Mary Schilling

Slowing down and following a "Best Practices" method to paper trials and qualification will save you time and ink costs by focusing on ink and paper surface compatibility. As your cost for a better inkjet paper and print quality go up, your ink usage should go down. But only if there are best practices in place.

Each year about this time I look back and remember all the wonderful people I’ve met in the printing industry. From owners and management, to operators and salespeople, this is truly the friendliest industry there is. Each year I have the privilege of being contracted to work with some of the most talented press operators and designers there are. These tireless folks endure constant industry change.

This was another great year for GRAPH EXPO in Chicago. Although the hype was low key, there were many new inkjet technologies.

Growing up, my crazy uncle used to say “You can call me whatever name you like, just don’t call me late to dinner.” A clear name is important and I think of my uncle whenever someone asks me "Why does a paper change its name when used in different markets?"

We talk continuously about how important it is to design to the right process. Recently, I had the chance to help a talented designer from Chicago do just that.

Each year, I am proud to be a part of the Inkjet Summit. It is the only industry event where competitors (printers and vendors) can come together and really share their experiences and technology offerings to advance inkjet adoption.

With no yoga required, you, as a manager, can sense changes in your facility and start a conversation with senior management.

Inkjet has created wonderful personalization and marketing options for customers. How does your sales team “work it” to benefit your customers’ marketing message?

Production inkjet is a wonderful technology for many types of printing, but it is not right for everyone. The print requirements must direct the process. Or, in medical terms, you cannot "treat" something properly if you don’t have an accurate diagnosis.

I had the pleasure speaking at the Digital Book Printing Conference co-hosted by Printing Impressions and Book Business magazines on Nov. 19th in New York City. Although I spoke about the technical aspects of integrating inkjet printing into their digital printing processes, it was very evident throughout the conference that “printed” books are decreasing.