Pittsburgh, PA, July 2, 2007—PIA/GATF has always viewed Adobe as a company that offers high-impact digital solutions to the entire print community. Over the years, their products and services have transformed the printing process from an analog to a digital workflow. This partnership between Adobe and the printing industry has resulted in not only significant improvements to graphic communications, but also millions of dollars for Adobe. Despite this positive and loyal relationship, it was disappointing to learn of Adobe's partnership with FedEx Kinko's.
"When it was discovered that Adobe had made the decision to include a 'send to FedEx Kinko's' button in Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader, we felt terribly betrayed by the company who has been supported by the printing industry," states PIA/GATF President and CEO Michael Makin. "We understand the need to make the workflow process as efficient as possible, but Adobe's decision to give up its neutrality and try to align its business with one printer is unacceptable. It is our hope that Adobe's CEO, Bruce Chizen, will realize the mistake that has been made and rectify the situation as soon as possible," continues Makin.
As the world's largest graphic arts trade association representing an industry with more than 1.2 million employees, PIA/GATF is working with senior-level officials at Adobe and asking for a meeting to resolve this unfavorable situation. "We value our relationship with Adobe and respect what the company has done over the years for the printing industry; however, our main focus lies with the concerns and needs of our more than 12,000 member companies," Makin states. "We have heard in volumes from our membership that the alignment with one print company is sending the message that the print business which has supported Adobe in the past is no longer valuable."
PIA/GATF will continue to share these concerns with Adobe and urge them to offer the same consideration to all print providers that have an interest in this type of partnership.
See ongoing and spirited discussion of this issue at PrintCEOblog.com