Improving Economy Impacts Print Markets
The slowly recovering economy is beginning to impact print markets, with U.S. printing shipments increasing in the first quarter of 2010...
Amendment Protecting Paper Statements Defeated
The U.S. Senate passed S. 3217, the "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010;" but defeated an amendment that protected consumers' choice in how they receive financial communications...
MD Expands Healthcare Coverage Requirement for Kids
Maryland has expanded its coverage mandate for child wellness benefits effective October 1, 2010...
Designers: Start Your Engines
Avery Dennison is challenging designers to create the winning design for Steve Wallace's #66 NASCAR Toyota Camry...
Use "Green Guide" to Promote Environmental Efforts
How do you make “going green” work for your printing operation? "The Green Guide for Graphic Communications" can help...
Tech Tip of the Week: PDF Settings
Bryan Llewellyn, digital production specialist, offers this tip on how to select PDF settings for print-ready PDFs...
Member News
Barton Cotton rejoins Association...
Upcoming Events
|
College Students Prefer Textbooks
A recent survey conducted by OnCampus Research indicates that 74% of U.S. college students still prefer to use a printed textbook rather than an electronic device such as a smartphone, laptop or other handheld device. This survey backs up the information yielded in another student survey, published in the June 17 issue of eNews, which showed students also prefer printed materials for handouts and other class materials.
Postage Increases Proposed
The U.S. Postal Service has proposed price changes with the Postal Regulatory Commission, recommending increasing the price of a First-Class stamp 2 cents to 46 cents; the price of a postcard to 30 cents; an 8 percent increase for periodicals; and increases for catalogs and standard mail parcels, too. Volume discounts and free additional weight are included in the proposed price changes. If approved, the increases would not go into effect until Jan. 2, 2011. It would be the first stamp price increase in almost two years.
|
Improving Economy Impacts Print Markets
The slowly recovering economy is beginning to provide traction to print markets. According to Printing Industries of America's Print Market Tracking Model, U.S. printing shipments increased by 1.5 percent in the first quarter of 2010, compared to last year's first quarter. Real or inflation adjusted shipments increased even more (4.3 percent) as printing prices declined by an average of 2.8 percent. Printers remain cautiously optimistic for the remainder of the year, with average expectations of 5.4 percent sales growth compared to 2009. Full details on this issue will be featured in the upcoming Flash Report by Printing Industries of America economist Ronnie Davis.
Amendment Protecting Paper Statements Defeated
The U.S. Senate passed S. 3217, the "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010;" but defeated an amendment that protected consumers' choice in how they receive financial communications. Amdt. 3988, the Gillibrand Amendment, was defeated. The amendment would have defended a consumer's choice in how they receive sensitive financial communications, and ensured that consumers who chose to receive paper-based financial documents (as opposed to electronic copies), and who chose to pay bills by paper checks (as opposed to online banking), would not be unfairly penalized by excessive fees and penalties. Printing Industries of America supported the amendment on the grounds that it was reasonable for consumers to choose to receive printed financial statements.
MD Expands Healthcare Coverage Requirement for Kids
Maryland has expanded its coverage mandate for child wellness benefits. The minimum package of child wellness services, required to be provided by group health insurance policies offering family coverage in Maryland, has been expanded to include all visits for obesity evaluation and treatment management; and all visits for (and costs of) developmental screening, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Visits where physical examinations, developmental assessments and parental anticipatory guidance must be covered, as well as services that may result in coverage of laboratory tests, were also expanded. The new mandate was enacted in May and takes effect October 1, 2010.
Designers: Start Your Engines
Avery Dennison is challenging designers to create the winning design for Steve Wallace's #66 NASCAR Toyota Camry. The Avery Graphics Design 66 Challenge is open to all designers in the U.S. and Canada. The winning design will be seen by millions of people with the winner and a guest on hand at the last NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Homestead, Florida on November 20. Final deadline August 13. Learn more at http://supercastmyride.com/.
Use "Green Guide" to Promote Environmental Efforts
From certification to renewable energy, sustainability has become a hot topic in the printing, publishing, and packaging industries. But how do you make “going green” work for your printing operation? "The Green Guide for Graphic Communications" can help by providing you with a step-by-step approach to evaluating and marketing your sustainability profile. Using this FREE resource, you’ll be able to see just how your operation stacks up in ten categories of green performance. And you have the choice of looking at your green business in layers: up-close, deep, and really, really deep. The Self-Assessment Tool is also a teaching tool; it helps you learn how various aspects of sustainability are relevant to today’s printing operations and shows you where to look for additional information on topics of particular importance. To access the Green Guide, go to http://www.printing.org/greenguide.
Tech Tip of the Week: PDF Settings
Bryan Llewellyn, digital production specialist, offers this tip on how to select PDF settings for print-ready PDFs:
In Adobe InDesign you have three options on how your color will be represented when creating a print-ready PDF.
- PDF/X-3. No color conversion. This option should be used when the device that the job will be printed on is unknown. PDF/X-3 automatically embeds the color profiles.
- PDF/X-1a. This option converts all colors to the destination color space. This is a good option to use when no other color conversion needs to be used. No color profiles are embedded in this option.
- InDesign. Converts colors that have embedded profiles to the destination color space. It also preserves the information for colors without embedded profiles. You can select this option in the output section in the PDF dialog box. This method should be used if the document contains process images that have not been color corrected and you want to preserve the color information.
Member News
Welcome back to member Barton Cotton Printing Services. After re-organizing in January, the company re-joined PGAMA late last month. Barton Cotton is a fundraising, affinity marketing and religious product firm. The production and warehouse facility is located at 3030 Waterview Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland.
Upcoming
Events
| July 21 |
Seminar: 21st Century Printing-Sales Skills & Attitudes-This dynamic day-long seminar, led by author and business coach Dave Fellman, covers both the attitudes and the skills required to be successful in the modern printing marketplace. Topics to be addressed include: how to think like a winning salesperson, prospecting, time management and organization, preparing and presenting proposals, negotiation skills, and more. PGAMA has negotiated a special rate of $145 for members. (Non-members pay $225.) Fee includes lunch and a copy of Dave's new book, "Sell More Printing." For more info and to register call 800-325-9634. |
| July 22 |
Webinar: Making Your Move to Digital A Success, 2:00-3:00pm. Digital printing continues to grow and as a traditional printer, your business plan now includes an investment in a production level digital press. This session will help you to become familiar with the unique business characteristics of the digital print industry and what it takes to acquire, operate, and maintain a profitable digital press operation. Led by Frank Kanonik, President of DigitalPrintInfo, LLC. Cost is $49 for PGAMA Members ($99 for non-members.) More info and register at http://www.printing.org/node/6147. |
| July 29 |
Webinar: Print Grows Trees, 11:00am-Noon. PGAMA President Kerry Stackpole leads this webinar, and will share information about the Print Grows Trees campaign, and the role of the printing industry in protecting and growing our country's forests. Free for Members! Email with registration link coming soon to your computer in box. |
| August 5 |
Webinar: Cybercrime: New Risks in Light of Changing Technology, 2:00-3:00pm. Digital printing with customer databases is fraught with new and complex risks. Enter Cybercrime, as the fastest growing crime in America, where attacks can potentially wipe-out entire small and medium-sized companies given their limited resources. Participants will benefit from sessions that include real-life case studies and examples that underline the importance of staying on top of the latest security and risk management tactics, including Cyber-liability insurance. Cost is $49 for members, $99 for non-members. Register at http://www.printing.org/node/6368. |
| September 9 |
Webinar: Creating Flawless Files that are Print-Ready, 2:00-3:00pm. A recent Printing Industries of America survey showed that 70% of printers need to repair more than half of all files submitted before they can be output successfully. Solid digital file creation is the key element to reproducing jobs in a time- and cost-efficient manner for print production. Go “under the hood” with Adobe CS5 and other desktop publishing applications and become a pro at preparing digital files for print production! Led by Joe Marin, Senior Analyst, Digital Technologies, Printing Industries of America. Cost is $49 for members/$99 for non-members. More info and register at http://www.printing.org/node/6166
***Printers: Purchase this webinar for your customers to strengthen your relationships, AND get problem-free files! |
| September 13-14 |
Workshop: Optimizing Color from Your Digital Press, Printing Industries of America headquarters in Sewickley, PA. Become or develop the "go to" person when it comes to troubleshooting color problems in your digital workflow. This brand new workshop was designed to supply you with a comprehensive look at what it takes to produce reliable, predictable, high-quality color on your digital press. It is a perfect blend of intense lab instruction and quality hands-on training, leaving you totally immersed in the subject of digital color and press optimization. Led by Julie Shaffer, Vice President of Digital Technologies, Printing Industries of America and David Zwang, Principal Consultant, Zwang & Company. Cost is $595 for members/$1095 for non-members. More info and register at http://www.printing.org/node/5960. |
| September 16 |
Special Event: MAGE Crab Feast, at Blob's Park Pavillion in Jessup, MD. Plan to 'Get Your Crab On' at the biggest MAGE event of the year. New location, new menu and new activities will make this a fun-filled occasion for your clients, co-workers, family and friends. Full details coming soon! |
October 14-16
|
SAVE THE DATE! Plan now to attend the PGAMA/PIVA 2010 Executive Management Summit & Sales Symposium. With an unprecedented 16 speakers invited, you will get the latest information and new inspiration to lead your business to a successful future. More info to follow in your PGAMA print and email. |
|
