Blog
2017 Print & Packaging Legislative Summit Recap
June 26, 2017
The 2017 Print & Packaging Legislative Summit took Capitol Hill by storm on June 20 and June 21. More than 50 representatives of the print and packaging industry took their message to the lawmakers. This year's agenda called for greater emphasis on topics such as workforce development, tax reform, smarter regulation, postal reform, and health care reform. This year's Summit kicked off with a partner luncheon with the National Association of... Read More
5 Things to Look for in a Credit Card Processor
April 25, 2017
Choosing a credit card processor for your business is an extremely important decision. After all, they are handling your customer's sensitive data and YOUR MONEY. Here are 5 things to look for when choosing a credit card processor: 1. Customer Service Many processors have taken a shortcut by contracting out their customer support. You don't want that. You want to dial a specific number and be routed immediately to a live person who can... Read More
Are You Using the Right Mix of Ingredients?
March 30, 2017
This post was submitted by 2017 Continuous Improvement Conference sponsor, Heidelberg. Now more than ever, having a resource available to answer or work through a consumable issue is vital to a printer's success. The days of "hang and bang" are dwindling. With the new technologies available to printers, like LED, low energy UV, and the assortment of custom presses, more and more printers need an expert resource to help maximize their production... Read More
Is Your Workflow Optimized?
March 28, 2017
This post was submitted by 2017 Continuous Improvement Conference sponsor, Heidelberg. Today, most print shops have an up-to-date estimating system and prepress workflow. However, many are not taking full advantage of its capabilities. How is your workflow utilized? Consider this scenario: A request for quote (RFQ) comes in with some major information missing such as delivery date, color, or even the exact quantity. Your sales representative... Read More
Cost Per Sheet Is Key
March 10, 2017
Why do you buy capital equipment? Hopefully, your answer is to make as much profit as possible from that purchase. Many think profit potential is related to the price of the equipment, but that couldn't be further from the truth! To justify a 25% price premium, you only need about 9% more output for the same cost per sheet --yes, 9%! This is because finance and depreciation only account for 30% of your budgeted hourly rate (BHR). The rest of... Read More
Achieving Excellence
March 7, 2017
The print industry is currently embracing change through the adoption of Industry 4.0, which is all about driving productivity while ensuring and verifying the quality of printed materials. Combining seamless integration with business decision making allows for achieving this kind of smart manufacturing facility. At the heart of this change, we need a business intelligence platform (also known as a fully integrated workflow) that evaluates and... Read More
TAGA Sneak Peek
February 23, 2017
On March 19-22, the TAGA 2017 Annual Technical Conference will take place in Houston, TX. At the event, attendees will learn about the latest industry advances and those of related fields, as well as brainstorm with other experts about solving problems and road blocks in order to move our industry forward. Members come to the Annual Technical Conference from all over the world and from all facets of the graphic arts industry. Papers accepted and... Read More
We're Bullish on Print
February 15, 2017
As we get ready to join our colleagues at the 2017 PIA President's Conference, we'll be bringing the message that our own president and CEO of Koenig & Bauer AG, Claus Bolza-Schunemann, announced after drupa last year: "Print is on the rise again." It's been less than a year since drupa 2016, and our company is still maintaining momentum from the show. After some challenging years, print made a dynamic comeback in Dusseldorf with proven... Read More
Is Your Operational Waste on the Rise?
February 9, 2017
As we begin 2017, the economy is in its eighth year of growth and printing companies are, on average, enjoying the highest level of profitability since before the Great Recession. Growth, however, may have been accommodated with decisions counterproductive to reducing waste and improving performance. Floor space may have been haphazardly filled with inventory or additional equipment. Clutter and disorganization may have become the norm. Safety... Read More
Fujifilm Joins the 2017 PIA President's Conference
February 7, 2017
Fujifilm's Graphic Systems Division is proud of its long-standing support of Printing Industries of America and honored to once again be a sponsor at the President's Conference in 2017. Our loyalty to PIA and its members aligns with Fujifilm's goal to be a leader in the graphic communications industry. Our commitment to our collective industry is second to none, both in terms of personnel and investments. In the North America market alone, we... Read More
