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Dr. Joe looks at the advance report for GDP in 2010's third quarter and explains what it means, what it doesn't, and why it might be worth ignoring. Read More
Bill McGlynn was well-known to many of our readers during his 25 years with HP, where he helped accelerate the company’s printing business from $150 million to $24 billion in annual sales, including his role in the Indigo acquisition which led HP’s entry into the commercial printing space. Now McGlynn is building Memjet’s Home & Office Business as its President. Read more… Read More
Planning for paper is one of the most important factors when running a print shop. Getting a read on the current state of the printing industry though, can feel like firing at a moving target. John Braceland tries to simplify your paper planning process and point your team in the right direction. Read More
While marketers are doing a better job at getting the right message to the right person, it is becoming increasingly important to send that message at the right time. Sending timely messages requires marketers to have a clear understanding of the customer’s situation so they can generate the best event-based marketing activity. This article discusses the concept of trigger-based marketing and also provides some examples of common triggers. Read More
EFI released positive quarterly earnings last week with 28% revenue growth. CEO Guy Gecht indicated that EFI’s transformation is complete. EFI has gone from a single family of products (Fiery) to a broad portfolio of products, including VUTEk, Rastek, and Jetrion inkjet printers as well as APPS. They’ve aimed their efforts at key growth areas of the print industry: short run digital printing for documents, signage, packaging and software that automates business processes, with multiple channel strategies. WhatTheyThink spoke with Gecht following the earnings call to learn more. Read More
Digital book printing is one of the hottest areas in the print industry today. Andy Tribute went to visit King Printing – a medium sized printer of modest origins - that may have been the first to provide digitally printed books. He discovered a ridiculously innovative family–run shop that has kept itself on the edge of new print technologies. Read More
Long time readers of Print CEO will remember seeing Pazazz Printing CEO Warren Werbitt in the hysterical video "Printing's Alive". We wrote about this nearly 3 years ago now (time flies!) and were obviously big fans of the video and the message. The video currently has over 200,000 views and is still talked about. You could probably consider it a YouTube viral hit within the industry. If you haven't seen it yet, you probably know someone who has and will recommend you watching. Warren and Pazazz are back at it with Printing's Alive 2...but can they catch the same lightning in another bottle? Read More
In the eighth article of this series, industry expert and WhatTheyThink contributor David Zwang continues his discussion about cross-media communications and production, this time with a discussion of what you need to build a good infrastructure for your new workflows. It will cover Content Management as well as other options you have to determine what will work most effectively for you. Read More
Dr. Joe has quite the capacity to cause an argument about most anything economic, especially capacity utilization. Perhaps the state of employment in our industry is showing an unexpected shift from the big printing enclaves to new areas of growth. This unusual finding deserves some further scrutiny. Magazines get a boost from the auto industry, which was a clunker until recently. The sideways movement of the economy is obvious again, but Dr. Joe was flying high on WiFi and gives it the thumbs up. Read More
As the leaves change from green to shades of amber and crimson, so, too, is the Going Green blog changing. Read More
For the majority of us lay people print buying seems like a trick for the anointed few who can piece together a much larger puzzle of production parts. Frank Romano looks at the new world of the print buyer, how it has changed, how they do their jobs, and where congregate to share their secrets. Read More
This article at MediaPost is about a digital perspective written with a digital focus. Nonetheless it is a must read. Not only is it a decent article, I also found it a little scary. Why, you may ask? It is the language that the author is using to describe the digital advertising space experience. The concepts and the expressions are straight from the magazine playbook. Read More
A visionary leader anticipates challenges and growth opportunities before they happen, positioning people to produce extraordinary business results. Real visions can lift organizations into the higher realm of new possibilities. In some ways, true visionaries spread the seeds of their visions so that those possibilities might take root in their organizations. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to interview DME Founder Mike Panaggio. This article outlines Mike’s predictions about the future of the communications industry. Read More
A new study released by Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project takes a look at “Americans and their gadgets.” The 15 page report (PDF here) identifies key appliances of the information age: laptops, cell phones, tablet computers (like the iPad) and e-book readers (such as the Kindle) , game consoles, and MP3 players and who is using them. Read More
The green scene is definitely in high gear in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s the scoop latest on a pair of initiatives and one emerging technology that could significantly influence the future of green printing nationwide. Read More
The print industry lost a legend last month. Charlie Ying, and his company Atex, revolutionized prepress and changed the industry forever. Andy Tribute offers these memories of one of the great innovators of our industry. Read More
Though frequently dismissed as “treehuggers” by many in forest-products-related industries, ENGOs tend to consist of dedicated grassroots members led by some very intelligent, very well-spoken, and very strategic leaders, many of them holding law degrees. They are a force that is not to be trifled with, and they continue to make an issue of the responsible sourcing of paper. Here's an update on the current campaigns. Read More
As Graph Expo made abundantly clear, there’s no longer any segment of the industry that can’t be addressed by digital solutions that will work as least as well as conventional lithography, at least in shorter runs. The industry’s embrace of digital production is now complete, and all that’s left to debate is how long it will take the pockets of resistance to get on board or go away. Read More
Dr. Joe updates his look at the recent trends in printing industry employment and the last five months of increased sales are playing out. Read More
In early 2011, a new, 36-page report entitled, “Carbon & Energy Reduction for the Graphics Industry Value Chain” will be released by the PrintCity Alliance. We preview some of the report's findings. Read More
The obsolescence of marketing materials constitutes a major problem for many companies. The CMO Council has said that obsolescence creates an "epidemic of waste" that undermines the development of an efficient marketing supply chain. Read More
Peter Drucker, the father of business consulting, stated that the business enterprise has only two basic functions—marketing and innovation. This article discusses how print service providers can leverage Drucker’s advice to improve their businesses. It also provides real-world examples from DME, Sandy Alexander, and the University of Iowa. Read More
The commoditization of our product is a risk we face every day. This essay by Joseph Truncale of the NAPL highlights the difference between just selling print and making the shift to being a strategic partner who can deliver unique value to his customers. Read More
Printing Industries of America's “Green Guide for Graphic Communications” has been sitting on their cyber-shelves for more than a year. It's free to PIA members. So how come you haven't used it? Read More
I was having lunch at the MPA-AMC conference last week with a very major publisher who is deeply involved with the creation of digital magazines. His titles have had great notoriety and a fair amount of success. To make a point in this conversation I devised an analogy that a few days later still makes a great sense to me. Read More
Can paper really protect two light bulbs and two coffee mugs from a brick and a renegade delivery driver? The power of the pyramid is real, and I'm a believer! Read More
There have been mixed reviews about Graph Expo. A slow start on Sunday. Not much offset. Andy Tribute, as always, was right in the thick of things. In this article he wraps up his thoughts on the event, and looks forward to Graph Expo 2011. Read More
Looking for a good read? Check out this review of I Live in the Future and Here’s How It Works: Why Your World, Work and Brain are Being Creatively Disrupted, by Nick Bilton. Bilton calls it “a unique reading experience,” and it is. Each chapter begins with a QR Code! (And this from a “Gray Lady” reporter.) It even includes some history about how print was one of the original disruptive technologies. Read on! Read More
In the seventh article of this series, industry expert and WhatTheyThink contributor David Zwang continues his discussion about cross-media communications and production, this time with a discussion of what new skills are required and obstacles likely to be encountered for printers to bring cross-media services into their businesses. It focuses on how to grow the talent, or where to find the talent, that is required to be successful. Read More
Dr. Joe explains what the numbers 30, 60, and 100 have to do with 2020 and our industry. Somehow, it all adds up. The unemployment report shows an “L” shaped recession, even though we are now in an extended recovery. See what 30, 60, and 100 have in store for us. Read More
August 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.3 billion, up $235 million (+3.3%) compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were up +2.2. Read More
Patient News Publishing (Haliburton ON) was the winner of the 2009 WhatTheyThink Environmental Innovation Award for Environmental Sustainability and Your Community, which recognized a company that is involved in an environmentally progressive community program.Alice Miller, IT Director, tells about her company’s programs that support both the environment and the community. Read More
The last couple of years have been difficult for both printers and suppliers to our industry. While there are positive signs that indicate a path to recovery, and many companies are investing to better position themselves for a brighter future, many suppliers to the industry believe that we have too many trade shows and too many of them are too siloed for today’s diverse environment. Hear what they—and GASC—have to say. Read More
The Federal Trade Commission has released its long-awaited Green Guides revision draft for public comment. It's a big step in the right direction, but how far will it go to stop greenwashing in its tracks? Read More
Over the past several years, trade show attendance has declined due to economic downturns. Organizations are trying to do more with fewer people, which makes it all the more difficult to get away from the office to attend an event. Much of the product information that we used to get from trade shows is now available at your fingertips via the Internet. Barb Pellow took the opportunity to ask a number of people why they were at Graph Expo 2010 and to determine their specific areas of interest. The message was that attendees came to learn, listen, and network. Read More
What's that they say about not hiding your light under a bushel? In a market that is moving toward increasing sustainability, it is only natural that green claims become woven into the fabric of sales presentations and literature. I only wished they had not been woven-in so deeply at this Graph Expo. Read More
Lately, we have been discussing the trend of newspaper, book and magazine publishers to convert their content for e-readers. This trend is hoped to reverse the decline in readership and attract new readership. But the glacial decline in readership is not slowing or thawing. For example, the Pew Center for People & the Press recently reported that only 31% of Americans today get their news from the newspaper, as compared to 56% in 1991. Read More
We’ll be happy to stand corrected if our count is wrong, but, after prowling the show floor of Graph Expo 2010 in search of lithographic printing equipment, we came up with only four fully assembled offset presses. Where did the heavy iron go? That’s not all that makes this year’s event seem a bit eerie when contrasted with the Graph Expo and Print shows of years past. Read More
Bo Jackson (yes, THAT Bo Jackson) was a keynote speaker. Offset presses seemed completely absent. Throngs of passionate spectators showed up at a time when some experts say the industry is perched for the second half of the double dip. Richard Romano reports on a Graph Expo that, so far, is full of pleasant surprises. Read More
These days software companies are building products that they know will get used in larger “mashup” solutions. The trend in software has moved towards simpler, interchangeable apps with fewer features but better functionality. The recent Mimeo-FSI partnership highlights a great example of an existing company getting dragged into the present to make the adjustments necessary to be competitive. Read More
Dr. Joe explains the latest Institute for Supply Management manufacturing report in terms of its key components of new orders, prices paid, employment, and imports. The manufacturing side of the economy is still growing, but it looks like it's slowing down, and inflation is starting to creep into the system. Read More
Thomas Ackerman Jr, owner of Spirit Graphics, and his business partner (and mother) have been working diligently for approximately 12 years in the printing industry to change the way they do business as a whole with the environment, their employees and themselves in mind. Learn what initiatives earned them the coveted WTT award. Read More
In this interview with Senior Editor Cary Sherburne, Ricoh Europe Executive Vice President Peter Williams talks about the company’s IPEX experience, European distribution strategies, and the progress being made with integration of IKON and InfoPrint Solutions into the customer experience. Read the full interview. Read More
The most successful print supplier into the book printing market has been HP with their T300 press. Andy Tribute looks at the success of HP in this market. He also visits the first installation of the new HP T200 "entry-level" continuous feed color press at O'Neil Data Systems where it will operate alongside the O'Neil's T300 press. Read More
Chris Lyons, Kodak’s Global Market Segment Director, talks about his role at Kodak, what to expect from Kodak at Graph Expo, and his goals and challenges in this new role. Read the full article. Read More
Graph Expo 2010 (October 3-6 at McCormick Place South in Chicago, IL) represents an opportunity for print service providers to re-evaluate and re-assess their businesses. While this year’s event will certainly feature exciting equipment upgrades, enhancements, and new digital and traditional devices, savvy service providers will focus on solutions. This article provides an overview of just a few of the announcements that are designed to help service providers reduce their costs or grow their businesses. Read More
As we look forward to the bells and whistles of Graph Expo, let's not forget the roots of printing. How far we have come. How far we have to go. Read More
You'll find the phrase "business model" mentioned in magazine articles, obsessed over by venture capitalists and overheard in thousands of conference rooms daily. Yet, it is a concept that is often ill-defined, misunderstood, or completely ignored. Research shows that a good business model is the best predictor of a company's success. This resource and link-filled article is your guide to definitions, tools, examples and out-of-the-box, business model ideas. Read More
The Internal Revenue Service plans to stop mailing paper income tax forms. The IRS cites (PDF) continued growth in electronic filing and cost cutting for the change. According to the IRS nearly 100 Million people prepared and filed their taxes electronically in 2009. The Washington Post reports the change will save the agency $10 million a year in printing and postage costs. Read More
Sustainability isn't just about "going green" -- sustainable business is sound business. A new book by Jonathan Scott and the EFMD offers a lot of insight into the strategic, tactical, and catalyst components of a whole-business approach to sustainability. And guess what? The book is FREE. Read More
What is your printing company worth? Emotionally speaking, everything. But, owners contemplating the sale of their companies have to answer this tough question in an objective and a financially realistic way. Here are three common approaches to business valuation. Read More
Consultants in the print industry keep talking about the need for print companies to reinvent themselves. Andy Tribute takes a look at how Xerox has come back from the brink of bankruptcy to reposition themselves, and remain a power in the industry. Read More
Sustainability advocates have promoted the concept of "green teams" as a path to improved performance and value. But do they really deliver on that promise? A new report indicates that green teams can be a bit of a mixed bag. Read More
J.C. Penney continues its shift to electronic media with plans to quit is traditional catalog business in favor of e-commerce and retail store sales. This announcement comes the company discontinued its “Big Book” catalogs last Fall. Read More
The educational aspects of the show floor at Graph Expo are an under-utilized opportunity that companies can use to better educate their staff. The Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research certainly has taken its time in informing us when the recession ended and might soon be telling us the recovery is over. Dr. Joe explains it all, and even offers a review of Warren Werbitt's latest opus. Read More
In the sixth article of this series, industry expert and WhatTheyThink contributor David Zwang continues his discussion about cross-media communications and production, this time with a discussion of file formats and standards, two crucial components in cross-media production workflows. It will focus on what the important ones are, and how to keep up with them. Read More
In December 2008 Homewood Press installed a power generating wind turbine for the purpose of providing electricity from a clean energy source to assist in providing power to their plant. Projections that suggest that the wind turbine will generate approximately 1/3 of the power the plant consumes annually. Read More
HP is convinced that locked inside smart phones, tablets, and other web-connected devices are billions of pages yearning to be printed. On September 20, HP’s Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) showcased its latest solutions for liberating personal and business printing at an “innovation summit” in New York City. Read More
The number one challenge that today’s marketers face is reaching consumers. Seismic shifts have dramatically altered the landscape, and marketing executives are entrenched in an industry that is markedly different from what it was just a few years ago. Shifts have occurred in how, where, and even if customers are receiving specific messages. This article considers how communication has evolved and discusses the cross-media marketing opportunity. Read More
This week, the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) announced the launch of its certification program for Binding, Finishing, and Loose Leaf (BFLL) operations. Clunky acronyms aside, what else does SGP have up its sleeve? Read More
Colombia's printing industry association, Andigraf, held its annual meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia, in early September. WhatTheyThink's Senior Editor Cary Sherburne participated in the event as an attendee and speaker, joined via video by WhatTheyThink's Dr. Joe Webb, Director of the Economics and Research Center. Sherburne shares her thoughts about the Colombian experience. Read More
In a recent WhatTheyThink webinar, both listeners and industry experts commented on the potential offered by the new Presstek 75DI digital offset press, which was debuted at IPEX and will be on display at Graph Expo 2010. WhatTheyThink checked in with Presstek Chairman, CEO & President, Jeff Jacobson, to get his take on what the 75DI means to Presstek and its customers, as well as his opinion on the state of the industry, and more. Read More
Working from “The Cloud” is changing the way we use software applications. HP and Google are leading the charge, and it promises major changes in the print and publishing industry. Andy Tribute examines the trend and discusses how the industry can get ahead of it. Read More
People love forests in a deep, almost spiritual manner. So how come the forest and paper industry continues to break people's hearts by the way it speaks about trees? Read More
The process of managing a printing sales staff has become much more complicated than comparing compensation with business brought in. Matching the right rep with the client has become more important than ever. Mike Philie of the NAPL offers some insights on giving your team the best chance to succeed. Read More
As we head into GraphExpo, what does our latest survey show that commercial sheetfed and commercial color digital printers are looking for? Dr. Joe explains it all Read More
