New KODAK PROSPER ULTRA 520 Inkjet Press

Published June 15, 2020

The new press is the first Kodak-manufactured press using Kodak’s revolutionary ULTRASTREAM writing system, which employs high-precision placement of smaller, perfectly round, satellite-free drops to produce the highest inkjet image quality available in the marketplace today, according to Kodak announcement.

Around the Web: COVID Cobbler. Clawed Clothing. Yarn Yeomen. Chiropteran Cacophony. Antiviral Vehicles. Bottle Blunder. Venerating Velázquez. Blacklight Book.

Published June 12, 2020

Shoes designed for social distancing. A Japanese zoo raises money selling lion-mauled jeans. An online yarn store helps its customers and suppliers get through the crisis. An album based on bat songs. What impact will COVID have on car design? A gin distillery also manufacturing hand sanitizer gets its bottles mixed up. Reenactors bring a Velázquez painting to life. An upcoming cmic book will be printed using fluorescent blacklight inks.  All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly slowly reopening miscellany.

Periodical Publishing Establishments—2010–2017

Published June 12, 2020

In 2010, there were 7,221 US periodical publishing establishments; by 2017, that number had dropped to 5,279. Magazines have been struggling in the Internet age, with closures and consolidations, but also have been seeing a shift in what constitutes “periodical publishing.” Also: we’re officially in a recession (surprise).

Evergreen Packaging Releases TruSpec® Coated Inkjet Papers Featuring HP ColorPRO Technology

Published June 11, 2020

Evergreen Packaging today announced the release of TruSpec Inkjet Book with ColorPRO Technology, a new digital coated matte paper developed in conjunction with HP.

Opening New Markets with Sheet-fed Inkjet Systems

Published June 9, 2020

Innovation Foundations: Inkjet Paper and Specialty Media

Published June 9, 2020

Essential Software for Inkjet Innovators

Published June 9, 2020

Packaging 2020 - Inkjet Drivers and Innovations

Published June 9, 2020

Driving Innovation in Web-fed Inkjet Systems

Published June 9, 2020

Inkjet is a key technology transforming the ways we print, automate and personalize printed products to deliver a richer customer experience, but technical and cost barriers have prevented inkjet from taking hold in many potential markets. Driving innovation, and eliminating barriers, requires a host of technical improvements that must all work together while maintaining compatibility with software systems and finishing.

Ricoh K-Only inkjet platform boasting 50% higher speeds

Published June 9, 2020

Ricoh USA, Inc. has expanded its award-winning inkjet portfolio with the introduction of the new monochrome-only RICOH Pro VC40000 model.

GCR: What it is and Why it Matters for Inkjet

Published June 9, 2020

Understanding and implementing GCR can greatly help you print better with inkjet. Whether it is better stability, better ink savings, or a wider color gamut, explore what GCR can do for you.

Around the Web: Wonderful Wodehouse. Addled Addressing. Simplified Cellphone. Correcting Collaboration. Distance Dousing. Coloring Kerrang. Goofy Graduation. Awkward Academia.

Published June 5, 2020

A tribute to P.G. Wodehouse. A simpler, more surreal approach to specifying physical addresses. Replacing the cellphone touchscreen with a dial. How AI can foster workplace collaboration. A water gun designed specifically for the clergy. Metal magazine Kerrang! turns their covers into coloring pages. NYU’s ill-fated “virtual reality” graduation. What will post-pandemic academia look like? All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly slowly reopening miscellany.

The Impact of Drying on Inkjet Performance – Free White Paper

Published June 4, 2020

Download our latest white paper “The Impact of Drying on Inkjet Performance” which includes detailed print quality analysis measurements at multiple coverage levels, on multiple stocks using two different drying solutions and the same base inkjet press. Free registration required for access.

Evergreen Packaging Releases TruSpec® Coated Inkjet Papers Featuring HP ColorPRO Technology

Published June 1, 2020

Evergreen Packaging® today announced the release of TruSpec® Inkjet Book with ColorPRO Technology, a new digital coated matte paper developed in conjunction with HP. Evergreen is the only North American coated paper producer utilizing cutting edge HP ColorPRO technology. Learn more about Evergreen Packaging and HP during Inkjet Innovation Week beginning June 15.

Around the Web: Social Sombreros. Fantasy Phone. Elevator Innovator. Germicidal Jetting. Outside Ollies. Rowling Reading. Perishing Painting. Tortured Typing. Loving Letters.

Published May 29, 2020

Behind the iconic NYT Memorial Day front page. Restaurants come up with unique (or silly) ways to enforce social distancing. The Zoom Last Supper. A prototype video chat device—from 1918. A Bangkok shopping mall replaces elevator buttons with foot pedals. Shoot sanitizer from your wrist. Two teens turn their quarantine house into a skatepark. J.K. Rowling serializes free children’s book online. Munch’s “The Scream” is fading. A “web typewriter” doesn’t allow deleting. In Ireland, a letter-writing renaissance. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly social distancing miscellany.

Newspaper Publishing Establishments—2010–2017

Published May 29, 2020

In 2010, there were 7,794 US newspaper publishing establishments; by 2017, that number had dropped to 7,222. The newspaper industry’s woes have been well-documented, but the trouble started well before the Internet era. Also: Q1 GDP revised down.

Around the Web: Problematic Pangrams. Sans Subtitles. Fusion Facemasks. Mindful Mugs. Daffy Distancing. Globe Grief. Stonehenge Solstice Streaming. Fruity Felons.

Published May 22, 2020

Quick brown foxes and lazy dogs aren’t necessarily best for font proofing. Disney+ lets you change the typeface used for captioning. Devo is selling “Energy Dome” face shields. Bad design concepts for social distancing in restaurants. How will COVID-19 change fashion? Shakespeare’s Globe Theater is in financial trouble. The traditional Stonehenge solstice sunrise gathering will now be livestreamed. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly social distancing miscellany. Robbers wearing watermelons rob a convenience store.

March Shipments—Crest of a Wave

Published May 22, 2020

As we kind of expected, at $6.96 billion, March shipments were up from February’s $6.48 billion, and well enough above March 2019’s $6.75 billion.

Lori Anderson on Cancellation of ISA International Sign Expo 2020

Published May 15, 2020

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the International Sign Association Board of Directors met this week and has voted to cancel ISA International Sign Expo 2020 re-scheduled for August 22-25. Lori Anderson, ISA President and CEO of ISA talks about decision to cancel this year's event and the scheduling of next year's Sign Expo to be held in Las Vegas during April 2021.

Around the Web: Slack Sitcom. High-Res Rembrandt. Grime Game. Scrabble Squawking. Sign Simulator. Classic Covers. Colorful Car. Doomsday Digs.

Published May 15, 2020

All 201 episodes of The Office have been recreated in Slack. “The Five Stages of Zoom.” The most detailed online photo of Rembrandt’s Night Watch. New videogame lets you power wash a house. Scrabble fans do not like the new Scrabble Go app. Generate random UK government COVID signage. Generate your own Penguin Classic book cover. A self-censoring typeface for sweary writers. The Plymouth “Paint Chip Barracuda.” The thriving doomsday bunker market. Happy birthday, Ottmar Mergenthaler. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly sheltering in place miscellany.

Prepress and Postpress Services Establishments—2010–2017

Published May 15, 2020

In 2010, there were 2,080 establishments offering prepress and/or postpress services; by 2017, that number had dropped to 1,375. It’s not difficult to understand why the number of these establishments has been dropping: prepress is being absorbed into the printing process itself (especially in digital printing), and more print businesses are acquiring their own finishing capabilities.

Inkjet Insight to Present Inkjet Innovation Week

Published May 13, 2020

As the world slowly emerges from quarantine and travel remains restricted, virtual events play a vital role in educating potential buyers and helping industry suppliers to showcase new offers and demonstrate industry leadership. With Inkjet Innovation Week, June 15-19, Inkjet Insight brings together internationally recognized analysts and experts with hands-on experience with inkjet print quality analysis, workflow design, and product design to highlight innovations that drive business.

Multi-Dimensional Approach to Commercial Print Market - Video

Published May 11, 2020

Ricoh partners with commercial printing companies to drive requirements for their inkjet technology enhancements and business services. More than hardware is required to drive success.

Graphic Arts Employment—March 2020

Published May 8, 2020

Another of the Scenes from the Before Times: in March 2020, the overall printing employment was virtually unchanged from February (-0.7%) and on a year-over-year basis is down -3.1%. Obviously, this is the calm before the storm.

Around the Web: Horrible Hornets. Friendless Fish. Lovely Letters. Clothing Cuisine. Tenuous Time. Billboard Rebirth. Virtual Visiting.

Published May 8, 2020

Murder hornets and aggressive chickens. Boy, 2020 has it all! An aquarium wants people to FaceTime lonely eels. A long Twitter thread about an 11-year-old’s love of writing letters. You are what you eat, which is also what you wear. All about chintz. Microsoft Word finally stops the insanity of double wordspacing after a period. Why have we lost all sense of time? Are llamas our pandemic heroes? Take virtual tours of some of the world’s most beautiful libraries. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly social distancing miscellany.

The New Normal and Inkjet Printing

Published May 6, 2020

Every business innovates, solves problems and employs people. We are resilient and COVID-19 will not change that fact. Nevertheless, recovery from the pandemic will be highly irregular and uneven, requiring frequent pivots as the fluid print marketplace evolves to a new normal.

Book Printing Establishments—2010–2017

Published May 1, 2020

According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2017 there were 500 establishments in NAICS 323117 (Book Printing Establishments). This represents an decline of -6.7% since the decade began. In other data news, the BEA released Q1 2020 GDP growth. Click on through, if you dare.

Around the Web: Print Preferred. Vexing Video. Catty Commissioner. Commando Correspondent. P&G’s Paper Packaging. Socializing Suit. Postal Pets. Animal AR. Compelling Clogs.

Published May 1, 2020

FedEx Office offers a new deferred payment printing service. The potential psychological effects of using Zoom. Pro tip for Zoom meetings: don’t throw cats. Pro tip for remote Good Morning America segments: wear pants. P&G is using paper-based packaging for its Old Spice and Secret brands. Reusing discarded plastic fishing nets. A Hazmat-like suit designed for virus-free nightlife. Unusual gift items from the Post Office. Put a tiger in your living room. A popular YouTube channel is nothing but drain-unclogging videos, for some reason. Roger Dean livestreams designing the new Yes album cover. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly self-quarantining miscellany.

Book Publishing - Driven by Digital to New Heights

Published April 29, 2020

Commissioned by Canon Solutions America, this ebook provides a snapshot of the book manufacturing industry, prior to the pandemic, including production volumes, market segmentation and production workflows.

Open Your Mind Up to Inkjet - John Gagliano - Vision - Video

Published April 28, 2020

John Gagliano, Executive Vice President with Vision shares an inkjet journey that began with selling outsourced inkjet jobs to grow volume and led to investment in state-of-the-art, high-volume production inkjet at the end of 2019.

Global Graphics Direct™Powers Faster, Wider, High Resolution Digital Presses

Published April 28, 2020

Direct™ unlocks the potential of digital presses by driving print jobs directly to the printhead electronics giving unprecedented speed and image quality. Released today, it is the first fully integrated product line from Global Graphics designed to be part of a fully automated print solution, supporting Industry 4.0 telematics and integration with digital press controllers and MIS systems.

Around the Web: New Normal? Rime Readings. Cloistered Cacophony. Tone Tags. Packaging Playhouse. Literary Length. Decor Donations. Remote Rock.

Published April 24, 2020

Textile 4.0 magazine looks at the industry’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. Celebrities read verses from Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. A giant E Ink display features the NYT’s front page. Noise generator simulates the sounds of an office. A project to assign names to all 24-bit colors. Samsung’s TV boxes are designed to be converted into cat houses. The best 500+-page novels of the recent past. Buy wallpaper and support a local restaurant. Running the Boston Marathon...along the Erie Canal. BÖC performs “Godzilla” online. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly self-quarantining miscellany.

February Shipments: Tales from The Before Times

Published April 24, 2020

At $6.48 billion, February shipments were down from January’s $6.94 billion, but well above February 2019’s $6.22 billion—and indeed was the best February we’ve had since 2016. Ah, well...

Tecnau launches the StreamFolder 5152

Published April 23, 2020

The new book signature solution for high speed digital presses.

Communicating Vital Information

Published April 21, 2020

Whether it is a website, email or direct mail campaign, catalog or postcard, always design with a purpose. Every word, color, font and material should have a purpose and intent.  They need to communicate your message. This is what separates good design from bad.

Designer Opportunities: Prepare for New Markets in Inkjet

Published April 15, 2020

Mary Schilling provides an overview of the growing range of opportunities available to designers who understand the capabilities and constraints of inkjet printing.

Memjet Announces Unexpected Death of CEO Len Lauer

Published April 14, 2020

On April 13, Len Lauer, CEO of Memjet, passed away unexpectedly at his home in La Jolla, California. He was 62 years old. Lauer was named the CEO of Memjet in 2010 and assumed the role of Chairman in 2012. 

Relieving Pressure on Transaction Printers - Video

Published April 13, 2020

Mike Herold, Director Global Marketing, Production Inkjet Technologies at RICOH talks about the cost benefits that inkjet brought to the transaction printing industry over the past decade and the increasing pressure that transaction printers face as inkjet has evolved into new markets.

Around the Web: Copper vs. COVID. Somber Signage. Law Limbo. Green Screen Queen. Puzzle Pressure. Failing Forecasts. Learning Lavatory.

Published April 10, 2020

Copper-infused fabric may protect against COVID-19. Retail signage around a closed NYC reflects the spirit of the city. A courtroom drama shoots a virtual episode over Zoom. The Hamilton cast reunites on Zoom. The Queen wears green-screen green on TV and comedy ensues. Unexpected surge in demand makes both jigsaw puzzle and board game makers fall to pieces. Why have weather forecasts suddenly become less accurate? A new “smart toilet” is trouble waiting to happen. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly social distancing miscellany.

Printing Profits Plunged—Even Before the Crisis

Published April 10, 2020

Annualized profits for Q4 2019 took a nosedive from $720 million to -$170 million in the latest chapter in our “tale of two cities” narrative, this time with the profitability gap between large and small printers narrowing.

Process Control Supports Color Management

Published April 7, 2020

Process control and color management are the one-two punch that knocks out digital printing inefficiencies.

Domtar Announces Temporary Idling of Paper Capacity to Address COVID-19 Related Business Impact

Published April 7, 2020

Company to idle Kingsport, Tennessee mill and Ashdown, Arkansas A62 paper machine for three months

From Photolabs to FASTSIGNS

Published April 6, 2020

Todd Fitzgerald, owner of FASTSIGNS Wappingers Falls, N.Y., talks to Kelley Holmes about his journey from running several camera stores/photolabs to the sign industry. When the photo business started to change, he saw the sign business as a natural progression, and took advantage of FASTSIGNS’ Co-Brand program.

Screen Printing Establishments—2010–2017

Published April 3, 2020

According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2017 there were 5,187 establishments in NAICS 323113 (Commercial Screen Printing). This represents an increase of +16% since the decade began.

Around the Web: Design for Doctoring. Fashion Forward. Coffee Table Chemistry. Postal Peril. Album Advice. Kooky Colors. Breakfast Bricks. Drone Dating. Portable Potter.

Published April 3, 2020

Designer Ariel Swedroe designs and sews masks for Miami health care practitioners. Will fashion’s move toward sustainability survive the COVID-19 crisis? A lavish picture book about the chemical elements. Will the Postal Service survive the COVID-19 crisis? Classic album covers redesigned to promote social distancing. “Overly descriptive color palettes.” Is Merino wool an answer to the marine microplastics pollution problem? A “building block waffle maker.” A real-life rom-com for the viral age. Does a USB drive get heavier as you store more files on it? All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly self-quarantined miscellany.

PCA Schedules Short Downtime at its Jackson, AL Uncoated Freesheet Mill

Published April 2, 2020

Packaging Corporation of America (NYSE: PKG) announced plans to temporarily idle both paper machines and the sheet-converting operation at its Jackson Mill in Jackson, AL for the months of May and June 2020.

Change in the High Volume Inkjet Printing Industry

Published March 31, 2020

Pete Basiliere spoke with two users of high volume inkjet presses about the issues they encountered when migrating from analog or other digital technologies to inkjet. Edmundo Ortiz and Brian Dicker offered very different answers to the same question: What advice do you have for someone considering inkjet printing?

Touch Screens: Clean Often. Clean Carefully

Published March 30, 2020

We are all eager to kill germs these days – but the wrong cleaner can also kill your touch screen. The acidity of cleaners containing concentrated amounts of alcohol or ammonia can leave permanent streaks.

January Shipments: Well, We Started Great

Published March 27, 2020

At $6.94 billion, January shipments were down a little from December’s $6.98 billion, but that was just slightly lower than January 2016’s $6.95 billion—the best January we have had since then. But, elephant in the room...

Around the Web: Medical Masking. Tele Trolling. Mini Marathon. COVID Comedy. Virus Vocabulary. Awful Offices. Weird Webcams. Filter Fail.

Published March 27, 2020

So what are we talking about this week? Textile and apparel companies, among others, are helping provide masks and other protective gear for the COVID-19 crisis. Twitter tales of social distancing. “Zoombombing.” Running a 26-mile marathon on a seven-foot balcony. The evolution of Internet humor via coronavirus memes. New coronavirus-related words and phrases are entering the lexicon at a rapid rate. The grossest home offices ever. Webcams that keep eyes out for UFO, Bigfoot, and ghosts. Another livestream, another camera filter left on. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly self-quarantined miscellany.

FASTSIGNS Vero Beach and ABC Printing Co-Brand to Offer Complete Signage and Commercial Printing Services

Published March 23, 2020

Gordon Sellers, FASTSIGNS Vero Beach, Fla., and & Chris Beals, ABC Printing, talk about the evolution of their partnership. ABC Printing was founded in 1975 as a quick printer. When Gordon opened FASTSIGNS Vero Beach, Chis became a top customer, selling signs to his customers and acquiring them from FASTSIGNS—and Gordon’s customers also needed small-format printing. As their partnership grew, they decided to take advantage of FASTSIGNS’ Co-Branding program.

Around the Web: Social Salutations. Demanding Distance. Lavatorial Leaves. Restaurant Relics. Menschy Macmillan. Mammoth Manse. Plane Panes. Terrific Tablet. Mine Music.

Published March 20, 2020

More alternatives to handshaking. A Chicago restaurant offers free...dinner rolls. “Social distancing enforcement object.” A field guide to local foliage should the TP shortage become acute. Brooklyn restaurateurs uncover a trove of historical materials from a 19th century restaurant. A woman mistakes cheese for soap. Macmillan cancels its plans to deny libraries access to ebooks. An Ice Age house made of mammoth bones. Faux stained glass window clings for airplanes. E Ink’s new tablet could be a hit. The Shaft Bottom Boys play world’s deepest concert. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly self-quarantined miscellany.

Printing Establishments—2010–2017

Published March 20, 2020

According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2017 there were 25,256 establishments in NAICS 323 (Printing and Related Support Activities). This represents a decline of 13% since the decade began.

For Gaby Mullinax & Kaitlyn Mullinax-Fischer, FASTSIGNS is a Family Business

Published March 16, 2020

Gaby Mullinax & Kaitlyn Mullinax-Fischer, Owner & Director of Business Development of FASTSIGNS of Brea and Fullerton, Calif., talk about how their franchise became a family business, and how Gaby jumped off the corporate ladder to run a FASTSIGNS franchise. They encourage young people to get involved in the FASTSIGNS business.

Coronavirus Continues to Spread: drupa Postponed to April 2021

Published March 13, 2020

Around the Web: Meddling Microbes. Apple AR. Virtual Vestments. Morphing Malls. Wacky Warrants. Crustacean Causeway.

Published March 13, 2020

A round up of some virus-laden news items. Apple’s Quick Look adds AR to shopping. Virtual fashion makes “fit pics” sustainable. A Dutch shopping mall that doesn’t sell anything. “Geofencing warrants” trace geolocation data to crime scenes. Building a crab infrastructure on Christmas Island. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Graphic Arts Employment—February 2020

Published March 13, 2020

In February 2020, overall printing employment was virtually unchanged from January (-0.1%) and on a year-over-year basis was down -2.0%. Interestingly, production employment was up, albeit infinitesimally.

BlueCrest announces more versatility with the IntelliJet 20 HD with HP Brilliant Ink

Published March 11, 2020

Stan Gray Benefits from FASTSIGNS Veteran Program

Published March 9, 2020

Stan Gray, owner of FASTSIGNS Torrance and Long Beach, Calif., talks about his military background and how he came to FASTSIGNS via the Veteran & First Responder Franchise Program. Gray also has a background in architecture, and his franchise specializes in ADA signage.

Around the Web: All About CBD. The Death of the Apostrophe? History of the Sticker Museum. Paramedical Tattoos. Hive Heists. The Big Data of Big Hair.

Published March 6, 2020

A close look at what CBD does in the body. Have we killed the apostrophe? Terry Jones’ final project. Beehive theft is now a thing. Which decade had the biggest hair? A history of sneaker design. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Prepress and Postpress Establishments—2017

Published March 6, 2020

According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2017 there were 1,373 establishments in NAICS 32312 (Support Activities for Printing). The majority of these establishments (66%) had fewer than 10 employees.

Around the Web: Hygienic Handshakes. Public Pix. Mobile Museum. Continuing Catalogs. Stop Signage. Face Filter Failure. Funny Fashion. Cuttable Condiment.

Published February 28, 2020

A possible alternative to the handshake. Both the Smithsonian and the Biodiversity Heritage Library have released thousands of images into the public domain. Libraries are ditching overdue fines. Take the Swedish Design Museum home with you. Believe it or not, printed catalogs and the mail order business may be in the process of restoration—if not Restoration. Inside the NY DOT inplant and Stop sign manufacturing. Rough weather for a meteorologist who left an AR filter on his broadcast. Stop-motion animation using pancakes. The best thing since sliced...mayonnaise? All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Retail Sales—January 2020

Published February 28, 2020

Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for January 2020, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $529.8 billion, an increase of +0.3% (±0.4%) from the previous month, and +4.4% (±0.7%) above January 2019. Retail drives a lot of printing and packaging volume, so it’s important to keep an eye on that sector.

Can G7 Work with Inkjet? User Perspectives

Published February 26, 2020

Mike Todryk of IWCO Direct uses G7 color management across a range of production processes, including inkjet. In this post he lays to rest some misconceptions about G7 and its uses and shares insight on how the process can add value.

Action Mailers on Growing with Inkjet

Published February 24, 2020

Action Mailers, a major, family-owned, direct mail provider located near Philadelphia has completed the latest upgrade in their multi-phase transition from toner to inkjet. Marc Hoy shares lessons learned and the key benefits they have found from their investment.

Book Printers—2017

Published February 21, 2020

The latest edition of County Business Patterns is out, which updates number of establishments and other data to 2017. In that year, there were 500 establishments in NAICS 323117 (Book Printing). The majority of these establishments (63%) had fewer than 10 employees.

Around the Web: Glowing Garments. Election Ensemble. Lasting Lore. Waning Watches. Blocking Bracelet. Pivot-Table Percussion. Victorian Vehemence. Fowl Footwear.

Published February 21, 2020

An LED light system to add high visibility to safety apparel. Forevernote will preserve your family memories—professional biographer included. The Apple Watch outsold the entire Swiss watch industry. “Bracelet of silence” keeps Alexa from eavesdropping. Weird punctuation in film titles. Turn Microsoft Excel into a drum machine. A Victorian shop manager quits in protest over bar codes. KFC and Crocs team up for...huh? All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Owner of FASTSIGNS Forest Hills. N.Y., Talks About his FASTSIGNS Conversion

Published February 20, 2020

Mohamed Kazi, Owner of FASTSIGNS Forest Hills, N.Y., talks about his recent FASTSIGNS conversion. After coming to the US from India, Kazi started in the sign industry in 1998 and launched his own business in 2007. He recently decided to convert his sign business to a FASTSIGNS as a way to take advantage of the franchise’s marketing and sales training resources to better complement his own technical and production capabilities.

Temple, Tex.’s Paper Graphics Reaps Rewards with FASTSIGNS Co-Brand Program

Published February 19, 2020

Dennis Smith is owner of both FASTSIGNS of Temple, Tex., and Paper Graphics, a commercial print business founded in 1972. Five or six years ago, as the commercial print business started growing stagnant, Smith researched FASTSIGNS’ Co-Brand program. He chose to become a FASTSIGNS franchise rather than add his own wide-format printing equipment in order to take advantage of the franchise’s training and its brand recognition.

Pixelle Acquires Specialty Papers Business from Verso

Published February 18, 2020

Combination Creates Largest Specialty Papers Business in North America Advanced Capabilities Establish Pixelle as Specialty Papers “Center of Excellence”

December Shipments: Ending 2019 on a High Note

Published February 14, 2020

The value of printing shipments for December 2019 was down from November—as we expected it would be—but not down as much as been the case in recent years. At $6.95 billion, December shipments were down from November’s $7.03 billion, but far above the depths of 2017 and 2018.

Around the Web: Cool Clipart. Book Bot. Artistic Appetizers. Calligraphic Collection. Lotsa Letters. Grotesque Garfield. Jurassic Driver.

Published February 14, 2020

Royalty-free illustrations from old books. A Japanese artist hand-draws every meal he eats. A new book teaches hand-lettering. An Ohio man receives 55,000 copies of the same letter from his daughter’s Student Loan Company. A reimagining (and improvement) of Garfield. Printed greeting cards are still in fashion. Making 3D printing resin from old fryer oil. Why are people getting worse at The Price Is Right? All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

3D Printing Opportunities that Align with Your 2D Business

Published February 11, 2020

Don’t let misconceptions deter you from evaluating 3D printing within your 2D printing business, but don't go into it blindly. Ask yourself these questions as you consider expanding your inkjet business.

Screen Printing Establishments—2017

Published February 7, 2020

The latest edition of County Business Patterns is out, which updates number of establishments and other data to 2017. In that year, there were 5,186 establishments in NAICS 323113 (Commercial Screen Printing). The majority of these establishments (74%) had fewer than 10 employees.

Around the Web: Printing Parkinson’s. Shedding Sheep. Shark Suit. Bartending ’Bots. Scorigami! Publishing Palaces. Canine Cans. Hog Hearses. Daliwood. Mobile Men’s Room. Junk Jam.

Published February 7, 2020

A new typeface raises awareness of, and helps fund a cure for, Parkinson’s Disease. Pineapple wool aims to replace sheep. A shark-proof wetsuit. Dye-sub transfer for non-polyester fibers. Japan experiments with robot bartenders. Private equity tries to acquire .org domain registry. Scorigami tracks rare football scores. Former newspaper headquarters have become luxury apartments. A Florida brewery puts pictures of adoptable rescue dogs on beer cans—and one woman finds her lost dog. Motorcycle hearses for uneasy riders. Salvador Dalí and Walt Disney once collaborated on an animated short film. “Uber for lavatories.” Faking a traffic jam on Google Maps. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

For FASTSIGNS of Maumee & Toledo, OH, Business Is a Family Affair

Published February 5, 2020

Karrie Brock, Owner of FASTSIGNS of Maumee & Toledo, OH, talks with Kelley Holmes about her business, which was converted to a FASTSIGNS franchise 10 years ago. She opened a second location in Maumee four years ago. Her husband Randy joined the team just prior to the conversion, and handles the back-of-the-house production, installation, and fabrication management while Karrie the “front of the house” operations.

What Do Fighter Jets and Inkjet Finishing Have in Common? 3D Printing

Published February 4, 2020

3D printing is used to drive efficiencies in manufacturing everything from jet planes to prosthetics - and printing is no exception. Pete Basiliere joins Inkjet Insight with an overview of 3DP in the every day print operation.

Midland Paper Launches New “Specialty Media” Catalog for Offset and Digital Sheet Products

Published February 3, 2020

Midland Paper, Packaging + Supplies, one of North America's largest independent distributors of media for business communications, recently launched a new and innovative Specialty Media catalog for offset and digital sheet fed printers. The all-inclusive catalog merges media for major sheet fed print technologies into one unique publication. Offset, HP Indigo and Dry Toner substrates are all featured within one book.

OKI and Mimaki Engineering Conclude Exclusive International Sales Agreement for OKI Data’s Wide Format Inkjet Printers

Published February 1, 2020

In January, Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. and OKI Data Corporation, the OKI Group’s printer company, concluded an exclusive international sales agreement for the distribution of OKI Data’s wide format inkjet printers. Under the terms of this agreement, the two companies will expand their sales alliance in Japan, announced in March 2019, to encompass overseas sales.

Graphic Arts Employment—December 2019

Published January 31, 2020

In December 2019, overall printing employment dropped -0.2% from November, and on a year-over-year basis, it is down -2.4%. Production employment was down -0.5% from November to December (and -4.4% Y/Y) while non-production employment was down -0.1% from November to December—but actually up +1.7% Y/Y.

Around the Web: Sustainable Straws. Mobile Meetings. Floating Fashion. Classic Critique. Latest Lenses. Fractious Footwear. Cleaver Calming,

Published January 31, 2020

The growing market for paper straws. A slow elevator designed for fast meetings. A paperboy helps save a restaurant from fire. A balloon-based fashion collection. A new book collects old airline maps. Another new book collects photographs of famous economists. Which classic novels are the most-loved—and most-hated? Contact lens-based displays. Are new running shoes “technological doping”? Merit badges for—oy—“adulting.” Three words: “meat cleaver massage.” All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Broadridge and their 4th Generation of Inkjet - Video

Published January 30, 2020

Jeff Matos shares his experience migrating to the 4th generation of inkjet at Broadridge Financial Solutions including special considerations for MICR and his experience with the RICOH Pro VC4000 in all its configurations.

Printing Outlook 2020

Published January 30, 2020

The Printing Outlook 2020 report provides detailed analysis of the latest WhatTheyThink Printing Industry Survey, the latest industry economic data and macroeconomic trends, as well as industry and cultural technological trends to look out for in 2020 and beyond.

Konica Minolta Launches Digital Print Enrichment Press

Published January 29, 2020

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leader in world-class printing technology, today announced the official launch of the MGI JETvarnish 3D One, a simple, compact and affordable digital embellishment press that provides sensory print applications for printers of every size.

Putting a Professional Face on a Sign Business

Published January 29, 2020

Mathew Feil, Owner of FASTSIGNS Lawton, OK, talks about having converted his five-year-old sign company to a FASTSIGNS franchise and how a more professional face on his business has made it easier to to sell jobs. He also cites the technical, sales, and marketing resources that are available from FASTSIGNS corporate, as well as events such as the FASTSIGNS Conference.

Helping FASTSIGNS Move Into New Geographic Areas

Published January 28, 2020

Greg Carafello, NYC Area Development–FASTSIGNS, talks to Kelley Holmes about his role as a certified franchise executive, and how he helps companies like FASTSIGNS move into new geographies and attract franchise candidates. He also talks about the advantages of converting a print business to a FASTSIGNS franchise.

Commercial Printing Establishments—2017

Published January 24, 2020

The latest edition of County Business Patterns is out, which updates the number of establishments and other data. In 2017, there were 25,256 establishments in NAICS 323 (Printing and Related Support Activities). The majority of these establishments (71%) have fewer than 10 employees.

Around the Web: Lavatory Literature. Modulated Mummy. Ubiquitous Unicorns. Streaming Salvos. Tiny Type. Cranium Confusion. Forensic Flipping. Pigeon Parade.

Published January 24, 2020

“Facility” is a new print magazine all about bathrooms. Giving voice to a 3,000-year-old mummy. Op-eds from the future. The opening salvos in the streaming wars. Stores are compensating for poor packaging design choices. Dante’s Inferno for language pedants. The battle over a cryonically frozen head. A home renovation show that remodels crime scenes. A concerto for orchestra and typewriter. The Nevada Avian Milliner is back. Also: Robopigeon! Hide the statues! All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

The Intersection of Inkjet and 3D Printing

Published January 22, 2020

What comes to mind when you think of inkjet printing? Do you think of substrates (papers, textiles, electronics)? Do you think of two dimensional applications (direct mail, books, ceramics)? Or do you think in three dimensions (displays, jet engines, medical implants)? Why not 3D?

Paper Handling Solutions Identifies Customer Needs

Published January 21, 2020

Kris Oosterling of Paper Handling Solutions talks to Kelley Holmes about the evolution of the company, from what had been a traditional finishing equipment dealer to a more consultative solutions provider, helping customers navigate changes in the printing landscape.

Get It Now Print Streamlines Its Workflow

Published January 20, 2020

From 20 jobs per day to 100, Get It Now Print has increased production and their customer base with the help of EFI’s Fiery Workflow solution. Simple, efficient, and agile, Fiery automation can help your print business get more work out the door.

Ricoh Kicks Off 2020 with Inkjet Event

Published January 17, 2020

Inkjet Insight talks to Phil Self a VP at Ricoh USA, Inc. about its recent customer event. The event focused on opportunities for using inkjet within commercial and direct marketing business.

November Printing Shipments: Off for the Holidays

Published January 17, 2020

The value of printing shipments for November 2019 was $7.03 billion—a pretty big drop from October’s $7.65 billion, but we kind of expected it, as November and December see business slow down for the holidays.

Around the Web: Fabricating Food. Smart Sweats. Clever Kicks. Receipt Wrap. Slaking Slack. Erroneous Ebooks. Mellotron Music Musing.

Published January 17, 2020

3D-printed candy. Rechargeable workout clothes. Smart sneakers can improve your running form. A knitted scarf based on a CVS receipt. Living concrete. A new, more accurate typewriter font, for some reason. How Slack has ruined work. Library ebook provider Overdrive acquired by private equity firm. Why was there no ebook revolution in the 2010s? “The” most powerful word in the English language. A journey inside the Mellotron, one of the weirdest musical instruments. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Direct-to-Object and More in 2020

Published January 15, 2020

In 2020, Inkjet Insight will be expanding coverage of inkjet’s role in growth markets like packaging and industrial while we continue to keep you informed about application segments where inkjet is fully entrenched. This week we got some great Direct-to-Object stories from Richard Romano.

Establishment Births/Deaths: Industry Attrition Continues to Slow

Published January 10, 2020

From 2015 to 2016, there had been an increase of 1,586 establishments, but a decrease of -1,881 establishments, for a net loss of -295 establishments. That’s a smaller percentage change than previous years, which reflects somewhat of a deceleration in industry consolidation.

Around the Web: Fur Fracas. Delivery Droid. Seen at CES. Audi’s Interior. Enhanced E Ink. Scrappy Scrabble. Bloody Billboard. Bivalve Boogie. Crazy Cats.

Published January 10, 2020

NYC’s proposed ban on fur (for fashion) causes a kerfuffle. A wearable plant vest that is...er, self-watering. A bipedal delivery robot is now for sale. Japan recycles cardboard to use as beds for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics competitors. A roundup of “highlights” from this week’s Consumer Electronics Show. “Charmin looks to disrupt the toilet experience with new technologies.” An inflatable pub for grown-up parties. At last: a color E Ink display. A deep dive into the history of the board game Scrabble—and the small Vermont town that used to manufacture all the letter tiles. A brilliant billboard advertising the new “Dracula” series. Two words: “disco clam.” Pro tip: don’t see the new “Cats” while tripping on LSD. All that and more in WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany.

Inkjet Insight Production Inkjet Market Survey on Print Quality Measurement and Paper Qualification

Published January 7, 2020

Our latest research surveys production inkjet users on  requirements for print quality measurement when qualifying papers for use on inkjet presses and their satisfaction with OEM services related to meeting those requirements. Executive summary available to all. Premium members can download 18 page report.

ColorKarma: Making it Easier for Designers and Producers to Communicate

Published January 7, 2020

Shoshana Burgett discusses why she founded ColorKarma: to help improve communications between designers and producers, who often speak different "languages." She also aims to make it easier for designers to connect with producers across a wide range of physical product types.

The Next Chapter in the Printing Profits “Tale of Two Cities”

Published December 20, 2019

Industry profits data for the third quarter of 2019 were down from $3.05 billion in Q2 to $2.65 billion. Large printers continue to be the trouble spot.