Call
for Entries: web2awards
The Digital Printing Council has officially opened the
call for entries for the 2010 web2awards, the industry's
first and only contest established for printing industry websites worldwide. The
program made its debut last year and was so successful, it has been expanded
this year to include cross-media promotional programs as well as social media
sites focused on print and marketing service provider topics. If you have
a top-notch website, or have introduced PURL campaigns, don't miss this chance
to earn the accolades you deserve. Winners will be announced at the Converge
Conference this fall. To learn more and enter, go to http://www.printing.org/page/5414.
Printing
Associations to Merge
Two
publishing-related associations, IPA and IDEAlliance, plan to merge, pending
a membership vote early this month, as the groups attempt to adjust to
technological changes in their radically altered industries. Membership
in IPA, formerly the International Prepress Association, has declined about
30 percent in the last five or six years, according to President Steve
Bonoff, though the decline is not as sharp as in the pre-press industry
itself, now down by about 80 percent, he added. IPA’s members were
graphics-related firms involved in traditional printing, which most companies
have abandoned in favor of a computerized desktop publishing model. “There
really isn’t a prepress industry anymore,” Bonoff
said. The roughly $1M-revenue group, with its four-person staff based outside
Chicago and Minneapolis, managed to avoid mirroring the industry’s
rate of decline by attracting new members outside the traditional industry,
such as service providers that deliver graphics files across multiple media,
Bonoff said.
Alexandria, Va.-based IDEAlliance (the International Digital Enterprise
Alliance) is a broader-based group of companies involved in media, publishing
and/or IT. Membership in the $2M-revenue, nine-staff group ranges from publishers
and printers to large corporate entities like Microsoft, said President and
CEO David Steinhardt. The group’s membership has increased roughly
20 percent in the last five years, he added. Technically, IDEAlliance is
the acquiring party in the merger, so Illinois state law requires that a
majority of IPA members must approve the deal. If they do, the merger would
take effect April 1, Steinhardt said. “With like missions and unique
competencies, this union will help lead our industry into the future,” Chip
Harding, chairman of the IPA board, said in a statement.
Another
Study Finds Mail Sells
The 2009 Channel Preference Study
found that direct mail, more than any other channel, directly influenced
the purchase of an item or a service for young and old alike.
The second annual study on the topic of consumers' use of different channels
finds:
-76% of Internet users said direct mail influenced their purchase/use of
a service. TV was the second most influential channel, and email was third.
-75% of 25-34 year olds were influenced to make a purchase because of direct
mail. TV had an almost equal influence.
-Across every age group, email is third on the list of channels that influenced
consumers' purchases. It is the least influential to teens--only 36% said
an email had influenced a purchase.
Beware
Bankruptcy 'Buddies'
With the increase of bankruptcies in Chapter
11, there has also been an increase in the number of "buddies"
offering to buy claims. These opportunists are NOT your friends.
They get info about unsuspecting creditors from public records.
If you are being contacted to 'sell' your claim for immediate
cash, realize that whatever they are offering is likely far
less than what they anticipate being paid by the bankruptcy.
An example: an affiliate member had a claim for $5000 that
was filed and acknowledged by the court, with a dividend
of an undisclosed amount indicated by the court's notices.
A bankruptcy 'buddy' contacted this member and convinced
them to sell their claim for $500. The estate eventually
paid 60% of the claim, or $3,000. Be cautious and don't give
away your money!
Journey
to Sustainability Webinar Archive
The worldwide movement within the print and graphic communications
industry to reduce environmental impact and increase social
responsibility is here to stay. If your company hasn't developed
a sustainability plan of action, The Journey to Sustainability
Webcast is your chance to learn from printers that
are setting the pace in this area. In case you missed the
original broadcast of "The Journey to Sustainability," this
webinar is now available in archive format. Topics covered
include:
♦How to identify and tackle environmental challenges:
recycling, waste reduction, transportation, energy and lighting,
and others
♦The costs of sustainability and its benefits
♦How a focus on sustainability can reduce operating costs
♦ How companies are winning market share based on sustainability
♦ The path to becoming certified as a Sustainable Green Printer
♦ How to develop and implement a sustainability program, including compliance
with regulations
To download the webinar, go to http://www.graphicartsonline.com/webcast/All_Webcasts/2379-The_Journey_to_Sustainability.php
Member
Anniversaries
Congratulations to the following
companies marking major anniversaries as Association members:
50 Years
Chesapeake Digital Printing, Inc.
45 Years
Baltimore City Printing & Graphics
Harold Pitman Company
20 Years
Quintessential Color Group
15 Years
Computer Craft Corporation
5 Years
Direct Energy
Ivy Envelope Services
Members
in the News
WebbMason was
featured in the February 15th issue of Graphic Communications
World in an article touting the benefits of empowering customer
service staff. WebbMason offers a three-tiered system
to provide incentive for CSRs to grow within their careers.
Jennifer Black, VP of Operations,
says the strategy is also helping the company to grow despite
the struggling economy.
Congratulations to Kemrey
Lee Heinold of Canon Business Solutions who won
a $75 gift certificate to Lauriol Plaza Restaurant in DC
for referring new member, The National Academies Press.
IN
MEMORIAM
With regret, we announce that Richard
Heintz Sr. (Dick), former president
of Williams & Heintz Map Corporation, and father of company
president Holly Heintz Budd, passed away on March 1. Friends
and family are welcome to gather at the West River Sailing
Club in Galesville on March 6th for a memorial service from
1 to 2 p.m., and a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. In lieu of
flowers, donations may be made to a local charity.
Upcoming
Events
| March 15-17 |
National Environmental,
Health and Safety Conference: Printing for A sustainable
Future-at
the Sheraton Indianapolis, Indianapolis,
IN. The
one conference for the graphic communications industry
that intersects the needs of safety, environmental
and human resources. Today's workplace requires
multitasking -- and this conference provides you
with the tools and information to accomplish this
goal! Plan now to attend! More info and registration
at http://www.nehsconference.org/nehs10_site/index.html. |
| March 17 |
Webinar:-Get
A Bigger Piece of the Pie Using Social Media, 1:00-2:00pm.
Discover how being involved in social media can be
a leverage component of the multi-channel communications
you offer clients. Tune in to learn:
· The importance
of social media in your marketing strategy
· What
tools you should be focused on and how to use them
· How social
media can be a part of your multi-channel communication
strategy for your clients
This webinar is geared for entry level
to intermediate levels of social media expertise. It will likely
provide great ideas for advanced users. Cost for members
is $49 per connection, non-members pay $99 per connection.
Call PGAMA to sign up or register online at www.pgama.com. |
| March 24 |
Special
Event: 5th Annual Excellence in Print Awards Gala,
5:30-9:30pm at Martin's Crosswinds in Greenbelt,
MD. Come see the big winners of PGAMA's annual
printing competition, plus enjoy the open bar,
great food, and entertainment.
An essential networking
opportunity! TICKETS NOW
ON SALE: $65
each/$600 for a table of 10. Call PGAMA to reserve
seats, 410-310-0900.877-319-0900 or email Carol@pgama.com. |
| March 25 |
Webinar:
Real World of Lean for Print Managers,
2:00-3:00pm. Over 95%
of the total time it takes to process a printing order
and manufacture a printed product is non-value-added.
Lean focuses on identifying and eliminating all kinds
of waste and non-value-added activities with the goals
of slashing costs, faster throughput, improved financial
performance, and higher customer satisfaction. Tune
in to this webinar and learn:
· What Lean Manufacturing is and how
it is applied to the printing industry
· Management’s essential role in
the Lean process
· Eight sources of waste in printing
companies hidden plant
· The difference between “living
Lean” and simply using Lean tools
· Management strategies for sustaining
Lean successes
· And more
Member cost for this presentation is $99 per connection.
Non-members pay $199 per connection. To sign up, go
to http://www.printing.org/node/5951. |
| March 25 |
Production
Club of Baltimore Paper Show, 5:30-8:30pm
at Martin's West. See
the latest innovations in paper, media, and all
things production. Vendor space still available.
Contact JoAnn at
the Production Club of Baltimore. For more info
visit http://productionclubofbaltimore.org/calendar. |
| April 12-13 |
Seminar:
Total Immersion Digital Color, at
Printing Industries of America in Sewickley,
PA. This
brand new workshop designed to supply you with
a comprehensive look at what it takes to produce
reliable, high-quality digital output. The instruction
will provide two intense days of hands-on training
to get you totally immersed—and
totally knowledgeable—on the subject of
digital color and press optimization. Apply
the troubleshooting, benchmarking, and maintenance
skills you learn at Total Immersion: Optimizing
Color from Your Digital Press to improve color
output and consistency, increase production
speed while maintaining quality, and build and
ensure customer satisfaction. Cost is $595 for
members$1095 for non-members. Register online
at http://www.printing.org/node/5965. |
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