Cup-a-Joe

The concept of creating campaigns to show the “power of print” is a hot topic with many in the industry and its organizations.  There is a lot of online buzz about the recent campaign by five major magazines, and I probably have to agree with the nay-sayers that it’s not going to do anything to move the needle — and it may have taken the wrong tone.

Regardless, it won’t hurt to remind folks/buyers that print is a very good alternative for communications (at one time it may have been the only alternative).  And many members of Printing Industries of America and PIA MidAmerica will see a variety of tools developed for their use.  BUT, a “got milk” campaign is not going to do it.

There have been fundamental changes occuring in communication because of the Internet, and the genie is not going back in the bottle.  For some real thought-provoking ideas, read Richard Romano’s article titled “Disrupting the Power of Print” in Print CEO.  It’s well worth it.

Earlier this week, US Postmaster General, John Potter sent up the red flares regarding the coming train wreck.  Facing a $238 Billion deficit by 2020, the USPS is looking at a a wide range of options including closing post offices and five-day delivery.  A recent report from McKinsey & Co. stated that the USPS should consider three-day delivery to make ends meet.

Although the post office might not be high on your list of model organizations, we as an industry desperately need them to survive.  If rates continue to escalate and if the McKinsey model is seen as viable. we are in deep doo-doo. read more »

Of course I want to say Graphic Impressions, the Association’s Official magazine, but we’re still a work in progress.  Graphic Arts Monthly and Printing Impressions are the “blue bloods” of the trade press world, but the magazine that I really like is Quick Printing.  Now, before you start shaking your head and saying that it’s only for quick printers or for small commercial printers — stop right there. read more »

It’s been a pretty busy time the past week; thus, blogging was not top of mind — but it should have been with all the recent industry happenings! 

I saw that Bowne & Co., where I started my industry career many years ago, was bought out by RR Donnelley.  This repositions RRD into the document management business and gets rid of their biggest competitor in the financial printing biz.  This acquisition shows that they are further distancing themselves from the “traditional” world of print.  Given that Quad recently purchased World Color/Quebecor and Transcontinental spun off their U.S. facilities to IWCO, the landscape is changing rapidly.  And did you see that Heidelberg and Komori won’t be at GraphExpo this year?But the real question is, what does this mean to the privately held general commercial printer who is the backbone of the industry? 

I wish I knew, but I’ll say this much.  If the canaries are dropping off right and left, there’s something going on in the coal mine.

Did you see the “Advertisement” regarding the paper trade dispute in the recent issue of Graphic Arts Monthly?  My friend Bob Lindgren has been passionate about this issue (as are quite a few printers in Southern California).  His position, which I think has real merit, is that paper which is the largest component of cost (other than labor) for most printers “is about to become less plentiful and more expensive because a group of U.S. paper mills are trying to persuade the government to impose a tariff on certain types of coated paper from Asia.”  If you are not up on this issue, you may want to do a bit of research.

What I found interesting was that on the page following this “ad” was Trish Wales “Paperwatch.”  Trish stated that “These duties, if imposed could result in higher prices, but the likelihood is low.  Only sheets are included in the petitions, so large volume web grades will not be affected.”   Hmm.  Question Trish.  Supply & demand.  If the supply is reduced and demand remains the same — what happens to price?  Also, the vast majority of printers live in the sheetfed world; so, how can you so easily discount the impact to those folks?

Well February is quickly coming to a close, and I will share a bit of good news.  Word on the street is that estimating activity is busy — and that is normally a very good sign.  Keep the faith.

OK guys and gals in print –  pay attention.  For years we have been talking about the concept of re-purposing print for other media or visa-versa.  It seems like Adobe and “Wired Magazine” are taking it to another level.

Check this out to get a better grasp of how our world of print is morphing and what it portends for publishers and printers down the road.  This can be seen as a threat by many – but it could also be an opportunity.

It’s snowing in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.  That in itself is not uncommon.  What presents a challenge for our spread-out commuter-centric community is that we’ll be seeing this deluge of white stuff for about 24 hours.  Needless to say, it’s going to be bumper-car city out there. read more »

I recently sat in on a webinar produced by Mike Messemer with XMPie.  The gist of the presentation dealt with the complexity of variable data projects and that many sales reps (and their companies) are poorly prepared to deal with them.  He stressed the need for good planning and the need to communicate effectively with the client regarding expected results from these types of projects.  Boy, did he hit the nail on the head. read more »

I recently read a short article titled “What We Have to Do” by NAPL’s Andy Paparozzi.  As far as I’m concerned, Andy hit a home run with this short article.  Why?  Because he dealt with the elephant in the room – the printing business is never going to be the same. 

He could have spent hundreds of words talking about shrinking markets or the need to add ancillary services or digital printing.  Rather, he focused on what company mangers/owners must do to succeed. Here in a nutshell are the key takeaways –

We need to get better at what we’re doing.  Are we still relevant to our clients?  Will we be relevant to our clients in six months?  Eighteen months?  We can no longer afford to focus internally on “managing” the print shop.  We need to become much more marketing oriented.

We have to commit ourselves to being a low-cost producer.

We are going to grow on the backs of our competitors.  There’s not enough print to allow everyone to grow (there’s no rising tide to lift the boats); thus, we need to determine strategies which will allow us to increase market share.  Paparozzi said, “Remember, market share is being redistributed from companies that print to companies that put print to work for their clients.”  ‘Nuff said.

Although no one expects 2010 to be a banner year for the print industry, we are seeing signs of business returning.  Given that so much of our industry is running very, very lean, the process of hiring new employees will be a challenge in ’10.  So, now is the time to start thinking about hiring and retention. 

The pool of available employees is practically non-existent; so, the temptation to “liberate” an employee from another employer will be the easiest option.  Therefore, what are you doing to make sure you retain your best?  Especially when they’ve been asked to work for fewer dollars, have had to work harder, their benefits have been reduced, and the specter of unemployment or business failure has hung over their head for the past year or two.  “Well, at least they are employed,” is not a valid response.  The economy will pick up and the grass on the other side of the fence is quickly going to look very green.

Now is the time to start reviewing all the changes which have been necessary to survive.  Yes, many companies are still in survival mode, but now is the time to start preparing; so when the green shoots of prosperity sprout – your company is making sure no one starts jumping fences.

Now, the issue of hiring.  Yes, it’s going to be tempting to steal an employee or two – but that’s not always the best solution.  Our industry is presently going through major metamorphoses from the world of manufacturing to one of technology.  If you are in the process of implementing major workflow changes, this might be the time to consider bringing an IT person (or sales) from another industry into your business.  They’re not cheap, but they are not restricted by “we don’t do it that way” mentalities limiting a company’s ability to truly be successful in the new world of visual communications a.k.a. print. 

Another issue is one of process.  Who is going to do the interviewing for new employees, especially if you don’t have an HR department, which is the case in 80% of the industry?  It’s a well-known fact that good hires result from good hiring practices.  So, if it’s been awhile since anyone has done any hiring, do some reading (or contact PIA MidAmerica) and get briefed on do’s and don’ts (there are plenty of those).

Newly elected Massachusetts’ Senator Scott Brown’s campaign frequently referenced the number forty-one — signifying that if elected he would be the 41st Republican senator.  Needless to say, the Democrats worse nightmare came to pass yesterday.  No longer do they have the leverage of 60 votes in the Senate.

What does this signify for small business — it’s momentous.  Although the health bill could still pass, the likelihood is greatly reduced.  Cap and trade is now no longer a slam dunk and any potential bills regarding “card check” become much more difficult to pass.  These are the pluses.

But let us not forget that for the past decade — and more so the last several years — we have congressional representatives who have become strident in moving their position forward rather than trying to work for a common good.  We need more statesman and less politicians in Washington.  Because there is a need to reform the health care system, and climate change IS an issue, and we do need regulations for financial institutions.  We just need balance and individuals who understand it’s not just about keeping the extreme left — or right — happy.

Let’s hope 41 understands these issues and Congress puts aside it’s “payback” mentality.