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Many consumers prefer physical mail to e-mail for bills, invoices, financial statements and catalogs, according to an open rate study conducted by Pitney Bowes. Pitney Bowes commissioned Leflein Associates to survey approximately 1,500 US adults and examine their preferences, attitudes and behavior toward mail, both physical and e-mail. The study also investigated which factors influence when and whether recipients open their mail and read it at home. Pitney Bowes plans to use the study to help its customers improve communications to their own customers. Read More
Wear condoms, retire the bear, and eat less fried chicken. Those are among the unusual ideas for helping the environment in general and forests in particular that were turned up by a Dead Tree Edition study of recent news reports. I don't think you'll see these in the mainstream media's usual Earth Day articles. Read More
Proficiency in the dark art of prepress once required expertise in a bewildering array of applications; there was QuarkXPress and Pagemaker and Photoshop, but also Freehand, Streamline, Suitcase, Trapwise, INposition Lite and a host of others. Now that prepress has become premedia, the twenty-first century skill set centers on color management, PDF workflows and automation. For most shops, these tasks are made easier by the integration and powerful tools found within Adobe’s Creative Suite software bundle. Read More
Customizble templates of International Paper’s "Down to Earth" environmental educational series from are now available for use by printers, end-users and other organizations. According to IP, the initiative provides an for printers false claims about paper, printing, and the forest products industry. Read More
This is the 11th EFI Connect conference and the fourth time it has been held at the Las Vegas Wynn. Compared to 2009, the conference has 50% more attendees, and users are seeing first-hand enhancements made to PrintSmith, Pace and Monarch, EFI’s three MIS product families. Also taking center stage are inkjet offerings from VUTEk, Rastek and Jetrion, as well as Fiery. Read More
Now 20 months old, the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership appears to have found its legs and a direction forward. Will SGP really become the certification that printers can't live without? Read More
I want to shine the light on an issue that I think warrants discussion by our industry. For lack of a better term, I have been calling it PIP-that is, paranoia in publishing. Here is the core of the issue: We believe that publishing will survive and be quite lucrative for many of the industry's smartest folks, but we can't quite figure out whether we will be part of that group-or part of that survival. And that is the terrible sadness of it. Read More
The RePaper Project's new resource guide helps campuses cut paper costs, paper waste, and reduce their carbon footprints. Read More
Congratulations to Shapco Printing, Minneapolis! These folks have figured out how to fish where the fish are. Instead of waiting for their new customers to come to them, they are going where prospects will be congregating. In bunches... and with sustainability on their minds. Read More
Tactile gratification—the high-touch experience of turning covers and pages—is said to be one of print’s most enduring appeals. But, the pleasure isn’t universally shared. “For those with chemical intolerances and other illnesses that result in serious health symptoms when exposed to printing inks and papers, it can be difficult to read books, magazines, personal mail... Read More
The trends in industry revenues of advertising and publishing sectors each tell an interesting story. They get more interesting once iPhones, Kindles, and iPads are added to the mix. Dr. Joe explains it all, but may have more questions than answers, which might spell opportunities for print businesses. Read More
In the press assembly area of the HP Indigo plant in Kiryat Gat, Israel.
HP partially raised the curtain on its presence at Ipex with the “Commercial VIP event” that it hosted last week at the headquarters of its Indigo digital press division in Rehovot, Israel. An international group of customers, print industry journalists, and analysts attended, taking part in briefings, Indigo manufacturing plant tours, and visits to Israeli end-user sites. Read More
I trekked to Nashville for the National Postal Forum for the first time in years and was shocked at the attendance. The Postmaster General's keynote was standing room only, more than 2,000 people. While these Forums have been larger in the past, this was quite a turnout considering the economic conditions and the experience other trade shows and conferences have had in drawing attendance. Read More
In a press release today, Reed Business Information announced the intent to complete the divestment process started in July 2009 by by shuttering 23 remaining titles. Included in the list is the printing industry’s Graphic Arts Monthly and Graphic Arts Blue Book. Read More
There is a new research report released by the analysts at mediaIDEAS that answers the ever-asked question, is print dead? The answer of course is, no, we are neither dead nor dying, but the analysis also suggests a near moment in time when digital revenues will surpass print revenues for publishers. So, it isn’t about death, but rather about the realignment of our resources and expectations. Read More
Eric Owen, newly appointed as Kodak’s Worldwide Vice President of Customer Development for Digital Printing Solutions started at Scitex and moved to Creo, then Kodak, as a result of acquisitions. Read what Eric has to say about the key strategic objectives of his current position, where he sees inkjet and toner fitting, and his advice for print service providers as the economy begins to recover. Read More
Even though the world is now consumed with electronic communications like Twitter and Facebook, it is reassuring that mailboxes are still brimming with advertising mail. Here are five completely unique reasons why direct mail will be a medium of choice for years to come. Read More
It's called the “certification shakedown.” Without a CoC certificate, a printer can’t make the bidding short-list. With it, a printer wonders if there will be enough incremental work to break even. But why should printers subsidize the promotion of their client’s environmental credentials? Read More
Digital printing is the same technology that has been used by commercial printers, in-plant shops, and corporate offices for quite some time. In industrial printing, however, the technology is just starting to transform packaging design; inventory management; and the ability to respond rapidly to changing design, brand management, and regulatory requirements. This article provides a brief overview of how Mediaware leveraged the digital packaging opportunity through an agreement with Microsoft. Read More
The false dilemma is: “By using paper to print your email or by receiving paper bills you are knowingly degrading the environment, destroying forests and/or killing trees.” The forced choice is: “Eliminate your use of paper or feel like a guilty hypocrite.” In his newest report, Print vs. Digital Media: False Dilemmas and Forced Choices, Don Carli (Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Communication) takes a clear-eyed look at organizations' insistence that we choose between print and digital media. Read More
Like a weak hand at the card table, a weak offering in the M&A market won’t be improved by the length of time it’s in play. Unlike a poker hand, it can’t be bluffed because the “cards”—the fundamentals of the business—are always in plain sight of the buyer and its due diligence. Read More
Yesterday, FedEx Office, Canon and HP jointly announced an alliance to create an unmatched network of printing and imaging capabilities. Over time, FedEx Office will be sole-sourcing its black & white and color staffed and self-service copying and printing equipment from Canon, wide format from HP, and will take advantage of other technological advantages and innovations derived from the three companies and their partnership. Read what Canon and FedEx Office have to say about this major announcement. Read More
Recently Mohawk launched a new line of environmentally-friendly papers - Mohawk Loop - and we took the opportunity to dig a little deeper into the new product line.
Gavin Gaynor, Vice President, Research and Development, Mohawk Fine Papers, filled us in on the details. Read More
Sustainable Green Printing Partnership has certified T-Formation of Midway, FL, the first apparel printer and the 20th SGP printer to be recognized. Read More
The first B2 format sheet fed digital presses will come to market this year. This article doubts there is a market for the B2 format compared with the market for the current B3 format digital presses. Among the reasons for this are there are few applications that cannot be handled on the B3 format digital presses, and the increasing efficiency of B2 format offset presses and the arrival this year of Presstek 75DI B2 format D.I. press. Read More
Some very notable members of the printing community have jumped on the carbon offset bandwagon as a means of demonstrating their “greenness.” But before you whip out that MasterCard to make your carbon footprint fade into the oobie-doo, remember this: not all carbon offsets are created equal. Read More
The power of print. Print is vital. Print has had longer than a decade of power outage. Print is not vital, print is a choice, and sometimes that choice is "no." Now what? In this kind of environment, the printing business becomes more important than the print medium. How that all plays out is up to our entrepreneurs. Dr. Joe explains. Read More
Xeikon and Basys Print are likely to have new owners before Ipex starts. One of the largest private investment companies in Europe has made an offer that values Xeikon and Basys Print at $96m. At Ipex, Xeikon will introduce a new industrial label press they claim to be the most productive press in the industry. They will also introduce an enhanced Xeikon 8000 press for document printing. Read More
New York’s marketing and printing industries have joined together with letter carriers and business advocates to oppose a recently released Assembly budget proposal that would impose a new sales tax (on average 8% statewide) on promotional and marketing materials sent by New York businesses to both out-of-state and in-state customers. Read More
With the increased focus on interactivity and multi-channel communications, marketers want to integrate online media with documents to enable a cohesive and unified marketing tool. We are beginning to see an increased emphasis on QR (quick response) codes. This article discusses how mobile marketing will take center stage in 2010 and beyond. Read More
Harold Kirstein, President of Greenstar-Kensington, comes from a long line of recyclers and his sons are following in his footsteps. Greenstar, America’s fastest growing recycler, is headquartered in Texas. The company currently processes 2 million tons of recovered paper, plastic, glass and metals a year through 16 material recovery facilities. Read the "inside story" of a recycling company. Read More
Like their counterparts in New York, printers in Pennsylvania will have to start collecting sales tax on direct mail advertising if their current exemption from the levy is eliminated from the state’s next budget. The Graphic Arts Association (GAA) is alerting its members to the potential loss of the exemption, which would apply the state’s 6% sales tax (7% in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) to the printing of direct mail, catalogs, and other mailed matter containing advertising. Read More
Pantone has become virtually the de facto color standard for the graphic arts industry, but we often forget that they also serve other industries, including fashion, home and industrial. Increasingly, designers need to be able to match colors across all or several of those systems for integrated projects. Today’s announcement is designed to simplify that process for designers using either an iPhone app or a free application available on the Pantone web site. Read More
Don't miss this one! You still have time to register for tomorrow's event. Scot Case, VP of TerraChoice - the force behind the Seven Sins of Greenwashing - is part of a stellar panel discussing how to promote your "green" efforts legally and ethically.
Research by TerraChoice discovered that 98% of products analyzed committed at least one of the Sins of Greenwashing. Read More
Two Waltham, MA, printers speak of their struggles with rising health care costs in a video promoting the reelection of Governor Deval Patrick. Seen in this clip are Mayda Chaprazian, president of Arvest Press, and Shishir Mehta, who owns Fastsigns. Read More
The ISM Manufacturing Index is one of the most watched economic indicators. It's up for 8 consecutive months, and the latest release was one of the strongest of this decade. Dr. Joe gives some background and explains what this latest reading means. Read More
The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC) joined four other trade show organizers in blasting labor costs and union work rules at Chicago’s McCormick Place exhibition center, according to a story in today’s Chicago Sun-Times. "We've gone from complaints about labor costs to anger and demand for change," Chris Price, vice president of GASC, is quoted as saying. Read More
VDP volume is less than 10 percent of all digital printing and digital printing is less than 15 percent of all printing. The use of variable data (or document) printing has been retarded over the last decade by short-sighted suppliers, specifications, and associations. Now perhaps we are on the cusp of opening VDP to all users, big and small. ISO is about to release a worldwide standard for variable data exchange. Read More
Once in a great while, the general public is endowed with technology so disruptive that it changes the very nature of how we operate. Gutenberg’s invention of movable type helped spread literacy beyond people of nobility and wealth. Read More
Package printing - whether digital, commercial or flexo; paper or flexible substrates - is a multi-billion business world wide. And, unlike promotional printing and direct mail, it's a growing segment. When someone launches a new product in a fully compostable package, green printers should take note. Read More
Printing Industries Alliance says that printers in New York State don’t have much time to raise their voices against a budget proposal that could cost the state’s printing industry thousands of jobs. That grim prospect is raised by a legislative attempt to repeal an exemption from the state’s sales and use tax on printed and mailed promotional materials. Read More
This week’s excerpt from the forthcoming book, Disrupting the Future: Uncommon Wisdom for Navigating Print’s Challenging Marketplace by Dr. Joe Webb and Richard Romano, takes that general idea a few steps further, and offers six concrete strategies for making the transition from a “printing company” to a new communications logistics management company. The goal is to minimize risk, which is actually a key attribute of successful entrepreneurship, while creating a new relationship with the marketplace that others can’t seem to see. Read More
This article looks at how HP partnered with Europe’s leading monochrome book printing group CPI in creating a totally new fully automated book production solution. This is a system that takes in digital data and outputs with out any manual intervention totally finished books. The article also provides an update on the current market status of HP’s T300 high-speed inkjet printing systems. Read More
Although creating and maintaining effective job descriptions are both considerable tasks, most employers will recognize how indispensable the end results are in helping staff understand their responsibilities. After all, without a job description, how can an employee properly commit to—let alone be held accountable for--a position? Read More
Ladies and gentlemen, your time is running out! Start your computers! Fill out those forms!
The WhatTheyThink Environmental Innovation Awards were a great success last year and we want YOU to apply for one of this year's awards. Read More
There is so much hype going on now about publishing and the iPad that I am just sick of it. The disease is self-inflicted hype-itis. It is apparently very catching, so be warned. The iPad will not all by itself save the publishing industry. Read More
Just how did FedEx Office make the EPA's Top 20 Printers List and became a major green power purchaser? What has the sustainability journey added to the bottom line?
There is still time to sign up for tomorrow's (Tuesday, 3/30) FedEx Office-Domtar-Rainforest Alliance Webinar, to be broadcast at 2:00 EDT. Read More
“Lorem ipsum,” the Latin-like dummy text used by printers and typesetters since the 1500s, looks random. It’s anything but. The Lipsum site, operated by James Wilson in the UK, gives the history of lorem ipsum, discusses its use, and offers a “Lipsum generator” for those who want chunks of the text in what Wilson says is its proper format and style. Read More
Selling fulfillment services requires problem-solving skills. This means understanding how your customers develop their products and how they are used. Once their job has been printed and bound, for instance, why do your customers feel that you must ship the job to them and take up space at their facility? Read More
Print Grows Trees, an educational campaign launched by Printing & Graphics Association MidAtlantic, counters the concept that by using less print on paper, trees are saved. Print Grows Trees is a "pro-print campaign" that makes a connection between consumers and private landowners who control almost 60% of America's woodlands. Read More
There is no question that 2008 and 2009 were difficult years for our industry. It seemed that every week, we received news of another plant closing. This week, Dr. Joe Webb, Director of WhatTheyThink’s Economics and Research Center, indicated that we are “climbing out of the swamp” and may be getting a little closer to the safety of economic high ground. We have a ways to go, but there are positive signs if you look for them. Read More
Bundling is a popular way to sell more products or services. You, as a buyer, hope that the extra money spent delivers a bargain. Just make sure to keep your eyes open! Read More
What does an international "Eco" event have to do with printing? When 10,000 business leaders and policy makers discuss sustainability, they are talking about issues that affect us all: energy, clean technology, water, and finance.
This year is the 20th anniversary of GLOBE, a biennial event held in Vancouver BC. Conference attendance consisted of more than 2000 world leaders in the business of the environment, representing 84 countries. Read More
The new revenue potential within the traditional photo printing market is decreasing, but photo merchandise transforms those digital photos into dollars for service providers. This article provides a brief overview of the current photo merchandise market and includes some recent survey data to highlight the opportunity. Read More
It’s over. As Printing Industries of America (PIA) duly notified its members today, on Sunday, March 21st, the U.S. House of Representatives passed both S. 3590, the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" (health care reform legislation passed by the U.S. Senate on December 24th, 2009), and H.R. 4870, the Reconciliation Act of 2010 (the House's "fix" of several provisions in the Senate-passed bill). Passage was a disappointment for PIA, which had urged its members to oppose the Obama administration’s plan for health care reform. Read More
Transpromotional communications… a fantastic business opportunity for those of you who have acquired the capabilities to offer it to your customers. Here are five examples from my own mailbox. These are companies I regularly do business with, who have Transpromo opportunities that they are just plain missing. Read More
Friday, March 19, 2010, Nationwide Graphics acquired the assets of Premier Graphics in a "uniform commercial code sale” from GE Capital. Nationwide Graphics provided day-to-day management of Premier Graphic's operations under a management contract since early 2002. The purchase price was not disclosed.
"Premier Graphics was a company we managed and cared about," Carl Norton, Chairman and CEO of Nationwide Graphics, told PrintCEO, "so we bought it." Read More
Dr. Joe gives us the good news... first... and there really is some! Then he explains how some of the good news is like a Hollywood movie set: great facades, and then only braces and forms behind them, but some of it is really good. He then reminds us that turmoil creates opportunities, and turmoil also creates content. The challenge to printing entrepreneurs is to translate that to value for their businesses. Read More
This time last year, the Seattle Post Intelligencer – fondly called the P-I here in Seattle – made the move from paper to pixels.
So how has it gone? Read More
We heard you! We’re extending the WhatTheyThink Environmental Innovation Award deadline until April 8!
You have 18 more days; don't put it off! Read More
"Some of us get caught up in this and some of us skate through it. I do know that a lot of printers are on the edge. They’re hanging on with their fingernails and running out of cash." If you haven't already read Gail Nickel-Kailing's PrintCEO interview with Jim Duffy, leave this page immediately and go to the story now. Read More
The Environmental Paper Network has redesigned and relaunched its paper resource site called "What's in Your Paper?" making it easier to use.
New resources include Paper Steps, a visual guide to switching to environmentally responsible paper. And the Eco Paper Database from Canopy. Read More
Last November, American Express OPEN® launched what could be a valuable resource for small firms seeking government contracts: Victory in ProcurementSM(VIP) for Small Business. The core of VIP is an online information exchange designed to guide business owners through the intricacies of the government contracting process. The program also will help owners connect with procurement officials, form relationships with other aspiring contractors, and get coaching and mentoring assistance. Read More
This week Frank presents a review of responses to polls included with Margie Dana's Print Tips. These polls provide insight into print buying trends. Frank also includes one of his song parodies. Read More
Packaging is a key opportunity for the digital printing market. The global packaging industry is still in the beginning stages of adopting color digital printing as a key tool, which means there is big opportunity in digital packaging print. This article explores the top nine drivers for double-digit growth in the packaging arena. Read More
This week’s excerpt from the forthcoming book, Disrupting the Future: Uncommon Wisdom for Navigating Print’s Challenging Marketplace by Dr. Joe Webb and Richard Romano, looks at one vital issue for the “renaissance” of the printing industry, pun intended: to think like an artist. Read More
Marty Kauls, Graphic Systems, talks about how adding UV digital screen-printing capabilities was more than just a good move – it was transformative. UV printing allowed Graphic Systems to enter markets that had previously been closed off from, in addition to giving the company a whole new set of products to offer its clients. Read More
Despite the industry's shrinkage, printing companies continue to be born “under the radar screen” as firms win new leases on life by merging with other firms. New Direction Partners foresees an increase in M&A activity as the industry regroups around the strengths of its healthiest and most survivable firms. Read More
In mid-January, Alonzo Printing closed its doors after more than a year of struggling financially. Jim Duffy, owner of Alonzo Printing for 22 years, shared his thoughts on the closure and had some advice for others in the same situation. Read More
PrintUV 2010 is over and we have a year to wait for the next one. In the meantime, Steve Metcalf from Air Motion Systems has put on his prognosticator's hat and he gives us some thoughts about the future of UV Printing. Read More
With Ipex rapidly approaching more and more companies are putting out advance information of what they will showing at the event. Today’s article covers Heidelberg, Atlantic Zeiser, EskoArtwork, Enfocus and Kodak. The more we hear the most interesting Ipex appears as a not to miss event. Read More
A devil’s brew of natural disasters and man-made economic exigencies is spreading “havoc” and “turmoil” throughout the paper supply chain, according to one paper merchant. At its blog, Millcraft Papers (Cleveland, OH) advises printers not to panic, but it also urges them to plan for the likelihood of tightened access to paper for the remainder of the year. Read More
The Census Bureau publishes printing industry births and deaths data, but the data take years to be published. The latest data are from 2006, but Dr. Joe estimates what's happened since,especially 2008 and 2009. Read More
The joining of Quad/Graphics and World Color Press followed an intricate dance between giants. Quad/Graphics was the smallest of the three players in the contest for ownership of World Color Press. RR Donnelley's attempt to buy World Color out of bankruptcy failed and, shortly after, Quad/Graphics began discussions that brought the much larger World Color Press under the control of the Quadracci family. Read More
EFI Connect, one of the larger user groups in our industry, will be taking place in April at the Wynn in Las Vegas. Since the event overlaps with the On Demand Conference in Philadelphia, WhatTheyThink is splitting its forces to cover both events. Marc Olin, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Advanced Professional Print Software, of EFI, shared his thoughts with WhatTheyThink about what attendees can expect to experience at the 11th Annual Connect conference. Read More
