Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Maximizing Your Recycled Waste Revenue

Sometimes waste is something to get rid of. Other times, it can make money. Depending on your situation it can be your choice. With a bit of time and effort as well as assigning responsibility it can pay you dividends.

Ipex 2014: Spotlight on London

The return of Ipex to London in March 2014 is adding up to be a welcome capital gain for exhibitors and visitors alike. In this guest article by Trevor Crawford (Event Director, Ipex 2014), we get the rundown on what to expect.

2014: It’s Time for Service Providers to Embrace Change (Part 1)

The most successful firms in today’s graphic communications market have taken strong traditional printing businesses with a solid customer base and evolved into multi-channel companies that are equally focused on print and integrated offerings. This article is the first in a three-part series on the top trends of 2014 that can help you grow revenues and profitability. It focuses on the opportunities that exist for service providers of all types and sizes.

Manage Your Future: Building Your Personal Brand

How are you described by your family, friends, colleagues and your clients? It should be pretty obvious that each of has a “personal brand”; a brand that should define your unique value to those around you. The real issue is whether or not you are pleased with your brand and how you manage it.

Harland Clarke and Valassis: There’s a Real Strategy in Play

So, why would a firm that started life as a check printer and that still focuses primarily on financial institutions spend $1.8B to buy a retail coupon and advertising printer?

A Visit by the Ghost of Printing Yet to Come

Predicting the future is easy; predicting what will happen next month is almost impossible. Prediction is especially difficult in the printing industry because we adapt technologies from other disciplines.

Social Media for PSPs: Get Linked Up and LinkedIn for Business Development

The explosive proliferation of social media is the hottest topic in marketing today. For print service providers (PSPs), it brings both intrigue and confusion: “Should our business be on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or Instagram? My kids are on Pinterest, Vine, Tumblr and Foursqure, so should my business be there, too? What am I supposed to do with Google+?”

New Printing Opportunities for Flexible Packaging Converters

Over the last decade digital printing has moved from a niche market to a high growth segment embraced by a large number of print service providers (PSPs) that acknowledge the added value and higher profits of digital. One of the results of the proliferation of digital technologies is a convergence of once separate activities.

Personalization Goes Mainstream

With a rapidly growing number of customers expecting their communication experiences to be tailored to their specific needs and wants, it’s more important than ever for companies to segment and personalize their marketing efforts. This article discusses how personalization tactics like data mining, audience segmentation, and predictive modeling now play a prominent role in driving e-mail marketing, content marketing, and online advertising.

Transaction Statement In-Plant Printers: A Perspective on their Needs

The number of transaction statement in-plant printers has been in decline for some time, due mainly to a decline in print volumes caused by suppression and more recently the effect of electronic bill presentment, which has become a default option for many who open a new financial or insurance account.

Is a box just a box? How packaging is impacted by the digital revolution.

Those who have been around the packaging industry can tell you that no one can predict its future. From experiments gone awry – like Jacques E. Brandenberger’s failed attempts at transparent tablecloths that ultimately resulted in the invention of cellophane in 1908.

Is Digital Printing for Corrugated Packaging; The Holy Grail or Third Rail?

My first exposure to digital printing for Corrugated Packaging occurred when I joined Inland Container. This occurred in late 2000, and Inland was in the process of developing a prototype digital press to evaluate the potential for digital printing in Packaging.

Need to Scale Your Sales? Invest in Marketing

The online world enables good online marketing to escort prospects through the sales process (know me, like me, trust me, and pay me). Online marketing is a path to scaling your sales reach.

Phoenix’s AZ Pro Uses Vehicle and Fleet Graphics to Keep on Truckin’

From so simple a beginning. Avondale, Ariz.’s AZ Pro Signs and Graphics, based just outside Phoenix, started nine years ago with a 21-inch plotter—and has seen no less than double-digit growth every year, even during the recession years.

Looking for extra Cash – check your Trash

Companies are always looking for ways to save money or reduce costs. The more you do the harder it is to find ways to improve the bottom line. Looking at your trash may not be the first area you investigate but it does offer the opportunity to reduce costs. The concept is to recycle/reuse/repurpose and reprocess all materials which had been “thrown into the dumpster”. This takes some time and effort as well as the cooperation of your employees. Done properly not only can it reduce your costs and lessen your environmental impact, it can increase your sales as well.

With Planning and Preparation, Commercial Printers Have a Growth Opportunity in Special Effects for Packaging and Labels

Commercial printers are increasingly examining the label and packaging market—and they like what they see. As digital technology lowers both the cost of entry and the learning curve for excellent execution, particularly in the area of special effects, the business benefits can be substantial.

Sizing Up Inkjet’s Paper Requirements

Sean Smyth of Digital Demand World, the publication for the digital print industry, looks at how paper grades are changing to meet inkjet requirements.

It’s Time to Think about Print to Mobile!

Technological advances have drastically changed the way people consume information. Today’s businesses must facilitate the movement between print and mobile formats to add value to communication. This article highlights how Roberts Communications is supporting consumers in the move toward mobile channels while still supporting print.

Really Great Deals! Eight Keys to Create One

Consolidation looks like the obvious play in a shrinking industry space: put two friendly competitors together, eliminate redundant / duplicative activities, pocket the savings and move along happily. Sounds simple and neat. Uh oh.

Digital Publishing Model for Magazines Gaining Steam

Recent data published by Adobe sheds light on what’s happening with digital magazine publications. Since the launch of Adobe DPS less than three years ago, more than 150 million Adobe-DPS powered digital publications have been downloaded and read on mobile devices. (Adobe DPS has 80% market share in digital magazine publishing). And more time is being spent with publications in digital form than in print. This is a trend our readers should be watching and looking for ways to capitalize on.

Printed Books versus eBooks: Telling the Story

Ricoh commissioned an I.T. Strategies study titled The Evolution of the Book Industry: Implications for U.S. Book Manufacturers and Printers. The study looks at the impact of ebooks on printed book volumes, reader preferences for print versus electronic formats and more. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with I.T. Strategies VP Marco Boer and Ricoh’s Worldwide Manager Inkjet Technologies, Mike Herold, to learn more.

What’s next for Digital Printing for Packaging?

The potential of digital print is broadening, and packaging companies are only just beginning to realise the benefits on offer in terms of personalisation, customer engagement and integration with online campaigns.

Transforming and Automating Workflows: Getting work into the plant Part One: A Trip Down Memory Lane

In Part one of this two part article, David looks at Some history of, and some of the solution types for getting work into your plant.

Heard the Buzz about Digital Print for Packaging?

If you’re a product marketer, packaging developer or brand manager, chances are that you’ve heard about digital print. But how much do you really know about it?

Wide-Format: Understanding the Hourglass

Since the highly-successful SGIA Expo, which took place a little more than a month ago, I’ve been putting some new thought into wide-format digital printing, trying to come up with a new way to describe the industry to those who are new to it, or have simply put a toe in our wide-format pool.

One Chance to Make a Good First Impression

B2B customers are more connected than ever, and this brings increased opportunities to reach prospective buyers with relevant, targeted information when they need it. This article discusses three areas of focus for service providers that are striving to make a good first impression.

Developing the Future Leadership for the Graphic Communication Industry

Cal Poly and NYU “East Meets West” Graphic Arts Partnership Approaches 10-Year Anniversary

Getting Into Wide-Format – A Commercial Printer’s Blueprint for Success

While the commercial printing industry has seen an overall decline in demand for print over the last 15 years, the demand for wide-format printed graphics is actually increasing. As a result, more and more commercial printers are looking at adding wide-format to their offerings.

Use Technology to Change Behavior

Technology promises great potential to create leverage in our business. Leverage isn’t created in the purchase of technology; real leverage comes from how the use of the technology changes the behavior of the people who use it.

HP Boise Hosts Print Days for Media

Last month, I had the opportunity to visit HP’s Boise offices along with other members of the media. While the session focused on print solutions for small to mid-sized businesses, many of the solutions we saw have implications for commercial printers.

Why Are Traditional Print Sales People Struggling With Business Development?

Traditional print sales professionals continue to struggle with the business development process and companies of all sizes are trying to figure out their next moves. Building a next generation sales team doesn’t have to be that difficult if you design an effective work flow process.

Customized W2P: the New Ingredient for Success in M&As

Pinpointing the characteristics that make some printing companies more economically attractive than others is the short version of the mission of New Direction Partners (NDP), a consultancy specializing in mergers and acquisitions in the graphic communications industry. Some of these earmarks are classic indicators of the health of a business: cash flow, accounts receivable, EBITDA, and so on. Others, however, stem from emerging trends that NDP monitors as M&A influencers for the industry as a whole.

Big Changes at Printing Industries of America

Last week, with no public announcement, the Printing Industries of America dismissed 15 employees with little or no notice, according to sources. Some had over 30 years of service to GATF, with whom PIA merged in the late 1990s.

Elli Cloots: Adding Value to Marketing at EFI

Elli Cloots, formerly Director of Product Marketing at Enfocus, recently joined EFI as Senior Product Marketing Manager in EPS, the company’s software group. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks with her about her new role and the importance of workflow and automation in the graphic arts industry.

Evaluating Performance of Today’s Digital Plate Technology

Industries worldwide are moving rapidly toward “green” operations, seeking to reduce environmental emissions, hazardous materials and waste streams, while at the same time striving to conserve energy and materials. In line with this trend, printing industry leaders have focused on improving the environmental aspects of their supply chain and operations to reduce waste and improve efficiency.

The Lean Startup: Lessons for a Print Service Provider

In today’s printing industry, uncertainty is the rule rather than the exception. Citing Eric Ries’ New York Times Bestseller entitled The Lean Startup, this article explores how print service providers can leverage the advice in this book.

Interstate Graphics Feels the Heat with New Thermoforming System

At the SGIA Expo in Orlando several weeks ago, EFI garnered a Product of the Year award for its GS Pro-TF thermoforming system. Interstate Graphics Inc. (IGI), based in Machesney Park, Ill.—just outside Rockford—was the first company to install the GS Pro-TF.

On-pack Traceability Points to Digital Print Future

Sean Smyth of Digital Demand World looks at digital print’s growing role in pack traceability.

Graphics Canada Marks Its 50th Anniversary By Looking to the Future of Print

Graphics Canada is held every two years and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To mark this milestone, says Dan Mustata, show manager for Graphics Canada, “we’ve brought together more features, more conferences, and more colocated events than ever.”

Digital Package Printing – The Value Proposition for the Brand Owner

With all the news chatter around digital printing for packaging coming out of Print 13 and Label Expo this fall I thought it appropriate to bring the readership some insights we have on the topic.

Transforming and Automating Workflows: Web to Print or getting work into the plant

David looks at how you get the work from your customer into your plant. What does web to print mean to you; and is it the answer to getting work into your plant, or are there multiple answers?

John Roberts Looks to HP Indigo 10000 to bolster digital print offerings

Minneapolis-based John Roberts has installed the first 7-color HP Indigo 10000 digital press in North America. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with CEO Michael Keene to delve into why the company made this decision and what they expect to achieve going forward.

A Focused Approach: The Key to Success for MSP Digital

Embracing a vertical market approach offers a number of benefits to the marketing and operations sides of a business. This article outlines the benefits of vertical marketing and explores how MSP Digital is profiting from this approach.

Strategic Content Imaging Uses Automation and Production Inkjet to Live Up to Its Name

It’s less about belts and gears and more about software,” says Ron Diaz, press operator at Secaucus, N.J.’s Strategic Content Imaging (SCI), summing up what he sees as one of the primary differences between digital production inkjet and traditional offset printing. “We have to move four gigabytes of data in a very short period of time.

Web-to-Print Technology: Enabling Speed and Collaboration for Printers and Customers

Web-to-Print is a concept that has grown rapidly, right along with the internet and e-commerce in general, and represents an efficient and effective way for printers to interact with customers and partners as they plan and execute print jobs. From submission, to online prepress previews and reviews, all the way to production, web-to-print enables customers and printers to use a variety of tools and rich user interfaces to produce impressive results.

First Customer-Sited Demo Facility for Kodak Is a North Carolina Printing Company More than Worthy of the Distinction

When Walter Payne entered the printing business from another career, he knew he’d want to do more than printing. Today, his company is so multi-functional that Kodak is using part of the plant as a demo facility for some of its most advanced digital production technologies.

SGIA Expo 2013 Review: Continuing Strong Display Graphics Demand, with a Focus on Production

The SGIA show held in Orlando this year gave evidence of continuing strong demand for inkjet printed display graphics, and increasingly also for production inkjet textile print and decorative output.

Making a Difference with QR Codes

A recent Scanbuy report indicates that mobile barcode marketing continues to attract a global crowd of consumers as well as leading brands. This article provides key takeaways from Scanbuy’s study and discusses the ways in which QR codes are being used to make a difference.

SGIA Wraps Up Successful Orlando Expo

At the beginning of day one of the SGIA Expo, SGIA President Michael Robertson had announced a pre-registered attendee count of around 21,000. By Friday morning, the third and final day of the Expo, the count had topped 22,400.

What Goes Up Must Come Down…In Weight

Postal rates in the United States are going up again. I think it’s pretty safe to assume that wherever you are, they have done the same or will in the near future. That is a bigger deal for some than for others. For those in the direct mail business, for companies that mail transactional statements, and for print providers that serve those industries, it is a really big deal.

Bill Lowe, Father of the IBM PC, Dies at Age 72

William C. Lowe, who supervised the creation of IBM’s first personal computer and went on to hold executive roles at Xerox, NEBS, Moore and Gulfstream, passed away on October 19th. He was 72.

What Will RRD Acquisition Mean for CGX Businesses?

The announcement of the intent on the part of RR Donnelley to acquire Consolidated Graphics sent a few shock waves through the industry. What will it mean for the 70+ CGX locations and its more than 5,000 employees?

Interview with Benny Landa about the Announcement of Komori as a Strategic Partner

Last Friday, Landa announced a strategic relationship with Komori for the manufacture of the transport systems for all of Landa’s sheetfed systems, the first being the S10FC. Kevin spoke with Benny to get a bit more information on this topic.

Screen USA Hosts Media Day to Showcase Digital Printing Advances

I recently joined about 30 of my press and analyst colleagues at a media event held at Screen USA headquarters in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Parent company Dainippon Screen celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. Screen USA used the event as an opportunity to bring the press and analyst community up to date on its latest product offerings with a peek into its strategic future. Is there a new trend here among Japanese companies in our industry?

Where is Digital headed for Folding Cartons?

Eighteen months is a long time in the world of politics, consumer electronics, the growth of an infant and the gain or decline of a 401K but in the development of digital printing solutions for folding cartons that time is not so long at all.

New Revenue Streams for Newspapers

Newspapers and the companies that publish them are facing a fundamental business transformation. The ways people choose to get their news have changed a lot in the last four centuries, so publishers have had to adapt to those changes and embrace new opportunities in news delivery to uncover different opportunities for revenue sources.

The Cross-Media Beat Goes On

Seismic shifts have left marketing executives in a very different landscape from what they faced just a few years ago. Savvy print service providers must assess how they can fit in the continuum of today’s more lucrative marketing value chain.

RRD & CGX — The Strategy Behind the Buzz

Over the last few days, I've been asked more than a dozen times for my take on RR Donnelley’s pending acquisition of Consolidated Graphics (CGX). Frankly, I have been surprised by the number of people who found the announcement puzzling. And most of the speculation has suggested that it’s purely a defensive move on RRD’s part in the face of declining industry sales volume.

Print MIS System Transition: A Challenge and a Great Opportunity

Transitioning your Print MIS system is a mission-critical project and also a great opportunity to re-think your business operations and optimize the functionality of the new system.

Dainippon Screen Joins the Push for What It Sees as the Irresistible Rise of Inkjet

Dainippon Screen wants to be a major part of the conversation about the rise of inkjet and the fall of old assumptions about print production. But, as inkjet comes to the fore, the conversation could get uncomfortably blunt for some.

Soft Signage: Ready for the Mainstream?

Digital textile printing began in earnest in the 1990s, but technology, market, and supply chain challenges have kept it from going truly mainstream. However, all of these challenges—technology, market, and even supply chain—are gradually being overcome, and digital textile printing.

Social Media: Content Counts!

Companies of all types are increasing their budgets for blogs, whitepapers, videos, Webinars, and other types of content marketing campaigns. This article examines how service providers are using social media across a number of platforms to effectively share content and differentiate their businesses in the eyes of their customers.

SGIA Highlights the "Shining Star" of the Printing Industry—Day 1: The Quickening

Day 1 of SGIA and WhatTheyThink is on the ground in Orlando and Richard Romano has you covered with the latest from the show as we kick off what is said to be near record crowds.

Getting the Most from Your Press Rollers

Rollers are intended to last a long time. Proper care and maintenance will insure good print quality and reduced costs. This article talks about some of the factors that affect roller life.

BoSacks Speaks Out: A Review of PRIMEX NYC

In Esquire's October issue, I read a quote from Arthur Miller that reminded me of the publishing industry in general, and of my experience at PRIMEX last week. "Fear, like love, is difficult to explain after it has subsided, probably because it draws away the veils of illusion as it disappears."

Transforming and Automating Workflows: Marketing Campaign Automation

David looks at Marketing Campaign process automation. This is a new and interesting area that can help support a Print Service Provider transformation into a Marketing Services Provider business model, and potentially integrate into an automated print production workflow.

Social Media: Building Relationships

Social networks, communities, blogs, forums, and friends/followers are useful from a brand-building and marketing perspective. This article explores some of the ways that print service providers are building out their business-to-business social strategies.

The Role of Print in an Omni-channel World

Patrick Martell, CEO of St Ives Group and the new President of Ipex 2014, looks at print and the important role it will continue to play in the world of marketing in an omni-channel environment

How Would You Sell Against Yourself in Your Largest Client?

When I interview print sales representatives and ask them why their customers do business with them, they almost always say because we have a great relationship, our service is great, and our people are great. Relationship selling is a very common way to sell.

RICG Makes a Good B2B Web Presence a Reality

New York City-based RICG recently rebuilt its Website, and the company is clearly optimized to appeal to B2B marketing executives. This article covers the key areas that RICG addressed during its quest to make a good B2B Web presence a reality.

Digital Textile Inkjet Printing: On a Roll

Digital inkjet printing technology offers many advantages for soft signage and other types of textile printing—but the old supply chain is making further adoption difficult.

Change, Choice, and Leadership

Half of the printing companies that were in business in 1995 are gone. We are losing 1,000 to 1,500 more per year. And…since those firms are gone, i.e., they didn’t survive; it seems likely that they failed to change in some way that might have led to their survival.

Electronic Statements: The Times, They Are a’Changing …

Bills are necessary, and necessarily a little boring … or maybe not. A great deal is happening in the electronic statement realm and it is pretty exciting stuff.

Selling: It’s More Than Showing Up!

A first sales call is a make-or-break situation that only happens once. Prospects expect sales people to show up PREPARED and understand their unique needs. This article offers practical steps to harness Internet resources to learn a prospect’s business, marketplace, and key pain points.

As Interior Décor Experiences Record Growth, Smart PSPs Seize Opportunity

In recent years, we have seen explosive growth in the interior décor market with digital décor increasing at a rate of more than 20 percent year-over-year .

Neopost USA: A Conversation with CEO Dennis LeStrange

At PRINT 13, Neopost USA unveiled an interesting cloud-based Delivery Preference Manager (DPM) solution designed to help companies manage customer delivery preferences. A little over a year after Neopost S.A.’S acquisition of GMC Software Technology, we checked in with Dennis P. LeStrange President & CEO of Neopost USA to find out more about DPM, what else is new at Neopost and look into the impact of the GMC acquisition.

68 Great Wide-Format Opportunities (and One Donut)

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to attend a major printing trade show in Chicago—you may have been there as well. A quick take on the show is that it was well-executed and well-attended, but smaller than we’ve come to think the quadrennial Print event should be.

10 Tips For Smart Purchasing

This article includes tips for saving money and improving your operational excellence by using all your resources – especially your vendors. Areas covered include: consumables, freight, paper, and recycled waste. By picking one or two of these ideas you can improve your operation and lower your costs.

It’s Time to “Disrupt” Traditional Thinking

There is a lot of talk in the printing industry about transforming and changing business models based on new technologies. Luke Williams’s book Disrupt: Think the Unthinkable to Spark Transformation in Your Business offers a five-stage process for practicing the disruptive thinking needed to facilitate change. This article highlights key points in the book and real-world examples of printing firms disrupting the status quo.

Update from Benny Landa on Digital Press for Folding Cartons

Print 13 started out very nicely for me as my first official meeting was a breakfast meeting on Sunday morning with Benny Landa and three of my “packaging” colleagues.

From the Web to a Label

With run sizes per print job going down and the variety of labels going up, new solutions are needed to supply label printers an affordable, efficient option. The concept of using the Internet as a custom printing-enablement tool is based on a high degree of automation coupled with the benefits of digital color printing

A Passive Print Business Doesn’t Work Anymore (Be Assertive)

The default for decades has been, when you want to communicate something (a marketing message, information, education, compliance message, etc.) you contacted your printer and discussed the timeframe, manufacturing specifications, and quantities. Printers could be passive

Transforming and Automating Workflows: Workflow Dominates Print13 Part Two

In part two of this article, David looks at new and updated MIS/ERP business management systems that were introduced at Print13 in Chicago.

Transforming and Automating Workflows: Workflow Dominates Print13 (Part One)

In this article, David looks at many new production workflows solutions that were introduced at Print13 in Chicago. Due to the sheer volume of new announcements, this is Part One of two articles covering this new product review.

Wide-Format Goes Mainstream at Print 13

Wide-format printing has always been an endeavor for the highly creative, and it would be hard to find someone more creative than Armstrong.

Some Ways to Make Them Say, “I Didn’t Know They Could Do That with Print!”

Print has abundant possibilities as a creative medium—an attribute that deserves more attention from creatives than it sometimes gets.

Apple Holds Out on NFC Enablement in New iPhone

Apple unveiled its new flagship device, the iPhone 5S, along with a cheaper model. To the disappointment of many, the devices do not support NFC (near field communications). This article highlights NFC and the alternative Apple is pursing, wireless transmitters called beacons.

Murders and Accusations or “Why not to do a deal at all.”

No, that title isn’t a typo. Mergers and acquisitions are getting lots of attention again. That means mine will probably be the most contrarian voice on the subject. Over the past 14 years, I’ve watched 8 different deals up close. So let me apologize in advance: I’m not a fan of mergers or acquisitions. Here’s why..

MPA and Adobe Work to Standardize Engagement Metrics for Digital Publications

Adobe, MPA, 4As and a group of publishers collaborated to develop a set of metrics to standardize the measurement of engagement for digital publications. Previously there were a variety of inconsistent measurement methodologies with no standard reports and varying metrics. Hear what MPA’s Ethan Grey and Adobe’s Lynly Schambers-Lenox have to say about these new standardized audience metrics for digital publications.

In the Print M&A Marketplace, Amateurs and Generalists Need Not Apply

You’ve placed your company's future into the hands of a self-styled M&A adviser. But do you truly understand what your agent’s qualifications are and where the relationship is going to take you?

PRINT 13 Exceeds Expectations

PRINT 13 was held September 6-10 at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. This article provides a brief overview of just some of the hardware and software announcements that greeted visitors on the show floor.

No Matter What Its Critics Say, Print Is Doing Just Fine, Thank You

Ah, the travails of traditional media. Who among us hasn’t stifled a groan, or at least a yawn, upon being reminded by the digerati that the path ahead for print leads nowhere else but down?

Determined to “Prosper” in Digital Print, AGS Turns to Kodak Inkjet Web Press

The centerpiece of digital production at AGS Print & Marketing Communications is an inkjet web press with a combination of capabilities that the president of the company calls “marketing’s Holy Grail” for print.

Kodak Proclaims, “We Are Ready” for Whatever Life after Chapter 11 May Bring

On Kodak’s first full day in business after emerging from bankruptcy, Antonio Perez, its chairman and CEO, detailed the company’s plans to rebuild its stature as a supplier of technology solutions in a narrower cross-section of markets than it once served.

Maximizing the Retail Shopping Experience with Signage

Capturing consumers’ attention while they are in a store is critical, and this often involves blending signage with mobile technology. This article discusses some of the ways that today’s retailers are accomplishing this goal.

Adobe PDF Print Engine 3: The Next Step in Digital Printing Efficiency

On September 5th, Adobe announced the Adobe PDF Print Engine 3 (APPE3), bringing significant enhancements to its RIP architecture that enable its OEM partners to stay current with digital printing market demands. WhatTheyThink Senior Editor Cary Sherburne and WhatTheyThink Contributor David Zwang collaborated on this analysis of the anticipated impact of APPE3’s market entry.

Investigating Wide-Format Markets & Products

The information included in this article is a short summary of the data presented in SGIA’s soon-to-be-released 2013 Market Trends & Product Specialties Benchmarking Report. The data presented is culled from the responses of 136 U.S. sign and graphics producers, and provides an excellent snapshot of the graphics and sign segment today. A full report will be available on SGIA.org later this year.

Fuji XMF Workflow

Workflows have been around since the start of computer to plate, when the printing industry looked much different than today. The convergence of offset and digital as well as the other cross media applications has made a streamlined workflow more important than ever. Fujifilm has recently developed a whole new workflow called XMF. This has allowed them to build their software based on today’s needs.

Resilience and Perseverance in this Time of Change

Resilience and perseverance are crucial behavioral competencies when individuals and organizations must overcome significant obstacles. The capacity to be flexible as well as demonstrate the range of responses to adversity will dramatically impact our level of future success. One of senior management’s responsibilities is to ensure that during these transitional times we surround ourselves with the people that approach these challenges with the most appropriate behavioral competencies.

Engaging Consumers and Transforming Them into Brand Advocates

A number of tools and resources are emerging that help maximize social Web presence, including techniques for rewarding social influencers to promote products and services. This article discusses industry players that are driving customers to become powerful marketing assets.

Commentary & Analysis

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