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Paydirt: Financial advisers don't all follow the same rules - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Paydirt: Financial advisers don't all follow the same rules
Minneapolis Star Tribune
And read the fine print. Disclosures are worthless if you don't bother to read them. While regulation is needed to protect consumers like you and me, ...

and more »

Newspaper circulation may be worse than it looks - The Associated Press

The Associated Press

Newspaper circulation may be worse than it looks
The Associated Press
Several dozen publications, including USA Today, sell access to these daily "e-editions" that show how the news was laid out in print. ...

and more »

Xerox 700 vs. KM 6501 vs. USED 6500

We just purchased a quick printing company 2 months ago and the first major change is upgrading our CPP 500 I am looking for a bit of digital color advice, here are the three machine choices: NEW Xerox 700- internal rip or external Firery/Creo- base machine, no extras NEW KM 6501- same choices on the rip- base machine, no extras USED 6500- basically the same rip choices if I am patient- saddle-sticher and high capacity paper unit. The print samples that we have seen off of the 700 and the 6501 look pretty close on quality. The lease cost for the 700 is a good bit more, but click cost is about $.01 less than the 6501. The used 6500 has about 200K clicks but comes with all the extras. Not sure how important the high capacity paper trays are to the production (my guess is important) quality. Thoughts? advice?

Print exclusive: Drill or no drill? - Tallahassee Democrat

Print exclusive: Drill or no drill?
Tallahassee Democrat
Today's print exclusive comes from Port Aransas, Texas, where Tony Amos has studied the effect on the Lone Star state's coast for 30 years. The industry has ...
PAT RICE: We're taking a deep look at Gulf Coast drillingThe Northwest Florida Daily News

all 17 news articles »

Preserving the past

This photograph shows Trinity School off Brownsferry Street in Athens, which the Class of 1957 and others are trying to raise money to restore.

selectset 5000 media jam 06

Have a Selectset 5000. Cannot load film and film was not advancing between ripping files but would advance the length of the file before it quit advancing at all. All three boards checked out. motor to the roller that advances the film checks out. Checked for slivers of film for actual jam and path seems clear. In the past I did have problems with the film not wanting to load but would eventually load. Does anyone have an answer? Thanks

Most US adults read newspaper in print or online - Mid Columbia Tri City Herald

Most US adults read newspaper in print or online
Mid Columbia Tri City Herald
... newspaper industry are not supported by audience data," said Gary Meo, Scarborough Research's senior vice president of print and digital media services. ...
Vasché: There's good news for newspapers -- and their readersModesto Bee

all 2 news articles »

Positive and Negative Plates for production

Hi all. We're a newspaper printer and currently we're using an Agfa violet CTP printing on positive Silver. We are planning to migrate to a Kodak thermal environment very soon. But from what I know Kodak plates are negative working. With this setup we would like to know what problems we may be facing using both negative (Kodak CTP) and positive plates (Agfa CTP) at the same time. What are our options. We have one press calibration curve enabled in the RIP. Thanks. sandpiper

Docucolor 242 vs. x700 vs 6501?

I'm staring at pricing and CEDs for a 242 and a 700. I've read through these forums for hours and I'm trying to sort out the right for machine for me, and I'm hoping you guys can help. I am running a shop that currently outsources 90% of what we print. The other 10% is short run posters and flyers from an HP Designjet 130. Here are the factors: 1. I know for a fact I can cover the costs of a 242 by switching all work from the inkjet to the 242. I sell about $5000/yr in that segment. And I'm sure once I have a copier i'll use it even more. 2. The x700 (and 6501 if it is similarly priced) are out of my range unless i can either drastically bump up my digital sales or i can move a chunk of what i'm outsourcing to offset to the 700. 3. I am moving my shop to a much more retail friendly location in January'10. I have managed to be completely referral-based for a couple years ($200k sales/yr, about 50% of which is print sales, design and misc for the rest), but plan to start marketing in '10 to take advantage of my new location (noting that i am in an "island" area in florida, not a big city). 3. My main paper stocks sold are 100lb gloss text, 14pt matte, and a lot of 14pt UV. Main products are postcards, rack cards, brochures, business cards, flyers. I realize I'll have to keep outsourcing the 14pt UV no matter what, but if I can stop outsourcing a segment of my 100lb gloss and 14pt matte, then I can justify a more professional machine. The type of work I'm printing is usually rich in color, and everything I outsource is full bleed. So the question is, with 5 year leases, what is the best printer for me considering my paper stocks, etc?

Sir Speedy, PIP, and Signal Graphics Join QuarkPromote.com Neighborhood Print Partner Program

Franchise Services, parent company of Sir Speedy, PIP and Signal Graphics, announces that its brands are part of the QuarkPromote.com Neighborhood Print Partner program.

Wow: Palin's publisher boosts print run from 1.5 million to 2.5 million - Hot Air (blog)

BBC News

Wow: Palin's publisher boosts print run from 1.5 million to 2.5 million
Hot Air (blog)
According to industry insiders, Palin got a $7 million advance for her book. She's earning a royalty rate of 15 percent, which means she makes $4.35 per ...
Sarah's Saga Starts TodayFOXNews
The not-so-irrelevant Sarah PalinSt. Louis Post-Dispatch
Where Coverage of "Going Rogue" Goes WrongNBC Washington

all 5,545 news articles »

Zapped by InDesign

I have had a few things happen to me while using InDesign CS4, one on the PC and the other while on the Mac. On the PC, I opened a file that was in InDesign CS2 and resaved to InDesign CS4. Some of the text headings in the converted file was missing. The same text heading was ok on other pages and I had no messages on fonts. The text box was there with just the symbol # . I opened the text box, no overset - nothing but # was there. Also on the Mac I re-linked an eps that had minor changes to it, but was renamed, I re-linked - the original eps was at 100%, I assumed that the new re-linked eps would also be 100% (the preserve images dimensions is checked on) - but it was enlarged to 105%. I find this quite unsettling and wonder if anyone has had similar experiences and how are you handling the situation or if anyone has any suggestions. :confused:

Reprographics/Copy - New Jersey

Small Copy Operators Description: Our client, a large retail outlet, is seeking 4-6 contract employees for a 6 month period to run small copiersand do some general bindery and fulfillment work. Shift/Hours: Varied, 1st and 2nd shifts available. Experience: IBM Infoprint or Xerox Phaser experience is preferredbut not re

Bindery - Massachusetts

Trimmer Operator3-11 p.m. (1) Review job ticket for trim size, head trim, and margins.(2) Set up trimmer and necessary attachments according to book trim size.(3) Set up counter stacker for proper delivery to the packing line.(4) Operate trimmer at or better than established production and quality budgets.(5) Select ap

Bindery - California

Job Title: Bindery OperatorShift Hours: 9AM to 5 PM first 3 days of training. Then the hours will vary. They will be working 24/7 due to the holiday. Allot of OTTemp assignment - 11.31 to 12.23Location: BelmontPay $10 to $15Only those with the required experience who are currentlyresiding in the area, and that can lega

Large Press - Massachusetts

4 and 5 color Komori OperatorDescription: Our client a print and marketing firm is seeking an on-call 2nd shift press operatorShift/Hours: 2nd shift 3-11, on call, part time Experience: 4 and 5 color experience. Experience as a lead on a newer model 28" KomoriComments/Billing Info: Apply today! Our client is getting bu

Supervisory/Management - Georgia

Job Title: Quality Improvement Manager I Department: Quality Assurance / Process ImprovementGeneral Description: The Quality Improvement Manager I is responsible for managing quality control and assurance activities throughout the facility, driving a culture of manufacturing excellence, steering continuous improvement

Omaha Print Receives Best Workplace in the Americas Award

Top News: Matching Color Across Different Print Processes

Secrets Revealed at 11th Annual Color Management Conference

Xerox Offers Strategies for Developing High-Profit Applications at Customer Workshop

Holiday Gift Ideas for Graphic Designers & Other Creative Types

Even though many stores have been selling Christmas decorations for a month now, the holiday shopping season officially kicks off with Black Friday - just a week from now. If you are wondering what to get your graphic designer -...

Nadal Says Winfrey Move Signals Shift to Niche Media: Video

Nov. 20 -- Miles Nadal, chief executive officer of MDC Partners Inc., talks with Bloomberg's Erik Schaztker about the potential impact of Oprah Winfrey ending her TV talk show in 2011 on the media industry.

Heidelberg Champions Environmental Protection

Copenhagen Communiqué on Climate Change signed

interlinkONE ilink.Me Measures Social Media Activity in Multi-Channel Marketing Campaigns

New FINAT survey shows signs of economic improvement

Business confidence has returned to the self-adhesive label sector in Europe although total demand is still showing a decrease over the equivalent period of last year, according to a new survey conducted by FINAT, the European label association.

The Trend Survey for the third quarter of 2009 confirmed the return of business confidence, but also indicates the volatility that the industry has been faced with during the last two years, according to Jules Lejeune, FINAT’s managing director.

After a dramatic all-time low in the first quarter of 2009 in all sectors, the business climate has returned to positive figures in the third quarter of 2009. “This is encouraging, but in day-to-day trading, label producers are still seeing a reduction in demand – as is to be expected in the economic conditions we have seen in the last year,” Lejeune says.

Total demand for self-adhesive label materials in Europe decreased by 1.7 percent in the third quarter of 2009, compared with the same quarter of last year. Although still in the red, the decrease is lower than the minus 11.6 percent (Q2) and minus 12.1 percent (Q1) year-on-year recorded for the previous two quarters.

“It should be realized, however, that the crisis first hit our sector in the third quarter of 2008, and the first two periods of that year were still buoyant,” Lejeune adds. “The slowdown of the deceleration pace in our sector confirms cautious signs of economic recovery that have become evident since the summer.”

For the year to date, total labelstock demand in Europe was 8.3 percent below the levels recorded in the first three quarters of 2008. This figure corresponds with decreases of 7.5 percent in paper roll demand, 6.1 percent in filmic roll demand, and a dramatic downturn of 22.9 percent in sheets.

Compared with the third quarter of 2008, filmic rolls have taken the lead in the return to positive year-on-year growth rates. Regionally, the recovery appears to be driven by demand in Eastern Europe, although the source of this growth lies mainly in the countries outside the European Union, which were hit earlier by the crisis in 2008.

Label Traxx users group holds largest ever meeting

Early in November, Tailored Solutions, developer of Label Traxx print business management software for narrow web label printers and converters, hosted the largest gathering of Label Traxx users ever assembled for a four-day review of the software. More than 50 users at the conference – held in Milwaukee, WI, USA – were taken through each module of the software, and were offered the opportunity to discuss and request enhancements that would smooth their individual operations.

Commenting on the successful meeting, Tailored Solutions Sales Manager Dorothy Asboth said:

“Label Traxx has long been known as software that evolves in direct response to the needs of our users,” says Dorothy Asboth, Tailored Solutions sales manager. “The 2009 Label Traxx User Group meeting once again provided a forum which enables us to better understand the needs of label printers, and enables our users to probe deeper into the software. This year, we were particularly gratified by the number of relatively new users who attended.Response to the meeting was very positive, and we look forward to an even larger gathering in 2010.”

Tailored Solutions provides automated job management software for the printing industry. The company was formed in 1993 by Ken Meinhardt and David Porter, both of whom remain active in the business. Tailored Solutions offers two versions of its job tracking software: Label Traxx for flexographic narrow web converters and printers, and Litho Traxx for sheetfed lithographic printers and prepress trade shops.

Bank lending falls in third quarter of 2009

Lending to UK businesses fell across all sectors in the third quarter of 2008, Bank of England statistics have shown, leading to increased fears of a stifled economic recovery.

Presto E90 saddlestitcher made available in UK

Muller Martini has launched its Presto E90 saddlestitcher into the UK at an open house event.

KBA eyes new business lines as rival manufacturers post losses

Press manufacturer KBA is to move into solar energy and water treatment technology as it seeks to diversify, rather than "enter a merger in a shrinking market".

Polestar cuts top jobs in bid to reduce costs

Polestar is implementing a leaner management structure across the group as part of a cost-saving drive, with some director-level roles going as a result.

Alchemy Print Finishers undergoes name change

Coatings specialist Alchemy Print Finishers has changed its name to Alchemy Coatings in order to better reflect its services.

CTI Invest acquires Viappiani Printing

CTI Invest, based in Austria, has acquired Viappiani Printing, a Milan, Italy-based printer and converter which specializes in in-mold labeling.

Viappiani produces labels for food containers like tubs, lids and buckets, as well as labels for the cosmetics and household goods industries. The company’s product portfolio ranges from one-side coated labels for bottles of mineral water and self-adhesive labels for cleaning products to sleeves and wrap-around labels for the food and beverage industry.

CTI Invest is a global company in the packaging and label industry with production sites in Canada, Spain, Colombia, Germany and now, through the acquisition of Viappiani, in Italy.

‘We are very proud of our new acquisition Viappiani Printing, which is an innovative, customer-orientated and important player in the label market. It is our aim and commitment to grow the business of Viappiani Printing on a global basis,’ said Christian Trierenberg, CEO of CTI Invest.

Giorgio Viappiani said: ‘I am happy to have found a group like the one of Christian Trierenberg to pass this important baton. Handing over a family business with more than 80 years of history involves a lot of emotions and thoughts also regarding its future. With the CTI Group we immediately had a good feeling for [our similar] views, and I am sure that the CTI Group will be able to offer Viappiani Printing continuity and further growth opportunities.’

Click here for more stories about Viappiani on L&L.com.

Winners of Flint Group Narrow Web Awards announced

Flint Group Narrow Web has announced the winning labels in the fifth annual Narrow Web Print Awards.

Nearly one hundred entries from label converters from all over the world were evaluated by a panel of industry judges. Criteria for judging followed the guidelines set by the industry associations FINAT and TLMI and included registration, smoothness of dot/vignette, overall print quality and degree of difficulty. In addition, the judges reviewed each label for creative use of inks and color – rewarding those prints that exhibit extra-ordinary use of inks.

Awards were presented in ten different categories – all prints using inks, coatings and specialty products supplied by Flint Group Narrow Web. ‘This year we were again astonished by the excellence in quality of print and design of all entries. This proves that the Narrow Web Print Awards is held in serious and respected regard by our customers around the world. We are extremely proud, as an ink supplier, to host these awards each year, and receive such a great response from our customers,’ said Niklas Olsson, Flint Group Narrow Web. ‘We truly consider the results achieved with label and narrow web print as fine art. As a supplier, we continue to push the boundaries of narrow web and we are pleased to see that our customers follow this way by also pushing boundaries to create fine art through label printing.’

The winning label in the category of UV flexo paper was ‘El Paso Merlot’, pictured, submitted by Alaska Poligrafoformceinie of Russia, which judges said ‘exhibited true excellence in print, design and execution’. The company also won in the UV shrink category, and Flint Group commented that the awards received a very high response from Russia.

Other winners included:

1 Collotype in Australia in the category of UV offset

2 Skanem in Poland in the category of combination print (UV flexo and UV screen white)

3 Aleithe in Russia in the category of UV flexo film and UV cold foil

4 Labelcrafter in the US in the category of water-based flexo

5 Neoprint in Russia in the category of coupon label

Mike Buystedt, Flint Group Narrow Web, commented: ‘The quality level of the entries was astonishing. The judging panel had to use all their experience and skill to separate out the winning submissions. Throughout the judging we felt we had to make a choice between several excellent print samples, and decided to honor some entries as highly commended.’

The winning entries will be presented with an exclusive award and recognition certificates from their Flint Group Narrow Web local representative. The Narrow Web Print Awards will continue into 2010 at Labelexpo Americas in Chicago.

Click here for more stories about Flint Group Narrow Web on L&L.com.

Sun Inks Europe announces organizational changes

Sun Chemical has announced changes to the structure and management of its Sun Inks Europe business. Rudi Lenz, president and CEO of Sun Chemical, will assume responsibility for the business and its current management will now report directly to him. Sun Inks Europe’s functional leaders, covering human resources, purchasing, operations, finance and environment, health, safety and security will now report to their respective global functional heads.

‘Our customers expect the highest levels of service and we believe that we can enhance this and the growth of our own European business through a more global structure,’ said Rudi Lenz.

David Meldram, president Sun Inks Europe and senior vice president Sun Chemical, is leaving the business as part of these changes and his position will not be replaced. Lenz said: ‘David has been with the company since 1997 and has done a tremendous job. He has built a very successful team and we wish him all the best in the future.’

Click here for more stories about Sun Chemical on L&L.com.

How Digital Printing Has Improved the Industry

Those with experience in the printing industry may remember the time when printers were fuzzy old dot matrix printers, and the quality of self-printing left much to be desired. In the earlier days of the printing industry, ...

MindFireInc launches "sales corner" to help sales professionals improve their solution selling skills

Irvine CA- MindFireInc, the worldwide leader of personalized cross media marketing technology, has launched a new initiative to provide its fast growing network of Solution Partners with the most e

CMYK Distributors announces strategic alliance with G.E. Richards

Weymouth, MA - CMYK Distributors, Inc. of Weymouth, MA today announced a pivotal strategic alliance with G.E. Richards of Landisville, PA to expand its industry-leading dealer and reseller network'

Xerox offers strategies for developing high-profit applications

Some of the hottest applications for quick printers today are in photo-specialty products, wide-format printing and relevant personalized marketing. However a profitable application can come from n

Print CEO: J.C. Penney to Stop Printing “Big Book” Catalog

Sir Speedy, PIP and Signal Graphics join QuarkPromote.com Neighborhood Print Partner Program

MISSION VIEJO, Calif.-Franchise Services, parent company of Sir Speedy, PIP and Signal Graphics, announces that its brands are part of the QuarkPromote.com Neighborhood Print Partner program. The p

Quark Launches New Web-to-Print Service for Small Businesses

Quark announced today the launch of QuarkPromote.com , a new online service that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses in the United States easily create their own high-quality, professional marketing materials that can be picked up at a nearby neighborhood printer or received by mail in just a few days.

NAPL and Printing Industries of America announce collaboration

NAPL and Printing Industries of America, the two largest graphic arts trade associations in the US, have announced plans to collaborate on a number of projects.

The leadership of the two organizations met recently in Charlotte, North Carolina, to explore possibilities for collaboration. Both associations were represented by their respective chief executive officers, as well as their current and immediate past chairmen (Michael Makin, Bill Gibson, and Ken Kaufman for Printing Industries of America; Joseph Truncale, Keith Kemp and Steve Johnson for NAPL).

Both associations have agreed to work with their graphic arts show company partner, NPES, to develop a spring management conference beginning in 2011. This industry-wide event will combine the Printing Industries of America Presidents Conference, NAPL Top Management Conference, and NPES Annual Spring Meeting into one comprehensive event aimed at bringing together the best that each meeting has to offer. Oversight and management of the event will be shared among all three organizations.

’We are very excited to see this consolidation of events so that industry leaders no longer have to choose a top leadership program each year,’ said Michael Makin, president and CEO of Printing Industries of America..

The organizations have also agreed to collaborate on major issues facing the printing and graphic communications industry, including the need to craft and communicate a positive message about print to media specifiers, educators, and legislative and regulatory bodies. While acknowledging the efforts currently being made in these areas, both organizations believe the added strength from the combined efforts of Printing Industries of America and NAPL can generate even greater results that will benefit all industry stakeholders.

The organizations will meet again in early 2010 to monitor progress on these initiatives and assess continuing discussions.

Click here for more stories about Printing Industries of America on L&L.com.

Click here for more stories about NAPL on L&L.com.

Armor launches stock advantage program

France-based thermal transfer ribbon supplier Armor has launched a dedicated stock program called ASAP. The program enables the immediate availability of more than 70 items from its Singapore and Korean warehouses and more than 80 items for the USA.

ASAP is designed to enhance customer service by allowing them minimum order quantities of just one box, dispatched within 24 hours, as well as reduced inventories and customized roll and box labeling where required. The ASAP range is made up of the company’s most popular products as requested by customers, and will be updated at least twice a year to ensure customer demand continues to be met.

The full list of ASAP items will be communicated during November to all customers served by Armor Asia and Armor USA.

Click here for more stories about Armor on L&L.com.

Canon and Océ: More Details

Océ management conducted a well-attended press teleconference today to provide further details of its acquisition by Canon. Jan Hol, who was interviewed earlier by WhatTheyThink, was on the line from Europe, and North America was represented by Mal Baboyian, president, production printing systems, Océ North America, and Joe Skrzypczak President and CEO of Océ North America. Océ reiterated that the intent of [...]

Quebecor may partner with other new entrants, not Globalive

Quebecor Inc. may not want to partner with Globalive to provide wireless services anytime soon since it has no interest in being a silent partner and Globalive would rather not dilute its control, but Quebecor might consider entering into deals with other new entrants to enhance purchasing power for handsets or to share costs.

J.C. Penney to Stop Printing “Big Book” Catalog

Citing evolving customer preferences J.C. Penney plans to stop printing its “big book” catalogs. The press release from the company states, Increasingly, catalog shopping has converged with online and in-store shopping as customers view catalogs as “look books” and inspiration sources for their in-store and online purchases. In response to this convergence and the ongoing [...]

ISO Graphic Technology Committee Seeks Carbon Footprinting Experts

The ISO Technical Committee overseeing graphic technology standards (ISO TC 130) has put out a call for experts for a new task force investigating Carbon footprinting in the printing and publishing industry. The task force was formed at a meeting held on October 26th in Beijing. The task force will be lead by Laurel Brunner, Managing [...]

a whinge about Paris Charles de Gaulle airport – what a dump

I’m pretty well travelled with about 40 countries visited over the years, but I’ve never been to such a poor airport as paris charles de gaulle where I have been 3 times in recent weeks. Its got the traffic problem from hell, taking 40 mins for the bus I took to the trade show to even [...]

United States and China to Cooperate on Clean Energy

President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao announced a far-reaching package of measures to strengthen cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy.

Xerox Develops a Breakthrough Silver Ink

Xerox recently announced a breakthrough that could have wide ranging implications for a number of industries. The researchers at Xerox have invented a new ink that can be printed on paper or plastic like normal inks, but this silver ink...

The Value of Proper E-Waste Recycling

November 15th, marked the 12th annual America Recycles Day, a nationally recognized day for Americans to recycle and purchase recycled products. While the global waste stream continues to grow, current trends indicate that electronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing commodity within the waste stream. In fact, volumes are growing at more than three times the rate of other wastes and have doubled in the last decade.

EPA Study Reveals Widespread Contamination of Fish in U.S. Lakes and Reservoirs

A new EPA study shows concentrations of toxic chemicals in fish tissue from lakes and reservoirs in nearly all 50 U.S. states. For the first time, EPA is able to estimate the percentage of lakes and reservoirs nationwide that have fish containing potentially harmful levels of chemicals such as mercury and PCBs.

Wisconsin is first state with lead-based paint renovation, repair and painting program

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has announced that two of Wisconsin's lead-based paint programs have been federally authorized. They are the Lead-based Paint Renovation, Repair and Painting program, and the Pre-Renovation Education program.

Omet/EskoArtwork seminar draws full house at Clemson

A capacity crowd of 60 participants filled the Sono Institute of Packaging Design and Graphics at Clemson University recently to learn about new technologies and expanded gamut printing at a two-day seminar sponsored by Omet and EskoArtwork.

Presentations were made and demonstrations were conducted by several packaging industry suppliers: EskoArtwork showed its new Equinox expanded gamut and high definition software; Harper Corporation exhibited its new QD proofing system; the Fastmatch color management system was demonstrated by Environmental Inks & Coatings; Flint Group exhibited its ultra-thin printing plates, and Anderson & Vreeland showed its new plate measuring devices.

Omet, whose Varyflex press is a feature at the institute, demonstrated the low waste and quick change features of the press, running three jobs on two substrates.

Featured speakers included Mark Samworth of EskoArtwork, who spoke on the advantages of expanded gamut printing for packaging, and John Fulcoly of Packaging CPR, who addressed the commercial considerations of expanded gamut printing for packaging based on his experience implementing a large North American expanded gamut platform.

Omet and EskoArtwork will repeat the seminar in the spring of 2010 as well as present seminars and workshops on other pertinent topics next year at the Sonoco Institute. Omet is represented in North America by Matik.

Dekel to head marketing at AVT

Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) has appointed Amir Dekel its corporate marketing vice president. Amir joined AVT in 2001 as marketing manager with special responsibilities to develop AVT’s business in the labels market.

For the past four years, Amir has been based in Atlanta, GA, USA, working as marketing director for AVT, Inc., the US arm of the Israel-based company. Amir is well known in the label converting industry especially through his work with the PrintVision/Helios solutions, defining the product and successfully introducing it to the world market.

Amir Dekel holds a master of science degree in electrical engineering in communications and computer science from Polytechnic University, New York. Prior to joining AVT, he worked in various positions in communications and telecommunications, and with consumer electronics products companies.

Dekel assumes marketing responsibilities from Gal Shamri, who had been filling that role as well as that of president of the GMI Product unit. Shamri will now focus exclusively on the management and business development of the GMI product line.

“This appointment recognizes Amir’s contribution to AVT’s success in the labels sector and draws on his marketing capabilities to benefit the whole of AVT,” says Shlomo Amir, president and CEO of AVT. “With both Amir and Gal now able to give full-time attention to their respective roles, AVT will be in a stronger position to grow and bring its solutions to market.”

AVT develops and manufactures automatic inspection systems for web applications in the packaging, labels, forms and converting sectors. Graphic Microsystems Inc. (GMI) is a supplier of closed loop color control systems.

MPI installs first two Mark Andy Performance presses

MPI Label Systems has installed two new Mark Andy Performance Series P7 presses in its US facilities. The first installation is a 10-color, 17" (430 mm) water based press with a final UV. The second is a 10-color, 17" combination UV and water based press with an embossing unit and hot foil cassette, along with a rail system for carrying such components as rotary screen units and web turn bars.

Mark Andy introduced the Performance Series presses this past summer, and exhibited them for the first time at Labelexpo Europe 2009 in Brussels in September.

“Mark Andy is honored to have partnered with MPI Label Systems on this exciting installation,” says Paul Brauss, president and CEO of Mark Andy. “Their ‘whatever it takes’ business practice is complementary to the approach we take with our valued customers, and we look forward to long-lasting success with this industry leader.”

Founded in 1968, MPI has eight manufacturing facilities, 30 sales locations and more than 500 employees. It specializes in prime pressure sensitive labels, flexible packaging, RFID, and automated labeling equipment, parts and service.

The Future of Prinergy

Kodak issued a statement two weeks ago saying “Prinergy is alive and well and fully supported by Kodak” after a blog post at Prepress Pilgrim painted a gloomy picture of mass layoffs and product abandonment. DJ’s update Ten Reasons Why Prinergy is Still Dead was simply spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt. I wrote that his [...]

PIA Announces Further Progress in Cooperation with NAPL

We received a “Special Announcement” from PIA President & CEO Michael Makin that outlines further progress in cooperation with NAPL. The message was sent to PIA membership this morning and discusses a recent meeting by top leaders in both organizations. The full statement is in the extended post. Dear Printing Industries of America Member: NAPL and [...]

MF8050Cn and MF8350Cdn: Two New Affordable Office Printers from Canon

Canon is rolling out a couple of new multifunction color printers of the imageCLASS series — MF8050Cn and MF8350Cdn. The devices are tailored for small office and home users, and have an appealing price tag. Canon MF8350Cdn prints as fast as 21 pages per minute in both color and black-and-white modes. Double-sided printing is supported; besides, [...]

A really old piece of labelling equipment – australian style

I’m just back from a weeks holiday in Sydney seeing friends, and spent a very pleasurable couple of days in the Hunter Valley wine region. At the Blueberry Hill vineyard I came across this classic piece of labelling machinery, a beautifully made wooden label applicator. Sometimes its easy to forget just how long labelling has [...]

new provider of open source support

Since Senokian Solutions Ltd ceased trading earlier this year we have been in negotiations for a new supplier of open source software support for our systems. Today we can signed up with Opus VL in Rugby, who we have met and look very capable of meeting our needs. We look forward to working with the [...]

IPEX announces surge in preregistration

With exhibitors taking over 55,000 sq.m of floorspace and preregistration reaching 6,000 visitors from more than 100 countries, Ipex 2010 is set to become a highlight in the international graphic arts event calendar next year.

Nuckols named CPrint president

Todd Nuckols has been named president of CPrint Intl. In his new position he will lead a company that works with over 100 print shops in the United States and Canada in a consulting, coaching and training role.

xpedx appoints national sales rep for Ryobi large-format presses

xpedx has named 24-year industry veteran Scott Brown national sales representative for Ryobi large-format presses.

America Recycles Day - Beyond Bottles to Buildings

America Recycles Day is November 15, 2009. Recycling is a way that every American can help to protect the environment and conserve natural resources. By recycling at home and at work, you can help to reduce carbon emissions associated with extracting natural resources, manufacturing new products and waste disposal.

It is the Soldier...

"It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

And it is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag."

Charles M. Province, U.S. Army

Thank you, to all who have served.

New Book on Digital Label Printing

Michael Fairley, known the world over as one of the most knowledgeable people in the label industry, has just written a new book about digital label printing. Wow. I wish I had this information when I started Lightning Labels back...

InfoTrends launches cross-media marketing study

To help direct marketers, technology vendors, and service providers achieve success with cross-media marketing, InfoTrends is launching a new multi-client study titled, “Capturing the Cross-Media Direct Marketing Opportunity."

Printing Industries of America Statement on House Healthcare Act

PITTSBURGH, Pa.—The following is a statement by Michael Makin, President and CEO of Printing Industries of America, the world’s largest graphic arts trade association, regarding this weekend’s passage of H.R. 3962, the...

HP OfficeJet Pro 8500: A device of All Trades

Printers have become not just output devices to produce text or images. They have become an essential part of our life, and the more functions they have, the better they are for use in office and home. Recent printing devices are developing according to crisis laws. That means more technology and functions heavy printers don’t go [...]

Low Resolution Gets Thumbs Up for Halloween Costume, Thumbs Down for Digital Printing

KindaCarsick's blogger dressed up as "Low Resolution Lady" for Halloween this year. Her costume is pure genius; it's been a long time since I have seen a costume this creative! When it comes to digital printing, however, low resolution is...

EskoArtwork inaugurates its New State-of-the-Art Development Centre in India

Gent, BELGIUM—November 5, 2009—EskoArtwork has further strengthened its systems integration development and E-support operation by opening new premises in Bangalore, India. The 6,000sq ft office will enable EskoArtwork's team of...

Product Labels: Still the Best Technology

I was brushing my teeth this morning and looking at all the products on our bathroom countertop. My wife had been cleaning out our cabinets so everything was on the counter. I was struck by how many product labels I...

PepsiCo blames person, not a failed process, in $1.26bn judgement

In a Wisconsin court, PepsiCo was on the wrong end of a $1.26 billion judgment for allegedly stealing the idea for what would become the Aquafina bottled water brand. Why? According to PepsiCo, they claim to have never received notice of the initial complaint because a secretary was too busy trying to prepare for a quarterly meeting. You can read about it here and many other places on the web.

Now, I obviously don't know the details of the case or whether or not the plaintiffs' claims have any merit, but the idea that a person is to blame because they were busy is utterly ludicrous. You would think that any company, especially one the size of PepsiCo, would have a standardized procedure for dealing with incoming legal documents, since many of these may involve penalties, fines or damage claims. To blame this on a person "forgetting" about the receipt of a legal document is just stupid, not to mention a few other words that I won't write here.

Remember Uncle Muri (sounds like you're saying "Murray")? Muri is the term for unreasonableness or overburden. If the secretary was so harried trying to do many important tasks at one time then PepsiCo is guilty of overburdening her with too much work and for being unreasonable in expecting her to complete everything.

One of PepsiCo's Guiding Principles (#6 - taken right from their website) is this:

"Respect others and succeed together.

Our mutual success depends on mutual respect, inside and outside the company. It requires people who are capable of working together as part of a team or informal collaboration. While our company is built on individual excellence, we also recognize the importance and value of teamwork in turning our goals into accomplishments.

Mutual respect? Teamwork? I don't see anything here but fingerpointing and excuses.

Perhaps a new Pepsi slogan is in order - the choice of a new generation of buck passers.

the BBC cover the new Ubuntu Karmic Koala release

With the recent release of Windows 7 getting widespread publicity as a half decent replacement for Vista, widely acknowledged to be a failure, its great to see the BBC covering the new Ubuntu release on their homepage yesterday. You can read all about it here. I will be using it, and its free, as in [...]

Don't Fall Back...

In this month's issue of Label and Narrow Web magazine I'm using the autumnal equinox to remind companies not to "fall back" into old, wasteful habits but, instead, strengthen their companies and be prepared to take the lead when this recession ends.

New YouTube video – an introduction to Label Lock security seals

YouTube Video of Label Lock Security seals Label Lock security seals are our flagship product, and we are delighted to lauch this video on YouTube today to showcase the many and varied applications for both low residue and Dual Layer Label Lock security labels. I hope you enjoy it.

Learn How to Get Better Response Rates from Print Marketing

If your response rates from your print marketing campaign are not where you would like them, it may be time to shake things up a bit. People tire of the same old ads, delivered in the same boring manner. Trying a different and novel approach could see a dramatic increase in your sales from your [...]

The Rickover Effect

"What it takes to do a job will not be learned from management courses. It is principally a matter of experience, the proper attitude, and common sense - none of which can be taught in a classroom. Human experience shows that people, not organizations or management systems, get things done." Admiral Hyman G. Rickover

I need Tylenol, extra extra strength...

Client: We want to implement kanban.

Me: Why?

Client: Because our boss wants to.

Me: Why?

Client: Because he doesn't like how materials are ordered now.

Me: Why? What's the problem? Do you have excessive material, shortages or stock outs, cash issues, disconnects between departments, what? What is the reason why you want to try to implement kanban?

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Turns out the engineers I'm working with are caught in a power struggle between two managers who are trying to see who can pee the farthest.

It's situations like this that make me want to drive my head through concrete, but I'm not giving up. It will take time, but I will get the C.A.V.E. dwellers to come out into the light.

Web to PRINT 09

The potential of “web to print” (W2P) is still attractive, especially as printers struggle to survive and adapt in a harsh economy.

Huston Patterson Earns Chain-of-Custody Certifications

DECATUR, Ill.—Huston Patterson Corporation recently earned the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) chain-of-custody certifications. “These...

RadTech to Host uv.eb EAST 2009

BETHESDA, Md.—RadTech, the Association for UV and EB Technology, is hosting uv.eb EAST 2009, October 20-21 in Niagra Falls, N.Y. Ultraviolet (UV) and Electron Beam (EB) curing technologies will be presented to brand owners, printers, and...

Allied Development Announces New Packaging Study

BURNSVILLE, Minn.—“Stick Pouches” is a global study by Allied Develpment of the stick pouch market. This market is the focus of the new investment in technology, along with development of new applications. “Stick...

Kyocera Mita FS-3900DN A4 monochrome laser printer

The FS-3900DN is a representative of Kyocera Mita Ecosys printers. It’s an A4 black-and-white printer designed for use in workgroups. The FS-3900DN can be easily integrated into corporate network and effectively administrated. The Kyocera’s technology of single platform allows for using a single driver for any Kyocera’s PCL/PostScript printing device, weather it’s a personal printer or [...]

Getting Your Business Noticed with Brochures

Brochures and flyers are amongst the most useful and versatile of all marketing media. They can be left on doorknobs, placed under windshields, displayed at store countertops, and left wherever you go. In order to make your business stand out in a sea of other companies, you have to get inventive. With extreme use of [...]

Kyocera Mita FS-2000D Laser Printer

Kyocera Mita FS-2000D is a monochrome laser A4 printer with duplex printing that provides high printing speed at minimal cost. You may find Kyocera Mita FS-2000D an optimal solution for both offices that only need single printer and large corporations that require printers for different departments. The two will benefit from low cost document printing. The FS-2000D [...]

Retail Psychology: It’s In the Cards

Remember the lovely sound of ca-ching? We hear it less frequently these days. Retailers may be suffering more than many other businesses during our current economic depression. (Depression in this case being a common psychological state, whether or not it’s the official label for today’s business climate.) Traditionally, high-volume retail operations don’t use many business cards, [...]

Reflect Your Personality Through the Business Card

In marketing, nothing is negligible. Every small thing counts. So do business cards. The business card cannot speak volumes. But it is the first impression you make on your customer. It reflects the personality of the organization. It can be young and happening. Or it can be mature and graceful. It can highlight your character. That [...]

Copywriting for Conversion

Need some easy tips to get your marketing copy on point? Follow along… Add a Call to Action Strive for active verbs and avoid passive clichés. Drop overused phrases like “synergistic,” “paradigm,” and “value-added.” Readers will skip over them without being compelled to act. Avoid passive language and tell your readers what to do. Consider these examples: “Build [...]

INSPIRED

Are you inspired by your company? Have you ever asked yourself that question? If you have, chances are that most of you out there, are not inspired and yearn to be inspired!

I just got back from Houston, Texas, where I attended the National Associates Meeting with Consolidated Graphics. Now, if you aren't sure what this meeting is...see my previous post and it'll give you a 30,000 foot view....

Now, most companies when they have a national event...it becomes sort a happy hour of sorts for an entire weekend. Well, Consolidated Graphics has found a happy medium.

This weekend was not only fun, but ABSOLUTELY INSPIRATIONAL! I have seen what's about to enter our market place in the way of talent and tools. The printing industry is about to be turned up-side down and sideways and for the better!

I met over 300 young people who have not just a passion for print and all things printed, but a passion to lead and a passion to share it with the world. These young people are full of great ideas, industry knowledge and a passion I haven't seen in years.

The entire weekend there were discussions about bringing more to our clients and prospects; giving value first and expecting nothing in return. What a great concept! Give value first, expect nothing in return! Isn't that the basis for what we as people are to strive for? I think so. And using that basis as a business concept is powerful.

Over the weekend I listed to industry leaders like Daniel Dejan from Sappi, speak about best practices and ways to engage and build business for our clients like I've never heard before.

If you don't know who Consolidated Graphics is...you'll soon find out. Keep your eyes open everyone...there are some great things on the horizon!

For more information...click the below links. And as always, I welcome your feedback!

http://www.cgx.com
http://www.cgxemergedc09.com
http://www.cgxsolutions.com
http://www.sappi.com
http://www.wentworthprinting.com
http://www.wetzelbrothers.com
http://www.andersonprinting.com

National Associates Meeting

I'm attending Consolidated Graphics' National Associates Meeting this weekend!

If you don't know what this is...let me give you a brief summary. Consolidated Graphics recruits and hires only the Best and Brightest college graduates to train and become the printing industry's next leaders. This meeting is a time for all of these up and coming leaders to discover best practices in the print industry and maybe even devise some of their own...that just might change the industry for the better.

I'll be speaking on Saturday at the event. Myself and another consultant for Consolidated Graphics will be sharing some tips that we've picked up along the way. Tips from networking to researching prospects and determining the best approach to their industry.

Below are some links that I'll be sharing with the group. Maybe these links would be helpful for you guys.

For all of you bloggers, try these sites for inspiration/help!
-www.dailyblogtips.com
-www.problogger.com

For all of you sales reps or soon to be reps, try these ezines:
-www.gitomer.com
-www.businessbyphone.com

Ps...link with me on Twitter and find out the latest in technology that Consolidated Graphics is about to unleash! Watch out printworld...this is gonna shake things up! More details to come....

From Xerox to Small Biz: WorkCentre 3210 and 3220

erox has recently released a couple of new multifunction monochrome laser printers — WorkCentre 3210 and it older brother WorkCentre 3220. Speed improvements and a bunch of new features make these two machines perfect, yet affordable, for the professional individual or a small workgroup. The WorkCentre 3210 is an all-in-one (4-in-1, if to be precise) printer – [...]

RGB COLOR VS. CMYK COLOR

Is it really a big deal if you send RGB images instead of CMYK images?

The answer is ABSOLUTELY!

Don't take my word for it though, see for yourself. The image on the left is a RGB image. The one on the right is a CMYK converted image. Can you tell a difference?

It's alwas best to convert your images from RGB to CMYK because you'll have more control over color when printing. When printers receive RGB images, we typcially use a standard conversion, which may not alter the color to your liking.

It's true that you can create certain colors in RGB that you can't in CMYK. However, when these colors are printed, it will be converted to a CMYK color scheme, which will most definitely alter the color combination you might have been going for.

The conversion is important becaus printing is based on a different set of colors: Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow and Black, which are the primary colors for inks and pigments.

The shift in color will be most noticeable in solid colors on backgrounds. See the different conversions that can occur below. And as always, call me with any questions.

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To Coat or not to Coat...

There's a myriad of choices out there for those that want to be creative with their printed pieces. Many of you may be overwhelmed at the choices and some of you may not even know which way to turn.

Do I use Aqueous, Varnish or UV? How do I choose?

The first step is to sit down with your printer and discuss the effect that you are going for. Do you want a textured feel? Do you want it to shine so bright that it almost jumps off the page? Do you want a subtle, yet elegant feel? Or, are you simply wanting to protect the printed image from smudging and scratching?

Here's a quick performance comparison that you might find helpful.

Conventional Varnishes-holds tight registration, but dries slower than other coatings and can yellow over time.

UV Coatings-quick turn, great results, but expensive, will show finger prints, but resists scratching.

Pearlescent-can cause undesirable changes in color.

Gloss vs. Dull-gloss coating can make blacks appear more dense than dull coating.

Contact me if you have a particular look and feel that you are going for, but not quite sure how to get there.

You can also learn more about this subject by going to the below link and checking out The Standard. http://www.na.sappi.com/education/designforprint

What does it mean to be a partner with your printer?

Is your sales rep a "slick rick" or does he really have your best interests at heart? How many of you out there have had a printer come to you and say, "I want to be a partner to you"? Do you turn around and ask them what that means to them? Or, how they could provide a so-called "partnership" to you?

You should. Isn't the term parnter played out? I mean isn't that what your vendor should be doing already? Or any one that wants your business, for that matter?

Shouldn't those people be looking for ways to help you? I do. How you ask?

Well instead of selling you on printing, I learn about your business first. How do you get product to your end consumer? Who is your most valuable customer, what are their demographics? Why is it that particular demographic is your best client? What are the complications you face on a daily basis? How will your margins and bottom line be affected by the next project you put out, or the next product you put on the shelf? How can you communicate to your employees and consumers better?

Aren't those questions that should be asked? Not only asked, but listened to and heard. How many of you out there have a sales rep that just sees you as a commission? How many of you are just a quota for the next rep?

If that's how you feel about your current rep; if he/she isn't going the extra mile for you day in and day out, maybe it's time for you to find one that does. Maybe it's time to find a rep that listens and hears your day to day challenges. One that will educate you, one that goes to bat for you, one that brings solutions to the table that make you look good.

Marketing In A Hyper-Competitive World

Marketing Organizations are facing numerous challenges these days: Improving the efficiency of e-marketing, growing customer knowledge, improving the ROI of marketing spend among others. Sophistication in customer targeting, as well as advances in CRM tools, have not increased the effectiveness of marketing communications. The right offer is still not going to the right customer at the right time.

That's where Communication Engineering comes into play. Communication Engineering merges creative design, graphics, relevant communications, production knowledge and behavioral sciences to provide you with measurable business results. I recently presented a webinar that outlines the challenges marketing organizations face today and give examples on how Communication Engineering has improved response rates of various types of communications. I also provide a new model for campaign management and opportunities to achieve higher-level communications that drive your organizational objectives. To learn more about how Communication Engineering can help your organization drive results, click here.

Paul Lundy
Xerox Thought Leadership
Xerox Global Services

Design&Print is Moving!

As part of our efforts to expand our blog, we’re moving this blog to printcreate.com. All posts are already transferred and its only a matter of time before we say goodbye to designandprint.wordpress.com. We hope you continue to support, contribute and read our blog. Don’t forget to subscribe! All the same, with printcreate.com, we will [...]

17 Ultra Cool Presidential Poster Designs

As a tribute to our new President, I’ve gathered some poster designs that are well-designed, moving or are just plain smart. The amazing thing is that many of these designers aren’t even American, but they believe in what Obama can bring to the American people so much that they’ve been moved to design. [...]