Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

The new world of print buying

Published October 22, 2010

For the majority of us lay people print buying seems like a trick for the anointed few who can piece together a much larger puzzle of production parts. Frank Romano looks at the new world of the print buyer, how it has changed, how they do their jobs, and where congregate to share their secrets.

Low returns on investment abound This Week With Frank

Published October 20, 2010

Email marketing versus printed mail - guess which one Frank likes. Data backs him up, too. Plus some love for franchising small print shops, and a look at a printing business model that one day Frank thinks will yield an industry-wide revenue of precisely $7.50.

Frank wonders what printer manufacturers will sell after print

Published October 13, 2010

Let's see...bottled water? Food? Frank wonders where the big printer companies might go after taking the print out of their bottom line. Plus another tour through more print that's going the way of the dodo. But take heart...all is not lost!!!

GraphExpo 2010 as Frank saw it

Published October 6, 2010

When you do ten presentations at a trade show, you get a feel for the thing. When you do 20, you're Frank. GraphExpo 2010 winds down, and Frank gives us his take. Bottom line - optimism is the word of the day.

Frank reminisces about typesetting

Published September 29, 2010

There used to be an entire industry dedicated to setting type. Frank used to go to their trade events, and stumbles upon a program from 1969. It jogs Frank's memory. Frank waxes philosophic. Just another week with the curmudgeon emeritus.

Join Frank on the train

Published September 22, 2010

Take a lovely scenic tour of the approach to the Rochester, NY train station. See the skyline, a lawn, a pole, even some cars. Plus an attempt by Frank to show us the old Eastman Kodak headquarters! It's a journey only Frank can take you on.

Frank's new iPad app - iGovernment (and other stories)

Published September 15, 2010

Frank discovers that Moses used a tablet, graphic design degrees don't pay, a city intends to save $18,000 on print, and a 105 year old antiquarian book store closes its doors.

Where has all the toxic waste gone?

Published September 10, 2010

Our increasingly ravenous hunger for new technology, ie. smart phones, flat screens, iPads, grows by the day. Frank Romano looks at the environmental cost of all this new stuff and considers how it compares to technologies of the past and the effect on the environment

Frank loves his cartoon but not so sure about phone books

Published September 8, 2010

This time Frank shows us another cartoon (been awhile huh?) this time about the demise of the phone book. Also coming up: Frank loves bad direct mail, Spider-man, and rants why off-shoring is a bad idea.

Frank dives into some fresh news

Published September 1, 2010

This week Frank takes us through another whirlwind round of news that fascinates Frank (and makes him a little reminiscent.) Knock-Knock wants to print your tweets, the last roll of Kodachrom, R.R. Donnely's research facility, AARP tells its readers how to "save" printer ink, Boing Boing's typographic mustache for the facial hair challenged, Boston garages use print so you don't lose your car in the parking sea all ahead.

Frank's Big Brother Advertising

Published August 25, 2010

This week, Frank brings us a recent news article featured in the Wall Street Times about Wal-Mart's plan to use Smart Tags (RFID) to track inventory. Smart Tags are an intriguing new venture for electronic printing but have some interesting privacy issues. Frank believes it will be the tipping point to bringing print back to its prominent days again when printing electronic tags and new aspects of direct advertising are the norm with Big Brother accuracy.

Frank's still at the Museum of Printing with another blast from printing's past

Published August 18, 2010

Frank continues to show us printing technology of the past at the Museum of Printing. This week we study the first photographic typesetting machine, a device as timeless as Frank himself.

Old media, new media, and now newer media

Published August 13, 2010

There’s a new report out predicting significant growth in US media and communications spending over the next four years. Is it time to start the presses running again? Frank Romano examines what impact new media is continuing to have on media budgets.

Frank goes to the museum of printing

Published August 11, 2010

This week Frank takes a trip to the museum of printing. In this video he talks to us about Gutenberg's Wooden Printing Press. Why you may ask? "Why not." Frank responds. An in depth overview of the wooden press, something almost as old as Frank.

Frank Romano - Coupon comparison, criticism, and curmudgeonism

Published August 4, 2010

This week Frank takes a look at the peculiar similarities (and minuscule differences) between the Rochester and Syracuse Sunday paper ad inserts. His findings will leave you shocked. But not really.

Frank's vice - collecting books about printing

Published July 28, 2010

Frank Romano confesses that he has a vice and that vice is collecting books associated with the print world. Frank scoured the globe looking for new and interesting gems and he wasn't disappointed. In this video Frank shares some of his favorites ranging from Victorian fiction to Korean printing.

Report from the future: The printer in 2020

Published July 23, 2010

None of us know what the future holds for the print industry, but Frank Romano looks into his crystal ball and sees a bright future for a trimmed down industry, run more by computers and technicians that printers, better integration between products and packaging, and a few other surprises.

Frank dives into some interesting news fresh from his trip

Published July 21, 2010

Now that Frank's back from his trip he doesn't waste any time and goes straight for some interesting news articles. Featured articles on China print, electronic reading study, New Jersey insurance agent license, and PGAMA's "Print Grows Trees" and Frank's spin on it all.

Frank Romano on the open sea

Published July 14, 2010

Frank interviews the lovely ladies that run the Queen Mary 2's print shop while at sea. A WhatTheyThink first! Rosemary and Kelly discuss what it is like to print on board a luxury cruise liner as well as some of the services guests can expect while on board.

Frank Romano shares Penrose's Pictorial Annual

Published July 7, 2010

This week, Frank shares a 1907 edition of Penrose's Pictorial Annual. The annual collected examples of print from a given year and bound it into a book giving a snapshot view of the printing technologies at the time. The books also included articles on the processes and different applications as well.

The end of an era, Louis Moyroud dies

Published July 1, 2010

Louis Moyroud just died. Doesn't ring a bell? He and Rene Higonet invented photographic typesetting. Oh, phototypesetting does not ring a bell either? From the 1950s to the 1990s, we set type using photographic techniques, exposing miles of photo-sensitive paper and film. The printing industry moved to CTP in the 1990s and digital printing in the 2000s, but the era of pre-press automation began with Louis and Rene. Rene died in 1983. Louis died on June 30 at the age of 95.

Frank Romano: Gutenberg was an idiot!

Published June 30, 2010

Frank explains why Johannes Gutenberg was an idiot (not what you think, of course) and gives us a history lesson on the 42 line Bible and shares all the intrigue a 15th century typesetting drama can muster.

Frank waxes philosophic about coffee cup holders

Published June 23, 2010

New things to print - Frank gets excited about coffee cup holders, canvass prints at Costco, cyber companies, big box wide format printing, and Grandma chatting via Skype...and spell check.

Viva direct mail!

Published June 18, 2010

Recent innovations in variable data printing have created huge opportunities in direct mail. Are you taking advantage of it? If not, Frank Romano lists a variety of reasons why you should be.

More hot metal with Frank - The Ludlow

Published June 16, 2010

Continuing a series on hot metal typesetting, Frank give us a tour of the Ludlow. Never heard of composing sticks? Plungers? Matrices and slugs? Join Frank as we create fonts from molten lead.

Frank takes us through a hot metal linotype machine

Published June 9, 2010

Molten lead, greasy fingers, clanging bits and pieces, gears turning...who doesn't like hot metal? Today, we visit the Museum of Printing to see a working hot metal linotype machine, which Frank expertly describes as a volunteer makes it sing.

Fun with pie charts - Frank gives big picture economics a try

Published June 2, 2010

What do the internet, the printing industry, and a chart hand drawn with magic markers have in common? Frank! This week, Frank gives his take on what happened to the printing industry since its peak in 1995, and how much further we have to go before reaching equilibrium.

How to kill inkjet

Published May 28, 2010

IPEX 2010 affirmed that inkjet is here to stay. The show is over but the memory lingers on. There are almost 300 roll-fed production inkjet printers sold or installed in the world. And Xerox validated inkjet by showing an inkjet technology. But we could see inkjet die very quickly if suppliers and users do not re-invent the way they do business. Here's how they might fail.

Print vs. Pixels: Frank and Richard go Romano-a-Romano

Published May 26, 2010

Frank and Richard Romano debate print vs. pixels at the Xerox Real Business Live stage at IPEX 2010. In a spirited contest they traded barbs and scurrilous polemics. In the end, the audience (not surprisingly) chose print!

Turning a corner? Takeaways from IPEX 2010

Published May 25, 2010

Guy Gecht at IPEX 2010

Published May 25, 2010

Zwang, Tribute, & the Romanos on the Least Interesting Thing at IPEX 2010

Published May 24, 2010

Frank Romano: The zen of trade show tchotchke

Published May 19, 2010

When you've gone to as many trade shows as Frank, all the tchotchke starts to pile up. Take a trip down trade show memory lane for a discussion of tin cans, writing implements, and all the various giveaways that make a trade show memorable - well, memorable to Frank, anyway.

Frank goes 1964 old school to talk printing industry education

Published May 12, 2010

In this week's visit with the curmudgeon emeritus, Frank finds an old brochure from a 1964 RIT summer program, gets misty eyed, and reminisces about the old days. Why 1964? Why Frank? Glad you asked! Find out as Frank discusses today's students, and how they are trained for work in the printing industry.

Students help predict the future

Published May 7, 2010

None of us know what the future holds. Frank Romano teaches a class in print media trends, and he asked his students to look into their crystal balls. Here's what they thought the future might hold.

This Week with Frank Romano: Print quality makes Frank speechless

Published May 5, 2010

Frank takes a close look at a new magazine called Vintage Magazine and reviews the print quality and uniqueness and he really likes what he sees. Frank also talks about the printer who produced it. Frank also looks at some entries into the TAGA Project. It's a passionate defense of the power of print!

This Week with Frank Romano: Print is dead. Long live print!

Published April 28, 2010

This week Frank reviews his mail and finds several postcards and direct mailers. Frank takes issue with an article that talks about the death of print, reviews a Pew study that finds the Internet growing as a source of news, and comments on digital coupons surpassing newspapers. Kids counterfeiting and Manhattan restaurants are among the other things Frank has to share this week.

This Week with Frank Romano: Praise for Kohl's, "super-graphic" lawsuits, on-demand printing, and NAPL's SOI

Published April 21, 2010

This week Frank covers a lot of ground with a great new Dov Isaacs cartoon, praise for Kohl's for combining print with email marketing, Facebook reducing printed yearbooks, on-demand printing, and Howie Fenton's NAPL SOI article.

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank reviews his mail to look at what's being printed

Published April 14, 2010

This week Frank reviews his mail to get an idea of what types of things are being printed (and mailed).

This Week with Frank Romano: Surveying the "Print Buyer" Landscape with PBI

Published April 7, 2010

This week Frank reviews survey data from Print Buyers International and learns not all are even called "print buyers"! They do "tweet", but some are unaware what variable data printing is. Frank learns this and more and shares it all in his own unique style.

VDP for you and me . . . finally

Published April 2, 2010

VDP volume is less than 10 percent of all digital printing and digital printing is less than 15 percent of all printing. The use of variable data (or document) printing has been retarded over the last decade by short-sighted suppliers, specifications, and associations. Now perhaps we are on the cusp of opening VDP to all users, big and small. ISO is about to release a worldwide standard for variable data exchange.

This Week with Frank Romano: "Sarc" marks and hand gesture electronics!

Published March 31, 2010

This week, Frank shares another great Dov Isaacs cartoon and comments on several items in the news. Among them are a new punctuation symbol called the "sarc" mark, a decline in magazine circulation, an effort in Virginia to stop printing amendments, electronics that obey hand gestures, and more!

This Week with Frank Romano: Live from a mountain top judging the Mohawk i-Tonies

Published March 24, 2010

Frank joins us from Mountain House somewhere in the Catskills where he's helping judge the Mohawk i-Tonies. The official announcement of award winners were announced at Dscoop and Frank shares them along with his unique commentary!

What do print buyers think?

Published March 19, 2010

This week Frank presents a review of responses to polls included with Margie Dana's Print Tips. These polls provide insight into print buying trends. Frank also includes one of his song parodies.

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank's shares his mail and invents the iPad!

Published March 17, 2010

Frank returns to his office at RIT and sorts through his mail and shares some with us. His commentary on direct mail, personalization, and innovative envelopes is - as usual - entertaining. Frank also shares the news that he, in fact, invented the iPad!

This Week with Frank Romano: Go where the printing is!

Published March 10, 2010

Frank begins a new series “Go where the printing is” to help identify printed products that are impervious to electronic substitution. He looks at a hotel rack with theme park and other brochures, travel information, and other printed items.

This Week with Frank Romano: Congressional printing and Newspapers versus Television

Published March 3, 2010

Frank shows a cartoon about visiting a bookstore to download an e-book file. He comments on Congress spending $97 million on printing and e-book happenings. Frank also talks about print outsourcing and Henry Ford and beautiful printing. He ends with a segment on newspapers vs television.

This Week with Frank Romano: 25 things that will become extinct

Published February 24, 2010

Frank comments on an article about the 25 things that will become extinct. Those that involve print include Yellow Pages, classified ads, handwritten notes, personal checks, news magazines, and, relatedly, the Post Office. They may not become extinct but they are be affected by new media.

The era of our ways

Published February 19, 2010

When Komori and Heidelberg drop out of a Graph Expo show, it portends seismic changes in the printing industry. But it is all part of 500+ years of changes. All things have a lifespan, whether they are living things, inanimate things, or even the universe (the ultimate collection of things). They start out as nothing, become something, and ultimately become nothing again. This pseudo-philosophical statement begins a discussion about technological change, a subject dear to all of our hearts.

This Week with Frank Romano: Paper tax taxes, water & sewer errors, and on-demand books

Published February 10, 2010

This week Frank shares another great Dov Isaacs cartoon and comments on several news snippets. Kansas paper tax return taxes, Pittsburgh water and sewer authority bill errors, and the Espresso Book Machine all make the list. Frank continues with more commentary on bookstore on-demand book printing.

The acronym that is improving graphic arts education

Published February 5, 2010

ACCGC. You never heard of it? Accrediting Council for Collegiate Graphic Communications. Doesn’t ring a bell? It is a group of dedicated graphic arts educators and industry suppliers who foster graphic arts education at the college level. Accreditation is how colleges and universities serve professions and industries—by making sure that educational curricula meet the needs of professions and industries.

This Week with Frank Romano: Averages, Amtrak, E&P's Demise, and E-books

Published January 27, 2010

Adobe, you're breaking my heart

Published January 22, 2010

Adobe Systems helped to build the modern printing industry and now, it appears, they are hellbent on destroying it -- not by willful action, but by neglect. Without the de facto standard of PostScript, digital printing could not have made the inroads it did; CTP would not have happened as we know it; and PDF would not have created the ability to move files around with ease, irrespective of device or resolution. They were active supporters of the printing industry and worked with print providers and users alike. But, today, Adobe appears to have written off print as it focuses on Flash and new media. Some say Adobe has given the printing industry the finger.

This Week with Frank Romano: Sherlock Holmes font mystery, Heidelberg and digital print

Published January 13, 2010

Frank returns for a new year with another great Dov Isaacs cartoon, talks fonts and the new Sherlock Holmes movie, and reviews the best and worst jobs in America. Frank also comments on news that Heidelberg is looking to partner in digital printing. Finally, Frank gives an exclusive peek at the new Apple tablet computer!

This Week with Frank Romano: Signing off with historic newspapers

Published December 16, 2009

This week Frank ends the year by sharing some historic newspapers in his personal collection, including The London Gazette from 1682, The Massachusetts Spy from 1790, and The Pennsylvania Gazette from 1801. Frank also shares his hope that newspapers survive in some form despite the changes taking place.

The Twelve Days of Printers’ Christmas

Published December 16, 2009

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
An ink cartridge in an HP.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two ruddle gloves,
And an ink cartridge in an HP.

The show’s the thing

Published December 11, 2009

Andy Tribute’s column this week was thought-provoking as usual. He opined that an annual printing event is no longer viable and that GraphExpo should be on a different schedule. In the 1980s (the heyday of the printing industry) there were multiple printing events. The New England show was every two years — in January! New York had an annual show at the old Coliseum, PICA had a large annual event in Charlotte, and Midwest Graphics floated around different states. Graphics of the Americas took over the Miami Beach Convention Center. The Gutenberg Festival in Long Beach was a major event.

This Week with Frank Romano: Gutenberg Pop-up Books and JC Penney's Mistake

Published December 9, 2009

This week Frank shares another great Dov Isaacs cartoon on "speaking in typeface", shares a great Thanksgiving card that marries print and electronics and some other direct mail pieces. Frank also shares his favorite pop-up book "Gutenberg's Gift". Finally, Frank talks about JC Penney's decision to stop printing their "Big Book" catalog and is skeptical of their social media strategy.

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank shares his mail and some great examples of print

Published December 2, 2009

This week Frank joins us from his office at RIT and shares some of his recent mail, which includes direct mail, trade magazines. Frank highlights his favorite 3 pieces: A foil stamped piece by manroland, Kodak's One publication, and Package Design magazine.

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank Interviews Dr. Joe Webb

Published November 18, 2009

This week, Frank takes some time at the Print Buyer's International Conference to ask Dr. Joe Webb about books he's been reading. The two get into an extended conversation about the impact social media is having on the media mix and how printers need to understand this changing landscape of communications.

1995 and all that

Published November 13, 2009

Events converged in 1995 to change the printing world. Before that, it was the old printing industry. After that it would be the new printing industry. That year, paper, the Internet, the portable document format, the CD, and the PC converged to create a new paradigm. The number of printing companies would reach 62,000 in 1995 and it would be the highest number of printers ever.

This Week with Frank Romano: The Big "What Is It?" Reveal

Published November 11, 2009

This week Frank shares another great Dov Isaacs cartoon, then dedicates the entire episode to talking about the last "What Is It?" contest. Nobody got it right! So Frank has to talk about what it is and how old he is as well.

This Week with Frank Romano: Live from PIP

Published November 4, 2009

This week Frank joins us from a PIP Printing & Marketing Services event in Manchester, Connecticut. The event revolves around digital printing and variable data and Frank shows us some classic examples of some campaigns over the years.

This Week with Frank Romano: Wood power, catalogs, and "what is it?"

Published October 28, 2009

This week Frank talks about "wood power" fueling many cities and why this doesn't jive with paper being an enviro-enemy, marketers preferring a "paper trail" because catalogs actually work! Frank also reveals his latest "what is it?" contest.

From ampersands to interrobangs

Published October 23, 2009

In the 3rd century B.C. Aristophanes of Byzantium invented a system of single dots that separated verses and indicated the amount of breath needed to read each fragment of text aloud. The different lengths were signified by a dot at the bottom, middle, or top of the line. For a short passage (a komma), a dot was placed mid-level. The name came to be used for the mark itself instead of the clause it separated.

This Week with Frank Romano: Direct mail, Do Not Call lists, and a DMA Brouhaha

Published October 21, 2009

This week Frank shares more interesting direct mail, including "pop out" dice. He also addresses Do Not Mail list legislation and an idea to have mail supported by advertising. Finally, Frank addresses a "brouhaha" at the DMA.

This Week with Frank Romano: The Changing Nature of Print Buying

Published October 14, 2009

This week Frank shares a Dov Isaacs cartoon, reviews some of his mail, and talks about the changing nature of print buying. Trends in print buying are discussed as is the 4th Annual Print Buyers Conference conducted by Print Buyers International.

The State of U.S. Printing Associations -- Part Deux

Published October 9, 2009

The reaction to the first article, both at Print CEO and personal communication, has been overwhelming. Editors, consultants, affiliate managers and staff, educators, and, most of all, printers support merging the two commercial printing associations. There has been no word from NAPL or PIA. Why am I expressing these opinions? Because no one else will.

This Week with Frank Romano: The Future of the Printing Industry

Published October 7, 2009

This week Frank talks about the future of the printing industry by reviewing where we've been and where we're going. Issues such as overcapacity, the digital age, and the Internet are addressed. The takeaway? This will NOT be your father's printing industry!

This Week with Frank Romano: The Long Awaited Survey Results!

Published September 30, 2009

NAPL and PIA - and the state of American trade associations

Published September 25, 2009

Theodore De Vinne and less than 20 large American printers formed the United Typothetae of America in the late 1800s to provide a united front against the Typographical Unions’ demand for an 8-hour work day. UTA was formally organized in 1887 at a convention in Chicago attended by 68 delegates representing 18 master printer’s associations and 22 cities. Its purpose was “to develop a community of interests and a fraternal spirit among the master printers of the United States and Dominion of Canada and for the purpose of exchanging information and assisting each other when necessary.” The United Typothetae of America would become Printing Industries of America.

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank at the Allegra Network Convention

Published September 23, 2009

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank is live and direct from Print09

Published September 16, 2009

It's almost time for PRINT 09

Published September 11, 2009

The last minute work is in effect. They are cleaning the booths and will roll the carpet along the aisles. Today a few thousand people will show us whether the recession is over -- at least for the printing industry. This is the first PRINT where the number of digital printers outnumbers the number of offset litho presses. It is the first print where inkjet is a dominant product being exhibited. It is the first PRINT where you can say that it is mostly digital in terms of workflow.

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank Visits Finch Paper and gets a tour of their forestry resources

Published September 9, 2009

Printing: where are we?

Published September 4, 2009

Draw a circle. Let us say that it represents all reproduction on paper and plastic substrates in the United States over one year. This includes printing on all devices, as well as copying. Now take a slice that represents about one quarter out. That is the volume of print that we lost to electronic alternatives: websites, PDF files, e-mail, etc. What is left is more or less the printing industry.

This Week with Frank Romano: To Print or Not to Print? Makeready, make ready, or make-ready?

Published September 2, 2009

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank reviews gifts and mail, talks about print and sustainability, and wades into healthcare debate

Published August 26, 2009

This Week with Frank Romano: Frank Visits the Museum of Industry in Baltimore, Maryland

Published August 19, 2009

Prologue to PRINT

Published August 14, 2009

The PRINT 09 event is only a few weeks away. A lot of printers are asking if it will be worth a trip. Yes, it will. They should publish Bill Lamparter’s Must-see’um and Worth-a-look lists in advance so youknow what to expect. I think there will also be a few surprises.