Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Group Purchasing Organizations Offer Strength—and Savings—in Numbers

Published July 18, 2024

Discounts, rebates, and other incentives that are available to printers who purchase jointly can add up to tens of thousands of dollars worth of savings per year—and often more than that. Mutually beneficial group partnerships with vendors make the savings possible.

Heidelberg Offers a Detailed Look at the Speedmaster XL 106

Published June 27, 2024

At drupa 24, Heidelberg shared some details about the inner workings of the “Peak Performance” generation of its flagship offset press for packaging and commercial production, the Speedmaster XL 106. Patrick Henry reports.

Students Display Real Skills in Simulated Offset and Flexo Competitions at drupa

Published June 26, 2024

Patrick Henry reports on the student finalists of the WorldSkills 2024 hands-on printing competition at drupa 24.

Solema Explains What It Means by “Industrial Automation” for Books and Packaging

Published June 26, 2024

Patrick Henry tours Solema’s interactive experience hub at drupa 24 that introduced visitors to its complete line of solutions for bookbinding automation, paperboard converting, and robotic palletizing and depalletizing.

A Parting Glance at Progress in Offset Press Automation at drupa

Published June 26, 2024

Patrick Henry takes a close look at the offset automation options on display at drupa 24.

Xitron Offers New Approach to Offset Prepress Workflow

Published June 24, 2024

Patrick Henry looks at Xitron’s new K2 workflow for offset prepress, which was shown at drupa 24.

Print Quality Control for All Offset Presses from Lithec

Published June 24, 2024

What can’t be measured can’t be managed. This is particularly true when it comes to printing in color on an offset press. Patrick Henry highlights Lithec‘s solutions for bringing precision color measurement and control to offset presses of all types, on display at drupa 24.

DG Press Demonstrates Hybrid Approach to Web Offset

Published June 20, 2024

Patrick Henry reports on DG Press, at drupa to promote its solutions for hybrid web offset printing in security, pharmaceutical insert, flexible packaging, and label applications. Its presses are modular platforms that can include processes in addition to offset for fast, flexible operation with quick job changeovers and low setup costs.

Better Together: Vendors Act in Partnership at drupa

Published June 19, 2024

Sooner or later, every drupa gets a nickname from the trade media: the digital drupa. The workflow drupa. The inkjet drupa. There’s no official nickname for drupa 2024 yet, but calling the show “The Partner drupa” wouldn’t be an inaccurate way to describe it. Patrick Henry explains.

Versatility is Keynote of Flexography-plus Press Platforms from OMET

Published June 19, 2024

At drupa, OMET was promoting its Flex series of flexographic-plus systems for label and packaging applications across the board in a variety of web widths. Patrick Henry takes a closer look.

Komori Presented Live Demos of Commercial, Digital, and Packaging Print Equipment

Published June 19, 2024

Komori made a major commitment to drupa 24 with a 14,500-sq.-ft. stand that presented three pieces of equipment in live operation. The theme was Connected Automation. Patrick Henry takes a closer look.

Kornit Digital Aims to Drive Transformation of Textile Printing

Published June 18, 2024

Kornit Digital believes that textile printing is now at the same stage where print on paper was 25 years ago: predominantly analog, but on the brink of a digital transformation. Patrick Henry looks at the compnay’s drupa 24 presence and its direct-to-garment and direct-to-fabric systems.

Koenig & Bauer Covers All the Bases in Its drupa Presentations

Published June 18, 2024

At drupa, Koenig & Bauer was promoting a long list of product innovations aimed at upholding the distinction it claims as a manufacturer that can apply any printing technology to any relevant substrate. Patrick Henry sums up the highlights of their presence at the show.

How Midnight Oil Makes Pressroom Magic by Focusing on the Basics of Lithography

Published June 13, 2024

Offset lithographic presses have come a long way, but the offset lithographic process remains what it always has been. Optimizing the process with specially developed inks and chemistry has helped one plant achieve results so striking that they sometimes can be hard to believe. Patrick Henry looks at Midnight Oil, which has specialized in precisely this kind of impossible-dream offset lithographic printing for at least a decade.

Heidelberg Stakes New Claim to Industrial Inkjet with Jetfire

Published June 13, 2024

At drupa 24, Heidelberg announced the Jetfire 50 B3 and Jetfire 75 B2 presses, introduced in partnership with Canon, designed as solutions for hybrid production in combined offset and digital environments. Patrick Henry looks at the details of the announcement.

CloudLab’s printQ, packQ Simplify W2P Product Design

Published June 12, 2024

At drupa 24, CloudLab announced two new web-to-print solutions—printQ and packQ—to enable printers of all sizes to quickly create products for their e-commerce customers without the need for IT support or long learning curves.

Heidelberg Stakes New Claim to Industrial Inkjet with Jetfire

Published May 30, 2024

Patrick Henry reports from drupa 24 on Heidelberg's return to industrial inkjet printing with a pair of machines introduced in partnership with Canon.

Four-Color Offset Press Gifted to Women’s Press Collective Is Put to Good Use

Published May 21, 2024

A shop run entirely by volunteers in the Bronx is teaching its members to print for the greater good with the help of friends in the printing industry.

Offset Stands Ready to Take its Rightful Place at drupa 2024

Published May 14, 2024

Those investigating their options in offset lithography will find an abundance of progress made within the category at drupa 2024. Offset section editor Patrick Henry rounds up what the major offset press manufacturers will be demonstrating on the show floor in Düsseldorf.

Offset Lithography: Never More Relevant to Printing than Now

Published May 1, 2024

A printing process born in the 19th century remains the most-used method of graphic reproduction in the 21st. This is because of the tremendous technological advancements it has made and the rich profit opportunities its users continue to enjoy. A new editorial section, debuting here, will chart offset’s ongoing innovations and market success.

How Offset Ink Rises to the Challenge of High-Output Print Production

Published May 1, 2024

Technical advancements in offset lithographic ink typically don’t attract much notice. But they’re real, and they are as essential to quality as everything else that goes into offset litho presswork.

Proposed Ban on Carbon Black Raises Red Flags for New York State Printers

Published April 15, 2024

Patrick Henry explains how a lack of understanding on the part of lawmakers could have a potentially devastating effect on printing and packaging companies in the Empire State.

The Simple but Shrewd Arithmetic of Offset Press Replacement

Published April 10, 2024

Running newer offset presses usually means running fewer offset presses—the differences in productivity between vintage and late-model equipment are that significant. Six printing companies discuss how having less iron in their offset pressrooms has made them more efficient.

Software-Driven Workflows for Offset Production: Where From, and Where To

Published February 6, 2024

Many networked, automated production capabilities are now built into the operating systems of the latest digitally controlled offset presses, but there has been no universal movement toward adoption, and printers still need guidance about what workflow is, how to implement it, and how to make the best use of it. Contributor Patrick Henry looks at how building a software-based workflow for offset production starts with understanding how the idea of workflow originated and what functions and features it now consists of.

Industry Notes Passing of Peter Crean, Digital Printing Pioneer

Published January 15, 2024

Patrick Henry looks back at the life of Xerox’s Peter Crean, one of the graphic communications industry’s most groundbreaking technologists, who passed away last month.

Offset News: Vendor Publicity Sheds Light on What Offset Printers Want to Invest in

Published December 12, 2023

Taken together, trade media announcements about the sale and installation of offset presses have a lot to say about trends and preferences in the market for this equipment. Patrick Henry rounds up some recent press placements.

ICYMI: Printers Share Their Workflow Automation Success Stories

Published July 12, 2023

Patrick Henry takes a deep dive into the myriad ways print businesses are implementing workflow automation, the tools they are using, and the results they have achieved. The range of what printers have accomplished indicates how much becomes possible once a plant commits to workflow automation.

Legendary Game-Saver Becomes a Game-Changer for Print Industry Recruitment

Published January 25, 2023

Expert training, hands-on experience, professional certification, and supportive mentoring: all of these advantages await the young people taking part in a unique partnership for workforce development between the printing industry and a leading charitable institution.

Offset Litho Is Far from Dead: Realism Goes Hand-in-Hand with Optimism as Sheetfed Offset OEMs Survey the State of their Marketplace

Published December 13, 2022

Offset lithography was the predominant printing process of the 20th century, and it has given up only limited ground to alternative printing methods in the 21st. Patrick Henry reports on how manufacturers of offset press equipment still see it as an essential product to deliver and a vibrant business to be in.

Color Me Frustrated: Users React to Adobe, Pantone Rift Over PMS Libraries

Published December 6, 2022

Designers and others who were accustomed to hearing Adobe’s creative software natively speaking Pantone’s language of color are now listening to a dialog that comes with an unanticipated price tag. As a service to its members and to the industry in general, Printing Industries Alliance presents this overview of the situation and its consequences for end-users.

Printing with a Higher Purpose: Women’s Press Collective

Published September 1, 2022

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

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

Published July 20, 2022

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

NY-Metro Printers Recount the Dire Events of 9/11, a Day They Can’t Forget

Published September 13, 2021

Operating in the printing district of lower Manhattan, close by the Twin Towers, they became inadvertent witnesses to the worst domestic attack in U.S. history. Twenty years later, the events of September 11, 2001 remain seared into their memories.

Packaging Helped to Drive Sell-Out Attendance at EFI Connect 2017

Published January 30, 2017

Packaging is now a significant part of the EFI platform, and the subject got its fair share of attention at the 17th edition of the company’s annual customer-education event.

NYC’s Duggal Visual Solutions Finds “the Final Piece of the Puzzle” in a New Digital Press

Published January 25, 2017

There’s very little in the way of graphic output that this omnifaceted imaging emporium can’t offer its customers—and now, with the addition of an HP Indigo 12000 digital press, probably nothing at all.

What Color is Consistent?

Published January 20, 2017

Color management works, and it has been available to designers and printers for more than 25 years. Why then do we still make mistakes in color reproduction? Shoshana Burgett of X-Rite Pantone notes that CM has to be understood as something more than calibrating a monitor. It is a set of steps, processes, and tools that must be in place across the entire production workflow, always with monitoring for continuous improvement. Designers who want color to be consistent in all the channels they are now responsible for can find the help they need in CM, Burgett says.

Are You Ready for the MarTech Explosion?

Published January 16, 2017

Marketing technology is exploding. Michael Chase of St. Joseph Communications says that there are now more than 3,500 providers of "MarTech" services. But, building efficient marketing platforms requires more than just cherry-picking technology solutions. Chase notes that all the MarTech in the world won't help if there is no content strategy in place to guide the effort. The first tasks are to define the kinds of content to be created and to identify the audiences to whom the content will be presented. Armed with this knowledge, says Chase, marketers can choose the right channels and work toward achievable outcomes.

INKredible Insight: Packaging Is Part of the “Omni” in “Omnichannel”

Published January 10, 2017

It wasn’t the sole focus of the event, but packaging was well represented in INKredible’s salute to print’s place at the table in the omnichannel environment.

Packaging Prepress: Gold Standard for Product Presentation

Published January 10, 2017

What is "omnichannel production" for packaging? Jean-Charles Morisseau explains that it's using packaging production data as a touchstone for accuracy throughout the entire distribution chain, including e-commerce web sites. Incorrect information and poor-quality photos and graphics hurt e-commerce sales, but Morisseau says they don't have to. All of the right content is available in packaging prepress files. It's a matter of making sure that the content is used everywhere the product is represented—an objective that Morisseau's company has a five-step plan for achieving.

A "Changed and Augmented" Medium for the 21st Century

Published January 9, 2017

Don't try to tell X-Rite's Shoshana Burgett that there's anything the matter with print. She'll set the record straight by pointing out that print has never been stronger as a medium for creating brand experiences. From business cards to grand format output, says Burgett, print has an enormous array of new applications that forge bonds between brands and the people the brands want to reach. And, it's not just ink on paper: the definition now includes printing on glass, ceramics, textiles, and other exotic substrates.

Print and the Quest for Content

Published January 4, 2017

It's getting hard to think about marketing without also thinking about content: the practical, motivational, or just plain enjoyable information products that marketers increasingly rely upon to engage audiences with brands. Content marketing pro Michael Chase talks about where print fits into the engagement strategy. He says that in order to build successful "ecosystems based on content," it's necessary to operate like the protagonists of Moneyball—always with an eye on data analytics and the opportunities it reveals to make the most of the spend.

Making Packages Interactive and Informative

Published December 20, 2016

Research indicates that 75% of U.S. adults and 87% of Millennials want to get more product information from packages and labels. But, the amount of printable "real estate" on them is limited and jealously protected by designers and marketers. This is a clarion call to make labels and packages interactive with the help of technologies that connect consumers with the information they want, says Michael Grady of Sgsco. He notes some of the possibilities and talks about why interactivity is worth the investment cost.

How Brands Are Using Emerging Technologies To Reach Consumers

Published December 15, 2016

Tod Szewczyk directs Leovative, the Leo Burnett agency's channel for keeping its clients informed about how brands are using emerging technologies to reach consumers. He points out that some of these solutions make good use of print as a bridge to the mobile experience and as a vehicle for calls to action. Szewczyk, a speaker at the IDEAlliance INKredible event, also mentions several technologies that he thinks Leovative's audience should keep an eye on in 2017.

New Inkjet Press Lets Graphic Image Label Get Better at What It Does Best

Published December 13, 2016

A label shop serving customers on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border found everything it was looking for, and more, in a highly capable inkjet web press from Epson.

Ethan Goller from Structural Graphics on Interactive Print

Published December 12, 2016

Interactive print, as Ethan Goller describes it, is print that combines with other media to engage recipients in a variety of ways leading to a variety of outcomes. Goller, the president of Structural Graphics, notes that one way to make print interactive is to incorporate special effects such as sound, light, and video into the printed piece. The objective, he says, should be to create "a feedback loop of intelligence" that makes sales and marketing channels more efficient.

Warren Werbitt - Called It the Way He Saw It

Published December 12, 2016

When we caught up with Warren Werbitt (Pazzazz) at IDEAlliance's INKredible event and asked him what he thought of the program, "wow," "superb," and "pretty amazing" were among his answers. He says that what he discovered about the synergies between print and other media will help Pazzazz send a more powerful marketing message to its customers. Werbitt's advice to print company owners who think they don't have time for intelligence-gathering opportunities like INKredible "If you sit at your desk and never go out, you can't learn, you can't grow, and you can't motivate."

The Regulated Package: Product Container and Social Contract

Published December 6, 2016

Given all of the mandates and expectations placed on packaging today, there may be something socially significant to add to the list of traditional packaging functions.

From Sharklet and Sappi, a Release Paper that Takes a Big Bite out of Bacterial Growth

Published December 2, 2016

Neoterix ST gives medical institutions and other germ-fighting environments the first completely non-toxic solution for blocking bacterial growth on high-touch surfaces.

The View from “Oz”: Label and Packaging Producers Chart a Changing Business Landscape

Published November 29, 2016

To many, Australia may seem to be on the far side of the world, but the business issues confronting packaging and label producers there are much the same as they are anywhere else. A recent conference by a newly formed trade association addressed some of them.

How KBA Is Surrounding the Packaging Market with Solutions

Published November 22, 2016

KBA's intensive focus on the packaging market can be seen in the large portfolio of products it has developed for packaging applications of many different kinds. Eric Frank, director of marketing, talks about the new VariJet 106, a hybrid inkjet/conventional/finishing platform that will be built to order for specific market segments. He also reviews KBA's capabilities in flexography, diecutting, metal decorating, and VLF (very large format) offset.

“Push to Stop” the Presses: Heidelberg Demonstrates Concept of Autonomous, Navigated Printing

Published November 8, 2016

Imagine a press so thoroughly automated that it almost seems to be a member of its own crew. This is what Heidelberg says it has made possible with the concept it calls “Push to Stop.”

Omnichannel Content Publishing and Marketing to Be Demystified at Idealliance’s “INKredible” Conference

Published November 4, 2016

Idealliance is billing INKredible as “a showcase for innovators in orchestrated content marketing and publishing”: a category that most definitely includes print service providers.

From Pitney Bowes, Nth-Degree Mail Processing Efficiency

Published November 1, 2016

No vendor understands mail processing workflows better than Pitney Bowes. Here, PB's Grant Miller explains how the company has put what it knows into the AcceleJet printing and finishing system, a "white paper factory" solution for commercial printers and other print/mail environments. With AcceleJet, rollfed white paper goes in, and fully printed and finished mailing pieces come out. As this is happening, a cloud-based software solution called Clarity Suites gathers production data that can be used to make the workflow even more efficient.

Apprenticeship, Training, and Skills Development in the Printing Industry: An Appraisal

Published October 25, 2016

The industry’s solutions for cultivating workforce talent aren’t perfect. But, given the graying of the industry and the thinning of its ranks in production occupations, it’s urgent to use them to their full extent.

"We believe in the printed word"

Published October 23, 2016

"We believe in the printed word". So declares Claus Bolza-Schünemann, president of KBA, as he reviews the state of the industry as a whole and his company's position within it. He says that the success of drupa 2016—an event he traveled the world to promote as chairman of its executive committee—proves that there is no longer any excuse for "whining and crying about how bad the industry is." He also discusses how KBA regained its strength and forward momentum after several tough years of post-recession restructuring.

At Graph Expo 2016, a Respectable Showing for Labels and Packaging

Published October 12, 2016

Although not a show about labels and packaging per se, Graph Expo proved to be a worthwhile place to go for information on innovative ways of producing them.

INKredible Coming to NYC in December

Published October 7, 2016

If you’re intrigued by the idea of a conference where the presentations are capped at 25 minutes and the proceedings are enlivened by 15-minute “inspiration bursts” in which speakers can deliver “hard-hitting rants,” pencil in December 6 at the Princeton Club in New York City. That will be the premiere of INKredible, a new event hosted by Idealliance for printing, publishing, and advertising professionals. Here, conference organizer Steven Schnoll explains what will make the program special.

Graph Expo Rides the Orange Blossom Special

Published October 3, 2016

Last week, Graph Expo 2016 made a successful change of scene from its traditional home in Chicago to a new venue in Orlando. It was apparent on day one that the show had traveled well and that its value to exhibitors and visitors was intact. Graph Expo returns to Chicago next year and is scheduled to be back in Orlando in 2019.

Graph Expo 2016 and the Satisfactions of Scalability

Published September 30, 2016

Graph Expo’s first outing in Orlando proved that how large or small a trade show is matters less than how well it fits its surroundings—and vice versa.

The Museum of Printing Exhibits Its One-of-a-Kind Collection in a New and Much Improved Venue

Published September 23, 2016

After 38 years, multiple relocations, and herculean labors, this extraordinary collection has a permanent home and a compelling story to tell.

A Toast—and Another One—to the Genius of Corrugated

Published September 20, 2016

Corrugated packaging protects effectively, presents handsomely, and succeeds environmentally. What’s not to like or to give credit where due?

You Are the Package. Do You Like What You See?

Published September 16, 2016

We interact with packages so much and so often that we sometimes begin to merge with them—and they with us.

Human Resources Management: the Legal Considerations

Published September 7, 2016

For the last 20 years, Dallas attorney Chris Antone has acted as a labor and employment counsel to printing companies. He says that in order to run their businesses without fear of intrusion by government agencies, printers must stay up to date on developments in HR-related laws and regulations. There can be "severe legal implications" for those who run afoul of these rules, says Antone, adding that the best policy is to have "trained, first-line supervisory staff who know how to manage people."

Packaging Innovations Are in the Vanguard of the Fight to End Food Waste

Published September 2, 2016

Food waste is a shameful spectacle wherever it occurs. The problem is global, but so are efforts to solve it with new solutions for extending the edible lives of packaged foods.

Why Collective Intelligence Makes a Difference

Published August 24, 2016

The trade association IDEAlliance operates Leading Indicators™, a survey-based summary of metrics, trends, and issues critical to print, mail, fulfillment, and marketing services providers. Printer Warren Werbitt is a regular contributor to and a firm believer in the Leading Indicators database, which he calls essential to making educated decisions about business strategy. He also talks about why he's "thrilled" to see Epicomm and IDEAlliance become one organization.

New from PCMC: CI Flexography in a Compact Format

Published August 23, 2016

The Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) recently introduced its newest central impression (CI) flexographic packaging press, the Fusion C, in an open-house event at its factory in Green Bay, WI. PCMC’s Rodney J. Pennings talks about what makes the Fusion C unique and discusses the company’s commitment to lean manufacturing.

CI Flexo Technology for Packaging and Family Values for Leadership Are Showcased at PCMC Impact 2016

Published August 9, 2016

The Paper Converting Machine Company is North America’s only remaining manufacturer of CI flexo presses. It’s also distinguished by the humanistic style of its leadership—a management philosophy that cherishes employees as family members.

Process Control: Not If, But When

Published August 4, 2016

Printing to numbers in a calibrated production environment using grey balance as the reference—this is the essence of the G7 process control methodology, and by now, most printers have heard about it. Fewer have embracedit, but IDEAlliance's Steve Bonoff foresees greater adoption as brands press their print service providers to adopt a uniform approach to process control. Then, he says, the ROI of G7 can come quickly.

Fujifilm Introduces EUCON as the Press That Makes Inkjet Feasible for Flexible Packaging

Published August 2, 2016

The disconnect between flexible packaging and inkjet printing is wide, but not necessarily unbridgeable. Fujifilm thinks it has the answer in an innovative LED-UV inkjet press it showed at drupa 2016.

Now, Automated Content Marketing to the MAX

Published July 27, 2016

Content marketing—every organization with customers wants to do it, but creating, targeting, and distributing high-quality content is hard, time-consuming work. Enter MAX From InterlinkONE, a software tool for automating content marketing campaigns. InterlinkONE's Karen DeWolfe says that with MAX, users can easily integrate and share content of all types in true cross-media fashion.

The Nutrition Facts Label Gets a Makeover, and the Label Industry Gets a Mandate

Published July 26, 2016

In one way or another, the changes will alter the labeling of virtually every packaged food and beverage product. But, label producers expect to be able to take it all in stride.

Where is the "True North" of Print Business Performance?

Published July 22, 2016

John Falconetti, a printer in Jacksonville, FL, says he keeps his company pointed at it by taking part in Leading Indicators™, a benchmarking program launched last year by Epicomm (now part of IDEAlliance). As a member of the Leading Indicators reporting group, Drummond Press gets monthly updates on how its business performance compares with that of other printing companies in the database. Falconetti also has good things to say about the association's apprenticeship and peer networking programs.

The Trade Association Connection: Better and Stronger Together

Published July 20, 2016

As president of the trade association Printing Industries Alliance, Tim Freeman sees his job as helping printers help each other by bringing them together in productive programs such as the guided tour he organized for his members at drupa 2016. He says that when printers take part in trade shows and other association-sponsored activities, they coalesce as an industry and find new ways to solve common problems. Printing Industries Alliance has an admirable record of making this happen in the membership territory it serves.

Mike Kellogg on the Role and the Rewards of Trade Shows

Published July 18, 2016

As a former chairman of Epicomm, Mike Kellogg served as an advisor to the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), producer of the Graph Expo and Print events. He observes that because of the rise of digitization, data, and the convergence of technologies, print industry trade shows now are less about showcasing heavy equipment and more about exchanging innovative ideas. He's optimistic about Graph Expo 2016, moving for the first time from Chicago to a new venue in Orlando.

When Associations Combine, "Seamless" Is Another Word for "Success"

Published July 14, 2016

As a member of IDEAlliance's board of directors, marketing services expert Wes Powell witnessed the group's merger with Epicomm from the inside. He praises the board members and professional staff of both associations for working "in lock step" to make the new arrangement—which took full effect on July 1—a success. He says that the process was "pretty seamless" and that the result will be a broader range of services for all IDEAlliance members.

Business Transformation by the Book

Published July 13, 2016

Five years ago, John Foley published Business Transformation: a New Path to Profit for the Printing Industry. The work was and is a handbook for strategic planning, sales and marketing development, team building, operations management, and more. In the just-published second edition, Foley adds case studies from print service providers that have succeeded by putting the book's advice into practice.

Next Stop, Industry 4.0: an Interview with Anthony Thirlby

Published July 12, 2016

A master printer, a consultant, and now, the leader of Heidelberg’s Prinect workflow software business, Anthony Thirlby has a framework for process automation that he says can transform every printing plant.

Start-Up Label Producer Seeks Short-Run, Multi-SKU Opportunities

Published July 5, 2016

A new label and package printing company is open for business in Lowell, MA. It's called InTouch Labels & Packaging, and while its start-up footprint may be small, its ambitions are anything but.

GCSF Eclipses Previous Fundraising Records with Sum Amassed for 2016 Scholarships

Published July 1, 2016

In New York City, industry members who care passionately about education have given nearly $700,000 in scholarship grants to students of graphic communications—all without overhead expenses or strings attached.

IDEAlliance Welcomes Epicomm: the Chairman's Report

Published June 30, 2016

On July 1, Tim Johnson will officially step into his role as chairman of the board of IDEAlliance, a trade association that has incorporated Epicomm and welcomed the members of the three former trade groups of which Epicomm was composed. With the work of blending staffs, cultures, and management procedures satisfactorily under way, says Johnson, members can look forward to obtaining all of the advisory services they need from a single source.

"Bucket List" Trip Turns into Cornucopia of Info

Published June 29, 2016

What could make a busy printer travel all the way from Buffalo, New York, to Düsseldorf, Germany? drupa 2016, of course, and Steve Zenger, president of the Zenger Group, says that the big show—his first drupa—gave him all the trend and technical information he was looking for. Zenger came to the fair as a member of a productively organized "drupa experience" tour organized by Printing Industries Alliance, a trade association representing his state and part of Pennsylvania.

Greenfield and 100% Digital, ePac LLC Sets Its Sights Exclusively on Flexible Packaging

Published June 28, 2016

Digital printing for flexible packaging has been slow to take hold, but a start-up company in Madison, WI, says it is equipped and ready for a fast break into this potentially lucrative market.

What’s the Story? Ask a Package

Published June 28, 2016

Packages used to have just two principal functions: to protect their contents and convey them safely to the point of sale. Now they also have to be “brand narrators” that hold consumers in sustained post-sale engagements with the brands. Digimarc Corp.’s Larry Logan explains how technology can ensure that packaging remains “the most salient touch point between the consumer and the product.”

HP Inc.'s Enrique Lores Discusses Deals Closed at drupa 2016

Published June 23, 2016

It would be hard to turn in a stronger performance at a trade show than the one HP Inc. achieved at drupa 2016. The company held hundreds of customer meetings, sold most of the equipment (more than 50 digital presses) at its stand, and announced record deals with the likes of Cimpress and Shutterfly. But, says Enrique Lores, president of HP Inc.'s Imaging and Printing Business, the splash at drupa is only typical of the success the company has been enjoying as HP Indigo presses and other products continue to gain market share.

From Container to Showcase: Mike Ferrari on the Evolution of Branded Packaging

Published June 22, 2016

Now a branding consultant, Mike Ferrari spent more than 30 years at Procter & Gamble as a specialist in producing branded packaging. He says that over that period of time, packages have taken on a central role as promotional vehicles in omnichannel shopping for consumer goods. At drupa 2016, he saw how workflow and other advances in production are making packages even better able to meet the marketing objectives that brand owners have for them.

drupa 2016: the Package Tour (Part 2)

Published June 21, 2016

The business of printing labels and packaging is changing with almost unnerving speed. Made reassuringly clear at drupa was the fact that new technologies for label and packaging production can give printers the capabilities they must have.

For KBA, the Key Product is Progress

Published June 15, 2016

How did a manufacturer of newspaper presses become a supplier of equipment for nearly all major printing applications, including digital output? That is the story of KBA, and the company's president, Claus Bolza-Schünemann, tells it with justifiable pride. Among the latest highlights is KBA's ongoing development, with Xerox, of the VariJET 106, an innovative hybrid sheetfed press targeting the folding carton market.

drupa 2016: the Package Tour (Part 1)

Published June 14, 2016

drupa 2016 wasn’t exclusively a packaging show, but for label- and packaging-minded visitors, it might as well have been—there was that much to see and be impressed by.

The Direction of drupa: a Presidential Perspective

Published June 8, 2016

Claus Bolza-Schünemann currently is the president not only of KBA but also of drupa, the international printing and paper trade fair. Here, he traces its evolution from a heavy-iron expo into a full-spectrum graphic communications showcase that puts specialties like 3D printing and functional printing alongside the latest developments in conventional and digital print production. The goal, Bolza-Schünemann says, is to make drupa "a very attractive fair for all of our customers" that also promotes the world-bestriding stature and influence of printing in all of its forms.

RMGT Showcases New Offset Technology at drupa

Published June 5, 2016

Ryobi and Mitsubishi merged two years ago to create RMGT. At drupa the company is showcasing new offset technology that leverages the synergies of the two companies.

A First Look at EFI's New Single Pass Inkjet Press for Corrugated

Published May 31, 2016

Exclusive Interview with EFI SVP/GM Scott Schinlever on the Launch of the Nozomi C18000 inkjet press. The single pass inkjet press brings high-speed corrugated board production to the $130 billion corrugated packaging industry.

Time Well Spent, Advice Well Received

Published May 27, 2016

The main criterion for presentations at trade association meetings is relevance. Printer Tom Mercier gives high marks for relevance to the sessions he attended at the recent Epicomm Experience gathering, where mergers and acquisitions, sales development, and personnel recruitment were among the many pertinent subjects under discussion. Mercier also thinks that the success of the conference bodes well for Epicomm's merger with IDEAlliance, which he calls "a win-win for print, mailing, and everything else we do."

A Postal Professional Assesses the State of Direct Mail

Published May 26, 2016

David Mastervich spent much of his 33-year career with the U.S. Postal Service promoting the use of direct mail. Today he works for Hewlett Packard Enterprise, but his focus on direct mail hasn't changed. Mastervich says that as printers and mailers have embraced data management and digital production, direct mail has become a much more targeted and responsive medium than it used to be. He saw plenty of evidence of this progress at the recent Epicomm Experience event, where the emphasis was on technologies for mailing.

Metzgers of Ohio Hosts Pre-drupa Event for RMGT of Japan

Published May 26, 2016

Nobody ever said that the sheetfed offset equipment market is easy to do business in. But RMGT, a partnership between two of Japan’s best known press manufacturers, thinks it has what it takes to make the most of the opportunities that the market still holds.

"The Best Way to Predict the Future Is to Create It"

Published May 25, 2016

So advises John Cassidy of Duplicates INK, who explored creative strategies in a highly rated presentation called "Cross the Line and Disrupt Your Market" at the recent Epicomm Experience conference. Cassidy believes that innovation is still possible even in mature industries like printing. Printers can achieve it, he says, by asking their top customers two questions: "What do you want more of out of me? What can I do to be a 10?"

Need Help? "All You Have to Do is Show Up at a Meeting and Ask"

Published May 24, 2016

Steven Portrude learned a long time ago that there is no substitute for the wisdom of his peers in the printing industry. At the recent Epicomm Experience conference, he talked about what he has learned from other owners he has come to know through taking part in trade association activities. Even competitors open up to one another at these gatherings, Portrude says. "This is where you get an education on how to run a business."

Epicomm Experience: a Participant's Review

Published May 24, 2016

Malia Lageman, who traveled all the way from Honolulu to Savannah to take part in Epicomm Experience, found that the program made the long trip more than worthwhile. Here, she talks about the networking opportunities it gave her, especially with exhibiting vendors; the high energy of the speakers she listened to; and the ideas she gained during conference-related plant tours.

"It Clicked": Ken Garner and David Steinhardt Review the Epicomm - IDEAlliance Merger

Published May 23, 2016

On July 1, the trade associations Epicomm and IDEAlliance will go forward as one under the IDEAlliance name. Ken Garner and David Steinhardt, respectively executive vice president and president/CEO of the combined organization, talk about how bringing the groups together will enhance the value of membership for the more than 3,000 companies now under the IDEAlliance banner. They say that the first positive outcome is the launch of a certification program for mailing professionals.

What Will It Take to “Mainstream” Digital Printing?

Published May 12, 2016

Production digital printing is 25 years old, yet only 2.5% of all printed pages come from digital devices. Yishai Amir, CEO of Landa Digital Printing, says that if digital printing is to move into the mainstream, it will have to prove that it is fully competitive with offset lithography in quality, speed, printable format size, and cost to print. According to Amir, just one process—the one he is responsible for bringing to market—can demonstrate all of these capabilities.

“Nobody Can Do It by Themselves”

Published May 11, 2016

Because trade associations mirror the industries they serve, it’s no surprise to see consolidation taking place among the groups that serve the printing industry. IDEAlliance, an association promoting technical standards, demonstrated this by incorporating Epicomm, a group representing commercial printers, quick printers, and mail service providers. According to Marriott Winchester, the chairman of IDEAlliance, the outcome is a highly complementary relationship that benefits everyone concerned.

Articles by Patrick Henry