done well for businesses to make a solid profit.

Technology Outlook: Transformation of Labels and Packaging

Heidi Tolliver-Walker recaps last month’s WhatTheyThink webinar “Labels and Packaging Are Transforming,” part of the Technology Outlook Week LunchNLearn Webinar Series.

Is Your File Really Ready to Print?

Every printer has stories about the files they receive for production that are labeled as print ready but as they are onboarded it becomes clear that there are issues that will impact production. It is a gap that emerges because of the variety of composition and design tools in use, as well as the different print production methods in use. Let’s look at the differences between print ready and production ready files.

Sizing the Print Industry in Europe—Czechia

This bi-weekly series of short articles provides some country details on the size of the printing industry in Europe per country, especially tracking the number of printing establishments. This time we look at Czechia.

Innovate and Thrive: The Role of Personalization and Automation in Modern Print

Personalization in print is rapidly advancing, presenting opportunities for brands, enterprises and print shops. In this article, sponsored by XMPie, Scott Houck from XMPie highlights the growth of Variable Data Printing (VDP), the resurgence of direct mail, the impact of automation and omnichannel personalization, and the need for streamlined workflows and data-driven solutions to stay competitive.

Johnson’s World: Steve Tips His Hat

In the latest edition of Johnson’s World, Steve Johnson tips his hat to some direct mail marketing efforts that could have settled for being good, but instead went the extra mile to achieve greatness.

Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing Establishments—2010–2021

According to County Business Patterns, in 2021 there were 126 establishments in NAICS 322291 (Sanitary Paper Product Manufacturing). This category saw a net decrease in establishments of 11% since 2010. In macro news, the American Institute of Architects’ Architecture Billings Index (ABI) indicates that billings have declined for the 18th consecutive month.

Around the Web: Poster Parade. Tome Typing. Apian Anniversary. Flash Flames. Bicycle Breaks. Debunked Dodos. Space Snacks.

A gallery of classic movie posters. Hone your keyboard skills by retyping classic novels. What is the first recorded human voice? Celebrate Burt’s Bees’ 40th anniversary with some branded merch. Need a laugh? Use the Jokephone. Nxylon, a new super-black material that absorbs 99% of the light that hits it. Turn a flashlight into a flamethrower. Bicycles can now be hacked. New research reconsiders the dodo. Climate change is making seafood toxic. Doritos designed for zero gravity. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Got AI Image Generation? Sometimes You Should

If you haven’t yet tried AI image generation, here’s a fun fact you might not know: You can do more than simply create images. You can choose their style, as well.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DIGITAL & INKJET—Inkjet Options for Folding Cartons

Ralf Schlözer surveys the current state of inkjet printing on folding cartons.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK—Cool Tools with Mary Schilling

A round-up of interesting production products that Inkjet Insight contributor Mary Schilling saw on the show floor at drupa 2024.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: NEW & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES—Embracing Change: 10 Technologies Transforming the Print Industry

From digital manufacturing to automated workflows to robots on the shop floor, the last decade has witnessed a seismic shift in the print industry. Meanwhile, the introduction of AI solutions has captured the attention of millions of users. As a result, these technological revolutions have left many print service providers at a crossroads: adapt and thrive or resist and risk obsolescence. Joanne Gore explores the 10 technologies that have reshaped the industry, their impact, adoption patterns, challenges faced by printers, and practical tips to overcome the fear of new tech.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: LABELS & PACKAGING—Inkjet Options for Flexible Packaging Printing

Ralf Schlözer surveys the current state of inkjet printing on flexible packaging materials.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DISPLAY GRAPHICS—Mimaki Partners with Artists for Dynamic drupa Stand

Pat McGrew reported from Mimaki’s drupa stand that combined décor art, wearable art, and 3D art.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: NEW & EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES—Unlocking the Future: Printed Electronics

Contributor Pete Basiliere considers the print hardware technologies driving the growth of printed electronics and the market trends in this dynamic industry.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: SOFTWARE & WORKFLOW—Hybrid Software Drives Smart Print Factories

Hybrid Software today has grown organically and through the acquisition and integration of an extensive but synergetic group of companies. This has allowed them to build very complete and efficient solutions for both OEMs as well as PSP users. David Zwang explores how Hybrid software can control all aspects of print production.

Enfocus offers printers a brand new ball game at PRINTING United

Batter up! Enfocus is back and ready to knock it out of the park at PRINTING United in Las Vegas, Booth C113. This year, Enfocus is bringing the heat with its “Field of Automation."

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: SOFTWARE & WORKFLOW—Software Roundup: Atomyx, eProductivity Software, and Esko

Pat McGrew and Ryan McAbee round up three software solutions providers who were showing their products at drupa.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DIGITAL & INKJET—Larger Format Cutsheet Inkjet Has Arrived!

David Zwang rounds up the six new B2 and B1 cutsheet presses that were on display at drupa.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: LABELS & PACKAGING—Inkjet Options for Corrugated

Ralf Schlözer surveys the options available for inkjet printing on corrugated.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: BINDING & FINISHING—Müller Martini Reports Progress in Merger with Hunkeler

Patrick Henry reports on the state of the merger of Müller Martini and Hunkeler and how the joint venture is moving forward in an industry confronting challenges that oblige it to find new ways of doing business.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: BINDING & FINISHING—The Practical Guide to Mail Finishing Equipment Solutions

Pat McGrew offers some tips for evaluating mail finishing equipment.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: SUSTAINABILITY—Preparing for Sustainability Regulations: Evolving from Net Zero to Sustainability Management Systems

Pat McGrew and palamides marketing director Jonathan Graham discuss the pros and cons of “net zero,” the challenges of accurately gathering and reporting greenhouse gas emissions data, and the advantages of sustainability management systems.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: LABELS & PACKAGING—CloudLab’s printQ, packQ Simplify W2P Product Design

Patrick Henry looks at two Cloudlab tools—printQ and packQ—that simply web-to-print and web-to-pack.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DIGITAL & INKJET—Compact Inkjet Solutions Are Trending

While productivity, print quality, and cost typically top the list of criteria for evaluating inkjet presses, the size of the press also matters. For space-constrained shops, Elizabeth Gooding looks at options for smaller, “compact” inkjet presses.

Tales from the Database: Technology Outlook

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 installment rounds up some technology outlook-related challenges and investments, as well as our periodic question about the extent to which print businesses are looking to expand into new product areas.

Around the Web: Print Peril. Offline Onion. Toxic Tomes. Glass Guests. Inside Instruments. Plane Probe. Milk Mystery. Chicken Channel. Rice Room.

Another classic tech magazine shuts down its print edition. On the other hand, The Onion is re-launching theirs. Some books produced in the Victorian era contained toxic dyes. Glass bottles are not as sustainable as we think. Who’d’a thought staying in a glass hotel room would make one feel vulnerable. Stunning images taken of musical instrument interiors. Graphene-based 3D printing to be used in home construction. In search of the original Air Force One. Can thunderstorms spoil milk? Chick-fil-A is apparently launching a streaming service. A Rice Krispies Treat-themed hotel suite. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DIGITAL & INKJET—Inkjet Options for Label Presses

Ralf Schlözer surveys the options on the market for digital label printing.

PRINTING United 2024: You Really Can’t Afford to Miss It!

Drupa 2024 was a successful event according to exhibitors and attendees. It looks like this success will carry over to Printing United 2024 being held in Las Vegas, NV September 10-12, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. While they are both big events, they are different.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: OFFSET—Komori’s Line of Commercial, Digital, and Packaging Print Equipment

Patrick Henry looks at the latest printing equipment technologies Komori had on display at drupa 2024.

Artificial Intelligence: Current Impact and Future Potential

What’s really happening with artificial intelligence adoption among businesses? Keypoint Intelligence recently published an AI readiness survey of over 450 business leaders across various industries. This article provides some key observations from our survey data and helps paint a picture of AI’s current impact and future potential.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: SOFTWARE & WORKFLOW—The Practical Case for Intelligent Automation

Pat McGrew provides an overview of how Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are only two aspects of building workflow automation that brings efficiency to print operations. Integrating diverse threads is an essential element in building an automated print shop.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: DISPLAY GRAPHICS—Display Graphics and Signage at ISA, drupa, PRINTING United, and Beyond

drupa has never been a big show for display graphics and signage, and while there were companies showing their wide-format printers, major announcements are usually reserved for the ISA Sign Expo, FESPA and/or PRINTING United. Richard Romano looks back at some solutions on display in Düsseldorf and what to look for in Las Vegas.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: LABELS & PACKAGING—Flexo Is Converting for Packaging

Flexo continues to be the most cost-effective solution for mid- to long-run printed packaging output, driven by the increase in quality and the continued digitalization of the flexo press equipment. David Zwang looks at the latest technological developments in flexo.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: BINDING & FINISHING—Your Practical Guide to Researching Book Finishing

Pat McGrew looks at the factors to consider when shopping for book finishing equipment.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: OFFSET PRINTING—manroland Goss Combines High Tech with Passion

Mark Vruno looks at the web offset solutions manroland Goss was showing at drupa.

Value-Based Strategy

In the latest installment in the Smart Strategy Insights series, Wayne Lynn takes an in-depth look at how printing companies can create and grow their value by helping other members of their value chain: customers, employees, and suppliers, grow their value.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: SOFTWARE & WORKFLOW—The Practical Guide to AI and Platforms

Pat McGrew provides an overview of how intelligent automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are implemented in industry software solutions.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: BINDING & FINISHING—Horizon Bets on the Smart Factory

Pat McGrew looks at Horizon’s “smart factory” approach to finishing automation.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: LABELS & PACKAGING—Automating Box Converting Workflows

When we think about supporting the new demands in packaging converting, we usually focus on the printing, whether that is flexo, offset, digital or inkjet. While each of those technologies has evolved to address the new demands, the actual converting part has lagged behind. Until now. David Zwang explains.

Commentary & Analysis

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