Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Who’s Going to IPEX?

A major piece of news in recently has been the decision of HP not to exhibit at IPEX. Andy gives his opinion on why he thinks this decision was made.

Recovery Indicators Take an Interesting Wrong Turn

The recovery continues to limp along, and then the Commerce Department says that May printing shipments were just incredibly good. Sure, they tease us a few weeks ago by yanking $600 million in shipments from the first quarter in their annual revision, and now it looks like someone may have snuck them back into May when they thought no one was looking. Dr. Joe explains it all, including a great way to get back to sleep when insomnia hits.

Outlook for Digital Printing for Packaging

Digital Printing for Packaging is growing quickly; by 2016 it will be worth nearly $12.2 billion, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.6% during 2011–16. This equates to 37 billion A4 prints in 2011 and 75.9 billion in 2016. The growth is driven by the changing demands of packaging buyers – more varieties and pack sizes is fragmenting the market, leading to shorter runs that digital technology can produce economically

Clean and Simple: FlexoConcepts Offers Uncomplicated Solution for Better Washups

With its microprocessors, relays, sensors, and software, a modern printing press is a marvel at squeezing time and cost out of production runs. But, one maker of press cleaning accessories contends that these complex systems can still get a big helping hand in a key press function from a simple but strategically placed strip of durable plastic.

Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at IMPIKA

In this thirteenth article of the series, David looks at IMPIKA, its production inkjet offerings and applications.

A Tour of Canon’s Suzhou facility

WhatTheyThink recently joined other editors and analysts on a media tour of Canon’s production facility in Suzhou, China. The visit was part of a second leg of a trip that included a visit to the company’s Tokyo headquarters. The plant tour in Suzhou was an opportunity to see the Canon production system up close.

New President of Sharp Imaging and Information shares vision of future for Sharp

Doug Albregts has been President of Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA) since November 2012. He talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about why he chose Sharp and the company’s prospects.

CEO Fujio Mitarai and Canon Host US Media Tour

WhatTheyThink recently joined other editors and analysts on a media tour to Canon’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. There, we were given a unique opportunity to hear from Canon Chairman & CEO Fujio Mitarai on his “5 Year Plan” strategy that focuses on reforming production and a profitable position in the markets they serve.

Symcor: Being Strategic in Re-tooling Workflow

Erika Andersen’s book entitled Being Strategic: Plan for Success, Out-think Your Competitors, Stay Ahead of Change explains how to approach business in a strategic manner. This article highlights tips from the book and provides a real-world example of how Symcor is re-tooling its business to become more strategic.

HP and IPEX 2014: The Full Story

HP surprised the printing industry when the news came out last week that the company had decided not to exhibit at Ipex 2014, which is moving from its long-time location in Birmingham to new digs in London. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with HP’s Sumeer Chandra to get a better understanding of what was behind this decision, and also includes an official statement from IPEX.

Look Before You Leap

Developing a business plan focused on the needs of your market is more critical now than ever to help you stay in business. Rapid advances in technology give you more options on how to grow and take your business forward. Equipment and service decisions need to be driven by your market needs – not your competition.

Think Patented Buys Big at drupa

We’ve heard the vendor reports about drupa successes and seen the press releases rolling out. But there is nothing better than speaking directly to buyers. Think Patented bought big at drupa and Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Chairman and Managing Partner Niels Winther and CEO and Managing Partner, Ken McNerney to find out more.

Xerox CMO Christa Carone Discusses How to Engage Marketing Executives

Barb Pellow recently had the opportunity to interview Christa Carone, Chief Marketing Officer at Xerox. This article offers highlights from the interview, including key challenges that service providers face and how to address these challenges head-on.

Packaging at drupa 2012: Some Out-of-the-Box ideas!

While drupa isn’t technically a packaging show, there were many packaging solutions on display and a great deal of interest in the segment on the part of visitors. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne reviews a few of the new development she came across as she traversed the many halls in Messe Dusseldorf during her 12 days of drupa …

Embrace Software (Just Like You Did with Manufacturing)

Software is the tool to remain relevant and integrated with the new communication methods. The print industry’s future will depend on embracing software like we did manufacturing – creating new reasons to print and optimizing and integrating existing applications.

Toshiba's No-Print Day is Awkward and Scandalous, But Don’t Let It Divert You from Bigger Trends

The industry's hackles have been raised by Toshiba's No-Print Day, and it's ironic that the company picks a date with some historical importance for print to hold the event. Toshiba's thinking needs to be confronted, but engagement with their audiences is a more important action for our associations and our businesses.

Postal Vision 2020 v2.0; USPS Strategy Opportunity as a “Platform”

The second Postal Vision conference drew 150 attendees to Washington DC’s L’Enfant Plaza Hotel. This was two Metro stops from the real decision makers, i.e., Congress and the United States Postal Service. No one from Congress could squeeze it in but USPS’ new Digital Solutions President and Strategic Planning Manager were in attendance as well as representatives of the two primary Postal Unions for the two-day duration.

Toshiba – Greenwashing Company of the Year

We often get some rather stupid approaches by companies trying to put out marketing messages to enhance their position in the eyes of potential consumers. Sometimes these approaches show just how stupid marketing people can be and in fact show just how little they know of the real situation in the market.

NBS: Celebrating 40 Years of Adding Value for Customers

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, NBS started out as a data entry service provider. This article explores how the company transformed itself into a digital printing and mailing services expert by positioning for future growth.

M&A Mythbusting: Just How Good an Investment Is a General Commercial Printing Business?

Some think that general commercial printing companies aren’t worthy targets for acquisition by other printing firms. That’s a major misperception, say the M&A experts of NDP.

An Economic Update You Won't See in the Press

Economic conditions are being twisted and distorted by the long-held biases of the business press. The charged political climate of an election year fans passions that magnify momentary small and nearly meaningless changes in economic data into cataclysms or triumphs. You have to step back to see what's really happening, or not happening. Small businesses can't choose economic conditions, but they can choose their means of navigation.

drupa Post-Show Report: Around the Messe in 50 Tweets

This time, instead of a long-form review of product announcements at drupa 2012, here are the highlights in a format that many of us are getting accustomed to: Tweetable bursts of 140 characters or less.

IWCO Direct: Being Direct Works!

We hear a lot about companies transforming themselves into marketing services organizations, but IWCO Direct provides a great model for success. This article provides a brief overview of IWCO Direct’s history and explains how the company is taking an integrated approach to truly transform itself.

Digital Printing at drupa – Part 2

In my last article, I covered what I felt were the key trends in digital printing at drupa. In this article I want to look at some of the trends and try to put them into context in the market.

Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at MGI

In this twelfth article of the series, David looks at MGI, its production inkjet offerings and applications.

Stop Selling Stuff & Start Adding Value

Within the great majority of companies today, the practice of sales as a business discipline has become at best ineffective - and in many cases flat-out obsolete.

Attention Graph Expo Exhibitors: Please, Not More of the Same!

Coming off of a press conference extravaganza at drupa, WhatTheyThink’s Senior Editor Cary Sherburne challenges Graph Expo exhibitors to change the press conference game. (And feature more customers in their booths!)

Marketing Services: How Much Should You Charge?

Earlier in 2012, Mike Moniteiro published a book entitled Design is a Job. Although this book is targeted toward the design community, its lessons also resonate with organizations that are attempting to add marketing services to their offerings. In this article, Barb Pellow describes how service-oriented businesses can leverage the principles in this book to become marketing service providers.

The Hybrid drupa

With drupa behind us, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne takes a retrospective look at this landmark drupa and dubs it the “Hybrid drupa.” What does she mean by that? It’s more than print engines! Read on …

The Future of Inkjet Printing – post drupa review

Inkjet printing will grow from a $33.4 billion market in 2011 to $67.3 billion in 2017, according to new research from Smithers Pira. Dr. Sean Smyth, consultant at Smithers Pira, provides an overview of the latest trends in inkjet printing, including developments from drupa.

Who Makes Your Purchasing Decisions?

Organizations have reduced staff due to a drop in sales and the recession. How is purchasing structured in your organization? Now is the time to review your structure, personnel and process for purchasing in your organization and set your objectives.

Inkjet: Taking Care of Business at Webcom

With the technologies now available, book manufacturers can respond to critical market trends and support the increased need for digital book manufacturing. This article provides a brief overview of the changes that are occurring in the book printing/publishing market and explores how companies like Webcom are facilitating these changes.

Digital Printing at drupa – Part 1

Looking back over what appears to be a very successful drupa one can see all the new announcements in both analog and digital printing and hopefully can put them into context.

New words for a new print world

The vocabulary of print is changing. Our language in the printing industry is now beset with many new concepts and technologies. We need a common lexicon to help define and communicate.

Two State-of-the-Industry Briefings at drupa Give Equal Reason for Optimism and Concern

“We need to be in the outcome business, not the output business,” said a printing executive at drupa. “They trust you,” said a senior spokesman for a vendor about the underlying strength of printer-customer relationships. Both presentations were rich in insights about the state of print markets and the prospects that printers will discover in them.

Running Toward Confusion is Good Advice

Dr. Joe is frequently asked questions at conferences, webinars, and by e-mail from around the world that sometimes turn into columns. This week, as a result of some of those questions, he explains why confusion is good, misconceptions start with ourselves, not others; how digital natives affect the workforce; and other matters. And then, there are those seemingly innocent news items that he puts into a different context. That Dr. Joe... he makes your head hurt sometimes.

Special drupa Recognition

Back home from drupa 2012 and preparing to write some insightful articles about the show, the announcements and what it means for our industry over the next four years, so watch for those. Hint of what’s to come: for me, this was the Hybrid drupa. But first I wanted to offer some special recognition from a journalist’s perspective.

Tukaiz: Deploying Drucker’s Principles of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

In 1985, Peter Drucker published a book entitled Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Although Drucker’s book is nearly 30 years old, its lessons remain relevant. In this article, Barb Pellow discusses how Tukaiz, a supplier of quality marketing communication products and services, is putting Drucker’s principles of Innovation and Entrepreneurship into practice.

You Closed the Deal—What’s Next? Here Are the Steps To Take Now That the Ink Is Dry

Inking the merger of two printing companies is the formality that signals the beginning of the hard part: implementation. Methodical planning and careful communication can go a long way toward smoothing the transition.

The “Half of All Workers Don't Pay Taxes” Mantra is Starting to Get Taxing

You've heard it many times from many quarters: “Half of all workers don't pay taxes.” Dr. Joe has gotten tired of hearing this and offers a different perspective. He explores who actually pays taxes, why what you commonly hear about taxes is always out of context, and how the benefits of tax avoidance are immediate, predictable, and risk-free. That's exactly what the economy does not need. Everyone will find something to dislike in this column.

Q&A with InnerWorkings CEO Eric Belcher

Chicago-based InnerWorkings, a print procurement and management company, reported on May 3 record first quarter 2012 financial results. CEO Eric Belcher briefly talked with WhatTheyThink about his company, waste and duplication in printing, and offered some business advice.

Highcon: Finishing the Box at drupa!

The cutting and creasing of carton board to create the physical form of a package has historically been a bottleneck. While the graphical elements of a package can be created, approved, and printed in hours or days, cutting and creasing can add weeks to the process. Highcon addressed this issue head-on with the introduction of its Euclid production-speed digital cutting and creasing machine at drupa 2012.

Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? My exit interview

In this article of the series, David shares some observations on drupa, a look at some of the inkjet announcements, potential implications, and offerings.

First Reactions to drupa 2012: Searching for a “Big Picture” of the Big Show

What were the principal take-aways from drupa 2012? What was new and exciting in the exhibit halls? Where is the industry headed? We’re sifting our notebooks for the answers. In the meantime, here are some broad observations about the character and “feel” of the show.

The New Liquid Toner Generation

While most of the attention at drupa has been concentrated on the subject of B2 sheet fed inkjet presses, and also on the impact of Benny Landa’s new Nanographic Printing Process, there has been another major development that has stayed somewhat under the radar.

Latest Information on Landa's Nanographic Printing

Catch up on the latest information, videos and exclusive reports about Landa's nanographic printing platform.

Everything you wanted to know about UV Lamps

UV curing technology is seeing increased use in the printing industry, primarily for inks and coatings. UV lamps are a high performance component of the drying system. Proper maintenance as well as shopping around for sources can help you get the most from these systems.

Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? Initial notes from the field

In this article of the series, David takes an initial look at some of inkjet announcements, potential implications, and offerings???

The Prime Group: Transforming Business

Originally founded as a traditional offset printer, Prime Group has evolved into a provider of value-added items such as personalized products and cross-media marketing services. This article provides an overview of how Prime Group transformed itself into one of the U.K.’s leading providers of customized and personalized specialty items.

Package Printing to Be a Highlight of KBA’s drupa Presentations

Much of the activity at KBA’s stand in Hall 16 at drupa will center upon packaging, an application in which the company has always claimed a competitive edge. At drupa, KBA will reassert the claim with systems it describes as engineered to meet today’s highest-priority requirements in packaging production.

Xerox at drupa 2012 and Beyond

As we rapidly approach drupa 2012, WhatTheyThink Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talked with Jeff Jacobson, president, Xerox Global Graphic Communications, to find out what Xerox is up to and what we can expect to see at drupa and beyond.

The Perfect Invention

Pricing for standard printing jobs is typically a cost plus scenario, however when you are selling solutions you have the option to price based on value and then get your fair share of the value you create. You just need a way to figure out what the value is to your client we'll show you a simple tool for making that calculation.

Landa to Give New Life for Offset Iron

As drupa prepares to open its doors to the public, I am wondering if two announcements in the past week may indicate a major change in the printing industry, and also a new lease of life for two of the leading offset press vendors.

Mohawk Reinvention: Tom O’Connor, Chairman & CEO Speaks Out

Following the mid-April announcement by Mohawk about its reinvention plans, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Thomas D. O’Connor, Jr., the company’s Chairman & CEO, to dig deeper.

Xerox and the Cloud: Deb Cantabene Talks About Forward Strategy

There is no question that drupa 2012 will be an inkjet drupa, where inkjet technologies really begin to come into their own. But it will also be a “cloud computing” drupa. We have already seen a major announcement from Adobe, and many more companies are moving in that direction, including Xerox. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talks with Xerox’s Deb Cantabene to find out more about the company’s cloud strategy.

What I Learned at the Océ Direct Mail Summit

We were invited as the guest of Océ to participate in their recent Direct Mail Summit in Boca Raton, Florida. The agenda was focused on understanding how to generate more direct mail business and included both Océ executives and industry experts.

At drupa, KBA’s RotaJET 76 Digital Inkjet Press Will Reveal Deep Roots in Web Offset Production

KBA’s venture into digital printing with its new RotaJET 76 inkjet web press has origins in a market that the company knows well: high-volume offset web production.

Promoting Your Large Format Business in a Digital World

In today’s economy, getting the most out of your marketing dollars requires a smarter and more creative approach. With a little bit of creativity, wide format providers can leverage public relations, innovative Websites, networking, customer education, and social media to reach customers and grow their businesses. This analysis provides five key strategies for promoting your business.

New Screening Technology to Enhance Your Business

These days when print is so competitive, printers need to be able to utilize technology to make them stand out from their competition. Andy looks at a new screening technology that may save money, improve productivity and enhance quality.

Another drupa is Upon Us... Now What?

Dr. Joe tells us what drupa and other trade shows mean to the new capital investment patterns of our industry. He thinks capital investments are becoming more tactical than strategic, more continuous than discrete. This is a problem, because “capex” often locks in a vision of media markets, making it harder to adjust to market changes. Just what we need: Dr. Joe having visions again.

At drupa, Social Media Will Help Xerox Share the Experience

When Xerox exhibits at drupa, its presence won’t be limited to stand A62 in hall 8b. Throughout the show, the company intends to maintain an equally high profile in the realm of social media as it attempts to viralize not just its own drupa experience but the pulse and the intelligence of the event as a whole.

How a 1987 Joint Venture Might Have Changed Digital Printing History

In this WhatTheyThink exclusive, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne tells the story of DX Imaging, a DuPont/Xerox joint venture founded in 1987, that might have changed printing history.

Looking for a Big Opportunity? Think Large Format!

Commercial printers and in-plants are adding large format capabilities, and many report that this move has enabled them to capture additional marketing dollars from new and existing customers. Large format is increasing in importance because it has become a key customer touchpoint for marketers of all sizes. This article takes a closer look at the wide format market opportunity.

Digital Presses at drupa: Delphax, HP, Kodak, Komori, Landa, Presstek, Ryobi, Xeikon

In this Part Two of her pre-drupa overview, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne reviews some of the new digital presses visitors to drupa will be able to see. It is not, by any means, an exhaustive list … while this is being called the inkjet drupa redux, there are also very interesting announcements in the toner space as well.

Vistaprint Revisited: New Acquisitions

WhatTheyThink profiled Vistaprint in January 2011and the company has made some notable acquisitions since then, so we are taking an updated look at what has been in development. Conclusion? Vistaprint is still charging ahead.

KBA Prepares for drupa in Confident, Customer-Focused Frame of Mind

Every four years, the international printing community gathers at drupa and asks itself a question: How are we doing? The Koenig & Bauer Group (KBA) believes that if every vendor’s experience over the last few years had been as positive as its own, the collective answer would have to be: Never better.

High-Profile Industry Figure in Latest Role: Frank Steenburgh, a.k.a “DocuFrank,” Joins NDP as Partner

It would be impossible to speak for very long about the evolution of digital printing without bringing Frank Steenburgh’s name into the conversation.

Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? Are you prepared to acquire production inkjet? Part 2

In this 11th and final article of the series, David looks at how to make sense of and apply the information he has presented to make informed purchasing decisions.

Gearing up for drupa: Workflow news from Chili Publisher, Enfocus, Esko, HP, Kodak, Xeikon and X-Rite Pantone

March was a pre-drupa whirlwind for many of us journalist/industry analyst types. No one can attend all of the events, but it seemed like I had more than my share. I will be breaking my report up into three parts … the first will focus on the softer side—color management, workflow, etc. Stay tuned for additional information on new digital presses, finishing and more. Companies covered here: Chili Publisher, Enfocus, Esko, HP, Kodak, Xeikon and X-Rite Pantone

In-Plants: “The Times They Are A-Changin’”

In just in the past few months, the print service operations at the University of North Carolina and Johns Hopkins University made headlines by shutting their doors. Printing is declining, so the volume of work has dropped. More and more of work is being done electronically. The small-run printing that most universities need is being completed with digital equipment, basically high-end digital copiers. In-plants need to change with the times if they hope to survive.

Hybrid Printing at drupa

One of the key trends we are seeing today is the rise of the hybrid printing system. This is where a mix of printing technologies are used on a press or finishing system to allow for adding variable data to offset or flexo printed content.

Surviving “the Printing Industry’s Perfect Storm”—and Its Aftermath

A “perfect storm” of change has transformed the printing industry, and every traditional printing operation caught in it faces the same decision: either issue a Mayday and sell the boat, or do nothing and watch the ship sink.

Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at Delphax

In this tenth article of the series, David looks at Delphax, and its new production inkjet offerings and applications.

Delphax elan—a Game Changer?

In February, Delphax Technologies announced it would be bringing to market a digital color print system powered by Memjet at drupa 2012. Industry watchers have been waiting to get more details on this sheet-fed device and the news is finally out. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne gets the details from Delphax’ Dieter Schilling.

Everyone is Talking about Integrating Social Media and Direct Marketing… SourceLink is Doing Something!

A presence in the virtual world is essential to any successful marketing plan, but organizations of all sizes are getting lost in social media. Service providers must decide how they plan to participate in this market. This article discusses how SourceLink’s TAG solution is harnessing the power of social media sharing.

Linofilm grids and all that

Be a part of history. Frank is seeking some of the font masters and paraphernalia of the old phototypesetting era. He knows there are a few oldtimers who read WhatTheyThink while drooling in their oatmeal. Film, glass, and plastic fonts are requested.

What Printers Can Do To Thrive In This Market

We are coping with unprecedented industry consolidation and declining print volumes. As the overall volume of print declines, printing companies are scrambling to find strategies to not only survive, but to grow revenue and margins.

PULP Communications: Helping SMBs Engage Consumers

Small and medium-sized businesses want the ability to extend their marketing efforts across two or more channels, but they don’t have the time or money to do it effectively by themselves. This article leverages recent survey results to describe the challenges that today’s SMBs are facing and discusses how companies like PULP are helping to address these issues.

More of What to See at drupa

We finally have got through the series of pre-drupa events and announcement press releases. So we now know a lot of what will be seen at the event. The following is a summary of some key products that will be shown in a few market segments.

Are you prepared to acquire production inkjet? Part 1

In this ninth article of the series, David looks at how to make sense and apply the information we have presented to make relevant purchasing decisions.

ROMI: Return on Marketing Investment

Why has marketing been given such a long leash for so long or, in most cases, the only leash is the budget? Spend as you wish, hope it has a positive impact, and stop when the budget is gone. Marketers are good at pointing out their impact but when pressed, they typically can’t identify which part of their spend had the desired impact.

intomedia – Helping Service Providers Harness Web-to-Print

intomedia GmbH recognized an opportunity to harness the Web to drive online print ordering, improve communication workflows, and streamline production processes. This article discusses intomedia’s offerings and also offers examples of companies that are leveraging them.

manroland web systems Inc.: A Conversation with CEO Roland Ortbach

In this exclusive WhatTheyThink interview, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne speaks with Roland Ortbach, just named as CEO of manroland web systems Inc. North America. Ortbach discusses the new organization, its relationship with the manroland sheetfed division and more.

It is Not Just Inkjet for the Future

Almost all the recent announcements, and certainly all the hype, in the digital printing market have involved high-speed inkjet printing. Little has been heard about the established form of digital printing, namely digital printing using electrophotographic (toner based) technology.

Economic Overview; Changing Channels Not Just for TV

Dr. Joe tiptoes through the economic data, discusses the nature of efficiency and expansion, and then pontificates about channels that are not of the TV kind. Then he explains why a new high in a stock index is not what it seems. Did we really say tiptoe? Where are the tulips?

TGI: Positioning and Rebranding for Cross-Media Success

Print service providers can effectively position or re-position themselves for differentiation in today’s market. They can make their businesses stand out and effectively reach their target markets. This article explores how Philadelphia-based TGI has become a national leader in print and cross-media communications.

More Digital Printing at drupa

The past few weeks have seen many of the pieces of the drupa jigsaw drop into place as vendors define some of what they will introduce and offer in May. There are still a few announcements to come with HP and Xerox making their announcements soon.

A View Up and Down Print’s Value Chain with HP and O’Neil Data Systems

We had a unique opportunity recently to get a look at the entire printing industry’s value chain by attending two separate events at O’Neil Data Systems new plant in Plano, Texas. First was HP’s First Look event, which previewed for their customers technology they will be officially in the next few weeks. Second was O’Neil Data Systems’ grand opening of their Plano facility, which gave us an opportunity to meet their customers as well.

Geographics: Portrait of a Printing Company with M&A in Mind

Ever since he founded Geographics in 1976, Norvin Hagan hasn’t tried to purchase another company—until now. Read why he’s ready to complement organic growth with the kind that comes from a well planned and executed acquisition.

Drupa 2012, the Inkjet Drupa…again? A closer look at Memjet and three unique OEMs

In this eighth article of the series, David looks at Memjet inkjet technology, and some OEM implementations and offerings to address specific production print applications.

Vertical… A Competitive Differentiator for the One to One Group

Developing an understanding of industry dynamics can help service providers identify the right vertical market. Once the vertical market has been identified, the service provider must develop the right document and marketing solutions to meet clients’ needs. This article outlines the steps involved in taking a vertical market approach and also provides a relevant success story from the One to One Group.

drupa 2012 International Media Briefing

Last week fourteen companies gave a preview of what they will bring to drupa 2012 during a series of media briefings at a conference center on the trade fair grounds of Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany.

X-Rite/Pantone Update from President & CEO Tom Vacchiano

I had the opportunity to participate in an analyst briefing at Pantone in late February, and X-Rite President & CEO Tom Vacchiano took the time to speak with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne one-on-one with an update on X-Rite/Pantone strategy—where the company’s been and where it is going. Read more.

Are You Having Fun Yet!

Printers are facing an increasing number of challenges due to rapid changes in the economy, technology and the marketplace. It is easy to get mired in viewing these changes as negative and the demise of an industry. However, for this article I will focus on the positive side of these changes.

The long road to recovery: the impact of the Great Recession on print

With the industry suffering from a paralysis invoked by the economic crisis eyes will turn to drupa 2012 to see how the future will shape up.

FedEx Office Expands Grand Format Business

FedEx Office recently announced that it would be accelerating investment in grand format printing services in selected centralized production centers to supplement its service offerings. The same release also reported that Boeing had selected FedEx Office as its print service provider of choice. WhatTheyThink Senior Editor Cary Sherburne talked to the company to learn more.

New Presstek CEO Stanley E. Freimuth Talks About Strategies, Plans, What to Expect at drupa

On February 2nd, Presstek announced the appointment of Stanley E. Freimuth as Chairman, President & CEO. Mr. Freimuth, who stepped into the role on February 13th, spent nearly 25 years with Fujifilm where he ultimately had responsibility for all Fujifilm U.S.A businesses. Senior Editor Cary Sherburne spoke with Freimuth about his reasons for taking on the role and his expectations for the firm and the market.

Mobile: A Disruptive Technology that Printers Need to Harness

In 2003, Clay Christensen and Mike Raynor published a bestselling book entitled The Innovator's Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth. The authors discuss how established companies need to create disruptions rather than being destroyed by them. Businesses must turn innovative ideas into disruptive products and services that will lead to long-term profitable growth. This article outlines key strategies from the book and provides an example of a retailer that has taken action to generate growth.

PrintCity Alliance Builds Momentum for Strong Showing at drupa 2012 (Part 2)

By exhibiting as a group at drupa 2012, the members of the PrintCity Alliance hope to present a continuum of solutions that visitors will find well adapted to the new realities of the print marketplace. Previews of some of their show offerings are here.