Food
Drive Underway
PGAMA
members are encouraged to participate
in the Holiday Food Drive organized
by member firm Walker Supply.
All items collected will go to
the Manna Food Bank (DC area
collections) and the Maryland
Food Bank (Baltimore area collections)
to be distributed to people of
need in our area. To participate,
simply provide space for a food
collection carton. Pick-up of
cartons will begin on Monday,
December 22nd. Call Kyle Walker
for more info, 800-775-9528.
PGAMA
Folder Design
Contest
PGAMA
is holding a design contest for our
Membership Folders. These pocket
folders are used to recruit new members,
and contain inserts that explain
the history and benefits of joining
PGAMA. This marketing piece is often
the first impression a business has
of the Association. New glossy white
folders (12# Kromkote) have been
donated by member firm Ris, but the
Association would like to give the
folder covers a fresh look. Designs
must have no more than 5 colors with
coating, and must include
the PGAMA logo at
it's existing size and in the Association
colors, along with the new Printing
Industries of America logo. Embossing
or stamping of PGAMA logo encouraged!
The designer of the winning entry
will be credited on the folder, and receive
an iPod Touch (or prize
of equal value.) Winner
will be selected by the Membership
Committee. For more information and/or
electronic transmission of logos,
contact Carol at
PGAMA, 410-319-0900.
IRS
Sets
2009
Mileage
Rates
The
optional
IRS standard
mileage
rate for
2009 has
been set
at 55 cents
per mile
and at
24 cents
per mile
for medical
or moving
purposes.
The rate
for charitable
purposes
at 14 cents
per mile
is unchanged
from 2008.
On a related
note, if
you are
considering
taking
a business
deduction
for the
use of
your car,
you must
determine
what percentage
of the
vehicle
was used
for business.
If the
vehicle
is used
solely
for personal
use such
as commuting
to and
from work,
no deduction
is allowed. Deductible
car expenses
can include
the cost
of:
1) traveling
from one
workplace
to another
2) making
business
trips to
visit customers
or attend
meetings
away from
your regular
workplace
3) traveling
to temporary
workplaces
To claim
the deduction,
keep complete
and accurate
mileage
records
for each
business
use of
your car.
If you
are unable
to produce
a clear
record,
the IRS
may disallow
the deduction.
If claiming
actual
expenses,
add your
entire
car operating
expenses
for the
year including
gas, oil,
tires,
repairs,
license
fees, lease
payments,
registration
fees, garage
rental,
insurance,
and depreciation.
Multiply
the total
by the
percentage
of business
usage to
arrive
at your
deduction.
Business
related
parking
and tolls
are fully
deductible
and do
not have
to be reduced.
If claiming
mileage,
see rate
above.
Focus
on
Specialty
Photo Market
Industry
consulting firm InfoTrends
projects that the market
for specialty photo products
will continue its growth
pattern through 2010. If
you've got a digital workflow,
including a digital press,
you should take steps to
get in on the action. Of
course to be successful
you must learn (or outsource)
new skills, but if you need
convincing as to why it's
worth the effort, consider
these facts:
*In 2006 more than twice as many images were shot digitally
as were shot on film
*In 2008, digital images accounted for 71% of photographic
prints worldwide
*The average consumer spends more than $50 on specialty
products that include digital images, with photo
books and calendars the greatest growth area
*The photo industry is a $13 billion marketplace and
seems unaffected by the general economy
*Professional photographers have made the transition
to digital equipment, and many need production partners
to help them broaden the range of their products
The bottom line: To compete in this marketplace,
you have to get the files, print the files, and finish
the printed materials.
Latest
Flash Report
Ronnie
Davis,
Vice President
and Chief
Economist
of Printing
Industries
of America,
shares
this info
in his
latest
Flash Report.
"Overall,
printing
prices
were up
modestly
in the
third quarter,
but printers'
costs were
up more.
Specifically,
the price
of a print
job was
up 1.6%
over the
past 12
months,
but printers'
costs increased
by much
higher
rates.
The cost
items that
increased
the most
were paper,
energy/utility,
and employee
health
insurance.
Lowest
cost increases
were wages
and salaries
and property/casualty
insurance."
The information
in the
Flash Report
was based
on the
Print Market
Survey.
The full
report
is availabe
to download
in the
Members
Only section
of pgama.com.
And now for some more optimistic
news.....
WSJ
Sees Rosy Future
The
conventional wisdom about media
and the financial crisis is
that big advertising budget
cutbacks will devastate print
newspaper and magazine publishers;
but the Wall Street Journal's
top editor sees the possibility
of a different outcome. After
recoiling from the initial
crisis earlier this fall, advertisers
are slowly returning, and may
be seeking more conservative,
comfortable outlets to make
their case to buyers, according
to Managing Editor Robert Thomson.
Thomson believes that advertisers
are starting to understand
that consumers often ignore
ads in other media because
they are doing other things
at the same time that sap their
attention.With papers, though,
the ads may be more valuable
because they stick around with
the printed page. Online, people
get distracted, flipping from
page to page, and if they notice
ads at all, it is because they
are annoyed by their intrusion.
Member
News
Congratulations
to member firm MOSAIC for
receiving a Best Workplace
in the Americas award. Since
2000, the Best Workplace program
has recognized industry leaders
from small, medium, and large
firms in the graphic arts industry
for their outstanding human
relations practices.
Corridor
Printing is proud to announce that Vicki
Sweet is one of the country’s
first ever CPrint® Certified
Production Managers. The qualification
was gained by attending residential
training at CPrint® World
Headquarters in Charleston,
West Virginia and passing a
rigorous end-of-course exam.
Kudos to Vertis for
being ranked in the top 10
GPO printers.
Upcoming Events
| December
16 |
Webinar: Digital
Benchmarking, 2:00-3:30pm. This
session will reveal the results
of a study conducted by the
Printing Industries of America
Technical Research Department
that not only examined the
productivity of equipment,
but it also analyzed printing
processes and operations.
Led by
Dr. Mark Bohan, vice
president, research and
technology for Printing
Industries of America.
Cost is $99 for members.
$199 for non-members. More
info and register at www.gain.net. |
| January 15 |
Workshop:
Laminating 101-The Basics
of Post-Print Finishing, 4:00-6:00pm
at member firm Neschen
Americas, 7091 Troy Hill
Drive, Elkridge, MD. This
hands-on workshop will
give you an overview of
the latest factory equipment,
plus expert instruction
on the liquid and roller
technique.
FREE
for members! $25
for non-members. Register
at www.pgama.com. |
| January
16, 2009 |
DEADLINE
FOR RECEIPT OF ENTRIES FOR
EXCELLENCE IN PRINT AWARDS! |
| January 27 |
Special
Event: Cocktails & Connections
Happy Hour, 5:30-7:30pm
at Oro Pomodoro in Rockville,
MD. Come enjoy FREE drinks and
appetizers while you meet and
mingle with other members and
guests.
Attendees
MUST RSVP by January 23! Register
at www.pgama.com or
call the office, 410-319-0900. |
| January
29 |
Maryland
Legislators' Reception,
11:30-1:30 at the Governor
Calvert House in Annapolis,
MD. This annual
luncheon is the best way for
our Association to impress
the Representatives with the
size and strength of the printing
industry, so your presence
is vital. We can only influence
business policy by showing
we are a united voice! No
charge for first two executives
from a PGAMA member company. Non-member
cost is $75. Call the office
to register or sign up at www.pgama.com. |
Check http://www.pgama.com for the latest industry news and event photos.
To
view back
issues of 2008 eNews, go to http://www.pgama.com/index/enews_archive.php.
If you have received this email in error or would like us to send it
to a different person at your company, please
contact PGAMA.
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