Magazine Articles
Digital Magazine
Big Iron: offset press update
With the focus on digital printing, it seems as if nothing is happening with traditional sheetfed offset presses. Clearly digital printing technology is making great advancements in format, quality, speed and cost. The ability to do variable imaging is clearly digital’s unique value proposition. Beyond that, digital has almost completely replaced investment in 2-page presses; … Read more →
Organizational Biomimicry
Our world is nothing short of miraculous. All lifeforms on Earth are individually spectacular in form and function, and they’re also collectively brilliant. Earth’s ecosystems use sustainable models of life, death, and rebirth to maintain a delicate balance. Janine Benyus coined the term “biomimicry” nearly 25 years ago and it refers to innovation inspired by … Read more →
How to feed your press a healthy diet of ROI
Some of today’s hottest revenue drivers for the print industry include packaging, embellishments, direct mail, textiles, signage and wide-format. According to piworld, the top 100 print buyers forecasted for 2020 will comprise more than 26% of all print demand next year and – at the present rate of corporate agglomeration – is forecasted to be … Read more →
One doesn’t dabble in packaging: Interview with titan James D. Downham, President & CEO PAC Packaging Consortium
When one discusses packaging with a titan, don’t start in the middle of the story. Sure, consumer demand, environmental conscientiousness and the strong push to right size and minimize packaging are driving the industry. But … according to Jim (James) Downham, President and CEO of PAC Packaging Consortium, the non-profit organization that advocates for progressive … Read more →
Typesetting & typography: lessons, rules and the exceptions
Pinned to my corkboard is an article about the “Hellvetica” typeface. No, I did not spell it incorrectly. Hellvetica is a demented version of Helvetica with wonky kerning, illustrating why mastering typesetting and typography is essential for any designer. Below are a few of the rules I follow when I plan how the text will … Read more →
Funding up to $250,000 on building upgrades and equipment purchases
Overview There are very few funding programs that have ever surfaced to assist companies with upgrading their facilities or assisting with the purchase of new equipment. With the global trend toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy efficiency the federal government opened a program last year providing funding in just these areas. The federal … Read more →
Industry recruitment efforts front and centre once again
Industry recruitment efforts will always be important. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ryerson University’s annual Graphic Communications Management (GCM) Job Fair in Toronto March 26 was postponed, and organizers will “move to a contingency plan.” We’ll keep you informed via our website. I’ve been to these events before, and the halls are always packed with … Read more →
We are indeed living in strange times
Who would ever have thought that we’d be living in the midst of a global Coronavirus pandemic? Who would have thought that so many businesses and educational institutions would be forced to close, or that annual events we’re so used to attending would be cancelled – including drupa, the world’s largest printing industry tradeshow. For … Read more →
Managing Presses, Processes and People: The latest and greatest Print workflow software and CRM systems
If you’re wondering what a Print MIS (Management Information System) and a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system have in common, the answer is quite a lot, actually. The former allows you to communicate better with your in-shop hardware, departments and employees; the latter allows you to communicate better with your current and potential customers. Most … Read more →
The proven power of printed newsletters
Today’s internet provides an inexpensive way to reach and engage people one-on-one with timely, relevant and creative messages delivered directly to their inboxes. But the fact is that email is becoming a very crowded battleground. Yes, marketers and other companies (including commercial printers who can find the time and resources) still rely on email for … Read more →