Printing Industry Commentary & Analysis

Taktiful Tuesdays! Frank Mallozzi Leads Konica Minolta’s Industrial Print Revolution

Published December 17, 2024

Welcome back to another engaging episode of Taktiful Tuesdays! In this installment, host Eric Vessels sits down with his longtime friend Frank Mallozzi, the President of Konica Minolta’s Industrial Print and Production (IPP) Group. This conversation takes you on a journey through Frank’s unexpected return to the industry and his mission to drive innovation in the world of industrial printing.

Taktiful Tuesdays! Democratizing Digital Embellishment: A Conversation with Andrew Gunn of Fujifilm

Published December 10, 2024

Ready to see what’s next for digital print? In this episode of Taktiful Tuesdays, Eric Vessels, CXO at Taktiful, sits down with Andrew Gunn of Fujifilm to pull back the curtain on the evolving world of digital embellishment. Curious about how to move beyond CMYK, unlock new ROI opportunities, and truly stand out from the competition? Andrew shares insights on the cutting-edge Revoria lineup, Fujifilm’s Aspire program, and the power of industry collaboration.

Taktiful Tuesdays Episode 2: Digital Embellishments, Standards, and Tacos with Richard Romano!

Published December 3, 2024

In this exciting episode of Taktiful Tuesdays, Eric Vessels, Chief Experience Officer at Taktiful, chats with Richard Romano, Managing Editor at WhatTheyThink, about the future of digital embellishments and the critical need for industry standards. They dive into the evolution of digital embellishments; challenges face printers such as selling, pricing, and educating customers; the importance of creating universal standards for gloss, foil, embossing, and more; and insights from Taktiful and WhatTheyThink’s groundbreaking industry surveys. And of course, they redefine “Taco Tuesday” as “Taktiful Tuesdays”

Heidelberg on the Last Day of drupa 24

Published October 15, 2024

In this video sponsored by Heidelberg, David Schmedding, Global Head of Sales & Marketing for Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, reflects back on Heidelberg's presence at drupa 24 on the last day of the show.

Rootree’s Phil St-Cyr on Digitally Printing Flexible Packaging

Published July 11, 2024

In this video, sponsored by HP, Eric Vessels talks with Phil St-Cyr, CEO & Founder of Rootree, about the company’s purchase of an HP Indigo 200K Digital Press to print flexible packaging.

Booth Tour: EFI Reggiani at drupa 2024

Published July 10, 2024

Paolo Torricella, Global Textile Segment Specialist, EFI, talks with Eric Vessels about what's new with the EFI Reggiani, which is capable of printing on any fabric.

Road to drupa: Durst Group's Christian Harder

Published May 23, 2024

Durst Group's Christian Harder talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels and gives a comprehensive preview of Durst's pre-drupa and drupa activity in Hall 16. They discuss the customer event in Brixen ahead of the trade fair as well as what we can expect to see on the Durst stand A41 in Hall 16.

Road to drupa: Erez Zimerman Preview's Massivit Presence at drupa 2024

Published May 23, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels speaks with Massivit CEO Erez Zimerman about their presence at drupa 2024 in Hall 9 Stand A08. Erez highlights the solutions they will have on hand and how 3D printing can enhance 2D print campaigns.

Road to drupa: EFI's Ken Hanulec Previews EFI's Presence at the Show

Published May 22, 2024

Ken Hanulec, Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at EFI, Speaks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels and previews EFI's presence at drupa 2024 in Hall 9, Stand A20.

Road to drupa: Highcon's Simon Lewis Previews drupa 2024

Published May 22, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels speaks with Highcon's Simon Lewis to get a preview of visitors can expect to see in Hall 9. The world premiere of the Beam 3 is among the offerings—along with some other surprises!

Keypoint Intelligence Becomes Exclusive Sponsor of WhatTheyThink Data Section

Published May 22, 2024

Riley McNulty, VP of Customer Experience & Consulting at Keypoint Intelligence, speaks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about sponsoring the WhatTheyThink Industry Data section. They discuss what Keypoint does and how contextualizing industry data can help the modern day printer make better decisions.

Road to drupa: Printware to Exhibit New Inkjet Envelope Solutions

Published May 21, 2024

Tim Murphy, President of Printware, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about what they'll be showing at drupa 2024. Printware will have their iJetColor solutions in Hall 16 Stand C03 with their European partners Technomatic.

Road to drupa: Ultimate Tech's Julie Watson Previews drupa 2024

Published May 21, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels talks with Ultimate Tech's CEO Julie Watson about imposition automation and what to expect from them at drupa in Hall 8B Stand 31!

Road to drupa: CalPoly Student Mira Shupe Previews Her drupa 2024 Trip

Published May 20, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels speaks with second year CalPoly Student Mira Shupe and gets her thoughts on the upcoming trip to Dusseldorf. Mira is part of a cadre of six students from CalPoly headed to the show and WhatTheyThink is pleased to support this effort financially as well as giving real world working experience to the students while at the Messe.

Road to drupa: Heidelberg's David Schmedding

Published May 16, 2024

Eric Vessels speaks with David Schmedding, Global Head of Sales & Marketing at Heidelberg, about their presence at drupa 2024 and what to expect from them. David joins us from their “Home of Print” facility in Wiesloch in front of their new Heidelberg Boardmaster Flexo Press, an innovation that will be featured at drupa.

Road to drupa: CalPoly's Colleen Twomey Previews Student Trip to drupa 2024

Published May 15, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels speaks with Cal Poly's Colleen Twomey about organizing a student trip to drupa 2024. Six total students will attend and work with WhatTheyThink on the drupa daily as well as network, learn about new technologies, and visit exhibitor stands.

Road to drupa: CalPoly Student Kendra Roberson Looks Forward to drupa 2024

Published May 14, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels spends some time talking to third-year CalPoly Student Kendra Roberson about going to drupa for the first time. Kendra shares what she's looking forward to and what she hopes to learn in her time in Dusseldorf. WhatTheyThink is helping to sponsor six CalPoly students to attend drupa 2024 and will be allowing them to work with our team producing the drupa daily at the show.

DirectMail2.0 Acquires Who's Mailing What, to Create Largest AI Powered Direct Mail Database

Published May 14, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels chats with Brad Kugler, CEO of DirectMail2.0, about their recent acquisition of Who's Mailing What!, a direct mail performance and insights tracking platform that goes back the 70s. They discuss the acquisition and what this will mean for direct mailers trying to enhance and perfect their campaigns.

Road to drupa: Kornit's Danny Gazit Previews drupa 2024

Published May 14, 2024

Danny Gazit, Chief Product Officer at Kornit, takes part in our Road to drupa series and previews Kornit's presence at the trade fair. Kornit will be in Hall 4 on stand B45, but will also be shuttling people over to a brand new Experience Center in Dusseldorf during the show. Their focus will be on making new announcements related to flexibility, production, quality, and sustainability.

Road to drupa: George Simonian on the Egyptian Print Market

Published May 13, 2024

George Simonian, Dean of Design & Arts Faculty at Ahram Canadian University in Cairo, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the upcoming drupa trade fair, the printing market in Egypt, and what he expects from the first drupa in eight years.

Frank Tueckmantel Previews drupa next age

Published May 8, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels speaks with Frank Tueckmantel to get a preview of the drupa next age. Housed in Hall 7, drupa next age is a special forum that will help people encounter innovation, new ideas, and pioneering technologies.

WhatTheyThink Launches Special Offset Lithography Section Led by Patrick Henry

Published May 1, 2024

In this latest episode of the "What's Up?" series, Patrick Henry speaks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the launch of a new Offset section and why this technology deserves a focus area. They discuss advances in technologies and what members can expect from this new effort.

The Road to drupa: drupa Next Age Content Program Featured in Hall 7

Published May 1, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels talks to Deborah Corn about drupa Next Age, a content program she is helping lead that will be featured in Hall 7 at drupa 2024.

Kevin Abergel of Taktiful Discusses the Release of Taktiful Software Solutions

Published April 16, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels spends some time with Kevin Abergel, Founder & CEO of Taktiful, about the company's recent launch of Taktiful Software Solutions. Hear more about the three major points in digital print embellishment and how this new company eliminates them for printers who have this technology.

Road to drupa: Messe Düsseldorf's Sabine Geldermann Previews the Upcoming Event

Published March 28, 2024

Sabine Geldermann, Director of drupa for Messe Düsseldorf, speaks with WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels for the Road to drupa series and gives a great overview of where things are at and what to expect when we arrived at the messe in just over two months.

David Zwang On the Road to drupa

Published March 14, 2024

David Zwang joins us on the road to drupa with insight for both first-time attendees and trade show veterans. This is an event you do not want to miss!

WhatTheyThink's Nick Gawreluk and Eric Vessels Preview Road to drupa Video Series

Published March 13, 2024

WhatTheyThink's Nick Gawreluk and Eric Vessels join forces to preview an exciting video series that will build up to drupa and feature several thought leaders, analysts, subject matter experts, printers, exhibitors, all who will talk about what to expect at the drupa trade fair in late May/early June.

Race to Indy: Rosemarie Breske Garvey Previews Dscoop Edge

Published February 6, 2024

Rosemarie Breske Garvey, President of Blooming Color, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the "Race to Indy" as we prepare for the Dscoop Edge event in Indianapolis. Rosemarie gives us a quick glance into Blooming Color and talks about her many years attending Dscoop and what we can expect this year as she takes on the role as Conference Chair.

Race to Indy: Matt Doran Previews Dscoop Edge

Published February 5, 2024

Matt Doran, CEO of The Anstadt Company, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the "Race to Indy" as we prepare for the Dscoop Edge event in Indianapolis. Matt gives us a look into his role at Anstadt and what they do and also talks about Dscoop Edge and the Business Executive Track.

Race to Indy: Jeff Sider Previews Dscoop Edge

Published February 1, 2024

Jeff Sider, Senior Development Manager at Cober Solutions, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the "Race to Indy" as we prepare for the Dscoop Edge event in Indianapolis. Jeff gives us a quick glance into his role at Cober Solutions and what they do and also talks about the IT Track at Dscoop.

Race to Indy: Ryan Devesty Previews Dscoop Edge

Published January 31, 2024

Ryan Devesty, Director of Digital Print and Workflow Solutions at Hatteras, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the "Race to Indy" as we prepare for the Dscoop Edge event in Indianapolis. Ryan gives us a quick glance into his role at Hatteras and what they do and also talks about the Production Manager Track at Dscoop.

WhatTheyDrink with Eric Vessels and Mark Subers

Published December 13, 2023

WhatTheyThink’s Eric Vessels and PRINTING United Alliance’s Mark Subers toast the final day of PRINTING United in Atlanta.

PRINTING United 2023 Opens in Atlanta!

Published October 20, 2023

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels and David Zwang give us the lowdown on the first day of PRINTING United Expo 2023 in Atlanta.

PRINTING United Alliance Chairman Michael Marcian Previews the Expo

Published October 12, 2023

Michael Marcian, General Manager at DCG ONE (Maryland) and current PRINTING United Alliance Chairman, speaks with WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the upcoming PRINTING United Expo in Atlanta.

What's Up with PRINTING United Expo? Mark Subers Lets Us know!

Published October 5, 2023

Mark Subers, President of Events at PRINTING United Alliance, speaks with WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels ahead of the PRINTING United Expo and gives us a great preview of what to expect.

Women in Print Alliance to Be Featured at PRINTING United Expo in Atlanta

Published October 4, 2023

Lisbeth Lyons Black, Director of the Women in Print Alliance, speaks with WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the important work being done by the Women in Print Alliance, her role, and the ways in which the industry can support women in print. They also talk about the upcoming PRINTING United Expo and the many events taking place related to the Women in Print Alliance.

Tour of Quantum Group’s Rosemont, Ill., Facility for All LeadingPRINT Summit Attendees

Published June 5, 2023

Cheryl Kahanec, CEO of Quantum Group, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the tour of Quantum Group that will be part of the 2023 LeadingPRINT Summit. Attendees will have the opportunity to visit Quantum’s facility, which includes offset, digital (inkjet and toner) equipment as well as a new Landa Nanographic Press.

What the CEO Needs to Know (And Fix) About Sales Today

Published June 1, 2023

Linda Bishop, President, Thought Transformation, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about managing sales at the CEO level. Bishop will be presenting a session at the 2023 LeadingPRINT Summit that will provide practical solutions to address today’s selling realities and build the skills and systems your sales team needs to win.

What’s Up with FSEA

Published May 23, 2023

In this edition of “What’s Up with WhatTheyThink,” Eric Vessels talks with Foil and Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) Director Jeff Peterson about the upcoming Digital Embellishments Conference, coming June 5-7 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Peak Performance Coaching Workshop at LeadingPRINT Summit

Published May 22, 2023

Ken Garner, Principal, Desired Results Through Coaching, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about the workshop "Peak Performance: Stop Managing, Start Coaching" he will be leading at the 2023 LeadingPRINT Summit. In this interactive workshop, leadership coach Ken Garner, explains the concept of Peak Performance and how to invest in organizational cultures that facilitate and support employees’ being the best they can be.

The Old Rules Don’t Apply: Financing for New Business Models

Published May 18, 2023

Jon Budington, President, More Vang, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about how most print industry business owners know how to raise capital the traditional way: through traditional banking programs. But what happens when you need to raise money for something that doesn’t have a tangible asset, like a new press, tied to it? At the LeadingPRINT Summit, Budington will preset ideas and plans that granted his company access to private equity that enabled them to branch into software as service.

Mastering The 10 Competitive Competencies Of Leadership

Published May 17, 2023

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels talks to Gary C. Laney, CEO of Success Masters, about how to become a highly effective and influential leader by mastering the 10 Competitive Competencies of Leadership. Laney will present the leadership traits and elite characteristics that create Competitive Competencies.

LeadingPRINT Summit—The Educational and Networking Event You Won't Want to Miss

Published May 16, 2023

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels and Julie Shaffer talk about the upcoming 2023 LeadingPRINT Summit. The Summit brings together top printing industry executives to hear from business management experts and industry peers about the key areas of importance for sustained business success: influential leadership, revenue growth, attracting top talent, financing, and a solid business plan. It's an educational and networking event you won't want to miss.

Paula Fargo of Curry Printing Previews NSPOA Annual Conference

Published March 15, 2023

Paula Fargo, President of Curry Printing in Baltimore, Md., speaks with Eric Vessels of WhatTheyThink about being a member of NPSOA and the upcoming conference happening March 16-18 in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Paul Strack Previews the NPSOA Annual Conference

Published February 28, 2023

Paul Strack, President and Owner of CustomXM, talks to Eric Vessels about his membership in NPSOA, and being the master of ceremonies for their upcoming annual conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

David Gardner Previews NPSOA Annual Conference

Published February 27, 2023

David Gardner, President of Boyd's Direct, talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about his membership in NPSOA and previews the upcoming annual conference in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Ricoh Partners with Taktiful and WhatTheyThink on Landmark Digital Embellishment Study

Published February 23, 2023

Eric Vessels of WhatTheyThink speaks with Kevin Abergel of Taktiful and Mark Little of Ricoh about their partnership on a new and exciting survey that will produce the first-of-its kind study on specialty ink usage in the printing industry. (To take the survey, click the link below the video.)

Nathaniel Grant Previews the NPSOA Annual Conference

Published February 23, 2023

Nathaniel Grant, Chairman of the National Print & Sign Owners Association, hangs out with Eric talking about NPSOA and their annual owners conference happening in Myrtle Beach, S.C., March 16-18.

WhatTheyThink and Taktiful Partner on Landmark Digital Embellishment Study

Published February 21, 2023

Kevin Abergel, President of Taktiful, speaks with Eric Vessels of WhatTheyThink about their partnership on a new and exciting survey that will produce the first of its kind study on specialty ink usage in the printing industry. To take the survey, click the link below the video.

Printing Outlook 2023 Preview

Published February 20, 2023

In this edition of the ongoing "What's Up with WhatTheyThink?" video series, Eric Vessels speaks with WhatTheyThink's Managing Editor Richard Romano to get some insights into WhatTheyThink's Printing Outlook 2023 report.

WhatTheyThink Magazine Issue One—The Software Issue

Published February 14, 2023

The WhatTheyThink team discusses the newly redesigned and reimagined WhatTheyThink Magazine. Join Eric Vessels, Richard Romano, and Jessica Taylor as they have a jam session on the new magazine direction and design, and talk about Issue One—The Software Issue.

Women’s Networking Luncheon Kicks Off Annual Event at ePS CONNECT

Published February 13, 2023

This year’s CONNECT event, hosted by eProductivity Software at The Wynn in Las Vegas, featured a Women’s Networking Lunch where women—along with some men—gathered to hear the stories of powerful women and discuss ways to get more women into the industry and leadership positions.

eProductivity Software Executive Chairman Marc Olin Previews the CONNECT Event Coming Up at The Wynn in Las Vegas

Published January 23, 2023

eProductivity Software Executive Chairman Marc Olin and WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels preview the upcoming CONNECT event at The Wynn in Las Vegas. They discuss the history and evolution of CONNECT and talk about what people can expect this year as it enters a new phase under the control of eProductivity Software.

eProductivity Software's Aleks Zlatic Previews CONNECT 2023

Published January 20, 2023

Aleks Zlatic, General Manager of the Packaging Division for eProductivity Software, talks to Eric Vessels about the upcoming ePS CONNECT event at The Wynn in Las Vegas. Aleks talks about the packaging-specific sessions as well as key partners, associations, and customers who will be in attendance.

eProductivity Software's Charlotte Tueckmantel Previews CONNECT 2023

Published January 19, 2023

Charlotte Tueckmantel, VP/GM Global E-commerce & Enterprise Print, gives a preview of the upcoming eProductivity Software CONNECT event. Charlotte talks to WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about what to expect in Las Vegas at The Wynn as CONNECT enters a new phase under the auspices of ePS.

eProductivity Software's Nick Benkovich Discusses "What's Up" at CONNECT 2023

Published January 19, 2023

In the latest installment of "What's Up? with WhatTheyThink", Eric Vessels talks to Nick Benkovich of eProductivity Software about the upcoming ePS CONNECT User Conference and Industry Event. Nick and Eric discuss the move from an EFI event to a software-focused event with new partners, exciting sessions, and industry keynotes.

Standard Finishing's Mark Hunt Previews PRINTING United Expo 2022

Published October 10, 2022

Mark Hunt, Director of Strategic Alliances at Standard Finishing, takes time out of busy preparations for PRINTING United to speak with Eric Vessels about their 4,000 square feet of space at the show and all the finishing and automation solutions they will be featuring. This is a great peek into what people will see from Standard at the show!

Michael Marcian Gives an Attendee Perspective Preview of PRINTING United Expo

Published October 4, 2022

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels chats with Michael Marcian, former CEO of CCG (now a part of DCG One) about the upcoming PRINTING United Expo event in Las Vegas October 19-21, as well as his role as the incoming PRINTING United Alliance Chairman.

HP's Tom Wittenberg Previews PRINTING United Expo 2022

Published October 3, 2022

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels chats with HP's Tom Wittenberg about the upcoming PRINTING United Expo in Las Vegas October 19-21. HP has made a significant investment in the show and has already made a big splash at LabelExpo and will again in Vegas. Catch up with Tom in this great conversation between Tom and Eric.

Richard Romano Previews Americas Print Show: Printing Outlook 2022...and Beyond

Published August 2, 2022

Richard Romano, Managing Editor at WhatTheyThink, chats with Eric Vessels about his upcoming presentation at Americas Print Show where he'll be reviewing the latest WhatTheyThink Printing Outlook 2022 Survey. Richard will detail the latest industry economic data and macroeconomic trends, industry, cultural, and technological shifts, and advancements to look out for now and in the future. The session will offer valuable insights and inspiration to help get ahead of 2023.

Travis Mlaker Previews Americas Print Show: Paper and the Supply Chain Gang

Published August 1, 2022

Travis Mlaker, President & CEO of Millcraft, talks with Eric Vessels about his upcoming sessions at Americas Print Show. Millcraft is a 100-year-old independent, fourth-generation, family-owned paper and packaging merchant. Travis and Executive Vice President and COO Greg Lovensheimer will share their insights on the biggest domestic and global factors impacting the marketplace; what we can expect from suppliers for the rest of 2022 and into 2023 (inventory levels, pricing); how to navigate the supply chain turbulence; new market opportunities; and what Millcraft is doing to protect their business—and their customers’ businesses—during this volatile time.

David Mauro Previews Americas Print Show: Think Like a Hacker!

Published July 26, 2022

David Mauro, Regional Manager for All Covered, speaks with Eric Vessels about his session at the upcoming Americas Print Show in Columbus, Ohio, August 17-19. His session will cover cybersecurity—and will challenge us to "Think Like a Hacker!" in order to improve our businesses' security.

Dr. Aravind Chandrasekaran Previews Americas Print Show: Creating a Culture of Innovation and Learning

Published July 25, 2022

Dr. Aravind Chandrasekaran, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Executive Education at the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, speaks with Eric Vessels about his session at the Americas Print Show in Columbus, Ohio, August 17–19. Dr. Chandrasekaran session will discuss how to create an environment for sales to grow and everyone thrive in their job.

Kelly Mallozzi Previews Americas Print Show: Supercharging Your Sales Engine & The ABCs of Social Media

Published July 19, 2022

Kelly Mallozzi, Principal at Success.In.Print, speaks with WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels about her sessions at Americas Print Show in Columbus, Ohio, August 17–19, in which she will talk about supercharging your sales engine and the ABCs of building and maintaining a social media presence.

Eric Vessels and Thayer Long on APTech's Acquisition of WhatTheyThink

Published June 27, 2022

Eric Vessels, President of WhatTheyThink, talks to Thayer Long, President of APTech, about APTech’s recent acquisition of WhatTheyThink, and what it means for both organizations and for the industry at large.

Getting to Know Budget INKS at the FASTSIGNS Annual Convention

Published February 24, 2022

Budget INKS President James Schall talks all things color and inks with WhatTheyThink President Eric Vessels. James was an exhibitor at the recent FASTSIGNS Annual Convention and talks about the event and the new product they brought and launched at the show.

Subscription-Based Graphic Design?

Published February 23, 2022

easel.ly Founder and CEO Vernon Southward talks to Eric Vessels about his unique business model of providing graphic design services by subscription and how he is helping small print business thrive with professional design services they may otherwise not be able to afford.

EFI’s Ken Hanulec Welcomes the Return of In-Person Connect

Published January 20, 2022

EFI Connect returned to Las Vegas this week. Ken Hanulec, EFI’s VP of Worldwide Marketing, talks about this year’s event, the spin off of eProductivity into its own business, and the future of EFI.

The Best Postcards’ Andrew Ettinger on Direct Marketing

Published November 8, 2021

Eric Vessels talks to Andrew Ettinger of The Best Postcards, which helps clients develop effective branding and direct mail and marketing. Ettinger shares his personal “origin story,” the highs and the lows, before landing on his feet at The Best Postcards.

Industry Veteran Patrick Henry to Retire

Published June 10, 2021

Eric Vessels talks to industry analyst, writer, and former WhatTheyThink contributor Patrick Henry, who has recently announced his retirement. They look back at Pat’s career—he began as a stringer for the long-gone Long Island Press newspaper covering the police beat and in 1984 answered a classified ad for an editorial position at the then-weekly Printing News. Pat wrote for WhatTheyThink from 2002 to 2017. We wish Pat all the best!

Durst Launches New P5 Next-Generation Technology Platform

Published February 27, 2018

We travel to Lienz, Austria for the unveiling and launch of the new Durst P5 Platform. We speak with CEO Christoph Gamper, who gives us an overview of the new platform and how it came about. Tomio Kiyose, Product Manager for Large Format Flatbed, also shares some of the technical details—including a 70% productivity increase along with resolution and quality gains.

Prepress Opportunities for Digital Print for Packaging

Published June 20, 2017

Marketing Director Mike Medina of Phototype discusses some of the new directions that packaging prepress companies can take as digital production starts to take hold of the industry.

Highcon Showcases Full Portfolio of Digital Creasing/Cutting Machines at pre-drupa Event

Published March 17, 2016

WhatTheyThink attended a pre-drupa event for Highcon at their headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Yavne, Israel. We were able to get an early look at what will be on full display at the Dusseldorf trade fair. The takeaway is that in four short years Highcon has gone from a single machine to a full portfolio of digital finishing products.

Kodak's Brad Kruchten Talks Sonora Plates at Open House Event

Published September 11, 2015

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels sits down with Kodak Print Systems President Brad Kruchten at a recent open house event to discuss the importance of the Sonora process free plate business to Kodak's print systems group.

Blue Not Just Blue During March Madness

Published April 3, 2015

The New York Times ran an interesting article on college basketball that talks about the importance of color when it comes to school colors.

SGIA 2014 Breaks Records and Sets the Tone for the Future

Published October 29, 2014

SGIA President Michael Robertson talks to Eric Vessels on the last day of SGIA Expo 2014 and gives some perspective on yet another record breaking year.

The Future Has Been Disrupted...What Now?

Published September 26, 2014

Dr. Joe Webb and Richard Romano, authors of Disrupting the Future and Getting Business, are out with their latest release This Point Forward. I just finished reading it and wanted to let you know what I think and share some details on the WhatTheyThink teams activities at this years Graph Expo.

What It Means to be a Technology Company That Happens to Print

Published September 4, 2014

What does it mean to be a technology company that happens to print? Rick Bellamy, CEO of RPI, explains this concept and also what he's seeing in the market relative to personalization and how that impacts what customers demand.

The Need for Workflow Management in the Book Printing Segment

Published September 2, 2014

Jay Foster, President of Soft Solutions, talks to Eric Vessels about the the needs for workflow management software in the fast changing book printing industry.

Responding to Changes in the Book Printing Industry

Published August 25, 2014

Joe Upton, VP of Sales and Marketing at Edwards Brothers Malloy, talks to Eric Vessels about the merger that created their new company and the focus of their business and how they've responded to the changing nature of book printing.

The Impact of the Multi-Generational Workforce

Published August 11, 2014

Jerry Scher talks to Eric Vessels about the multi-generational workforce and the impact it is making on business and how printers can ensure their recruiting process ensures they are attracting good talent.

HF Group Transforms from Library Binder to Digital Book Manufacturer

Published August 4, 2014

Jim Heckman, VP at HF Group, talks to Eric Vessels about going from being a library binder to fully embracing the digital revolution by getting into the printing side of the book business.

How Booksellers and Book Manufacturers Cooperate

Published August 1, 2014

Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, talks to Eric Vessels about the cooperation between BMI and his organization.

How Book Industry Changes is Affecting Suppliers

Published July 28, 2014

Dean Likas, RockTenn Director of Business Development, talks to Eric Vessels about the changes in the book printing industry and how it's impacted their business.

RPI Acquires DPI for Growth

Published July 14, 2014

Rick Bellamy, CEO of RPI, talks to Eric Vessels about their acquisition of DPI. He talks about the reason for the acquisition and how the integration has been going.

The Changing Landscape of the Bookseller

Published July 14, 2014

Oren Teicher, CEO of the American Booksellers Associations, talks to Eric Vessels about the pressures on booksellers by digital content and the relative renaissance of their sector.

Kern Evolves into Inkjet Printing from Production Mailing

Published July 8, 2014

Ryan McManus, Marketing Director at Kern, talks to Eric Vessels about the company and how they've evolved from production mailing and finishing equipment to inkjet presses.

The Offset to Digital Transformation in Book Printing

Published July 7, 2014

Steve Fyfe, Owner of Magnum Digital Solutions, speaks with Eric Vessels about the offset to digital transformation in the book printing segment.

Catching up with Web2Print Vendor Amazing Print

Published July 3, 2014

Slava Apel, CEO of Amazing Print, talks to Eric Vessels about what is new at the company and how they are innovating to support their customer base.

The Ever-Changing Nature of Digital Book Publishing

Published June 16, 2014

Charles Marshall, VP of R&D at Lightning Source, talks about the digital one-off book publishing market and how things have changed and what the future holds.

Bridgeport National Bindery Transitions from Bindery to Digital Book Printer

Published May 20, 2014

Kent Larson, VP of Print on Demand at Bridgeport National Bindery, talks to Eric Vessels about transitioning from being just a bindery to becoming a digital printer doing on-demand book printing.

INX International: From Ink Manufacturer to Digital Press Market

Published February 6, 2014

Jim Lambert, VP & GM of Digital Management Division at INX International, speaks about how INX International went from an ink manufacturer transformed themselves from an ink manufacturer to digital press manufacturer.

How the Digital Transformation has Impacted Webcrafters' Book Manufacturing

Published December 12, 2013

Brad Koch, VP of Sales for Webcrafters, talks to Eric Vessels about how the digital transformation has impacted their book manufacturing business and how Kodak has contributed to those changes.

The Digital Transformation and the Importance of BMI

Published November 8, 2013

Steve Fyfe, Owner/Manager of Magnum Digital Solutions, talks about the genesis of Magnum and the importance of the Book Manufacturers Institute and their annual conference.

Janet McCarthy Grimm on BMI Associate Membership

Published November 5, 2013

Janet McCarthy Grimm, VP of Sales for Lindenmeyer, talks to Eric Vessels about being a BMI Associate Member and what the association is doing for her career.

Mike Collinge of BMI at Their Annual General Meeting and Conference

Published November 4, 2013

Mike Collinge, President of BMI (Book Manufacturing Institute), speaks with Eric Vessels at their annual member conference about the association and what happens at their annual general meeting and conference.

xpedx Goes Wide with Series of Summits

Published July 3, 2013

WhatTheyThink's Eric Vessels made a short trip from his home in Ohio down to the xpedx headquarters in Cincinnati for one of fourteen Wide Format Summits being put on by the company in 2013. This piece gives his impressions as well as thoughts from those who attended the event.

Articles by Eric Vessels