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Canadian Printer, a leading printing industry trade publication in Canada, has announced that it will no longer be producing print editions. Instead, the publication will maintain an online presence and distribute bi-weekly e-newsletters to its readership. The company's intent is to publish one printed edition annually highlighting innovations in print. Read More
In our rush to embrace iPads, Kindles, and other revolutionary electronic book readers, it’s easy to forget that these devices can seem anything but revolutionary to those who can’t see well enough to discern what’s on their screens. But, the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education haven’t forgotten the exclusions that e-readers can cause when they are used as learning tools in classrooms where sight-impaired students are striving to keep up. Read More
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has revised its guidelines for group Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, making the COC more accessible to a greater number of printing facilities and other smaller enterprises. Read More
PSDA, formerly DMIA, has made a decision that is likely to have a major positive impact on its future. The association has chosen to work with professional association management firm SmithBucklin rather than continue to operate as a standalone entity. WhatTheyThink spoke with several stakeholders to gain an understanding of what this move means for the association. Read More
I recently read a Wall Street Journal article entitled “’Vanity’ Press Goes Digital.” It featured author Karen McQuestion, who had spent nearly a decade trying to persuade a variety of New York publishers to print one of her books. Failing to get their attention, she decided to self-publish. Although enabling technology has been available for more than a decade, many publishers have only recently begun to understand the value of print on demand in the book life cycle. Now they are faced with an even greater challenge—how to deal with e-books within the publishing framework. Karen McQuestion’s experiences are a great example of the disruptive process of self-publishing at work. Read More
Twenty-five college and college-bound students from the New York City metro area will find the high cost of higher education a bit easier to bear thanks to the cash grants they received on June 24 from the Graphic Communications Scholarship Award and Career Advancement Foundation (GCSF). Read More
A giant, six-meter World Cup soccer ball in Melbourne is covered in graphics printed with water-based, HAP-free HP Latex inks. Is the big ball truly a green winner? Or will it fail to advance to the next round? Read More
Dr. Joe wants to start the economy booming again, and he offers a prescription he knows no one will heed. He also explains how small business owners make hiring decisions and some of the financial factors that roll through their minds as they do so. Just what we need... medicine no one wants to take, and a lesson in finance. The July 4th weekend can't come soon enough. Read More
On June 24th, The Print Council brought the sixth edition of its “Print Delivers” series to New York City in a “lunch and learn” program hosted by Sappi Fine Papers North America. The session, presented to more than 200 people at the Art Directors Club in midtown Manhattan, reiterated the Council’s message about the place of print in the marketing mix and its unique abilities to influence consumer behavior. Read More
Indexx, Inc., serving upstate South Carolina, including Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg, as well as customers throughout North America, has taken an aggressive approach to migrating its business from traditional commercial print to a marketing services business that includes print among its offerings. Owner Jordan Finn talks about his transition in this interview. Read More
If you’re acquiring a company, you better do your due diligence. But what does that involve? Patrick Henry spoke to two M&A experts to get the lowdown on how to ask the right questions. This is the first of a two part series; this one deals with inspecting the facilities and determining what kind of team you’re inheriting. Read More
The ink is hardly dry on the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA), and, already, the various certification factions are claiming victory for their respective schemes. Will FSC, SFI and CFA all emerge as winners, or will the management guidelines that ultimately emerge from the CFBA process throw a monkeywrench into third-party certification? Read More
The small and medium-sized business (SMB) market provides an exciting sales opportunity for print service providers. For those interested in capitalizing on this opportunity, however, SMB marketing requires a unique selling approach. Treating the non-homogenous SMB market as a single entity will result in failure. This document discusses some strategies that services and solutions providers can implement to successfully reach this complex market. Read More
The new Mohawk Maestro photo-merchandise design software makes the organizing and layout of photo books and other image-rich products fast, easy, and virtually goof-proof. Less waste equals more green. Read More
The Government Printing Office (GPO) was established on June 23, 1860, when President Buchanan signed the Congressional Resolution creating the agency. It opened its doors several months later on the day of Abraham Lincoln’s inauguration. Surprisingly, the only sitting President to ever visit the agency was Lincoln, but that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of the employees at this $1 billion agency, some of whom have several generations of family who have worked for the GPO. Read More
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) is developing a mechanism for including social issues – especially labor rights issues – into it's chain-of-custody system. This is big news, as Chain-of-Custody systems have historically dealt only with tracking of materials, not how those materials were made into value-added products. Read More
The print industry keeps growing more competitive, and finding new revenue streams can be difficult to find. An often-overlooked area to increase your profits is recycled waste. John Braceland takes you through a thorough review of your recycling process to help you determine if you can’t squeeze a little more revenue out of the trash. Read More
The post about OSHA fines hanging over a Pennsylvania printer drew some sharp comments about safety practices in the printing industry. One question was especially provocative: is the recession-battered printing industry skimping on safety by paying less attention than it once did to protecting life and limb on the job? The data we do have indicate that while it’s still quite possible to get hurt or even killed in a printing plant, print firms offer workers a safer environment than private-sector industry as a whole. What’s more, the numbers on safety in printing and related services have been improving steadily for years. Read More
Dr. Joe reviews the latest economic data and explains where we're headed for the third and fourth quarters and why. Read More
Recent innovations in variable data printing have created huge opportunities in direct mail. Are you taking advantage of it? If not, Frank Romano lists a variety of reasons why you should be. Read More
On Tuesday, the Wayne Independent of Honesdale, PA, reported that a local printer was facing fines of $107,100 for alleged violations of OSHA safety rules. Readers are having none of it. Online comments are alike in finding more fault with OSHA than with the printer. Readers also bemoan the loss of U.S. business to China in the same breath as they lambast excessive regulation in this country. Read More
You don’t have to build a new “green” facility to take advantage of the energy cost savings afforded by some of the latest technology. Here's a a quick look at what you can do to reduce the cost of lighting your facility. Read More
Mobile marketing is becoming a popular segment of multi-channel communication campaigns. With the rise of mobile device users, new marketing opportunities are opening up for marketers and service providers. What is your strategy for participation? Read More
Going for an award in IAPHC's International Gallery of Excellence remains one of the simplest and most cost-effective promotional efforts a printing company can make. Now in its 36th year, the competition is easy to enter, open to everybody, and guaranteed to boost the pride of all who capture one of its Gold, Silver, or Bronze trophies. Read More
Rainforest Action Network’s recent analysis of the paper used in children’s books published by the top-ten U.S. children’s book publishers revealed that 90% of these publishers had published at least one in three books on paper containing tropical wood fibers linked to the clearing and conversion of Indonesia’s rainforests. But how do they know? And why should you care? Read More
Quad/Graphics has once again demonstrated a high level of innovation, being one of the first, if not the first, print manufacturer in our industry to provide its customers with a customized iPad application that offers clients another distribution channel for their publications. Hear what Jason Sawtelle, Director of Premedia Sales, has to say about this exciting move. Read More
I find it fascinating that RRD (1) has invested mega capital and resources to develop a proprietary inkjet engine in an arena where the deepest technology pockets in the world (HP, OCE, Xerox, Screen, et al) have been coming out with new and upgraded inkjet engines annually for years and (2) yet they are driving their machine with off the shelf software, GMC. Read More
RR Donnelley is the largest commercial printer in the world, but they are also way ahead in high-speed inkjet. Andy Tribute moderated a talk at IPEX with Ronnie Sarker of RR Donnelley, and he’s reported his insights on how they’re staying ahead of the curve. Read More
The first quarter of 2010 was a significant change compared to the same quarter of last year. The industry had a difficult time in 2009, and the profits that were initially reported for the fourth quarter of 2009 were swept away in a data revision by the Commerce Department. But 2009 was profitable, and this first quarter of 2010 was very encouraging. Profit levels are increasing, not because of higher market prices, but because of employee downsizing, and the departure of weakest printers. Dr. Webb emphasized that there are still challenges ahead because of the continuing growth of new communications that will affect the demand for print. We must remember that just because the industry may be having a tough time, there are profitable companies who are offering innovative services to their clients. The restructuring of the industry will be built on the entrepreneurial actions of these firms. Read More
You may have heard about The Green Box: a pizza carton with a lid that turns into serving plates and a tray that folds up to make a container for storing leftover slices in the fridge. Another clever idea in the same eco-friendly vein is the Globe Guard Reusable Box from Salazar Packaging. Read More
A man walks into a pet store, holding a bird cage by its handle, and approaches the counter. At the bottom of the cage is a blue parrot, claws up. The man and the clerk engage in some banter, not about the bird being dead, but how beautiful its plumage is. Why is it that “print is not dead” only conjures up some decades-old Monty Python sketch? Dr. Joe explains how just having a pulse does not qualify one for a new and dynamic communications marketplace... how new technology is conspiring to make us a craft industry, yet again. Read More
As the Manager of a purchasing cooperative I get to see firsthand how many different printing companies manage their purchasing decisions. Companies that don’t manage this critical area don’t stay in business. Although some companies do a good job, I find that old habits die hard. Read More
The Prism Awards, New York University’s annual salute to leadership in graphic communications, were presented today to David J. Shea, chairman and CEO, Bowne & Co., and John Tenwinkel, a 2008 graduate of the M.A. program in Graphic Communications Management and Technology at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS). The award luncheon, a fundraising event on behalf of the M.A. program, took place at Gotham Hall in Manhattan with about 400 people attending. Read More
Barb recently had the opportunity to participate in IPMA’s 2010 Conference themed “Dream Color” in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While there, she interviewed IPMA President John Sarantakos and Past President Debbie Pavletich to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing today’s in-plants. This article considers industry opinions on the issues that in-plants will face throughout 2010. Read More
In the wake of a report that links children’s picture books by U.S. Publishers that are printed in China to timber harvested in the rainforests of Indonesia, San Francisco-based ENGO Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has released a list of 25 children’s books that it considers “rainforest-safe.” Read More
Each of our actions, processes, and purchase decisions has downstream and upstream implications. It's easy to focus on downstream impacts, such as waste generation. But taken in aggregate, the upstream impacts of our decisions can be quite substantial. Read More
Unless they burn to the ground, mangle a worker in a press, or employ someone who gets busted for embezzlement, printing companies don’t attract much attention in the mainstream media. It’s rare that hometown newspapers portray them simply for what they are—local businesses striving to protect jobs and profits from all of the forces that seem to be conspiring against jobs and profits in the printing industry these days. A praiseworthy exception is this profile of Missouri printer Kelly Press in the Columbia Daily Tribune. Read More
With much of the media focus on recently enacted health care reform legislation, pending financial reform, and the continuing large number of unemployed, the government's inflation reports for the most part have been pushed to the back burner - not eliciting much attention when released. One reason for the muted reaction: Overall inflation has been relatively benign to non-existent. But that may be changing. Read More
Everything in life is a work in progress, including the reformation of labor practices at expo centers. Legislation overhauling work rules at McCormick Place is sweeping, but don’t expect implementation all at once. Read More
The State of the World's Forests, a report on the status of forests, recent major policy and institutional developments and key issues concerning the forest sector, is available for download in PDF format from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) website. Read More
I was thrilled to see all the feedback to the recent blog “Is Selling VDP Too Hard?” Many people responded with comments and 3 out of 4 of them focused on the need for training. Read More
While some environmental groups conduct high-profile campaigns against brands, Canada's Canopy takes a more low-key, behind the scenes approach. Find out how this tiny ENGO is creating big waves in the publishing, printing, and paper industries. Read More
April 2010 commercial printing shipments were $7.05 billion, down -1.9% compared to 2009. Adjusting for inflation, shipments were down -4.1%. For the first four months of 2010, shipments were down -4.7% on a current dollar basis. Read More
Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve System, isn’t happy with the present pace of lending to America’s small businesses. He said so yesterday in remarks at a meeting on small business issues at the Chicago Fed’s branch in Detroit. Read More
Web printers that feed multiple presses from ink totes and tanks are using a lot more ink than they are accounting for – and that “missing” ink is cutting into profits, increasing manufacturing and shipping costs, and putting extra burden on the environment. Here's how one manufacturer has solved "The Case of the Missing Ink." Read More
We have been hearing about QR codes for some time, but adoption rates in the U.S. have been slow compared to the rest of the world. Not sure what QR Codes are or what business opportunity they represent? This interview with Val DiGiacinto of Manhattan’s Ace Group tells the story. Read More
Based in North Carolina, the activist Dogwood Alliance is an NGO with a regional focus and a national impact. Small in number, this group is tackling industry giant IP by targeting America's most-famous fried chicken brand. Read More
Past articles of “Thinking Creatively” have focused on creating a unifying, differentiating strategy to help position your business for the future. One key input is to look at trends -- both near term and longer term trends. This entails some imagination but can lead you to a path of sustained growth. In this article, we cover four categories, including a few that may be quite surprising. Read More
In the international bestselling book entitled Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant, the authors assert that a “blue ocean” strategy is about creating uncontested market space by simultaneously pursuing differentiation and low cost. Too many companies are swimming in the “red ocean” of bloody competition, where there is limited room for real growth. This article provides a brief description of some businesses that are seeking their own blue ocean. Read More
Michael R. Cunningham and Florence Jackson have joined the long list of those recognized for exceptional service to education with one of the industry’s most prestigious honors. At a ceremony in New York City last week, Cunningham and Jackson became the 112th and 113th recipients of the Gamma Gold Key award, a tribute bestowed annually to industry notables since 1956. Read More
Based on our experiences at IPEX 2010, it’s finally looking like the mood of the industry has changed and we might be entering a period of economic growth. The event showcased developments in a variety of areas, but the greatest interest seemed to be in the rise on inkjet printing. Andy Tribute offers his thoughts. Read More
Reform at McCormick Place is now mandated by law. Yesterday, Illinois legislators overrode an amendatory veto by Governor Pat Quinn to pass a bill that will bring major changes to the management of the exposition center—changes that the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) and other trade show producers had demanded in return for keeping their events in Chicago. Read More
Press coverage of the Civil War in periodicals such as Harper’s Weekly was extensive and is well remembered today. Less widely known is the printing that came straight from the battlefield out of small-format, print-on-demand equipment that’s recognizable as the ancestry of modern solutions for short-run production. Read More
IPEX 2010 affirmed that inkjet is here to stay. The show is over but the memory lingers on. There are almost 300 roll-fed production inkjet printers sold or installed in the world. And Xerox validated inkjet by showing an inkjet technology. But we could see inkjet die very quickly if suppliers and users do not re-invent the way they do business. Here's how they might fail. Read More
A much anticipated AIIM keynote address is the State of the Industry delivered each year by John Mancini, President of the Association of Information and Image Management. Here are a few of his thoughts. While directed at all corporations feeling the onslaught of information, I sense they are ever more pertinent to printers and the graphics imaging industries as they grapple with software concerns. Read More
So you thought you might like to go to the show? If so, you discovered that the best thing about trade shows like Ipex, Drupa, Print, and Graph Expo isn't necessarily checking out new products and technologies - although that helps. Instead, these shows are forums for the original social networking. Read More
In this analysis, Barb addresses the challenges that marketers face to show how profitable ad campaigns can be. She provides examples of companies that were able to achieve the goals of their current clients, but also measure the success of their ads to strengthen their position in the marketing arena. Read More
Experts and experience tell us that selling on price is a losing proposition. But all things being equal, what else is there? Maybe you should be in the business of "giving good weight," and making your customers greener in the process. Read More
“I sold a used punching machine to a customer of mine, or did I? We agreed on a price of $45,000 for a used Lhermite EX-380 with a few dies, some modifications, and installation. My customer sent off his first and last payment to the leasing company. The leasing company sent me forms to fill out, which I dutifully did. My customer’s lease was turned down, not because he didn’t have the credit but because it was a used machine." Read More
