Printing Impressions January 2013 edition

 

2013 Legislative Agenda : Getting Things Done

As President Obama is about to embark on his second term and, absent a palace coup, Congress will need to work with him in the coming years to help provide meaningful—and much-needed—legislation. We've got Lisbeth Lyons, vice president of Government Affairs at Printing Industries of America (PIA), to walk us through with some of the most pressing issues from the printing industry standpoint.


Digital Digest

HP carefully selected a group of 23 same-sized printers from the region to bring in for its "Print Your Future" color inkjet web press event. The two-day excursion, held at the Burlington (MA) Marriott and the headquarters of host printer DS Graphics in Lowell, MA, came just two weeks before Christmas. That HP was still able to round up a captive audience at a time when printing companies and executives are preoccupied with end-of-year housekeeping speaks to the due diligence it performed in culling the invite list.


Food for Thought, Profit

The year 2013 need not represent an unlucky number for print. The no-real-growth and rising-inflation (or stagflation) economy will shake out many printers of the past, but provide very substantial opportunities for forward-looking companies crossing over to omni-channel media.


Make 'Service' Extraordinary –Farquharson/Tedesco

Customer service died at roughly the same time when common courtesy became uncommon. The goal of voice mail was once to get someone to call back. Today, when that actually happens, you'd be wise to purchase a lottery ticket. You're on a roll! The I, me, my world we inhabit has given rise to a new breed of rude. But cynics beware: In every problem there is an opportunity!


On the Road: Heidelberg Reveals Future Direction, Product Strategy

Last month, Printing Impressions and its sister publications, Package Printing and In-plant Graphics, were invited to visit Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG's headquarters to talk with executives and tour the company's massive sheetfed press manufacturing facility in nearby Wiesloch-Walldorf. Among the many highlights of the trip, journalists met with both outgoing CEO Bernhard Schreier and new CEO Dr. Gerold Linzbach.


Printing’s Future Is Now

It's certainly an exciting time to be working for Creel Printing. The Digital Lizard acquisition brought in 14 digital presses and new capabilities. The company installed a Technique MIS system and attained G7 Master qualification. While not printing centric, some of the most interactive and technologically sexy advances are enabling Creel Printing to provide more value to publishing clients.