The Print Supply Chain

Designers and consumers are more aware of the environmental issues surrounding them. A survey of 326 graphic design, marketing and advertising professionals by Monadnock paper company, discovered that a very high majority (84%) felt that sustainability as a design factor is increasing. And, nearly the same number believe that sustainable choices have a direct positive impact on the environment. These are the folks who imagine, create and specify printed products.

There are many forms of waste that can suck the life blood (money) out of your business. I’m here to recommend best management practices and technology to reduce or eliminate the bleeding and suggest ways to get funding to do it.

Today, reducing waste is often a question of survival, so don’t miss any opportunity to eliminate your waste problem.

Canadians do not have a historically brilliant culture of conservation – quite the contrary as we are so used to seemingly unlimited natural resources. According to the United Nations reports, we are per capita the most wasteful nation on earth. As Al Gore tells us, if other countries consumed and wasted resources like North Americans we would need four earths to maintain our exorbitant lifestyle. So, shifting our business paradigm to concentrate on reducing waste is tough for us. Too bad, so sad – we gotta do it to improve our bottom line.

What waste are we talking about? The common concept of waste in print shops is the tangibles: solid waste (paper, plates, ink cans, skid wood etc), liquid waste, (film or plate process wash water, etc) and hazardous waste (solvents, developers, fountain solutions, ink etc.)

But, the intangible waste can be even more costly including air emissions, energy, time, space and opportunities.
Waste is very expensive; consider what it costs to replace the money spent on waste (and all waste boils down to money). If you are realizing a 10% profit by the end of the day, then for each $100 lost in waste, you will have to sell at least $1000 in sales to make it up – not so easy these days. Instead of thinking “ah well,” paying out to have that all the waste picked up each week as a cost of doing business, think of it as a cost doing you out of business. Start to strongly hate it.

To quote Shoichiro Toyoda, president of Toyota, waste is “ anything other than the minimum amount of equipment, materials, paperwork, space and workers time, which are absolutely essential to add value to the product. Let’s go through the various processes and areas that create waste and discuss what can be done.

Prepress

CTP developers are corrosive with a high pH value so, if you do not have a pH-neutralizing unit, then it is illegal to discharge to drain. These units can save costs in haulage, but by installing a developer recycler, you can cut your replenisher chemical costs in half and staff time in mixing the replenisher solution. Also, you will reduce sewer discharge by half. Have you studied your water bill? More than half the costs are in sewer use charges.

Most companies that still process film know that it is mandatory to have a silver recovery system in place. It is also important to have a secondary ion exchange cartridge and a final treatment filter with a carbon element to co-mingle and treat spent developer, fixer and wash water prior to drain. This, again, saves haulage costs and municipal sewer surcharges if you are inspected.

For spent proofing, photocopier and inkjet printer cartridges call the Canadian Association of Food Banks. They have a program that turns collected inkjet or laser printer/copier cartridges and old cell phones into food for food banks and milk for underprivileged kids at the rate of eight glasses of milk for each cartridge recycled. Participate in the thINK FOOD program by calling 416-516-7465 or go online to www.think-food.com. Anything, especially contaminants like ink, not thrown in landfill, saves you money and helps the environment.

Pressroom waste

Solvents: by their very nature, solvents are volatile. They evaporate quickly, so take a walk around and see how many drums or cans of rubber rejuvenator, blanket wash, alcohol etc. are open, bungs and caps off, the red dispenser cans of solvent by the press with their lids open. Years ago, I did a study that showed in one particular print shop they were losing 14% or $4,200 of purchased solvent like this through unnecessary evaporation. What a waste! These harmful fugitive emissions are being breathed in by workers throughout your facility, possibly wasting time and productivity (money) through sickness. Write up a big notice: “Keep containers closed when not in use.”

Buy in bulk to save costs: drums instead of gallon cans, totes instead of drums. My grandmother always said it is expensive to be poor and cheap. Recycle, filter and reuse options. For those with auto blanket wash units, you’re lucky because you can install a made in Canada Uni-ram distillation solvent recycler (best in the world). They work very well, reducing virgin solvent purchases, VOC emissions and the associated truck deliveries by 70% – 85% depending on the solvent. No requirement for a special explosion proof room either, like vacuum distillation units, as they meet fire code. It usually pays for itself within a year. This has proven in many locations to successfully gain savings, not just on the cost of the solvent, but also on the reportable VOCs in the solvent previously purchased. The savings on the waste haulage alone is often enough to pay for the recycler in a year. Then, there is the reduction in the deliveries and pickup, reducing truck emissions and staff handling time.

Fountain solutions: Compliant and conscientious printers usually collect and have waste fountain solutions picked up by a licensed hauler at an average cost of $200 per drum. Unconscionable printers pour this toxic brew down the drain, but they are not our focus group here.

The most effective solution is to install an in-line closed loop-recycling unit. They range in price from expensive imports like the Flo-Clear to made-in-Canada Nu-Klear units that printers can now rent on a monthly basis (send me an email for details). The savings in virgin fount concentrate, waste haulage costs and press operator time is huge. Then, there are the reduced costs of waste manifesting and MOE fees for hazardous waste haulage. The other option is to install an ultra filtration membrane system to treat the waste for safe disposal to sewer. I recommend the hollow tube rather than spiral wound type membranes as they can be cleaned physically and quickly and last longer. This will reduce waste haulage costs. These savings can add up big time; for example, if you are a printer and pay $200 per week to have a drum of waste solvent picked up for disposal that’s $10,400 per year. How much in sales do you have to generate to pay for that waste?

Still running Isopropyl alcohol in your dampening system? I recommend installing a reverse osmosis treatment unit on incoming water (they are not expensive) and using an automated centralized dosing and delivery system for mixing the fountain concentrates. RO filtration will reduce surface tension of the water and remove soluble minerals – less piling. The dosing system will ensure a consistent concentrate-water mix ratio and conductivity. It will greatly help in running IPA free and save the press operator’s time no longer spent on mixing fount and getting the conductivity right. The productivity will be improved as its one less variable and the quality of the printed word enhanced as IPA is an ink diluent reducing colour saturation. Cleaning time is saved as RO filtration eliminates bacterial growth and algae in the dampening solution by removing microbiological organisms from the raw water – no more bio-slime. It also extends plate life by removing the salts of calcium and magnesium that are deposited on the plate surface from untreated tap water. IPA is also a 100% VOC - nasty stuff in the atmosphere.

Ink Waste

An excellent P2 system to reduce ink waste is the Color-Matic Ink Doser. This computerized system precisely measures the ink for any required colour, process, specialty or PMS and extracts the exact amount directly from the suppliers can. The compression head of the extractor removes all ink down to <1%. Traditionally, the average wastage from residual ink left in cans, mixing pallets, skinning and ink knives from manual blending is 5%.

Purchasing ink in bulk also reduces waste and the delivery, handling and storage of those 2.2 kg cans. How many cans do you purchase in a year? If you run two 5-colour presses, single shift, it can be over 3500 cans per year. Each can has some waste ink residue going to landfill.

Space Waste

The amount of old unused equipment taking up valuable space in print shops amazes me – get rid of it, sell that old stitcher, platen press, silver master camera or whatever to a scrap metal merchant. Make a few bucks and use the space profitably or rent it to a subcontractor.

Energy Waste

We are blessed and cursed with some of the lowest energy costs in the world. If we were paying $0.43 per kW-hr like the UK instead of our $0.05 cents perhaps we’d use it more wisely. We tend to use most of our production energy during typical peak periods when the cost of hydro and gas is most expensive. We can try spreading the timing of production runs to reduce peak period costs, or more practically, by installing a device called a harmonic balancer. Discuss this option with your electrician. Support clean energy initiatives by purchasing through Bullfrog Power, who supply only from wind turbine of hydro-produced electricity; no coal, oil, natural gas or nuclear.

Compressors: If you run a compressor, duct the intake air from the outside through a wall or roof. This will save wasting energy because cold winter air is much more dense than the warm air inside a building. And, that’s helping the unit to “compress” more efficiently. In the summer, switch back to air-conditioned inside air.

Water heaters: When we process film or plates from an image setter we have to heat or temper the water otherwise, as the film or plate exits the warm developer chemistry and hits winter cold water, reticulation and fit problems occur. A typical medium-size company will use 135 - 150 tonnes of tempered water per year to process film and plates. This equals to 0.33 – 0.45+ tonnes of CO2 emission. So, by installing a wash water recirculator, it will reduce water consumption and sewer use costs, heating energy costs and CO2 emissions at the same time.

Computers: The average desktop computer consumes up to 250 watts per day, without the monitor. If you use it for only four hours a day and then turn it off, the savings would be about $80 per year for each computer device. Plug all computer, printing, photocopiers and fax machines into a power bar with a surge protector for each work station. One switch turns them all off. Kill all the lights and devices at quitting time.

Office / Facility Waste

Make it less convenient to print out emails and unnecessary documents. Use a common printer for a number of workstations and offices rather than one per computer. Print on both sides of paper. This will save paper cost, paper waste and ink cartridge costs. Use the reverse side of used copier paper for incoming faxes. Have a footer on all internal emails stating “this is an eco-friendly company; please do not print out this email unnecessarily.” Also, remember to shut down all electronic and electrical equipment and lights at night.

Fluorescent tubes recycling: they contain mercury and phosphor and most often end up in landfill. Each 8ft tube contains 23mg of mercury; each 4ft tube 12mg. The mercury becomes a leachate toxic entering our streams and lakes where it is converted by bacteria into methyl mercury. This molecule collects in the fatty tissues of fish and the animals that eat fish. The toxic effects on animals and humans are well documented. It is very corrosive; it’s also harmful if inhaled and can be absorbed through intact skin. So, collect and send your spent tubes to FLR Cambridge for deconstruction and mercury capture. Over 98% of the lamp is recycled by FLR. Products recaptured include glass, aluminum and brass. The real trick is separating the mercury from the phosphor powder ensuring that nothing is land filled. They can turn fluorescent lamps into anything but toxic waste. Call 1-800-324-9018 for details.

E-waste: The National Cristina Foundation and Dell have partnered to provide computer technology to people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons. There’s no charge to donate used or obsolete computer technology. The process is straightforward. Plus, by donating no longer needed systems, you can reduce storage costs and administrative time and expenses. You can donate this equipment to help local, non-profit organizations and public agencies provide skills to disabled and economically disadvantaged children and adults throughout Canada. A great idea as an Earth Day event; get some marketing mileage out of it and offer to pickup e-waste from your clients or, even better, have a drop off station at your plant.

General Waste

A good percentage of items thrown into the garbage are misplaced recyclable items in the wrong waste stream. This can often be reduced with an initiative for plant, office and kitchen waste by 20%. Create a procedure on reduction of general waste via an internal source separation recycling or green box program for production, office and kitchen waste. A designated “green team” could be created representing each department to initiate a company wide program.

Environment: If we understand and better control the environmental aspects of our business, we will improve our profitability. You see, it really boils down to reducing or eliminating waste. Isn’t pollution an avoidable business cost from mismanaged or unnecessarily created waste? Prevention is better than cure, and pollution prevention saves money over waste treatment. There is a common false paradigm – “we are doing our best by treating our waste.” In actuality, what is best for our business and the environment is not to produce the waste in the first place, or at least recycle and reuse it or reduce it (hmmm‚Ķ3 R’s‚Ķnow that could catch on‚Ķ).

P2 Resources: The definition of pollution prevention is “eliminating or reducing waste at its source.” An active commitment to pollution prevention practices and waste management reduces operating costs, protects capital investment and increases business efficiencies. Two of the best exponents of P2 initiatives are the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2) and the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement (OCETA); they have a synergistic relationship.

FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR WASTE MANGEMENT PROJECTS AND TECHNOLOGY

Thanks to funding provided by the Government of Ontario, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) has created the SMART Program to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs manufacturers up to 500 employees) including printers in Ontario improve their productivity so they can compete more effectively in the international economy. A wide variety of productivity improvement projects are eligible, including energy efficiency improvement, environmental impact reduction, lean manufacturing, and design and quality improvement. Projects of any size can be proposed for funding. SMART funding is available for up to 50% of project costs or $50,000, whichever is less, including capital equipment, installation and administration costs. Good projects shouldn’t be too big or too complicated. This would be ideal for the waste treatment systems and the on-site recycling equipment I discussed. It would also include pollution prevention assessments encompassing waste management as it covers professional fees and benchmarking a project. Preparation of benchmarking analyses and any associated travel, detailed project planning, specifications for new equipment or software to be acquired and associated procurement activities (RFPs, RFP evaluation, etc.). Validation of internally prepared benchmarking and/or project plans by outside experts. For full details go to www.cme-smart.ca.

Funding through Tax Credits; the federal and provincial governments reward companies that invest in research and development projects. This would include the investment in researching and developing waste treatment systems specific to your facility. For a small, privately-owned printing company, CCPC tax credits might pay back as much as 68% of eligible expenditures. Talk with your accountant or call companies like Service Optiprint (888-471-5092) that specialize in helping printers with SR & ED tax credit issues.

Funding is available through the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement to conduct P2 and waste management Assessment. OCETA partners with many municipalities to provide cost share funding for pollution prevention and waste management assessments. They have assisted dozens of printers with recommended action plans, capital cost recovery and savings through better waste management.

In Summary

With these economically challenging times, such initiatives may turn loss into profit for you, just by doing the right thing for your business, community and our environment. Waste costs us a lot of money and we either only get a fraction of it back or have to pay to have it safely disposed of. It never actually goes away, just goes somewhere else. There are better ways and pollution prevention practices is one of them. I hope 2009 is kind to you.

The year 2008 has been a challenging one for many companies, yet wide format printing has been very profitable for many of those companies. It’s still an emerging technology, but enhancing your business with wide format printing capabilities is still a good business decision. Don Skenderian, vice-president of EskoArtwork adds that “compared to other segments of the printing industry, wide format is one of the shining lights; wide format businesses are growing at 15% – 25% annually. Other companies are realizing that they have to ‘step up to the plate’ or face problems in the future.”

With this in mind, we went out and spoke with industry leaders to get their feedback as to the state of the inkjet printing industry and how 2009 would likely shape up.

Reflecting Back and Looking Ahead

We asked these industry leaders for their input as to the current state of the wide format printing industry. According to Michael Robertson, president/CEO (SGIA), the first three quarters of 2008 were very good for the wide format printing industry: “We saw the SGIA community grow by using effective new technologies to maximize business opportunities. Equipment and consumable manufacturers continued to advance the technology, enabling wide format printers to bring new and exciting solutions to existing customers as well as open new markets.”

As we all know, the fourth quarter of 2008 was very challenging for many companies and these challenges will carry forward into 2009 and will affect all companies as well as wide format printing. However, wide format printing does have a few advantages over companies in the other printing sectors. Michael Robertson adds, “Wide format printing is still an emerging technology. New imaging and finishing capabilities being introduced to the marketplace help wide format printers provide fresh solutions to their customers. Utilizing emerging capabilities also helps printers avoid the pitfalls of commoditization.”

According to Meyer Weiss, vice-president of Digital Imaging at InteliCoat, even though many retailers and manufacturers are opting not to change signage and are running fewer promotions, on the up side, many advertisers find visual advertising to be more effective than other forms of advertising. Meyer notes that, “While companies have cut back on their overall advertising budget, cuts have been greater in terms of outlets, such as newspaper ads, magazine ads, TV ads and not as much in terms of visual ads, signage and POP advertising.”

Meyer adds that “there are some segments of the market which have been less affected by the economy. For example, digital printing has seen an increase with more printers choosing digital printing over analog. As print quantity decreases, digital printing becomes the preferred method to analog, where higher volume runs are typically required.” This is good news for the digital printing industry as a whole.

Challenges in 2009

We asked the experts what the challenges for the inkjet printing market were going to be moving into 2009. According to Michael Robertson, “no one can say for sure when we will begin to pull out of the economic downturn, but the first quarter of 2009 is shaping up to be a real challenge for many businesses. Those that can weather the storm by supporting their customers changing interests will be the business leaders as the economy rebounds. The pressure will be on management as we enter 2009. Successful business managers will make the best decisions at critical times. They will achieve the right balance of conservation and investment as they pick the areas in which to focus their business interests. It’s important for the community to stay positive and focused.”

Meyer Weiss adds that “the greatest challenge to the wide format printing industry is going to be the economy – as is the case for many industries. Although 2009 will be slow to start, we see the market moving toward continued growth in the fine art and photo market and increased adoption in the offset print market when the economy turns around.”

Doors of Opportunity

So, what are some of the biggest opportunities available to companies as we move forward into 2009? According to the most recent snapshot of the printing industry as a whole, as captured by the National Association of Printing Leadership (NAPL) Printing Economic Research Center, the commercial printing business in North America is not likely to experience any significant upswing until well into the second half of 2009 at the earliest. Therefore, printers and copy shops alike would be wise to invest in some kind of wide format printing to augment their revenue stream. The majority of inkjet printing is still being done for indoor applications. So, an aqueous inkjet printer would make a lot of sense (The Canon iPF8100 44” printers are around $7,500, while the HP Z6100 42” are around $11,600).

Andrew Paparozzi, NAPL’s chief economist states, “As an industry, we find ourselves at a unique point in history; the commercial printing industry is changing structurally as well as cyclically. This means that in addition to nationwide economic pressures, the industry is undergoing a structural change in the form of redefined markets, clients, competition, labourforce, critical skills and value propositions. As a result, the recession has created a historic opportunity for the prepared and a profound threat for the unprepared.”

Michael Robertson adds that “changes in globalized manufacturing will help U.S. and Canadian-based wide format printers. During the past several years, manufacturers have taken all types of production offshore to benefit from low cost labour. The rapid increase in globalization resulted in a loss of opportunity for U.S. and Canadian-based printers as print jobs went to other countries. But, the globalization tide is beginning to turn as manufacturers face added challenges today. The economic downturn, political unrest, currency fluctuation and a rapidly changing marketplace are just some of the concerns that have many manufacturers turning to regional vendors to support projects once sent off-shore.”

Robertson also notes that “in a tight economy, manufacturers need stability in all phases of their business. They need to maintain high-quality standards. They need to be able to change quickly as the marketplace changes and they can’t afford mistakes. Manufacturers can meet these requirements by working with regional vendors on critical projects. They can also reduce inventory and minimize surprises. Wide format printers can develop new business as they help customers find the right balance between global and regional vendor support.”

Necessity is the mother of innovation, so in a tight economy the value of innovation increases. “It makes sense that most innovative solutions are developed during times of stress. We innovate when we need to. Our community is stepping up to the challenge using the latest tools and their creative ability to develop effective solutions for their customers,” comments Robertson.

“Wide format printers aren’t just competing with each other; as a business sector, they are competing against other imaging technologies and against other forms of advertising. There is opportunity to be found by looking at the bigger picture. Maximizing creativity to provide innovative, cost-effective solutions for a diversified customer base are well within the reach of our community.”

Focusing on environmentally-friendly products will also allow companies to continue to see great opportunities. Today, consumers are voting with their dollars and are forcing companies to become more environmentally-friendly. Therein lies a great opportunity to lead the field with more environmentally-friendly products.

So, what segments of the industry will companies have their biggest successes? According to Robertson, “one area that stands out for 2009 is point-of-purchase. Consumers are making purchase decisions closer to the product these days. Retailers are reducing expenditures on wide range advertisements, such as TV and magazine advertisements. Instead, they are using more in-store promotions. This is very good for wide format printers.”

The marketplace is changing for small sign shops. Counter sales are being replaced by Internet sales. The sign shops that maximize the capabilities of Internet-based sales will dramatically expand their market.

Robertson adds that “while the immediate future is challenging, we see opportunity for long term success in virtually all of the markets served by the SGIA community. In fact, the number of markets where wide format can be successfully employed is increasing every day. As markets are developed, new and creative applications are being implemented. This diversification drives opportunity.”

Going Green

Environmental responsibility has become a key issue for many customers, so how are companies positioning themselves and their products to meet the demands of “going green?”

Marci Kinter, vice-president of Government Affairs & Business Information (SGIA) comments: “With the launching of the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP Program) in August 2008, the printing industry took strong steps forward in the sustainability or “green” movement. This third-party certification program requires the printing facility to focus on their entire process rather than just one segment of it.”

SGIA, one of the founding partners of the SGP Partnership, has adopted an approach that mimics the Triple Bottom Line: people, profit and planet. A sustainable business is one that shows a profit while protecting the environment and improving the lives of the people in which it interacts. Sustainability requires that the entire system be evaluated. The SGP program embodies these principles by asking facilities to adopt a systematic approach to certifying their facilities based on a series of best management practices.

Kinter adds that “Being ‘green’ or environmentally responsible is more than just changing ink systems or substrates. While being ‘green’ is the marketable concept, the true movement is towards adoption of sustainable business practices. The commonly accepted definition of sustainability was created in 1987 at the World Commission on Environment and Development – development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

“A facility’s move towards sustainability is a journey with the intent of developing a more sustainable business model that incorporates the spirit of the aforementioned definition. There is no silver bullet for sustainability. A sustainable business is one that shows a profit while protecting the environment and improving the lives of the people in which it interacts,” concludes Kinter.

We all need to step up to the plate and put our best foot forward. Successful business managers will make the best decisions at critical times. They will achieve the right balance of conservation and investment as they pick the areas in which to focus their business interests. It’s especially important for our Canadian print community to stay positive and focused as we move forward into 2009.

Q. Using Safari, I am having trouble entering my address on websites because it enters the information incorrectly. I must have entered the postal code by mistake in the past, and I cannot enter the correct information.

A. You are having trouble because of the auto fill feature in your Web browser. You can usually correct the incorrect information in a couple of places. In Safari, you can choose Preferences in the Safari menu. You should see an “Auto Fill” tab and a checkbox that says “Using Info From My Address Book Card.” Press “Edit” to update or correct the info. You can also choose which websites use the auto fill information by clicking “Edit” next to “Other Forms.”

If you’re on a PC using Internet Explorer, you can only delete the information in “Auto Complete.” You will find that section under the Tools menu by choosing “Internet Options.”

Q. I want to take my MacBook to my local coffee shop to use their free wireless access. I can only see my wireless network, so how do I setup the connection? How do I disconnect it when I am done?

A. One of the nice things about using Macs is that they easily go to sleep when the lid is closed (thanks to a hidden magnetic sensor) and they will also automatically discover nearby WiFi networks. You don’t need to setup the wireless (WiFi) settings until you are at the coffee shop, so close the lid on your MacBook and put it to sleep.

When you arrive at the coffee shop, or are in range of a new wireless network and your Airport is turned on, your Mac will announce that it has found a network to join. Normally, your Mac or your smart phone will join the nearest “preferred” network. If you are near a new network, your Mac will open a dialog box showing you the name of the nearest network aka “SSID.” If the network is unencrypted or “open,” you can connect without entering a password. Open networks are rare these days, so you will most likely have to enter a password – you can ask your host what the required password is.

While you are travelling with a laptop or WiFi smart phone, such as an iPhone or Blackberry, you may come across a WiFi network that you can pay to use for a short term. Usually, at hotels, restaurants and coffee shops you simply have to open your Internet browser and choose any website address. The host network will direct you to a special webpage where you can choose your payment options. They provide you with the settings that your laptop needs to connect – but they block your access until you agree to terms and pay for use.

Some pay as you go options let you join a network service that allows you to buy a block of time and that operates at several locations, or a service that you simply pay for a few contiguous hours. Normally, you enter your payment with a credit card. Once you are validated, you will be able to surf the Internet and/or use your own email client to get your mail.

When you are finished and are ready to leave you merely shutdown or put you Mac back to sleep. Your Mac will remember this network as a “preferred” network – and it will automatically disconnect when your devices are out of range. The next time you go back to the coffee shop your Mac or phone will remember the settings and you will be able to access the Internet – depending on the payment and usage settings.

Almost every application used in production is set to automatically update itself through the Internet. The decision to update is purely based on the fact that we are told that it is available, but this is not always the best policy.

The operating system of a Mac is, by default, set to announce new updates for everything in the system. It lists updates to certain programs, firmware or the core system usually with an explanation that it is a “Security Update.” These do update the security of your software, but at the same time could cause unforeseen problems.

For system updates, the best recommendation is to have a full disk image of your existing system created before running the update. Using Apple’s Disk Utility or a third-party software like SuperDuper to create a bootable image of your system, you have the ability to return to the previous system if the update causes problems.

Creative Suite has a bouncing icon that shows up monthly or weekly to update a long list of items on your system. You may think that you should update everything to the newest level, but what can happen is you end up with files you cannot open, or all of a sudden, you cannot export a PDF file anymore. Of course, the above advice for a bootable system backup applies here as well, but here are some ideas to save your files and get you back to work:

If you have updated several programs with the Adobe Updater and you now cannot export a PDF file from InDesign, an Acrobat Professional update could have been the culprit. Open the Acrobat preferences and select convert to PDF. A list of program will open; choose InDesign. Standard will probably be the selection in the pop-up window and you should change it to a different profile that you use in InDesign.

Another Acrobat update rendered the ability to create a preflight droplet useless. It was not fixed until the next update months later and left me looking through backups to find droplets that had not been corrupted.

The worst thing that can happen after an update is that an existing project crashes or freezes in the new version. There are a few ways to troubleshoot the program and the file. The first step is resetting InDesign’s preferences. InDesign stores information about plug-ins and settings in this file so you may have to go through them again. To reset the preference file, quit InDesign, relaunch the program and immediately hold down the Ctrl, Option, Command and Shift keys. InDesign will ask you if you want to recreate the preference file; click yes.

If a specific file is still having problems with freezing or crashing, you can repair it by exporting it to an INX (Interchange) format. This rewrites the file and can clean up the problem. Still no luck? You can resort to dragging the page into a new document. Open your document as well as a new document and select Window->Tile. Activate the original document and open the Pages Window. Drag pages or spreads to the new document and save. This will leave any structural or internal problems behind when you save the document. The structure of the document will be new and should solve the issue.

Other Creative Suite programs have had update glitches. The Camera Raw update for Photoshop caused users to lose the use of their guides. After searching the Internet, the solution was a preference to use Camera Raw by default.

Turning this preference off restored the guides.

The best policy for updating production Macs is to proceed only when there is a full, recent backup of the system that can be restored in case of disaster. You don’t have to update your system just because the update is available; you can wait for a project to be finished so as not to lose production time.

Both the Mac system and Creative Suites are interconnected and one problem solved can create another problem you didn’t expect. Often, it will be months for the next update to solve the issue so it is best to play it safe and backup first.

“How can we reduce costs with remote soft proofing?”

Soft proofing is on the rise as a valid means of approving print based on content and, increasingly, colour. Globalization, turnaround time and especially cost reduction are some of the reasons why remote soft proofing is becoming necessary.

When it comes to soft proofing solutions, there are many options available. There are generally two types of soft proofs, remote and real-time. A remote soft proof is usually a PDF file that’s uploaded onto an FTP site or emailed and is viewed at the client’s convenience. Compared to a traditional hard proof, remote soft proofing reduces overall approval time and courier costs, but there is still some lag between when the client views the file and when approval or comments are returned. Real-time soft proofing eliminates this delay. A real-time soft proof occurs when the client and the printer are looking at the file at the same time, live in “real” time through a third-party system, such as Remote Director or Acrobat Connect Pro.

Rather than just emailing PDFs to clients, investing time and money into remote or real-time soft proofing systems has many added benefits. This includes adding and tracking notes and comments, imposing files into a virtual book (including virtual pages that can be turned by the customer), viewing separations and simulating paper colour. The soft proof itself can be approved via a legal digital signature and password-protected. Streamlined digital workflows, such as HP Smartstream and Kodak InSite, allow customers to upload, preflight and approve their files along with docket details – and even queue their jobs, without any interaction required from the printer’s end. This type of automation is becoming increasingly popular, but requires remote soft proofing as the means of final approval.

What about trust? Do clients trust a virtual proof on a monitor as much as a traditional hard proof? The biggest hurdle for soft proofing on a monitor is trusting its colour accuracy. While a hard proof is comforting because of its physical presence in a customer’s hand, it really is a myth that monitors are less accurate than the majority of current hard proofing systems. Properly calibrated, quality monitors can display better delta-E values and colour gamut, and it might surprise you that it may not be necessary to invest in an expensive, SWOP-certified solution to do so. As long as you consider the expectations of your customers you can find an affordable solution. For instance, current inkjet proofing devices can range from $1000 up to $100,000. But, if you currently don’t need to invest in an expensive hard proofing device for colour, you probably won’t need to invest in one for soft proofing. Remember, the main selling point of soft proofing to customers is not that the accuracy and quality will be greater than your current system, but that it reduces the costs of proofing dramatically. With proper monitor calibration and good destination profiles (not canned ones) you can guarantee colour accuracy. However, to setup a working soft proofing system between you and your client, you must both trust that the virtual proof is just as good as a hard proof.

Investing in the right monitor is a key component. Customers need to use a quality display with calibration devices and software if they want to assess colour without a hard proof from their own office. Different types and different models will have features that you may or may not need. For instance, LCD monitors use either CCFL backlights or LED backlights. The new generation of LED backlit displays may cost more, but can offer a wider gamut and can last twice as long without significant changes in brightness or colour; 10 years versus three – five. If your customer doesn’t already have an instrument (colorimeter, spectrophotometer) capable of measuring and profiling a monitor, it may be worthwhile to invest in more expensive monitors that include the instruments and calibration software.

The most important considerations for implementing a remote soft proofing solution are the demands and abilities of your customers. Choose a system that has the features that your customers will use. Regarding colour, it’s important to educate your customers in the areas of viewing environments and monitor calibration so you can establish trust. Convincing customers to soft proof for content is easy and you probably already do this, but you need to prove that the value of a colour accurate soft proof is equal to that of a hard proof.

A convenient, inexpensive solution might be to remotely upload soft proofs for your client to view on your customer’s LCD monitor. They are increasingly more colour stable and keeping it in an acceptable colour range might be as simple as teaching your customer how to calibrate his/her current LCD display.

If time is an issue, then a more robust real-time solution might be bought outright. Depending on the frequency of use, you might opt for standalone solutions on a pay-per-use basis. Keep in mind that there are free collaboration tools, such as Adobe ConnectNow or Yuuguu, that might not meet the needs of colour critical work, but allow you to collaborate in real-time over the Internet.

It may be necessary to implement a hybrid system to satisfy different customer needs. Many companies, like HH Print Management, run two soft proofing systems, a simpler PDF-based one for text-heavy publications and a more sophisticated one, like Dalim Dialogue, for colour critical work. Also, the majority of soft proof users don’t go 100% soft right away. Using inexpensive solutions for content and hard proofing devices for colour is very common and a good way to ease customers into the technology.

Everytime a business, industry or country faces an economic crisis there is a propensity for some decision makers to succumb to knee-jerk reactions. These reactions frequently take the form of substantial “across the board” cuts in everything from expense spending to staff reductions. Little thought is given to what effect the action will have on the business or organization.

Staff Cuts

One of the most common cost reductions that a business undertakes is to cut staff. Often, an edict goes out mandating that there will be staff reductions of 5% or 10% or more, “across the board.” The result:

• Department heads spend hours trying to determine who should be cut. At times, little thought is given as to what skill sets are necessary to continue to make the business successful. To reduce staff in some departments will do nothing to improve the well-being of the business. In some instances, staff reductions may lead to inefficiencies and contribute to greater costs and/or losses.

‚Ä¢ Given the laws in Canada, the termination of employment may lead to substantial severance costs. If some preplanning was in place, it might become apparent that the annual turnover of staff would meet or exceed the level of staff to be “chopped.” Staff leaving on their own volition are generally not entitled to severance pay and, therefore, termination costs could be reduced. One recognizes that it may take a few months before the staff reduction target is achieved, but the overall cost could be less.

‚Ä¢ An “across the board” staff reduction may lead to the loss of the organization’s future. Younger employees with the skill set that will be required in the future are often released since they are the most junior in seniority.

A few years ago, in another recession, many of the major accounting firms and law firms cut their staff and cut out recruiting recently qualified professionals. Subsequently, it took them a number of years to re-balance their organizations all because of a short-term, poorly thought-out response to the economic downturn.

One could argue that the thoughts put forth in this article are theoretically sound, but if the author was faced with declining sales and increasing losses, he would see that there is a need for immediate action and not time for paralysis by analysis. In actuality, the author has been there and done the knee-jerk reaction and lived to learn what a mistake it was.

Alternatives

It is recognized that salaries and wages frequently take up a large part of a business’s costs. However, compensation is made up of a number of components. Prior to terminating employees, it might be sound to fully explore the various parts of the compensation cost:

‚Ä¢ Do the employees appreciate or want all the benefits that they are receiving? If there are benefits employees don’t need or want, cutting them will be a cost-saver and much better than people losing their jobs.

‚Ä¢ It is far better to rid the organization of non-performers, even if they are managers, rather than have “across the board” staff cuts. Managers should be required to rate all their employees and identify the non-performers – those persons should be the first to go.

• Could some of the work, whether in the plant or in the office, be more economically handled outside the organization without damaging the organization either in the present or the future?

• Can jobs be combined?

• Has management taken a pay cut? If they have, make sure that such a move is publicized.

Cutting Costs

During difficult economic times, everyone is working under a lot of stress. Employees will become hyper-critical of management’s activities, particularly if they see their friends and colleagues being terminated while the organization continues to spend indiscriminately. Perception will often become more important than reality. It is important to keep this in mind when making spending decisions like the following:

‚Ä¢ Replacing company cars. A new BMW for a senior executive may be the result of a lease expiring, but perceptually it looks like that person isn’t suffering.

‚Ä¢ Hockey tickets, baseball tickets, etc. are costs that can be eliminated without having a negative effect on the business, but employees note the “belt-tightening.”

• Trade shows are important for the organization to keep abreast of changes in the industry, but does the company have to send everyone that has gone in the past?

• Are entertainment expenses really getting the company business? What message does their existence send to customers as well as employees?

In order to survive these difficult times, we will have to work harder than we have ever worked before. Working hard is identifying what will improve the business both in the short and long-term and then implementing those ideas regardless of how difficult they are to do.

The evolution of binderies shows a trend of continual value added – more operations on the same piece, multiple operations inline, customization, individualization and sample packaging. The innovation of new processes to involve, intrigue and awe the consumer by using innovative ways to draw them to action is impressive.

I’m seeing exponential growth in unusual products demonstrated by both increased quantities and a wider range of processes. Five case studies to exemplify this are:

1. Tipping

Not many years ago, tipping included inserting a simple card onto a single panel heavier carrier. Fast forward to 2009, and I’m seeing machines tip packets, cards, or sachets on two sides of a carrier in one pass. I’m seeing two, three, or four tip-ons per pass; I’m seeing one or two tip-ons followed by increasingly exotic folds, such as six-panel double gates, six-panel rolls, eight-panel accordions, with the addition of one, two, or three wafer/clip seals, glue dots in up to 12 positions, glue lines, remoistenable glue lines, time slits, “L” shaped micro-perfs, inkjet on one or two sides, two-directional and multiple position inkjet addressing, labeling, batch counting and inline multiple shrink wrap. Over the last decade, the number of variables added to simple tipping has “multiplied 15-fold.”

2. Perfect Binding

Perfect binding has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. P.U.R. (polyurethane resin) is becoming more common and is now in its seventh stage of product improvement. Present day PUR glue, when compared to PUR glue of 1997, has a cure time that is 95% less, has a substantially better pull-flex test quality, is very environmentally-friendly, completely recyclable and can run a wider range of materials. A new publishing “fad” of the last three to four years has involved perfect bound books with front and back foldout covers cut flush to the face. For most shops, this required feeding the signatures, applying “bars” of glue on the spine and inline trimming only the face. The second pass required feeding the book block, binding it on the four-panel cover and trimming the book’s head and tail. Now, there are two main machinery manufacturers that a) manufacture a three-knife trimmer attachment that pulls the front and back covers back before the face is trimmed and b) manufacture a single blade knife that trims the face of the book when it is clamped in the grind-off position. I am confident that you will see one or two of these machines in the Canadian market very soon.

3. Inkjet

Try: inkjet heads on all three sections of a folding machine; inkjetting both sides of a sheet; inkjet heads on tipping machines that inkjet both the carrier and the tip-on in the same pass guaranteeing tip-on/carrier number matching. Then, there is inside/outside inkjet addressing, where the bound-in center spread self-mailer is addressed with the same address as the outside cover of the magazine.

Recently, what has become popular are blow-in cards (reply cards that fall out loose from a saddle-stitched or perfect bound book) where the personalized address is inkjetted the same on the reply card as on the magazine. As well, heavy blocks of ink are being “inkjetted” on the lips of folded signatures, on a folding machine, and are subsequently, saddle-stitched. The logic behind this process is that inkjetting before stitching decreases the possibility of mixing up sections on the saddle-stitcher; of course, the inkjet is removed in the trimming process. Now there is inkjet advertising on the open face of a perfect bound book. Inkjet operations are definitely one of the growth areas in a trade bindery.

4. Remoistenable Gluing

Remoistenable gluing for self-mailers is a growth market. Offline, sheet-fed runs that go to a bindery can be anywhere from a thousand pieces to millions of pieces. The trade binderies that do remoistenable gluing (there are about 45 in North America) are continually adding inline operations. Innovations here include remoistenable glue lines that can add one or two cards, do time slitting in two directions and knock out a window and/or apply a clear plastic window, reactivate glue, produce multiple bang-tails, crimp seal, inkjet several panels, wafer/clip seal, cold glue pockets, insert coupons into a cold glue pockets and finally, address and mail! My observation is that 95% of the offline remoistenable glue jobs are produced by five percent of the printers. This must mean that they focus on self-mailers and know more about postal regulations than their competitors.

5. Saddle-stitching

Saddle-stitching, “the old mainstay,” is improving rapidly. One of the main stitching machine manufacturers now makes a machine that trims books 3-up. New standard machines are now producing books much smaller than the older, standard models. The skill required to run a new stitcher is substantially less than that required by the old stitchers.

Some trade binderies have introduced special stitcher heads that are common to big production shops. These heads adjust the stitch-head to stitch each book a different thickness. “Selective binding” tells the machine to feed different pockets for each book (e.g. one book might have 4/16 inch, the next book 4/16 inch + 1/8 inch, the next 3/16 inch + 1/8 inch) and the stitcher head adjusts automatically to adapt to each book thickness. As well, inline die cutting on stitchers is now possible so that the finished saddle-stitched book comes out shaped inline. Saddle-stitching is changing! The bottom line for your bottom line? Be aware of these changes. Learn how to sell them.

Industry managers, supervisors and prepress operators braved the January cold to join sponsors, Digital Imaging Association and PaperlinX for firsthand insight into the brilliance of Adobe CS4.

The Creative Suite

Sebastian DiStefano, Canada’s “Guy from Adobe,” provided an in-depth look at Adobe’s second release of the Creative Suite since the merger with Macromedia. DiStefano also showed examples that instantly demonstrated the robust features that augment productivity and premedia workflows.

This is more than a software upgrade. Attendees learned first hand how imbedded tools and revamped menu access will change your workflow. Everyone can benefit from this enhanced workflow and increased productivity!

Content creators will appreciate the integrated software and services that will enable them to produce richly expressive work purposed for print, Web, interactive, video, audio and mobile media. And, the tools render a common look and function throughout all your media choices. The full suite delivers the robust provisions to design across media more efficiently using simpler ways to complete common tasks and innovative new approaches moving from one medium to another. The new tools also facilitate real-time client approvals and will enable collaborative discussions with service providers, like printers, to ensure reproduction fidelity. DiStefano’s demonstrations of the ability to review graphically rich files on the fly and in shared environments were extraordinary.

Tip to users – take a look at Adobe Bridge – it was part of CS3 as well – use it once and you’ll use it forever. It bridges you to a file without actually having to open it. Content creators and prepress production operators, just think of the time this will save you.

Improvements to all applications within CS4 address many of the things users have requested – and some that they didn’t even imagine to be possible. Things like increased speed in Photoshop as well as features in curve adjustment that allow on-image correction and an application called content aware scale are just some of the improvements. In Illustrator, Adobe has added multi-page support as just one example of this software’s enhancements. Functionally, Illustrator is still recognized as an artist’s tool – and artists will still find that they can use it in the same way they have been accustomed. With the launch of CS4, InDesign is now the well-designed layout look Adobe set out to provide. Said DiStefano, Adobe has added all the features that Quark is lacking.

Printers will appreciate CS4’s preflight panel. They can advise their clients on what preflight selections they should choose. The report identifies errors, and with a single click, you can go to each error and fix it. The demo showed how the notification disappears instantly once the error has been fixed. The panel then travels with the file so printers can check to see if everything is okay with the file – instantly.

Part of the Family – Acrobat 9

Mark Lewicki, Adobe Canada’s PDF product manager, talked briefly about Acrobat 9, which continues to be a standalone software option, but is also included as part of many of the versions of CS4. Adobe Acrobat has become the de-facto cross platform resource to dispense documents.

Lewicki highlighted the new and enhanced options. Among those is an embedded audit trail to enable all file recipients to check profiles. Acrobat 9 also addresses the digital print space, both static and variable. Additionally, this latest version includes robust security features. But, the real breakthrough is the PDF Print Engine. It was introduced at IPEX in 2006 and sold through OEM partners. It is now shipped with all platesetters. And, what this means to the print workflow is that it’s no longer necessary to convert to PostScript at the RIP. While this is indeed a breakthrough, it does not mean the end of life for PostScript because there are still a lot of PostScript devices.

Summary

Adobe CS4 will appeal to many different types of people from those who just like cool new software to industry leaders who are seeking quantifiable workflow augmentation to service providers who continually demonstrate to their clients that they are in the forefront of technology.

To top off the evening, Adobe donated a free copy of CS4 for an attendee; Congratulations to Russ Graham.

Green initiatives seem to be everyone’s focus these days. Companies are even using their environmental efforts to market themselves and sell their products. Just about everyone is jumping on this huge bandwagon to avoid being left in the dust.

I set out to talk with a leader in environmentally-friendly and sustainable printing in Canada; someone who is helping to steer this bandwagon in directions that will aid the environment and the printing industry: Matthew Alexander of Colour Innovations.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forest Stewardship Council, and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Council (SFI, FSC and PEFC) are three huge certification companies that most printers consider joining to meet their client’s demands for environmentally-friendly printing options. These three certifications are interested in the paper supply, ensuring that it is coming from certified sustainable forests that utilize responsible management of forests. While these three certifications are great, there is a new program that just started accepting applications in August 2008 that’s definitely a step further in the right direction.

The program is called the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). According to their website (www.sgppartnership.org), the program was developed to “encourage and promote participation in the worldwide movement to reduce environmental impact and increase social responsibility of the print and graphic communications industry through sustainable green printing practices.” More specifically, they are interested in a printer’s entire business operation from what type of raw materials they are using to where they are storing and using their chemicals to how they recycle and dispose of their harmful wastes. Printers who wish to join the partnership need to meet the criteria of the partnership’s established performance standards. Once they have been approved through a verification process, they are listed as a “sustainable green printer” and customers can search the SGP database to find green printers in their area.

The SGP was formed because many printers are becoming certified through SFI, FSC or PEFC and calling themselves “green printers,” which is not entirely true. Printers may be certified and using pulp and paper from certified forests, but that does not take into account what they put down the drains, into the air and how they recycle their products – if they do at all. Without looking at a printer’s entire operations and identifying areas where they are causing environmental damage, you are not really getting the whole picture painted for you.

Matthew Alexander shared his thoughts with me on the state of the Canadian printing industry’s environmental efforts and why he has committed so much time, effort and money to making his company one of the most certified and environmentally-friendly printers in Canada.

Brian Collins: First of all, congratulations on the three awards you won Feb. 12 at the Environmental Printing Awards (Gold Award for Most Environmentally Progressive Product or Service, Printer; Gold Award for Most Environmentally Progressive Printer in Canada, 50-100 employees; Silver Award for Most Progressive Printing Project, Electrophotography). Would you like to comment about the awards you won; are any special to you?

Matthew Alexander: They are all special because they recognize our ongoing commitment to reducing the environmental footprint of ourselves and our clients. We invest a lot of time and money into our environmental policies and programs and it’s gratifying to know that our message is getting out and is being recognized by our peers.

BC: At the awards ceremony, you challenged other printers to follow your example. What exactly would you like other printers to do to get more involved in helping the environment?

MA: We’d like to see our print colleagues move beyond simply using Chain-of-Custody-certified papers as their primary claim to being “green.” Using certified papers from the leading responsible forestry management organizations is good, but we want them to recognize that a far more important way to reduce their environmental footprint is to monitor and reduce the chemicals and other toxins from the printing process that they are putting into our water and air. Being green is an attitude and it has to become an integral part of a company’s culture embraced by employees at every level.

BC: Do you think that more forestry companies will volunteer to be certified in the future due to increased demand or will it take more than that to get the entire industry on board?

MA: Forest certification is client-driven. The more their clients demand certified papers, the more printers will need them, and the more acreage will come under the management of one of the numerous forest Chain of Custody organizations. More forestry management companies will become certified because it’s good for business as well as being good for the environment.

BC: What are the benefits to a company like yours that commits to the environment through certification and environmental programs?

MA: The various certification programs provide proof to our clients that we are indeed as environmentally responsible as we say we are because our policies and programs have been audited by a third-party outside organization and have been certified to be as described. Clients and prospects who are serious about improving their environmental position want their print partners to have these certifications. Not least, certifications are another way of separating us from our competition and attracting new clients who share our environmental values.

We have taken a leadership position in the industry with our environmental website “Lost in the Maze?” Through the information we provide and the questions we suggest, our goal is to educate and empower clients to ask their designers and printers the tough questions about environmental responsibility. Our website raises awareness of the environmental aspects of print production and gives clients the tools they need to hold their printers accountable.

BC: What are the advantages of being tri-certified?

MA: Being tri-certified (FSC, PEFC, SFI) simply provides more paper choices for our clients. More choice is always a good thing. Our award-winning environmental website presents each of the major paper merchants’ paper lists and provides colour-coded information on their forest management certifications, post-consumer waste content, eco-management systems, bleaching processes, and energy consumption rates for each stock. Check it out at: www.colourinnovations.com and click on “Environmental Responsibility.”

BC: Do each provide their own specific advantage?

MA: There is very little difference between the papers from the major mills. As above, having more than one Chain of Custody certification provides customers with more choices. Some printers support only one certification organization, but we support them all and leave the final decision as to which certified paper best meets their specific environmental requirements up to our clients.

BC: They all seem to be working towards a common purpose. If they merged together, do you think they may be able to form strategic alliances rather than compete? Will they ever merge?

MA: The major suppliers do seem to be working towards a common purpose, but I don’t foresee them merging in any way. They have considerably different management and certification systems and they are financial competitors. There would be no advantage to them merging and indeed, competition between them may be better for the environment and the graphic arts industry.

BC: You were the first company in Canada to achieve “company pending verification” status with the SGP, with membership most likely not too far away. What made you want to join the new program which just starting accepting applications in August 2008?

MA: The environmental standards of the SGP program are very strict, virtually at ISO 14001 level. We naturally want to keep raising the bar for ourselves as well as continue to reduce our own environmental footprint. As noted earlier, we also want to drive home to our clients, suppliers and industry colleagues that the management of liquid waste and effluent is what affects us most here in Ontario and that’s where our collective efforts should be focused. We believe SGP certification will help in raising industry standards to the next level and we are pleased to take the lead in raising awareness of this new program.

BC: What do you see as the main difference between tri-certification and the SGP?

MA: The two programs are not really comparable in any meaningful way. Tri-certification is strictly about the paper manufacturing and distribution process. These three certifications ensure that the paper we are using comes from well-managed, sustainable forests. It is a good thing, of course, but it is only about paper. The paper part of the printing process is the least of the variables that threaten the environment.

Much more important, as noted earlier, is how printers monitor and manage the chemical and other waste products from the printing process. At Colour Innovations, we are certainly as proud of our EcoLogo CCD-041 TerraChoice certification by the federal government earned back in 1997 (we were the first printer in Ontario to be EcoLogo certified) as we are of tri-certification today because the EcoLogo certification deals with the environmental impact of our effluent, which we have reduced by 70% over the years.

Likewise, the SGP program is much more broadly-based than the forestry management programs and it deals with what we believe are more serious environmental concerns. Because it is even more comprehensive than our EcoLogo certification, it will take us to a new level of environmental responsibility. If we are going to preach to our clients, colleagues and suppliers about caring for the environment, we must walk the talk ourselves.

BC: Can you name all of the certifications/accreditations your company has?

MA: EcoLogo CCD-041 TerraChoice-certified, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified, Rainforest Alliance-certified, PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)-certified, SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative)-certified, SGP (Sustainable Green Printing Partnership) CPV (Candidate Pending Verification) status, Bullfrog Powered, TRSP P-2 Assessment.

BC: So, we’ve talked about the advantages of certifications and eco-friendly action from a business standpoint already. Is there a personal reason you feel responsible for the environment?

MA: We all have families, children and grandchildren. We all live in Ontario. We all breathe the same air and drink the same water. If we don’t mend our ways and cleanup how we do business, we will be bequeathing our children and grandchildren a planet that will no longer be able to sustain them. It is only common sense and self-preservation for us and the ones we love. We all have to do our bit and every green action makes a difference.

BC: That is very true. Thank you for your time, Matthew.

I could tell from the way Matthew was talking about the awards, his certifications, his company and the industry, that he’s very passionate about helping the environment and making our planet as healthy as possible for as long as possible. I hope that everyone accepts Matthew’s challenge to be more environmentally-friendly and follows in his “green” footsteps.

FPINNOVATIONS AND UNIGRAPH PARTNER IN RESEARCH STUDY

Quebec-based FPInnovations and Unigraph have teamed up for a key research study delving into linting and piling.
FPInnovations of Pointe Claire, Quebec, brings together FERIC, Forintek, Paprican and the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre of Natural Resources Canada to create the world’s largest private, not-for-profit forest research institute.

Created in 1925, the Paprican Division is a research and technology organization with an international reputation for excellence. The high-priority technical challenges of the pulp and paper industry drive its research programs. These priorities include product quality and value, cost-competitiveness, environmental protection and sustainability.

Paprican is currently forming a research alliance with Unigraph International of Delson, Quebec, a major Canadian supplier of offset fountain solutions and other press chemicals. The goal of the alliance is to validate a newly developed linting and piling tester for predicting and enhancing offset pressroom performance by better understanding how paper, fountain solution and press conditions contribute to non-image-area linting and piling.

More info: Dr. Joe Aspler, principal scientist, FPInnovations – Paprican at 514-630-4100, ext. 2414 (joseph.aspler@fpinnovations.ca), or Tony Manfred, supervisor – Print Quality Laboratory at 514-630-4100, ext. 2374 (tony.manfred@fpinnovations.ca). Or visit www.fpinnovations.ca.

HEIDELBERG “SILVER LINING” SEMINAR PACKED WITH GREAT IDEAS

The seminar and demo, held last month at the press manufacturer’s headquarters in Mississauga, was aptly titled “Where is the Silver Lining in Today’s Market?”

Donna O’Reilly, V. P., Commercial Financial Services, RBC Royal Bank, got things started by emphasizing the partnership aspect of banking.

“Never be shy about telling us everything about your business, including debt. The more we know about your shop and its history and future goals, the more we can help you. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than having one of our customers succeed,” she stresses.

“To be successful, you must be forward-looking, you must have a plan,” she adds. “And that plan should look several years into the future. Where do you want to be and how will you get there five years from now?”

Next up was Peter Aston, manager, Business Development, Heidelberg Canada. He pinpointed three key areas of importance for today’s successful printer, namely people, processes and tools. Aston stresses that, to succeed in these challenging times, printers must perform thorough reviews of all operations where virtually every procedure is open to question. “Re-organize, re-structure and re-deploy because the market will continue to change, even if you don’t,” he says. For more story details, please visit www.graphicartsmag.com.

INTRODUCING SOME “GREEN GIANTS”

C. J. Graphics of Toronto recently demonstrated environmental leadership by installing a solar hot water system at its Park Lawn Drive facility. The installation will enable the company to produce 60% of its annual hot water needs in a sustainable fashion.

Brian Armstrong, president of sustainability pioneer, Printer Gateway, headquartered in Toronto, is still continuing to save about 10,000 trees each year, primarily through gang printing. The company also saves over 20,000 hours of press-related electricity yearly and has drastically reduced its use of plates, printing inks, fountain and cleaning solutions and so on.

Our regular columnist, John Zarwan has just published an in-depth research study the “Environmental Impact of Printing Plates.” The study, supported by Fujifilm and Kodak, helps printers make a more informed choice when purchasing plates, while comparing the relative environmental impact between different categories of plates.

INX International Ink Co. recently introduced six key initiatives as mandatory goals in part of the company’s sustainability agenda – energy and utility conservation, waste reduction and landfill elimination, water conservation, product design for the environment, materials sourcing and supply chain management as well as social responsibility.
If you’re doing something to lessen your carbon footprint, please drop me a line at our editorial department.

Welcome to my favourite issue of the year. Spring is fast approaching, and words like “green,” “earth-friendly,” and “recycling” are trending on Google. Every year, around this time, I start remembering how much I miss green. March has a tendency to tease us with short spurts of sunshine that remind me how wonderful it would be to be writing this article underneath a tree in the park across the street. The process is, of course, a natural evolution of thoughts‚Ķspring > green > tree > warmth > poor trees > my goodness I need to stop using plastic bags, and lower my heating, maybe air-dry my clothes. And, there begins the cycle that puts into perspective how wasteful we can be.

For those of us who have a difficult time remembering to be earth conscious all year round, being green is a lot like being on a diet. Two solid months have passed since your new year’s resolution to trim down, and the likelihood is that you’ve already fallen off the wagon here and there. In that same vein, I’ve been sitting in my apartment with the heat up to temperatures resembling Cuba, forgetting all about last spring when I vowed to never use paper towel again. Glimpses of sunshine and warm weather remind me that I need to not be wasteful, and put on a sweater instead. The little steps add up. Saying no to the cheeseburger or turning off the bathroom light may not be earth shattering progress towards our goals‚Ķbut something is always better than nothing at all.

However, it’s this type of “me mentality” that Canadians suffer from when it comes to environmental issues. Coming away from the Environmental Print Awards, hosted by Print Action, the guest speaker left me thinking about the problem with this logic. While Tzeporah Berman had a lot of powerful messages (finishing off with “we don’t know what the future holds, but we know who holds it” – still have shivers from that one), this small thought has lingered in my mind — why am I tackling such a large scale problem in such a small scale way? Yes, I should turn down my heating and use reusable bags and change my light bulbs, but what about us? Surely, as a community we can accomplish much more!

With this, I think there are two key points to remember. The first is that we should celebrate our small successes. Canadians have done a great job at tackling environmental issues individually, but it’s time we demand change as a society. This means that the law needs to favour the environment. The solution is not as simple as taxes. We need to creatively manage how we do business and whom we do it with, so that the earth benefits. This month’s issue talks about many aspects of positive change; from small scale clean up suggestions to more intensive endeavors like eco-certification.

I hope we can help with some constructive ideas. And, when you are through, I suggest you reward your efforts with the greenest holiday of them all: St. Patrick’s Day! I hear beer bottles are the most renewable form of packaging.
Cheers!

If you read the headlines in most newspapers today, or watch the news on TV, or listen to the radio, all you hear is doom and gloom. “The New York Times could stop publishing in May 2009,” “Transcontential cuts 1,500 jobs,” etc., etc., etc., ad infinitum. This is what we’re facing every day. Is this how we want to start our morning and end our workday? What’s a person to do?

I would suggest the first thing you should do is stop listening to the media and start thinking for yourself. Imagine if you turned off the television and radio and didn’t read a newspaper for one week. I’d bet that you’d be in a much more positive frame of mind – yet the world would still be the same, right? Stop worrying about what you can’t control. We have been through recessions before and this one will pass as well.

Besides, a recession is not the end of the world – technically, it’s two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Yes, unemployment is now estimated at 7 – 9%, but that means that over 90% of the population is still working. A lot of our negative media reporting permeates Canada from the U.S., but the economy there is in much worse shape.

Furthermore, Canadian foreclosure rates are less than half of 1%. The International Monetary Fund recently ranked the Canadian banking system as the most stable and secure in the entire world! But, does that information make it to the front page? Compare that to Britain, ranked 40th, and the U.S. banking system, ranked 44th. As a country, we have the goods that the world needs – food, fuel and much more. As the stimulus packages here and in the U.S. kick in, we should see more activity and an improved economy.

As this is our “Green Issue” (aside from St. Patrick’s Day, of course), I would like to congratulate all the winners of the Environmental Printing Awards. I would especially like to congratulate, Matthew Alexander of Colour Innovations who picked up three awards. See his interview on page 50 with Brian Collins. Be sure to read our lead article on page 18 by Gail Nickel-Kailing on environmental issues in print. And on page 24, John Piggott has practical advice on reducing waste in your printing business.

Finally, as a Canadian who was born in Ireland, I would like to wish all our readers a happy St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. May the luck of the Irish be with you for the rest of your life.

Until next time, stay positive and stay focused.

Over the years, I have enjoyed the opportunity to work for a few different types of printers. I have also been fortunate enough to view business environments outside of the world of print, and I have to say that we do a great job of trying to further our industry. Perhaps, one of the greatest opportunities for us, as printers, to reduce our environmental footprint would be in our offices rather than in our plants.

Now, I’m not naive enough to think that the plant isn’t a much larger consumer of energy and resources, but the plant is also something you keep constant tabs on. The plant is something that you and your customer focus on, and the efficiencies that you achieve there show up in your bottom line. In short, the plant is a place that cannot be overlooked. The office section, however, is an overhead cost that is often overlooked. Some simple energy and cost efficient decisions up front can save your company hundreds or thousands of dollars a year.

Let’s start with all the simple stuff that I’m sure you’re all aware of, but I’ll mention anyway. Turning off lights, computers and printers at night and on weekends adds up on your power bill over a year. Machines that are asleep still draw power on a continuous basis, and unlike your home that may have two computers, your office would presumably have a few more. Lights can be set on motion detectors to help keep power consumption to strictly what is needed. These can be particularly great in low traffic areas, such as storage rooms. Something a little more drastic, but along the same lines, would be removing all the fluorescent lights from the office section and replacing them with more energy efficient fixtures. Taking this one step further would be increasing the amount of natural light in the space by using skylights or opening spaces up with more exterior windows.

Reducing your paper consumption is another great way to decrease the amount of waste your office produces. Now, I know as printers that point goes against absolutely everything we stand for. But, if you think about it, most companies have their own in-house desktop printers or copy machines, and this sort of printing is no longer commercial or purchased from “printers.” So, while the sentiment is understandable, it’s time that we moved past it when it makes economic sense for us.

Now, if you don’t have the time or the resources to reinvent your workflow to reduce the amount of printing that needs to be done on the office copier, then simply printing items double-sided where applicable should reduce the amount of paper consumption. Can’t print double-sided? How about switching to a stock that is 100% recycled or at least has a hefty recycled content. The paper itself may actually cost a little more, but it is something you can point out to clients when they come for a visit, and even something they might pick up on and purchase from you in the future. This notion can be carried forward onto your business cards, envelopes and virtually any paper product you choose to use in the office. I think the best way to reduce this part of your footprint is to minimize the dependency on paper altogether.

The one last office location that you’ve probably overlooked is the kitchen. Most medium to large-size shops tend to have a lunchroom, but how environmentally-friendly is the room itself? A bit of an odd question, but think about it. The majority of the garbage from your office area is from the lunchroom. People purchase lunches or bring in plastic bags, and it all ends up in the dump. Certain things you can do to reduce the amount of garbage is to ensure that there are properly marked and easily identifiable recycling containers for all recyclable products, including styrofoam.

Next, would be to provide employees with dishes, cutlery and mugs as well as a dishwasher so that disposable items are not used. Providing a fridge to keep leftovers and microwaves to heat them up is another way to ensure less waste. Barring all that setting trash and garbage goals, or having a trash-free lunch day (much the way some schools do) is a great way to encourage people to get involved and aware of some of the environmental issues that we will all have to deal with.

While none of these ideas are groundbreaking or mind-blowing, I hope that they have made you aware of some of the simpler ways we can all help make our offices a little greener.