PARAMUS, NJ, AUGUST 2, 2007 – Following yesterday’s announcement by Adobe Systems, Inc., that the company will remove the “Send to FedEx Kinko’s” service and functionality from its Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat software, NAPL, the trade association for excellence in graphic communications management, the National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP), part of The NAPL Network, and the Graphic Communications Coalition for Open Competition, voiced its approval of Adobe’s decision. Adobe plans to issue an update to Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat that will not feature the FedEx Kinko’s link sometime in October of this year.
“We’re delighted that Adobe has responded so promptly and decisively to the concerns expressed by The NAPL Network on behalf of its members and the participants in the Coalition for Open Competition,” said Joseph P. Truncale, NAPL president and chief executive officer. “While the actual removal of the link is not happening as fast as we, or indeed Adobe, would have liked, we fully understand the complications involved in developing and testing an update of this magnitude and appreciate their commitment to facilitating the solution as quickly as possible. We’ve always had confidence in the business practices of Adobe and we gratified that our confidence has been justified. We will do everything possible to communicate our support of Adobe’s decision to our constituents and to work with Adobe in a spirit of cooperation going forward to create open and ongoing opportunities among trading partners.”
NAPL and NAQP were the first major industry associations to express their concerns about the Adobe/FedEx Kinko’s agreement directly to Adobe Systems CEO Bruce Chizen in a June 15, 2007, letter. Writing on behalf of their members, and the Graphic Communications Coalition for Open Competition which they had formed in June (comprised of the heads of leading graphic communications franchise organizations, see below), Truncale and NAQP President and CEO Steve Johnson clearly requested that Adobe extricate itself from the agreement and remove the FedEx Kinko’s logo and embedded links from Adobe software in a timely manner. Adobe’s Chizen responded with an intention to address the situation in a timely manner, putting in place the process that resulted in Adobe’s decision to remove the links.
In addition to NAPL and NAQP, Graphic Communications Coalition for Open Competition participants include Kevin Cushing, chief executive officer, AlphaGraphics, Inc.; Andrew Hrywnak, president, Print Three Franchising Corp.; Michael Jutt, executive vice president, Minuteman Press International, Inc.; Richard Lowe, president, Sir Speedy; Carl Gerhardt, president and chief executive officer, Allegra Network; Bob Metzger, vice chairman, International Center for Entrepreneurial Development (ICED); Catherine Monson, president, PIP; Steve Morris, chief executive officer, Signal Graphics (SAMPA Corp); Brian Spindel, executive vice president, PostNet; Ray Titus, president, United Franchising Group; and Tom Tozier, president, Association of College & University Printers.
The early actions on the part of NAPL and NAQP to the Adobe situation reflect the ongoing commitment of NAPL and its partners in The NAPL Network—NAQP and the Research and Engineering Council of NAPL—to speak out on issues affecting their members.