Print’s Executive Outlook

T he half-day EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK program on Saturday included technology updates on workflow solutions (Chris Bondy of InfoTrends), digital press technology (Andy Tribute), MIS solutions (Don Goldman), and social media (Printing Industries of America’s Julie Shaffer). Steven Schnoll of NJ-based Schnoll Media Consulting dove into an ever-popular topic: “Being a Marketing Services Provider—What Does That Mean and How Do You Do It?”

Additionally, Printing News Contributing Editor Hal Hinderliter covered “Embracing and Integrating Digital Communication Technologies with the Print Mix.” Redesigned workflows, serving customers better, and diversification are among the keys for today’s printers, according to Hinderliter, whose consultancy is based in Wisconsin. “Neither web-to-print, lean management, nor Six Sigma will make your customers buy what they no longer need,” he says. “We’ve already survived a decade of declining print sales through belt-tightening efficiencies; the time has come to diversify into other areas that can interest our existing customers.”

Other topics covered:

• “The Profit Leaders—What Differentiates Them from the Rest of the Pack?”

• “Disrupting the Future— Uncommon Wisdom for Navigating Print’s Challenging Marketplace,” and

• “Truth from the Trenches—What Innovative Printers Are Doing to Grow in the Challenging Environment of Print Today.”

NAPL Senior Consultant Howie Fenton looked at critical trends in the graphic arts. His assessment sounded a bit like a review the U.S. economy: costs are up; profits are down. (Sound familiar?) Embracing or at least being open-minded about new print technology, such as inkjet, and hiring strategies are three ways printers can maintain or get back to profitability, says Fenton.

Providing an update on “traditional press technology”—a term that he contends is an oxymoron—was 50-year industry veteran Ray Prince, VP of NAPL’s Technical Consulting Group. “Offset lithography is what all other processes are trying to catch in terms of productivity and quality,” says Prince. “Large-format presses are selling, and the print quality is fantastic.” Massive technological changes already have arrived, he added, citing self-learning of pre-inking tables, computer-assisted plate mounting registration, automatic defect detection, and new drying methods. Saving “the best for last,” Prince praised KBA’s (Booth 1255) Flying Job Change for non-stop production. “For the right printer, wow!”

Don Carli, a director of the New York-based Institute for Sustainable Communication, gave what he called a “marketer’s presentation” on environmental issues facing the printing industry. Surveys show that the vast majority of Americans don’t care: “They are apathetic about sustainability,” Carli points out. “Most people here in the U.S. think there’s a big over-reaction to the environment. ‘Green’ is ‘pink’ in the states,” with all the feminine connotations. In addition, he discussed the digital-vs.-print debate, including some blatant false claims.

Carli also mentions that the non-profit organization Two Sides (Booth 4935) is starting up in the U.S. Begun in Europe in 2008 to promote the responsible production and use of printing and paper, Two Sides encourages the use of the print as an attractive, practical, and sustainable communications medium. Its more than 1,000 members represent the entire print media supply chain, including major pulp and paper producers, merchants, brokers, ink and chemical manufacturers, prepress, press, printing, finishing, and publishing. Two Sides is now present in 12 countries with links to similar projects in Australia and Japan. Also at yesterday’s Executive Outlook conference, keynote presenters Deputy Postmaster General Ron Stroman and DME Senior Managing Partner Scott Zientarski demonstrated and highlighted the vital partnership between the mailing industry, its suppliers and the U.S. Postal Service. (For a detailed report on their presentations, please turn to page 14.)