Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Not Like a Boss, the Radix Co-Op Writes Its Own Rules for Running a Print Shop

Published June 4, 2026

By dispensing with job titles and focusing strictly on the jobs, a non-hierarchical shop in Brooklyn is charting its own course to success in the New York City metro area print and publishing market.

Groups File Suit vs. California Law That Would Chase "Chasing Arrows" Away from Packaging

Published May 21, 2026

Only in California: a law that claims to support recycling by removing recyclability symbols from recyclable materials. A coalition that includes print and packaging businesses is pushing back

No Relief in Sight for Printers as Consumables Prices Keep Spiraling

Published May 7, 2026

Wars, tariffs, supply chain breakdowns, you name it—they’re all kicking up what printers have to spend for raw materials, and the upward trend shows no sign of abating. Patrick Henry rounds up some examples.

How Printers Should Confront the Creeping Threat of Cybercrime

Published April 23, 2026

No printing business is exempt from hacking attacks and the online con games known collectively as “social engineering.” Technology safeguards, cyber insurance, and relentless vigilance are mandatory for firms that don’t want to risk having to close their doors in the aftermath of a cybercrime incident.

Postmaster General Paints Dire Financial Picture; USPS Watchers React

Published April 9, 2026

Is it really true that the U.S. Postal Service could run out of money in the next 12 months? In theory the answer is yes; in realistic terms the answer is no. But the system’s problems are genuine, and without serious intervention, they could prove insurmountable.

Augmented Reality Remains the Real Deal for Making Print Interactive

Published March 26, 2026

Marketers and printers haven’t run out of innovative ways to infuse print with digital content with the help of augmented reality, an if-you-can-dream-it, you-can-do-it technology if there ever was one.

Fundraising “Banknotables” Celebrate the Fine Art of Paper Currency

Published March 12, 2026

Can something that looks like money be a magnet for raising real money? Bob Bednar says the answer is a take-it-to-the-bank yes.

How AI for Estimating Is Learning to Say, “You Can Quote Me”

Published February 26, 2026

Estimating may be the most natural application of artificial intelligence to the business end of printing and packaging. Here, three providers of AI solutions for estimating explain how the technology works and why the industry should embrace it.

Komori's Lance Martin on Changing with the Industry

Published February 17, 2026

In this Business Update video, Pat Henry talks with Lance Martin, VP Product Marketing at Komori America, about the optimism the company has going into 2026, the company's new "Center of Excellence," and Komori's latest technologies.

Surge in Functional Illiteracy Signals Trouble Ahead for U.S.

Published February 12, 2026

It’s a nearly invisible trend that nevertheless damages many aspects of American life: the struggles of adults who can barely read or in some cases can’t read at all. Patrick Henry explains how this affects printers.

Why Large-Format Candid Worldwide Keeps Offset Litho in for the Long Haul

Published January 29, 2026

Offset lithography may no longer predominate in the printing industry in the same way it used to. But one company’s loyalty to the process demonstrates that its value as a service offering remains undiminished.

Printers and Binders Help Book Sales Soar with Embellishment Around the Edges

Published January 15, 2026

The edges of bound books can be decorated, and publishers are finding plenty of good reasons to ask their printers and binders to add this extra dimension of visual appeal. Patrick Henry talks with several providers of edge printing services.

Lance Martin on Komori's Lithrone GX29 Advance Offset Press

Published January 14, 2026

In this Business Update Video, Patrick Henry talks with Lance Martin, VP Product Marketing at Komori America, about the Lithrone GX29 Advance, a B2+ offset press, and how it fits into Komori's offset press portfolio.

Offset Lithography in 2025: A Year in Review

Published December 11, 2025

Tariffs have held back what ought to have been a robust buying year for offset lithographic presses. The demand, however, can’t and won’t stay pent-up indefinitely.

Industry Confronts the Long Reach of Extended Producer Responsibility (Part 2)

Published November 20, 2025

As state-by-state requirements for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) continue to be phased in, printers and packaging converters are beginning to sense the policy’s likely impacts on the customers and markets they serve. In part 2 of this two-part feature, Patrick Henry presents the experiences of three print and packaging service providers who have been learning the ins and outs of EPR in their respective states.

Industry Confronts the Long Reach of Extended Producer Responsibility—Part 1

Published November 13, 2025

Environmentalists want states to pass laws that make producers foot the bill for collecting and recycling many types of consumer goods packaging. In part 1 of this two-part feature, Patrick Henry explores how, even though printers and packaging converters aren’t those producers, but they may well find themselves bearing some of the costs of compliance.

Three Pathways by Which AI Is Finding Its Way into the Offset Pressroom

Published October 23, 2025

Patrick Henry looks at a trio of operating systems for production automation that shows the extent to which artificial intelligence is now being seen as a given for efficient print manufacturing.

BINDING & FINISHING TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK—Postpress Gets Smart, Fast, and Respected in the Print Production Workflow

Published October 22, 2025

Whether operating inline or offline, digitally controlled postpress systems are coming into their own as linchpins of automated print manufacturing. Patrick Henry explains.

OFFSET TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK—Offset and Digital Mashups Put Printing in a New Groove

Published October 13, 2025

With a hybridized approach, two printing processes can be better than one printing process—even if the processes are fundamentally different from each other. Patrick Henry explains.

3D Printing: The Shape of Things to Come for 2D Print Providers?

Published October 9, 2025

The leap from content on the printed page to its equivalent in three dimensions has never been easier to accomplish. The question is whether the leap is worth taking. Patrick Henry looks at two solutions.

Sharp Creates Straight Route to Employment with New Training Program

Published September 25, 2025

Collaborating with the Mariano Rivera Foundation, Sharp has developed an equipment-focused curriculum that gives its graduates a full set of ready-to-hire job skills.

Pocket Pal, Twenty-Second Edition: a Reader’s Appraisal

Published September 11, 2025

An industry classic has been reimagined for a new audience in a format that all devotees of print will be certain to admire.

How Printers Should Be Thinking about Human Resources Management

Published July 17, 2025

HR is complicated. It couldn’t be otherwise, because its domain is people. Changing laws and shifting societal trends add to the challenge of doing HR the right way. Here’s some guidance from experts.

How Heidelberg Made Its Way Back to the VLF Sheetfed Market

Published June 26, 2025

In a joint effort with a company that otherwise is one of its main rivals, Heidelberg demonstrates that it isn’t always necessary to manufacture a product in order to be a competitive provider of that product.

Process Spotlight: The Tools and Techniques of Ink Management

Published June 12, 2025

Plants that mix spot colors in almost any quantity can do it faster, more precisely, and more cost effectively with systems that also manage inventory and minimize leftover waste. Patrick Henry spoke with three vendors of ink management solutions to talk about the role of the process in a printing plant.

Printers Try to Deal as Best as They Can with the Harsh Reality of Tariffs

Published May 29, 2025

Owners of printing and printing-related businesses are struggling to understand how their vendors and customers will react to the tariff wars – and how their own business plans might have to change.

Print[ED] Renews Its Drive for Excellence in Graphics Education

Published May 20, 2025

Through its standards, competencies, and professional oversight, Print[ED] aligns teaching programs in graphic communications with the requirements of the graphic communications industry.

Sun Print Solutions Doubles Down on Offset with New Komori Perfector

Published May 15, 2025

A growing company complements its digital firepower with a sheetfed UV offset press that adds capacity, accelerates time to market, and makes the shop’s overall production more versatile.

Clickable Classroom: Recommended Reading for Continuous Learners

Published May 1, 2025

From an editor’s desk, here are 10 free resources for gaining a better understanding of some essential subjects for print professionals.

“Congestion Results in Mail Equipment Falling Over”: the Complicated Tale of a Very Rough Launch by the USPS in Georgia

Published April 17, 2025

With operations snarled to the point of getting members of Congress up in arms, the near-disastrous debut of a major mail processing facility exposed a gap between the U.S. Postal Service’s vision of a new, ultra-efficient national mail network and its ability to bring one into being. Patrick Henry explains.

Washington State Turns a Suspicious Eye on Printing Ink

Published April 3, 2025

Patrick Henry explains how a chemical present in trace amounts came to be seen as an environmental threat worthy of a possible ban on the ink that contains it.

How Burnishine Products Endures Where Many Others Have Disappeared

Published March 20, 2025

This small but highly survivable “boutique chemical company” stays the course with a diversified product line and a personalized approach to supporting its customers.

Tariffs on Plate Metal Squeeze Litho Printers to the Limit

Published March 6, 2025

Aluminum isn’t gold, but years of import duties on the raw material for lithographic plates are starting to make it seem almost as costly to printers who use those plates in production.

Living with Inkjet: Commercial Adopters Describe How It Fits in

Published February 20, 2025

Now that production inkjet printing is fully ready to take its place as a solution for the commercial market, firms that have embraced it are finding that it meshes well with their offset litho activity.

Heidelberg Looks Ahead to New Opportunities in Milestone Year

Published February 6, 2025

Generational relationships, emerging technologies, and people with passion are what propel Heidelberg forward in its third century as a print market leader.

Graphic Designers Profess Their Continued Love of Offset

Published January 23, 2025

Offset lithography is no longer the sole option for graphic designers who want their printing to be top-quality. But, the process still commands a remarkable amount of loyalty from designers who value the range of creative possibilities it offers them.

Offset Lithography in 2024: A Year in Review

Published January 9, 2025

Although the pace of the market for offset equipment was moderate at best, technological advances throughout year have set the stage for what could be a surge in press placements in 2025.

Finish with Finesse and Flair: Embellishment for Offset (Part 2)

Published December 10, 2024

Adding sensory appeal with embellishment can increase the perceived value—and the profit margin—of work produced on offset presses. This two-part overview outlines solutions and strategies for offset shops that want to dazzle their customers and sweeten their bottom lines.

Finish with Finesse and Flair: Embellishment for Offset (Part 1)

Published November 18, 2024

Adding sensory appeal can increase the perceived value—and the profit margin—of work produced on offset presses. This two-part overview outlines solutions and strategies for offset shops that want to dazzle their customers and sweeten their bottom lines.

Salem One Takes “University” Approach to Workforce Development

Published November 7, 2024

Salem One, the largest independently owned packaging, print, and direct marketing/mail operation in the Southeast, believes it will gain a significant competitive edge by committing to a new model for internal training and cultivating up-and-coming leaders within its ranks. Patrick Henry explains how the company’s “leadership pipeline” has become an integral part of its business strategy.

Back to the Present with UV Retrofits for Offset

Published October 28, 2024

The many benefits of UV production are in reach without investing in a new, UV-equipped offset press. With the right modifications, existing equipment can find its place in the UV spectrum as well. Patrick Henry explains.

Second Time Around for Vintage Machinery in the Used Equipment Market

Published October 24, 2024

A new piece of printing equipment becomes used at the first moment it goes into production. Its useful life doesn’t have to end when its original owner no longer needs it. Patrick Henry explains.

The Intriguing Possibilities of Inkjet/Offset Integration

Published October 10, 2024

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

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

Published September 26, 2024

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

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

Published September 10, 2024

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

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

Published August 27, 2024

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

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

Published August 26, 2024

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

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

Published August 22, 2024

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

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK: OFFSET—Ceaseless Progress in Workflow Automation for Offset

Published August 20, 2024

The elements of workflow have become standard features in the operating systems of late-generation, digitally controlled offset presses. Patrick Henry provides an overview.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK—OFFSET PRINTING: The Transformation of Offset Press Technology

Published August 19, 2024

How has offset lithography retained its preferred place amidst all the technological change the industry has seen? We found the answers at drupa.

ACCGC Proposes New Taxonomy and “Crosswalks” for Education in Graphic Communications

Published August 15, 2024

ACCGC says the time has come to revise official but obsolete definitions that make graphic communications appear to be a dead end for students, career counselors, and employment seekers. Patrick Henry walks us through the changes.

To B2 or Not to B2: Shop Prints Shakespeare’s Plays on a Single Press Sheet

Published August 1, 2024

Get thee to a magnifier. Everything that William Shakespeare wrote for the stage can be seen and read in this meticulous but straightforward piece of offset lithographic presswork.

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.