Blogs

Credibility: Our Passport to Respect and Achievement

Greater credibility leads to greater influence and management effectiveness and aids our efforts to justify resources and find support for our initiatives.

John Oliver Uses Wide-format to Catapult Bird Into the Spotlight

Television host John Oliver used wide-format printing in the form of billboards to help win votes for the endangered pūteketeke bird.

Preparing Print Media for Winter

Like most materials, print media will feel the impact of changes in temperature and humidity. As frigid cold sets in across the country, here are some things to consider.



Business Management

Greater credibility leads to greater influence and management effectiveness and aids our efforts to justify resources and find support for our initiatives.

Television host John Oliver used wide-format printing in the form of billboards to help win votes for the endangered pūteketeke bird.

A few years ago, one of our digital printing vendors paid a visit to our in-plant. The discussion was pretty routine. At some point in the conversation, however, the vendor turned to me and asked a question I had never heard before.

Consumables

Like most materials, print media will feel the impact of changes in temperature and humidity. As frigid cold sets in across the country, here are some things to consider.

Resin and latex ink and printers have undergone significant and rapid evolution in recent years. It’s time to take another look at this versatile print technology.

The color pink and the Barbie movie have left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness. Therefore, we wanted to know how different the solid ink color is from the CMYK build of that color. Here is what we discovered.

Wide-Format Printing

There are several wide-format trends that, if approached in the right way, represent opportunities for PSPs to thrive in the year ahead.

While installing outdoor graphics brings many considerations, there is one issue that will impact all outdoor applications: the weather.

U.K.-based Print Evolved created a unique application for a customer wanting a Wimbledon-themed bar, using their swissQprint flatbed press to print graphics directly onto astroturf.

Mailing/Postal

Another postage hike is set to take place this coming January 2024, but don't let that scare your customers away. Direct mail still has the highest ROI of all marketing channels when done correctly. Take advantage of these postal promotions for 2024 to help your customers save money and stand out.

There are many times that a flat design element causes a mailing to go at a higher rate of postage. This can be frustrating as well as expensive. In order to stay away from potential issues, here are some things to keep in mind as you are preparing a flat size direct mail campaign.

When designing self-mailers for direct mail campaigns, designers should familiarize themselves with USPS regulations to maintain creativity and optimize postage rates. Here are seven strategies that can be implemented for an effective campaign.

In-plant Justification

When senior administrators reviewed my in-plant and I needed a consultant, the only name other in-plant managers suggested was Ray Chambers. He helped me reframe how I approach my work and made me a better manager.

Fueled by the pandemic, industry consultants have recently been promoting the outsourcing of in-plant work. Here's a strategy to prepare for such discussions.

There are several reasons in-plants give for not having up-to-date and relevant strategic plans, but all of them are bogus, says Analyst Greg Cholmondeley.

Sustainability

As U.S. consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental impacts of the products they use, there remains a wide gap between perception and reality when it comes to the sustainability of paper products. A new survey details this misunderstanding.

In a last minute and shocking action by the Washington State legislature, a bill making its way through the legislative process was amended to include a ban of all printing inks and paints that use chlorinated pigments. If this ban were enacted, it would have a devastating impact on the printing industry.

Despite the fact that the annual increase in U.S. tree volume is twice the amount harvested, some groups still bemoan that trees are chopped down to make paper and advocate using no wood fiber at all in paper – a practical impossibility. What are the facts?

Workflow/Web-to-Print

The future of direct mail has never looked brighter. 67% of marketers say direct mail delivers the best ROI of any channel they use. But to tap into this demand, you have to automate.

When you run wide-format inkjet equipment, it's imperative that you perform a nozzle check each morning. Think of it as a "check engine" light on your car that tells you if you should drive it or not.

During the pandemic, in-plants have been forced to develop new ways to operate or reexamine how they work. We have been working with them to build new workflows or help them take full advantage of the systems they already have, so they can work smarter with fewer touches and staff, on-site or remotely.

Production Inkjet

According to the research, roughly 6,000 printers are considering an investment in B2 inkjet printing over the next two years.

A NAPCO Research report, Delivering New Levels of Value with Continuous-Feed Inkjet Printing, highlights the current state of technology capabilities, application opportunities, print customer demands, and investment considerations for print service providers and in-plants.

Offering print providers the ability to create surprising, innovative printed products, the new PX3000 UV inkjet press increases “wow" factor and speeds delivery, while at the same time controlling costs, even as customer SKUs increase. PRINTING United Booth 10564 and 9344.

Digital Printing

The 2021 Inkjet Summit kicked off yesterday afternoon, punctuating strong evidence of a resurgent post-pandemic printing industry.

The imagePRESS C850 offers print speeds of up to 85 letter-size images per minute, duplex, long-sheet printing, and can handle heavier, coated or textured stock. The imagePRESS C850 also features in-line finishing options including creasing and trimming. PRINTING United Booth 7016.

Each year, EFI hosts its customers, partners, media and analysts at its signature event, EFI Connect.

Binding & Finishing

Broadside accordion folds, or single sheet accordion folds on cover stock, each require scoring in the first section before the right angle fold.

Even the simplest bindery department can be a complicated operation with a mix of post-press machinery, procedures and materials. No matter how well-trained an operator or manager, it's easy to miss something that leads to a mistake. A checklist can prevent mistakes with surprising results.

Nearly all of the successful marketing strategies were inspired by ideas from outside the printing industry.

Sheetfed Offset Printing

Don’t waste time on the ‘offset or digital’ question. Focus on how your in-plant can best help customers be successful.

IPG blogger Dwayne Magee takes a trip down printing’s memory lane by sharing an amusing collection of tips for printers.