The Future of the Printing Industry Depends on Making Our Voices Heard
“Since many of the people in the printing and the promo world are small businesses, I think it's really important that their voice is heard here. … I think it's important that we're here lobbying for them, so there will be a future.”
Stephanie Cohn Schaeffer, co-chair of the board of the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), noted the importance of attending the second annual Printing Industry Legislative Fly-In that took place last week on Capitol Hill. This was Schaeffer’s second time attending and she shared that she intends to return next year.
“I'm committed to do whatever I can to help,” she said.
ASI was just one of the printing industry partner organizations that joined forces with PRINTING United Alliance for the two-day 2026 Fly-In. Representatives from Book Manufacturers Institute Inc. (BMI), Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), Pharmaceutical Printed Literature Association (PPLA), Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), and Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI), came together with more than 60 participants from across the printing industry. The participants met with more than 60 congressional offices to discuss key issues affecting the industry, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), U.S. Postal Service, tariffs, and the “Patient’s Right to Know” legislation.
"These conversations are critical, and the reception we received underscores the importance of showing up, speaking out, and building lasting relationships,” Ford Bowers, CEO of PRINTING United Alliance, said. “During these meetings, lawmakers were also asked to join the Congressional Printing Caucus and to visit their constituents’ printing operations."
Eric Blohm, president and COO of Milton, Wisconsin-based Freedom, shared that it was his second time attending the Fly-In, which helped him feel more prepared.
“I've been working in the printing industry for 40 years,” he said. “Last year was my first and I don't know if I was 100% prepared, so this year I wanted to come back and be really prepared to support the industry and to give back.”
A Collective Voice for Printing
The Fly-In took place over the course of two days with the first day dedicated to prepping the attendees for what to expect during the congressional meetings. Attendees heard from Bowers as he took the stage to welcome them to the second annual event and explain that the Fly-In represents a rare opportunity for those in the printing industry to:
- Have their voices heard
- Showcase the value of their businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy
- Demonstrate their commitment to shaping the laws that affect the industry’s success
- Gain a deeper understanding of the regulatory process, policy issues, and economic issues that impact printing businesses
- Build and strengthen relationships with elected officials
The introduction made way for speaker Tim Monahan, vice president and managing director of Government Affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, to provide attendees with the State of Play in Washington and the bipartisan issues that are the most top of mind.
“You know the old saying in DC is, ‘If you don't have a seat at the table, you're on the menu,’ and the fact that you guys have come here means you have a seat at the table,” he says. “You never know what's going to come from those conversations. It's critically important, on top of everything else that you guys do in terms of advocacy.”
A legislative policy briefing from Bowers then set the stage for the next day by reviewing three key legislative priorities: the need to establish a federal framework for EPR; the support needed to establish an exclusion process for critical printing industry inputs to support American manufacturing, jobs, and supply chain stability; and the desire for Members of Congress to co-sponsor H.R. 5133, or the “The Patients’ Right to Know Their Medication Act,” which is bipartisan legislation introduced to require standardized, FDA-approved, one-page printed Patient Medication Information to accompany every prescription dispensed in outpatient settings.
Finally, attendees were provided with a roleplaying session led by ACG Advocacy’s Julie Philp, senior partner, and Patrick Grant, strategic partner. They walked attendees through what a “good” meeting and a “bad” conversation would look like during the congressional meetings.
Andy Cohen, senior vice president of Media, Events & Marketing Services at ASI, shares that while the day one sessions did initially make him “more nervous” for the upcoming day, they ultimately helped him feel more prepared.
“Initially, I hadn't really thought much about it, and then watching the two people from the lobbying firm do their role play, I was like, ‘Okay, so this is a real thing,’” he says. “Ultimately, it did make me feel a little bit more prepared. … From the perspective of telling the congress people, the legislators stories and getting us introduced to them and what our interests are, it worked out perfectly.”
Even for those who participate in industry-related Fly-Ins on a more regular basis, the day-of preparatory sessions were beneficial.
“I think the information that was provided on what to do and what not to do is super helpful,” Rob Davis, vice president of Marketing at Nosco, based in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, says. Davis shares that because he is involved in PPLA, and is currently a board member, he has attended several Fly-In events in the past, but attending a Fly-In dedicated to the printing industry was important for PPLA.
“It was important for us to learn how the larger industry is doing stuff,” he says. “I think we have a good opportunity to start to contribute to that in a bigger way, rather than our more niche thing that we're specifically focused on.”
When the day on the Hill commenced, attendees joined small groups to meet with representatives from their home state or district. Attendees were given a statistics sheet intended to empower them to share the true power and magnitude of the printing industry as it is the No. 3 largest U.S. manufacturing industry by number of establishments; the No. 10 ranked by total employees nationwide; and when combined with the mailing industry is responsible for 7.9 million jobs and $1.9 trillion in annual revenue.
When printers show up, their collective voices will be heard. That was readily apparent at the Fly-In this year and is sure to carry through to 2027 and beyond.
"While this work may not always carry the same visibility as the Expo, it is every bit as vital to the future of the printing industry,” Bowers says. “The connections we are forging and the influence we are building will have lasting benefits for tens of thousands of companies we represent. This is advocacy in action, and it’s central to our mission.
For those interested in becoming a member of PRINTING United Alliance and learning more about its ongoing advocacy efforts, click here.
For those interested in the 2027 Printing Industry Legislative Fly-In, click here
Ashley Roberts is Content Director of Printing Impressions.
