Get the trusted insights you need to understand our evolving industry and emerging trends. Become a Premium Member.
As the possibilities and the range of applications in the world of printing, including digital, continue to expand, the manufacturers of finishing machines are having to keep pace by delivering continual innovations. Read More
Inflation Adjustment in the Printing Industry presentation. Read More
In November 2011, InfoTrends published a multi-client study entitled Mobile Technology: Making Print Interactive. This research was conducted to determine the importance of combining technologies to activate, cultivate, and engage customers. While marketers and service providers often get enamored with technology the fundamentals of good marketing still apply today. This article discusses the basic elements of quality marketing campaigns and provides some real-world examples. Read More
This sixth annual InterQuest continued the theme of most all printing conferences for the last decade: digital printing and electronic workflows must be in your future. This DC gathering featured successful case studies by the general managers that led their transition. Read More
If you’re walking around trying to push your products and services on potential customers, you’re asking them to give you a slice of their pie (their business). This is a hard sale because you’re dipping into a limited resource. Read More
The sixth annual InterQuest conference targeting government and higher education in-plant printers was held November 30. Digital printing, electronic workflows, and in-plant case studies of successful technology and management transitions often involving newly hired, experienced private sector employees were the reenforced themes of the forum. Read More
SGIA was flooded with small ink, roller, blade, and other screen consumable suppliers: How do so many analog screen suppliers hang on? The simple reason: screen output remains cheap-and turnaround is fast enough. Read More
To promote sales of their products, manufacturers need to effectively provide their network of dealers with marketing materials that support the purchase process, and continue the post-purchase conversation. Read More
Today it is becoming much more common to find printers using more than one printing technology. In most cases this is adding sheet fed digital printing to complement a predominantly offset printing operation. Read More
Mobile technology is playing an increasingly important to today’s society. Despite the growing importance of mobile, all channels (print, mobile, social, online, mass media) must be a part of the marketing mix. This article provides a brief overview of how mobile can be integrated with other media types to become more effective, citing research from a recently completed study from InfoTrends Read More
The major news in the past week has been German press manufacturer manroland filing for insolvency. This is the largest corporate failure in Germany for two years. Read More
In this fourth article of the series, David looks at Xerox, its production inkjet offering and application. Read More
German firm Printechnologics has developed another way for print to be interactive utilizing the increasing number of touch screens—tablets, smartphones and more—now in the marketplace. What is a Touchcode, how can it be used and when might we start seeing them in the market? Cary Sherburne speaks with Printechnologics CEO Sascha Voight. Read More
In this third article of the series, David looks at Kodak, its production inkjet offerings and applications. Read More
As we approach drupa 2012, what are the technologies we can expect to see that will drive change in the printing and publishing markets? Once again, we can expect to see a significant position for inkjet in the array of new technologies exhibitors have on display. This time, however, while there will still be a large presence in the production sector. Read More
The Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, PA just discontinued their Graphic Communication Technology major. The decline in enrollment began in 2001 and only four new students entered the major in the more recent term. Read More
In October 2011, IBM published a C-suite study report entitled From Stretched to Strengthened. In this article, Barb Pellow highlights some of the key findings from this study and also discusses best strategies for next-generation service providers. Read More
As printing companies move towards environmentally friendly processes and products they must sort through the misinformation in the marketplace. This article helps to educate the printer on what to look for in printing ink. Read More
Printing firms today face many challenges and opportunities. Entrepreneurs like AlphaGraphics Owner Chuck Stempler provide examples of what the printing firm of the future might look like and offer services to small commercial and quick printers to help them reach their own goals. Read More
This document provides an overview of how Great Lakes Integrated (Cleveland, OH) is making the shift to cross-media marketing services. The 80-year-old company established its reputation in the marketplace decades ago by providing exceptional printing quality and service. Because today’s businesses are facing unprecedented competition, GLI has revitalized its capabilities to deliver comprehensive, integrated, state-of-the-art marketing solutions. Read More
With the arrival of high-speed inkjet presses that challenge offset printing in many areas, one of the comments I regularly hear concerns the cost of inkjet inks and why one cannot buy inks from a range of suppliers, as one can for offset printing. Well things may be changing and this can be seen from the lawsuit in which Kodak is taking action against ink manufacturer Collins Ink Corporation alleging breach of contract. Read More
As we look at ways to ensure that print remains viable and that we have the right set of services to go with it, becoming an iPad app developer is an interesting avenue to explore that may be easier than you think. Cary Sherburne reviews two options for easy entry into this market. Read More
In this second article of the series, David looks at HP’s production inkjet offerings and applications. Read More
Steve Jobs' passing created interest in his management style and the culture of the company he left behind. What management lessons apply for other businesses? Is print a commodity? Can print campaigns be too successful for their own good? One printer blamed its disappointing financial results on that very fact. Read More
Previous drupa's have been defined by a dominant technology trend, last time in 2008 it was the inkjet drupa and prior to that the show has been defined as the JDF drupa, the digital drupa, the CTP drupa and others further back in the mists of time. Read More
Barb Pellow recently interviewed John Foley, Jr. (Grow Socially), Aaron Rains (Printing Center USA), and Ron Rescigno (Rescigno’s Market Connections). This article describes how these early adopters are effectively using social media in the world of print and marketing services. Read More
In the last ten years or so our business has so fundamentally changed as to be almost unrecognizable to former participants and past industry giants. No one in our industry no matter what their title performs the function that their predecessors performed not ten years ago nor five years ago. Read More
Even experienced fishermen know that there are times when they shouldn’t cast a fly without the help of a fishing guide. A guide knows where the best fishing holes are and how to land the prize fish in them. It’s much the same with mergers and acquisitions in the printing industry. The best catches are made when the principals rely on the skills of deal-savvy M&A advisors. Read More
The commercial dispute between Kodak and Collins Ink Corporation has escalated into a legal wrangle with Kodak’s filing of a lawsuit that charges the inkjet ink manufacturer with breach of contract. Read More
In June 2011, InfoTrends completed its Who Buys Wide Format? study, which was designed to collect more information about the buyers of large format products. It fostered an understanding of wide format graphics buyer requirements while also tracking changes in buying patterns since the previous study from 2009. This article discusses key findings from that study and also provides real-world examples of retailers that are interacting with consumers at the point of purchase. Read More
One of the key issues for all retailers is how to get more traffic to their store or restaurant. Dave takes a look at a recent direct mail campaign from Chick?fil?A. Read More
Graph Expo is an important event to our industry. In the last few years the show has evolved to address industry changes and economic conditions. Today Graph Expo is more valuable than ever as a place to interact with peers and determine where our industry is headed. Read More
This new series by David L. Zwang will focus on current production inkjet products and their application in the market today. This series will run every 3 weeks leading up to Drupa 2012. He will look at the current vendor product offerings, and how they are being used by some of their showcase customers. In this first article of the series, David discusses some background on drivers and obstacles to mainstream adoption to production inkjet. Read More
With each vowing that customers won’t be harmed as a result of their estrangement, Kodak and Collins Ink Corporation have come to the abrupt end of a 10-year deal whereby the latter supplied the former with inkjet inks for Versamark digital presses. Read More
In the 1991 book entitled Crossing the Chasm, Geoffrey Moore creates a revised adoption life cycle for technologies consisting of Technology Enthusiasts, Visionaries, Pragmatists, Conservatives, and Skeptics. Moore identifies some key steps for successfully crossing the chasm in the high-tech market, and successful cross-media service providers are following some of these very steps to increase their profitability. This document outlines Moore’s suggestions for success and explains how they apply to the cross-media market. Read More
Recent news stories about Kodak have implied that the company’s digital transition is not going as planned, even suggesting an investigation into filing bankruptcy. While waiting for Kodak to announce quarterly earnings on November 3rd, WhatTheyThink spoke with President & COO Phil Faraci to gain his perspective these issues. Read More
Bill Cole, CEO of TRI-C Enterprises and PIAG Chairman, talks with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne about the impact last year’s PIAG book study group, featuring Disrupting the Future by Dr. Joe Webb, had on the future of his business…a wake-up call that infused new energy and excitement into his life and his business. Read More
As everyone knows, the recession has made business financing hard to come by. In this two-part “Cup O Joe,” lenders to the printing industry report that loan products are available and discuss how printers can obtain them. Read More
Service providers need to know how to differentiate themselves in the eyes of marketing executives. This article provides expert feedback on how service providers can become more innovative in their selling practices to create more value and build stronger business relationships. Read More
Although most of us understand that electronic communications are here to stay, it can still be difficult to figure out how best to leverage it in a business sense. WhatTheyThink spoke with Mohawk’s Chris Harrold, VP, Business Development, about the company’s new service platform for digital printers, Mohawk MakeReady, a great example of using the Web to deliver valuable information while building increased credibility for the business. Read More
Andy takes a look as HP switches to move further into being a software and services company with an emphasis on Cloud based operations. Read More
Modern marketing means brand extensions, on pack promotions, packaging to tie in with events – all designed to increase sales and enhance relationships with consumers. This provides opportunities to printers that can meet these demands Read More
This week, Amazon unveiled four aggressively priced content delivery devices: one, a multimedia tablet aimed squarely at Apple's market-dominating iPad; the other three, the latest iterations of Amazon's popular Kindle e-reader. Read More
Following up on her recent article, Graph Expo Retrospective, Senior Editor Cary Sherburne takes a look at production automation, a key "Critical Technology" as identified by the Graph Expo Must See 'ems committee. Getting started might be more affordable than you think. Read More
Oversights in the marketing supply chain are resulting in overspending and missed opportunities for making a real impact on the sales and demand process. While the economy is improving and marketing personnel are beginning to reinvest in demand generating programs, marketers are not in a position to ignore the waste that is being created by an unchecked and unmeasured marketing supply chain. This article outlines the components involved in delivering an optimized supply chain. Read More
Whatever may be happening to the demand for print, Graph Expo 2011 made one thing abundantly clear: never before have printers had as many options as they now possess for adding beauty, charisma, and value to a piece of paper. Read More
As the industry gets back to work following a busy Graph Expo 2011, it is a good time to take a look at some of the technologies that were on display-both those that are critical to the short- and long-term profitability and survival of a printing company, and opportunistic technologies that can provide differentiation. Read More
Dr. Joe explains the bearish outlook for the economy but explains how the advertising agency business has been rising and adding employees. It's important to know who your competitors are, especially in terms of an overlooked factor in decision making, the cost of failure, which sometimes trumps common sense. Read More
The New York Times published an article titled "Dump Your Printer To Escape the Madness." The author, Sam Grobart, launched an attack on the "printer-industrial complex" but by the third line stated that "we live in a world where going without a printer can be more trouble than it is worth." Charlie Corr examines the facts. Read More
Whatever may be happening to the demand for print, Graph Expo 2011 made one thing abundantly clear: never before have printers had as many options as they now possess for adding beauty, charisma, and value to a piece of paper. Read More
Much like creating a Web-to-print site became integral for profitable service providers in the past, offering a mobile-to-print site will quickly become a necessity in the market of the future. Service providers will need to recognize the importance of design and usability between traditional and mobile sites. This article provides examples of Graph Expo vendors that are working to implement mobile-to-print solutions. Read More
Andy examines waterless inkjet printing by visiting the first US installation of the Xerox CiPress 500 at dmh Marketing Partners in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Read More
Printers are providing more value-added services that go beyond paper. They are evolving into new kinds of companies. Here are some of the steps that got us to this point. Read More
At Graph Expo 2011, software solutions were at top-of-mind for many of the printers participating in the show. Early adopters of variable data and cross-media solutions typically developed "home-grown" systems internally because the available solutions were limited, but this has changed. This article provides examples of two service providers who initially built their own solutions, but ultimately decided that a partner could enable them to focus on their core competencies. Read More
Every so often a new technology arrives that may have an impact on changing a market or replacing an earlier technology. Andy Tribute attends a new product launch from Océ and Canon at which they announced a new "breakthrough" technology for digital printing. Read More
"Convergence" in the graphic communications industry can mean many things, but at Graph Expo, it describes what happens when vendors pool their R&D resources to create production solutions more formidable than anything they could have devised by themselves. Read More
Opening-day remarks at Graph Expo by Bernhard Schreier captured the tone of the event and offered a restrained but still optimistic outlook for global print markets. Read More
