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FEBRUARY 2010 GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

is published ten times per year by B.K.L.K Inc. 72 Main St. Mount Albert, ON L0G 1M0 Phone: 905-473-9111 Fax: 905-473-6826 Outside Toronto: 1-877-513-3999 e-mail: info@graphicartsmag.com www.graphicartsmag.com

COVER STORY

Digital printing: it’s not about technology anymore

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Submission deadlines are as follows: February 15 for March 2010 March 15 for April 2010 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40029380 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Graphic Arts Magazine, 72 Main St. Mount Albert, ON L0G 1M0 email: circ@graphicartsmag.com

Publisher: Joe Mulcahy Associate Editors: Natalia Gilewicz Kristen Read Copy Editor: Mandy Bayrami Senior writer: Tony Curcio Sales & Marketing Manager: Brian Collins Account Managers: Maureen O’Sullivan Sandy Lee Tim Mulcahy Classified Manager: Bruce MacLean Creative Director: Javad Ahmadi AliveProStudios.com Layout: George Dedopoulos Cover: AliveProStudios.com CTP supplied by: Sina Printing Paper: Buntin Reid Printing: Sina Printing GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE would like to thank our contributing writers: Johnathon Anderson • Norm Beange • Tony Curcio Peter Dulis • Natalia Gilewicz • Andrea Mahoney • Tim Mitra Myrna Penny • Kristen Read • Heidi Tolliver-Nigro 2010 EDITORIAL BOARD

Javad Ahmadi, AliveProStudios.com Ernie Bardocz Danny Ionescu, HP Evan Cambray, Spicers Ken Harbin, Robert E. Thistle Ltd. Steve Klaric, Heidelberg Canada Jana Lucatch, Magnum Fine Commercial Printing George Mazzaferro, RP Graphics Group Brian O’Leary, Kwik Kopy Angus Pady, Digital Solutions Paul Tasker, Spicers

16 For the record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristen Read This month’s interview: Marie Eveline, executive director of the CPISC, on how the print workforce is adapting to new technologies.

18 Digital printing: it’s not about technology anymore . . . .

Heidi Tollver-Nigro

The changing industry, creative solutions and more.

26 The magic behind inkjet printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Dulis A look at various print heads.

32 Acrobat text tricks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrea Mahoney Adding new text to PDFs.

34 Graphic Arts’ IT Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Mitra Tim Mitra’s on the case: trouble with PDFs and domain names.

36 Featured markets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kristen Read Your monthly buyer’s guide to the latest print industry products.

42 Laser cutting applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Norm Beange

What’s behind this technology.

44 Revolutionizing printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Myrna Penny Quark and its innovative solutions.

46 My customer asked me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natalia Gilewicz

Can I make money from social networks? Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily intended to reflect those of this publisher. Graphic Arts Magazine accepts no responsibility or liability for claims made for any product or service reported on or advertised in this issue. Graphic Arts Magazine also reserves the right to limit liability for omissions and errors to a printed correction in the next issue. SUBSCRIBER’S NOTICE: From time to time we may rent our mailing list (names and addresses only) to select third parties whose products or services may be of interest to our readers. Please contact us should you wish to be excluded from these mailings using the contact information at the top. PAP Registration Number 10926 We acknowledge the financial support of the government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program towards our mailing costs.

Printed on Sappi’s HannoArt Gloss Text. Available from Buntin Reid.

54 Stop your mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Johnathon Anderson The scoop behind data mining.

50 List of advertisers 51 Classified

When making submissions, please forward to the following email addresses: ADS ads@graphicartsmag.com NEWS news@graphicartsmag.com CLASSIFIED classified@graphicartsmag.com ARTICLES articles@graphicartsmag.com INSTALLATIONS installations@graphicartsmag.com 3

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JOE MULCAHY

View from the publisher A belated Happy New Year to all our readers. Times are not great in our industry, but we’re much better than those living in Haiti. With over 200,000 dead and many more injured, it’s hard to imagine how those in Haiti are coping with that kind of disaster. Even in our tough times, we can still afford to give a prayer or a donation to help these people in their crisis. The interesting dynamic with charity is that when you feel you can’t afford to give – but do – something good always comes of it.

and expand the original business. Bob and Steve were the first to develop the Thistle Dampening System for small presses. He will be greatly missed by his family and the industry. We would like to express our condolences to his entire family. May he rest in peace. In other news, Avanti has donated a $185,000 MIS system to the Centre for Excellence in Print Media at NorQuest College located in Edmonton, Alberta. It shows a great spirit of giving back to the industry. Congratulations on your thoughtful donations Avanti.

It’s time for us to stop looking at our half empty glass and instead see it as half full. Attitude is a major component in pushing your business in a forward motion. If you remain positive, good ideas will come to you. Negative thoughts only lead to misery. Be smart and honest with yourself about the state of your business and ask yourself, “What small improvement can I make today that will either save me 10 minutes tomorrow or make my business inch forward in a positive direction?” It’s the baby steps that move you forward.

So remember, the sky is not falling; the industry is just changing. With a little imagination and maybe even mutual cooperation with other printers in your area, you can arrive at a solution that is profitable for your business. If more companies worked together and stopped operating on the principle of “the lowest price wins,” all businesses would be stronger. Stop complaining and start looking for solutions. Stay positive and focused on success you’ll be amazed at the results.

Congratulations to Professor Ian Baitz on being appointed the new acting chair of Ryerson’s Graphic Communication Management Program. He will remain in this post until the committee appoints a permanent chair.

........................................................................................................................................ Joe Mulcahy joe@graphicartsmag.com

It is with sorrow that we report the passing of Bob Thistle. Bob, the founder of Robert E. Thistle, was a true gentleman; he was always very kind and supportive towards me when I first started Graphic Arts Magazine. His son Steve, as many of you know, had taken over his father’s company several years ago and continues to develop

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DIA event a great success This past month, I attended a great industry talk hosted by the Digital Imaging Association (DIA) at the Xerox Research Centre; and I don’t think I could say enough good things about the experience!

ative solutions, such as QR codes and personalized URLs, can be used to generate new prospect traffic. They are also unique because they are more measurable. I encourage you to take a look at the article as Heidi simplifies some of the math behind the magic.

Laureen Chudzinski, director of business development strategies at InfoTrends, was the evening’s speaker, and she talked about social media marketing. What I really enjoyed about her presentation was her use of examples. I find that a lot of us talk generally about the influences of social media. This is probably in part due to the fact that social media is quite new and not well understood.

Interestingly, this month’s My Customer Asked Me also has a focus on social media, and, in particular, social networking. Personally, I have been involved in this space for some time, choosing to complete my Masters of Management Science on the topic. The reason I became interested in social networks is the same reason that many are still skeptical about them; I wanted to identify their use and, more importantly, their value.

Her background at InfoTrends however, meant that Laureen had lots of great examples to share. She pointed us to effective marketing campaigns such as the personalized ketchup bottle from myheinz. com and incredible self-promo work done by Tukaiz. Laureen explained that customers are turning their marketing budgets toward these new outlets because they cost less and deliver more results than the traditional streams, emphasizing that printers can be a part of this solution.

While I would love to be able to answer this in one issue, it will likely take several to explore the concepts. I know that some of us are worried about the impact of this space. If we examine it carefully, I believe there are great opportunities yet to be had. ................................................................................................. Natalia Gilewicz natalia@graphicartsmag.com

In particular, this space can and has been very well integrated with digital press technology. In this month’s issue, Heidi Tolliver-Nigro takes you through one way to look at the digital press. She explains, “Print is no longer print. It’s simply a tool in a large and expanding marketing toolset.” While the technology is important, impacting both the cost and quality of a printed piece, with digital print it really comes down to what you do with the specialized capabilities. Cre-

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NEWS & COMMENTS

News and comments QUAD/GRAPHICS TO ACQUIRE WORLDCOLOR Quad/Graphics, the largest privately held printer in the United States, is set to acquire Worldcolor. Both boards of directors have unanimously agreed to the acquisition, which is expected to close in the summer of 2010. Worldcolor’s Mark Angelson will join the Quad/Graphics Board as Chair of Committee on Integration and Consolidation, while Joel Quadracci of Quad/Graphics will lead the expanded company as Chairman, President and CEO.

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“This transaction presents compelling opportunities for the achievement of synergies and other efficiencies,” says Mark Angelson, chairman and CEO, Worldcolor. “Quad/Graphics has a long tradition of leadership and operational excellence...Quad/Graphics will make a fine, stable home for Worldcolor managers and employees. I look forward to joining the Quad/Graphics Board and sharing our experience as we combine these storied companies while ensuring that we focus on maximizing shareholder value and creating opportunities for customers and employees well into the future.”

Topeka, Kan., says the new platsetter “integrated seamlessly into our existing production environment, and faster throughput has really enhanced our productivity.” Rob Fischmann, general manager, output devices and prepress service, Kodak says, “Our new TRENDSETTER platesetters will allow our customers to enjoy industry benchmark printed output and image stability with a smaller footprint and even greater product reliability.”

In a press release, Quad/Graphics says that this agreement will enhance its position as a leader in the printing industry with increased efficiencies, greater geographic reach and broader product and service scope. Following the transaction, Quad/Graphics intends to become a publicly traded company.

IAN BAITZ APPOINTED ACTING CHAIR OF RYERSON’S GCM PROGRAM Following the recent resignation of Dr. Abhay Sharma as chair of Ryerson’s Graphic Communications Management program, a new acting chair has been appointed to fill the position. Dr. Daniel Doz, dean of the Faculty of Communication and Design, says he is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Ian Baitz, effective immediately.

“Customer needs and demands are rapidly evolving, and our expanded company will be even better equipped to meet those demands,” says Joel Quadracci, chairman, president and CEO, Quad/Graphics. “With increased access to capital markets, we plan to make appropriate investments in our platform and datadriven solutions, combined with the greater operational efficiencies we are targeting, we will be better able to achieve our strategic objectives and continue to generate industry-leading margins and profitable growth, all while creating opportunities for customers, shareholders and employees.”

Until now, Baitz has served as associate chair of the program, and will take on his new responsibilities until June 30, 2010. A committee has been put in place to permanently replace the position of chairperson for the new school year. It is possible that Baitz will further go on to fill this permanent role as well. We congratulate him on his new role.

KODAK TRENDSETTER LINE ENHANCED FOR HIGHER PERFORMANCE

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Kodak has redesigned and upgraded its line of TRENDSETTER platesetters to provide its customers with higher productivity. The redesigned technology includes updated hardware and software, increased uptime, a compact footprint and the SQUARESPOT Thermal Imaging Head, which features auto focus and thermal compensation and allows for machine-to-machine compatibility. For some configurations and speeds, the imaging head provides 25 per cent more power than the previous version, Kodak says.

Epson has announced a new proofing system designed to improve how package designers as well as flexographic and gravure printing professionals produce packaging mock-ups and proofs. The proofing solution, using the Epson Stylus Pro WT7900, is the world’s first aqueous-based white ink proofing technology. The company says these advancements produce a new way of printing with the colour white on a broad range of substrates including ink jet coated transparent and metallic films.

Companies that have recently installed one of the new TRENDSETTER platesetters report they are happy with the enhancements.

“For years, proofing products in this market have been very expensive for customers to purchase, maintain and operate,” says Mark Radogna, group project manager,

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NEWS & COMMENTS

Epson America. “When a white ink is required in the printing process, the Epson Stylus Pro WT7900 represents an exciting new way for proofing and prototyping both flexographic and gravure printing products.”

now carries out collection operations in 23 countries around the world. As of June 2009, Canon has collected approximately 220,000 metric tons of used toner cartridges. Recycling is conducted in Japan, America, Europe and Asia. Earlier this year, Canon marked the reduction of the use of new resources by 140,000 metric tons. CO2 emissions have also been reduced by 370,000 metric tons.

The WT7900 uses Epson’s UltraChrome HDR White Ink that introduces Organic Hollow Resin Particle Technology. This forces light to randomly scatter, producing the illusion of seeing the colour white. The technology results in an extremely high white ink density. According to Epson, the Stylus Pro can print difficult flexographic and gravure print jobs as well as creating contract proofs of packaging products requiring a clear or metallic base.

GRAPH EXPO 2010 TO FEATURE FIRSTEVER NEWSPAPER PAVILION North America’s largest graphic communications exhibition will feature a new pavilion dedicated exclusively to the newspaper publishing industry: News Print. To be held in early October, Chicago’s GRAPH EXPO 2010 will include equipment, products, services and networking opportunities devoted to the needs of newspaper publishers and printers.

CANON’S RECYCLING PROGRAM REACHES MILESTONE Canon has announced that 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of its Canon Toner Cartridge Recycling Program. This initiative means that every component of the used cartridges that the company collects is reused, recycled or recovered – nothing ends up in a landfill.

“GRAPH EXPO has always included product and educational offerings geared to those in the newspaper business,” says Ralph Nappi, president, Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC). “Given the monumental changes the newspaper publishing industry has undergone in recent years, however, and as key exhibitors told us, GRAPH EXPO 2010 needed to go the next step and

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provide a pavilion dedicated more fully to the needs of this market segment.” The newspaper industry has experienced a serious downturn over recent years, especially with the growing popularity of the Internet as a means of obtaining news via websites and RSS feeds. Many newspaper printers and publishers have found this as a serious challenge and must constantly stay innovative in order to stay alive. Nappi continues: “News Print will feature not only a full array of exhibitors, equipment and products covering all aspects of the newspaper publishing industry, but also innovative ideas for cutting costs and boosting profits. Ultimately, we hope it will provide a place for newspaper production professionals to connect with others who understand the unique challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for newspapers.”

BOB THISTLE PASSES AWAY AT AGE 77

Bob Thistle, founder of Robert E. Thistle, passed away on the morning of Saturday, January 16. He was 77 years old and had suffered several health problems over the last few years. Thistle passed peacefully at the Mount Hope Centre for long-term care in London, Ontario, where he had been in residence over the last few months. Thistle got his start in the industry in Toronto as a service technician in 1953 with AM International. Then in the early 1970s, he started his own business called Offset Machine Services. Business grew quickly and within a few years, he also had his brother Harry and sons, John and Steve, working with him at his King Street shop. Several years later, Thistle and his son Steve developed the Thistle Dampening System for small offset presses. At the shop, they made many of the parts needed to both rebuild and service presses. Steve eventually went on to purchase the business from his father in 2006 and was instrumental in moving into the bindery and finishing distribution market. Today, the company has kept up the reputable brand name that Thistle developed over the years and is now a leading distributor for CP Bourg and Challenge machinery. The family held a memorial service for Thistle on February 6 at the First Alliance Church in Toronto. He will be remembered as a successful and notable presence in the Canadian printing industry.

AVANTI DONATES BIG TO EDMONTON’S NORQUEST COLLEGE Toronto-based Avanti Systems has donated $185,000 in Print MIS software to the Centre for Excellence in Print Media at NorQuest College. The contribution will help expand the FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

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NEWS & COMMENTS

Centre’s training resources and enhance the technical and business skills of the school’s Digital Graphics Communications program graduates. “Avanti is an innovative provider of MIS software solutions to the graphic communications industry and we are thrilled to be able to offer our students the ability to gain hands-on experience with a software tool developed in Canada,” says Norma Schneider, dean of business and industry careers, NorQuest College. “Having access to Avanti’s software training will allow Western Canadian printers the opportunity to become more productive and competitive in the global marketplace.” President of Avanti Systems, Patrick Bolan, adds: “There is a tremendous synergy between Avanti’s mission and NorQuest’s goal of helping print companies in Western Canada to become more efficient and profitable. NorQuest is recognized throughout Canada for its ability to deliver graduates that hit the ground running and add real-world value to their new employers because of the practical experience they receive as part of the program.”

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NEW YORK TIMES TO START CHARGING FOR ACCESS TO ONLINE ARTICLES In a risky move, the New York Times has decided that it will soon charge for full access to the articles on its website. This new idea aims to combat declining newspaper sales due to the abundance of information available online. Other newspapers have been hesitant to go this route; however, the Times are not the first to charge for its articles. Beginning in 2010, the New York Times will reportedly use a metered system that allows access to a limited number of articles for free until the user will be charged.

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“I want to eliminate every human touch point in the workflow – if I can’t bill for it, I want to automate it.”

OCÉ LAUNCHES COLORWAVE WIDE FORMAT PRINTER, COPIER AND SCANNER DEVICE Océ has recently launched a new device: the ColorWave 300 multifunctional printer. The company has announced that this is the world’s first single footprint system that can print, copy and scan wide format documents in both colour and black and white. Océ says the machine is perfect for businesses with a limited production area, as its all-in-one format can save customers 50 per cent in floor space. All of the functions are controlled from one user panel, meaning that only one IP address is used. Several file formats, including HP-GI/2, PDF, DWF and JPEG, can also be handled by the printer. The ColorWave is based on thermal inkjet technology, making it a sustainable option as it does not produce ozone, dust or odours. The scan function operates at an optical resolution of 600 x 600 dpi and the printer can output on a variety of paper substrates including uncoated, coated, recycled, transparent and photopapers.

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HP LATEX INKS BRIGHTEN UP HOSPITAL

XEROX TO MARKET ON-DEMAND BOOK PRINTER

At Deauville Hospital in Normandy, France, patients and staff are experiencing a brighter and more colourful environment than theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re used to. Large-format graphics have been displayed throughout the building that were printed using HPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latex digital technology. In highly-sensitive environments such as hospitals, the latex inks are unique and safe because the prints are VOC and odour-free. The hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s director, Tanguy de la Bourdonnaye, worked with photographer Bruno MacĂŠ and architect Marc Jitiaux to make the project possible. MacĂŠ photographed landscapes from the local French countryside with the goal of making the hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environment more relaxing. The images were printed on a variety of substrates and displayed on walls and floors in the waiting rooms and bedrooms.

Xerox and On Demand Books have made plans to market and sell the Xerox 4112 Copier/Printer together with the Espresso Book Machine. This fully-integrated device prints, binds and trims books with full colour covers on demand. Libraries and retail locations can use the technology to produce 300-page paperbacks in under four minutes and at a production cost of less than one cent per page.

The Xerox 4112 with the Espresso Book machine has the capacity to print more than 40,000 paperbacks per year at sizes ranging from 4.5 x 5.0 inches to 8.25 x 10.5 inches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Xerox has provided a variety of digital book solutions for nearly 20 years,â&#x20AC;? says Eric Armour, president, Global Business Group, Xerox. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Working with On Demand Books, we can apply Xerox technology to meet the incredible opportunities that exist within this industry.â&#x20AC;?

The concept for the project was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;inside, outsideâ&#x20AC;? using different materials to imitate grass, sand or rocks. The idea allows patients to see the landscapes as if they were looking outside. This type of technique hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t previously been possible because of the VOCs found in printing inks. Using latex inks printed with the HP DesignJet L65500, the graphics could be printed with no VOCs and no odours - essential for environments like hospitals.

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NEWS & COMMENTS

MONTREAL-BASED OBJECTIF LUNE ACQUIRES DUTCH COMPANY Objectif Lune, a variable data printing and workflow automation business located in Montreal, has acquired Edmond Document Solutions. Based in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, the company is known for high-end solutions for the repurposing and enhancement of documents. Both companies will keep their names, facilities and staff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is great news for our customers and partners,â&#x20AC;? says Paul Bogers of Edmond Document Solutions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will shorten timeto-market of new technology and products, and drive more efficiency to the work processes of our customers.â&#x20AC;? Both companies have been in the industry for close to 20 years and reportedly share complimentary technology and best practices. In a recent press release, Objectif Lune said that the acquisition will speed up the creation of state-of-the-art technology and pave the way to new markets. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are delighted to welcome Edmond Document Solutions in the Objectif Lune family,â&#x20AC;? adds Didier Gombert, CEO, Objective Lune. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are confident this new partnership will allow both parties to speed up research and development, offer even more complete solutions and open very promising new markets.â&#x20AC;?

LEGENDARY MOLESKINE NOTEBOOKS ANNOUNCES NEW IMPROVEMENTS Moleskine, has announced new improvements to its 2010 and 2011 line of planners. Each notebook will feature a new quality

control sticker - included in the back pocket - that can be peeled off to reveal a colourful graphic in the same size proportion as the notebook. These graphics will be a part of a series of 10 that help the user be part of the quality control process, improving upon the collection each year, says the company. Moleskine spends approximately 12,000 hours each year on quality control, says the company. The new improvements also feature a new paper band design for the 2011 notebooks, which will help to identify planners as distinct from other Moleskine collections. Each paper band will have three languages and new colours to identify the planner collection and its layouts. In addition, prospective buyers are now able to take a photo of the visual code graphic on any notebook to be linked to the Moleskine website for more information on the product and its features.

CORRECTION

In the December/January issue of Graphic Arts Magazine there was an error that occurred during production and the advertisement for Sherwood Printers did not print properly. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE We want to help you get your news out to the graphic arts community. Email us at news@graphicartsmag.com with your latest news for consideration for inclusion online and in the print edition.

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ECO NEWS

Eco News

STUDY SHOWS MAJOR GROWTH EXPECTED IN SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING MARKET The sustainable packaging sector is set to experience large growth rates according to a recent report from Pike Research. The study indicates that worldwide packaging revenues will increase from $429 billion in 2009 to $530 billion by 2014. This growth rate is greater than that of the global economy itself. The report also forecasts that the sustainable packaging sector is growing much faster than the overall packaging industry, showing a trend and emphasis on environmentalism among consumers. Eco-friendly packaging is expected to nearly double in revenue between 2009 and 2014. “The sustainable packaging challenge is one that must be solved by multiple parties in a spirit of cooperation,” says Clint Wheelock, managing director, Pike Research. “The move toward more environmentally-friendly packaging is being embraced by consumers, manufacturers, retailers, advocacy groups, and world governments alike.” The research report notes that packaging is an absolute necessity in the modern world, but that it is also a burden on the environment. Pike Research says that packaging materials and methods, as well as thought processes, need to change to minimize the impact on the planet.

PRIMIR STUDY INVESTIGATES SUSTAINABILITY IN THE PRINT INDUSTRY

Brought to you by

sustainable forest practices,” said Kathy Abusow, SFI President and CEO. The review process included 2 public comment periods and 7 regional workshops, and was monitored by the External Review Panel, an independent team of external experts who offer diverse perspectives and expertise. More than 180 million acres are certified to the SFI forest management standard in North America – making it the largest single standard in the world. As most printers know, SFI chain-of-custody certification tells buyers the percentage of certified fibre in a specific product. SFI fibre-sourcing requirements promote responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands. Abusow said the new standard further supports the crucial role that all forest landowners play in managing North America’s forests, including landowner outreach to family forest owners who supply wood fibre to SFI program participants. “The new standard’s fibre-sourcing requirements continue to support family forest owners in protecting threatened and endangered species, promoting reforestation and strengthening best-management practices to protect water quality,” she said. “In fact, it now explicitly requires this valuable assistance, along with programs to address forests with exceptional conservation value, when working directly with family forest landowners.” In addition, the SFI program continues to collaborate with the American Tree Farm System to increase forest certification on family forest lands. For more information go to: www.sfiprogram.org.

A study, published in 2009 by the Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization (PRIMIR), has revealed that few companies in the print industry that claim to be “green,” actually are. Entitled Sustainable Print in a Dynamic Global Market: What Going Green Means, the study investigates which companies are driving sustainability in the print industry, reviews compliance issues, delves into carbon foot-printing and more.

SUPPORT

The report notes that most companies claim to be “green” merely because they are FSC- or SFI-certified. Some are even generating income from recycling everything they possibly can in their firm, the report shows. The most progressive firms, however, have a commitment to sustainability with the entire staff dedicated to that purpose. Those same printers, the study reveals, have made significant investments that already provide a positive ROI due to production costs as well as to new customers who want a truly sustainable supplier.

RESPONSIBLE

FORESTRY.

In addition, the PRIMIR study notes that electronic media (emails, podcasts, websites and more) have a greater environmental impact than print. In 2006, the paper industry was the second largest user of electricity in the U.S., consuming 75 billion kilowatt hours, more than data centres and servers with 61 billion kilowatt hours.

When you consider that only 10% of the world’s forests are certiﬁed, we have a long way to go. The good news is that there

SFI LAUNCHES BOLD NEW STANDARD IN FOREST CERTIFICATION

are a number of credible forest certiﬁcation programs. And each one, including SFI, encourages responsible forestry. For more on

The internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative program has released a new standard that reinforces its key role in supporting and promoting sustainable third-party forest management. “The new standard was enriched by the views and expertise of many people and offers a solid foundation as we build new partnerships and look for more ways to promote FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

forest certiﬁcation and what you can do, visit www.sﬁprogram.org.

Good Go od fo forr yo you. u. Go Good od fo forr our forests.

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FOR THE RECORD

KRISTEN READ

For the record This month, I interviewed Marie Eveline, executive director of the Canadian Printing Industry Sector Council (CPISC), to learn about how the skills required of the industry’s workforce are changing and adapting to new technologies. We’ve just wrapped up the first decade of the 2000s; how do you think the industry has changed in the last 10 years? It has changed quite dramatically. One of the biggest changes is the impact of technology, which has affected the nature of the industry in terms of the type of skills people need and the types of services that the industry provides. There is also a range of smaller companies that can now get involved that couldn’t in the past. As the industry changes, the skills required of the print workforce are also changing. How has the CPISC adapted to this? Today, we need people with diverse skills, people who can multi-task and people who can see the printing process from the beginning to end. The process is integrated now, which has resulted in a need for re-training and recruiting different types of people to the industry. Training programs and schools have to change their programs to ensure we have skilled workers. Over 80 per cent of companies have fewer than 10 employees and, as a result, most training takes place on the shop floor but most of this training is ad hoc in nature. Large companies with HR departments can create training programs, but smaller companies can’t. They currently rely a lot on suppliers for training.

What I’ve seen is a lack of recognition of how technologically-advanced the printing industry is. We have to ensure that when the crunch comes, we have the right people we need to keep the industry competitive...

Another huge issue is demographics. Although in the current economic climate, we’re looking at shortages, layoffs and restructuring, in the longterm the demographics are against us; we are looking at an aging workforce in which more than half of our workforce will reach the age of early retirement within the next 10 years. We must look at a variety of strategies now for how to work through this. How do you see the labour force changing in the future with the growing trend of automation?

Automation does mean that fewer employees are needed. But, we still need to have employees who FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

Marie Eveline, executive director of CPISC

are highly-skilled and able to undertake a variety of tasks. It is critical now to look at strategies to recruit a diversity of employees and also look at how we train existing employees. We encourage people in the industry to try new opportunities, and we are working to ensure there are programs in place to address both newcomers as well as those currently working in the industry. Given the nature of the industry, we’re going to have to be inventive in how we provide training courses. We’re looking at shop floor training as well as methods through CDs and online programs. It means not just assisting companies with dollars, but with actual tools and resources they can use. What I’ve seen is a lack of recognition of how technologically-advanced the printing industry is. We have to ensure that when the crunch comes, we have the right people we need to keep the industry competitive, and that means hiring a diverse, broad-based and comprehensive group of people including immigrants, aboriginal people and women. The CPISC recently released new skill standards for output and colour specialists. How have these been received and what’s next for the council? The new standards have been really well received. We could see that this group needed its own specific standards, and now we have them for the three major areas of prepress, press and finishing/bindery. The CPISC has a lot of things in the works for the future. We’re working on new standards in the areas of production support and management. Also coming up is an implementation guide to show how these standards can be used in the workplace and an HR www.graphicartsmag.com

their skills set and how they measure up to the standards that have been developed. They need to look at areas to improve. What we find with employers is that they are looking for people with a wide range of skills, especially in small companies. They want people who are adaptable, comfortable with IT and are able to work on different pieces of equipment. My advice to those looking for a job is to see how you can provide value to employers and look at your own professional development. Chances are going to come; don’t give up. This is a very challenging, but very rewarding industry. On a more personal note, what’s your favourite part of your job?

My advice to those looking for a job is to see how you can provide value to employers and look at your own professional development. Chances are going to come; don’t give up. This is a very challenging, but very rewarding industry.

toolkit to help employers develop job descriptions, recruitment strategies and measure job performance. We are in our fourth year of operation now and, at the beginning, what we really tried to do was build a solid foundation looking at industry trends and develop national skills standards defining what an employee needs to know and be able to do; we also explored existing training options and identified gaps.

The end goal of all these skill standards is certification and recognition. I would like to see a national certification program so that employers know exactly what skills job applicants have. This type of program takes a lot of work, and we’re hoping to see results in the next year or two. What we want is for employers and employees to be able to go to our website, assess what they need, see what training is available and be recognized for the skills they have acquired. Turning to the educational side of things, we have formed a National Education Advisory Committee to assist colleges in adapting their curricula based on our skill standards. We have found a lot of support and interest in this area, and it’s great to see willingness from [the] industry to be part of working and focus groups and donating their time and employees to be involved in this. It shows a huge level of commitment and that there is still a passion for this industry. What is your advice for someone looking to be employed in the print industry, but having a tough time right now due to the recent recession? What are employers looking for right now when they hire?

My favourite part is meeting people. People have a lot of passion for this industry and you can see it. I love this industry and I love my job! I get to go across the country to different shops and see not only the trends, but also the challenges and unique issues people have. It is interesting to see the big picture and to see how these trends affect an individual company or worker and try to find ways to help them by providing tools and resources to create action and change. It is a great sense of satisfaction to be able to get involved this way. One of the greatest things is to see the enthusiasm of young people in the industry as well. This year, we went to the World Skills competition and it was wonderful to see not only the passion, but the incredible skills that these youth have, competing at an international level. It reaffirmed that there are so many opportunities for young people that many don’t even know about. Speaking of opportunities for youth, a lot of people don’t grow up knowing they want to be in the print industry; usually they just fall into it. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a teacher. I never did do that, but I have worked in education. It has always interested me how people learn things. Learning shouldn’t be reduced to a classroom, but should be something that happens all the time. My job has enabled me to bring my passion for learning and teaching as a broad perspective into an opportunity to help companies, employers and employees learn. Your career is very important in your life – it defines a lot of people. Seeing people who love what they do is great, and I see a lot of that in this industry. There are lots of challenges, but there are so many committed people who want to give their time freely to see how print can remain an extremely competitive industry.

Kristen Read kread@graphicartsmag.com

There is no question that there are going to be opportunities out there. People need to take a good look at www.graphicartsmag.com

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TECHNOLOGY

HEIDI GAIL FRANKLIN TOLLIVER-NIGRO NICKEL-KAILING GOTHIC

Digital printing it’s not about technology anymore

“Digital Printing: Transforming Business and Marketing Models,” an educational report offered by Digital Printing Reports, opens with the statement, “The importance of digital printing has nothing to do with the technology — its costs, its output capabilities, or the applications it can produce . . . It’s about transforming how you think about marketing.” It’s a bit of an inflammatory statement. After all, for printers, technology has been how they’ve defined themselves for decades. In fact, one of the most active discussions recently on the LinkedIn discussion group called Digital Printing was titled, “What’s the difference between a printer and a copier?” In posing the question, the asker started an online fistfight drawing a volume of responses, the likes of which is rarely seen in such groups. Participants in the discussion basically fell on one of two sides of the issue. There were those who defined press versus copier based on technology (speed, printing tolerances, colour consistency, imaging process, inks) and those who made the identification based on operation and use (application, operator skill, tolerance for downtime, service contract). In the end, individual views appeared to be determined FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

by which issues were the most pressing for each participant in their businesses at the time. What they need determined how they made the evaluation.

CHANGING STANDARDS OF EVALUATION

What a change from the early years of digital printing. At that time, the difference between toner and ink was distinct and the discussion centered squarely on technology and cost per piece. Over the years, two things have changed. First, the speeds, quality and reliability of digital production have improved, making that technological dividing line far less important than it used to be. Second, we have an entirely new generation of creatives and marketers who have grown up in the age of the Internet, mobile marketing and social media for whom it’s less about how print is produced and more about where it fits as part of an increasingly complex media pie. This takes us back to Digital Printing Reports’ statement that the importance of digital printing has nothing to do with the technology, but rather its place in marketing. “Although that [importance] starts with technology,” the report clarifies, “the important thing is not digital printing technology www.graphicartsmag.com

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Xerox iGen4 220 perfecting press with roll feed

itself, but the way it can be combined with other technologies to create broader solutions that make a real difference in how you market your products, communicate with customers and present your brand.”

Xerox DocuColor iGen3

DOES THIS MEAN THAT TECHNOLOGY ISN’T IMPORTANT? Of course not. The key is to match the press and its technical specifications and cost structure to the type of applications you (or your client) intends to produce. Especially for those in the market to purchase a press, however, the explosion of options in the marketplace drives home just how diverse and specialized this technology has become. There are myriad machines in each production class, and the numbers keep growing with dry toner, liquid toner, magnetography, xerography, MICR, low- and high-volume inkjet, low-volume presses, high-volume presses, single-colour presses, 10-colour presses, presses with inline coating and hi-fi colour, sheetfed machines, webfed machines, high-volume dual-engine sheetfed competing in the webfed space.

WHAT DIVIDING LINES?

Not only are the options dizzying, but the advances in technology also make the dividing lines far less clear than they used to be. For example, the decision between sheetfed versus web used to center around volume, but in the midrange of the market, new dual-engine machines are blurring the line. For example, the Xerox’s iGen4 220 is rated for up to seven million impressions per month. That’s not so different from the webfed Xeikon 8000, which is rated for up to nine million impressions. In such cases, other factors completely unrelated to production speed, such as the frequency of stock changes, will play a deciding role.

LIKEWISE RESOLUTION

Today’s machines offer resolutions ranging from 300 dpi to 2400 dpi. Even inkjet has reached into the highresolution world with Fujifilm’s 1200-dpi Inkjet digital press. If you could gauge print quality by resolution alone, this would be great. But you can’t. Image quality can be affected by everything from the size, shape and consistency of the toner particles to the size and shape of the dots. For this reason, a 600-dpi press may not produce a less acceptable image quality than a 2400dpi press. At 600 dpi, for example, Océ’s multi-level, variable dot resolution produces halftones specified at 141 lpi, but that appear to be closer to 1200 dpi. FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

Because of these advances in technology, you can now find a press that can do pretty much anything. This is why it’s not the technology itself that is now important, but the applications. Print shops that have been the most successful with their digital press purchases started with their applications and customer needs, and then worked backwards. Even something like rated press speed can be application-dependent. Depending on your ink coverage, colour requirements, page size, substrate weight and other factors, rated press speed can vary dramatically from what’s on the spec sheet. A press that runs black-and-white and 4-colour at the same rated speed may work just fine for a shop serving the general commercial marketplace, but not one whose customer base has a high percentage of non-profits. For this shop, a press with greater productivity (and therefore cost efficiencies) with 1-, 2-or 3-colour may be a better choice, even if the rated speed for 4-colour is lower. Other hidden application-dependent specs include substrate weight and paper handling which, again, can be application-specific. Although there are exceptions, heavier stocks (as well as specialty stocks, like linens and synthetics), for example, will require most presses to run more slowly. Likewise paper handling. Many presses handle the paper on the inside of the press differently. This determines what stocks the press can run and what finishing can run inline with the press. Some presses can print lightweight paper like 40 gsm, for example, but will not connect with an inline stacker. If you need both (lightweight stock and inline connectivity) and purchase the press based on stock weights alone, you’ll be out of luck.

Fujifilm digital inkjet press

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Even more than offset technology, digital has become simply a means to an end. If you don’t have a solid understanding of your customer base and the applications you’ll be producing, the explosion of choices and the sophistication of “digital” production itself won’t do you any good. It’s like having a snow plow without snow tires or owning a Lamborghini in New York City. It looks great but, in terms of functionality, it could be all but useless.

TALKING TECHNOLOGY WITH MARKETERS

Not that technology is irrelevant. After all, it’s the technology that drives the marketing applications. That’s why, although most marketers are not looking for a technological discussion, Digital Printing Reports identifies six areas where digital press technology is relevant to the average marketer. The challenge is to frame — not the technology itself — but the marketing implications of this technology in a way that is recognizable as immediately relevant from the marketer’s perspective. In “Digital Printing: Transforming Marketing and Business Models,” the author calls out the following six characteristics and frames their marketing implications as follows: • Like colour copiers, the per-piece cost is constant, regardless of the length of the run. • Each page can vary 100 per cent in content. This means you can produce pieces unique to each recipient. • Digital presses are not limited to paper substrates only. Some of these machines are able to run film and foil, labels, magnetic substrates and even folding cartons. • Digital presses are not limited to short-run production. High-speed black-and-white laser printers and high-speed, 4-colour inkjet presses are capable of producing runs in the hundreds of thousands to the millions. Although inkjet used to be limited to 300 dpi, that is rapidly changing. Today, some machines reach 1200 dpi. • While most devices are CMYK, some presses

are capable of producing 5-, 6- and even 7-colour. Presses optimized for film and foil generally offer white. • Coating options are exploding. Coating on digital press output is becoming more common. A limited number of presses, such as the NexPress, HP presses, and Canon C1+, offer toner-based coating (primarily for cosmetics) as an ink station on the press. Others offer more traditional options for spot and flood coat both inline and offline.

Canon IPF5100 photographic printer

The focus is not on toner versus ink, dot patterns or gradients. It’s on how the basic characteristics of the press impact what the marketer can do. For printers used to listing speeds and resolutions, this is an entirely different way of framing their capabilities.

POSITIONING DIGITAL PRESS OUTPUT

As a printer, if you aren’t discussing technology, how do you sell digital printing to your clients? By talking about how the capabilities of digital output can change the way they think about marketing. For this reason, we can look at digital printing as a series of individual application categories, focusing on the benefits and positioning of each. Digital Printing Reports breaks down these categories as follows: • Short-run printing • Versioning • One-off, personalized follow-ups • Automated fulfillment • Personalized URLs • 1:1 print personalization • Transactional and transpromotional • Web-to-print • Publishing Even these categories are overly broad, but the author suggests that if digital printing is going to be sold, it needs to be presented — at minimum — from one of these perspectives, if not broken down more finely. Printers (or their marketing and sales teams) need to understand the internal dynamics of these application categories and how specific vertical market issues impact them. Have case studies for the client or prospect’s vertical market at the ready so they can envision how these marketing strategies would directly impact them.

Canon iP C1 Plus

HOW DO YOU MEASURE SUCCESS?

Yet another of the lessons learned from the digital printing marketplace is that attendant with these applications, however, is the need to guide marketers into evaluating the success of these campaigns differently from how they have in the past. For years, printers have been advised to do this by educating their clients about improvements in response rates from segmentwww.graphicartsmag.com

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MOVING BEYOND RESPONSE RATES

Because so many highly-successful programs have “low” response rates, it’s becoming clear that response rates alone are not sufficient for determining the success of these campaigns. Other measures, such as conversion rate, dollars per sale, ROI and LCV — even other factors affecting the bottom line, such as ability to speed turnaround on the payment of invoices — are more relevant.

Inca Onset

RESPONSE RATE ation, personalization and other digitally-driven marketing techniques. As these markets have matured, it is becoming clear that response rates aren’t enough. For example, when Friendly Honda, a New York car dealership, wanted to boost traffic for its annual spring sale weekend, it turned to personalized URLs. In addition to strategies designed to attract the general public, it used a personalized postcard and an offer to win a free iPod as an incentive for existing customers to take an online survey about their interest in purchasing a new or used car. Once logged in, the customers were asked a variety of questions about their preferences in cars, and the information was forwarded to the sales team for follow-up. Although the response rate may appear to be low (1.68 per cent visiting their personalized URLs and 1.12 per cent completing the online survey), the dealership sold 84 cars that weekend. Total unit sales were nearly double the previous sales records for the prior weekend — 40 more cars. Suddenly, that “low” response rate of 1.12 per cent looks pretty good! Likewise, a self-promotion campaign from Diji Integrated Press in Tampa, Florida, produced a 1:1 campaign that first surveyed prospects, then used the information gained from the surveys to help its salespeople craft a pitch that was extremely relevant and meaningful to them. Among top executives, the response rate to the initial campaign was “only” 1.49 per cent. But this was a 21 per cent lift over its direct marketing averages, and the conversion rate for the campaign was 73.9 per cent. The high conversion rates were attributed largely to the excellent information gathered from the surveys. The result? Low response rate, but fabulous ROI.

Response rate is an important first gauge of success since it reflects how favourably recipients view the initial marketing message by picking up the phone, redeeming a coupon or doing whatever else the marketer wants them to do. It is not an entirely sufficient measure, however, because not every lead will convert into a sale, but it is a good first leading indicator.

LIFT

Is a three per cent response rate a good thing or a bad thing? It depends on a lot of factors, including what the marketer was receiving before. If the marketer was previously getting a 1 per cent response rate, 3 per cent is a 200 per cent improvement. Especially for businesses selling high-value goods, this 200 per cent can be incredibly lucrative. You see this in a lot of case studies from banks, where response rates are typically very low. While 1:1 response rates may still be in the single digits, the long-term value of obtaining new customers means that this campaign was tremendously profitable.

COST PER LEAD

Marketers are used to thinking about print marketing in terms of cost per piece, but a more solid measure is cost per lead, or how much it costs to get each per-

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son to respond in some way. For example, if you print 100,000 mailers and get a one per cent response rate, at $0.36 per mailer, each lead costs you $36.00. If, on the other hand, you print Kodak NexPress S3000

10,000 1:1 (personalized) mailers and get a 12 per cent response rate, at $1.26 per mailer, each lead costs you $10.50. Thus, if you are measuring by cost per piece, 1:1 costs more. If, you are measuring by cost per lead, it costs one-third less. Thus, whether or not this campaign is more expensive depends entirely on which method of evaluation you use.

CONVERSION RATE

This is the percentage of people who not only respond to the campaign, but who follow through and convert to sales. You can have a 38 per cent response rate, but if only 6 per cent of those convert to sales, that’s only 2.3 per cent of your original list. If, on the other hand, you get a 12 per cent response rate but a 60 per cent conversion rate, that’s 7.2 per cent of your original list — nearly four times higher.

COST PER SALE

Not every lead converts to a sale, so if the relevance created by digital-printing-driven applications like 1:1 personalization creates better matches between recipients and the pitch, your conversion rate will often be higher. At a 30 per cent conversion, a 1 per cent

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a 1:1 campaign to average $140.00 or more. In sideby-side tests, this is born out repeatedly.

LIFETIME CUSTOMER VALUE

Marketers will often slice and dice databases by the value of the customer, or how much they contribute to the bottom line. This is a figure that can be calculated on a sale-by-sale basis, a monthly basis, a yearly basis or a lifetime basis. Loyal customers who purchase from a company over and over again have enormous lifetime value (LCV), so the loyalty of the customer gained through any marketing program plays heavily into the cost-benefit equation.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

Once you take into consideration all relevant costs and revenues, you can calculate the overall ROI. These numbers are more difficult to come by, since few marketers track their costs as well as they track response rates. When they do, however, the ROI for 1:1 printing is often found to be exponentially higher than the value from the lift in response rates alone. Why? When you take into consideration all of the other metrics — relevance increasing conversion rates, increasing sales per visit or purchase and lifetime customer value — even a small lift can translate into huge gains in ROI once everything is factored in. Other bottom line savings. Increased revenues aren’t the only way to calculate your boost to the bottom line. The ability to get people to respond more quickly to offers, the increased clarity of invoices that speeds payment or reduces calls to call centres and the ability to design documents more quickly using the online tools of web-to-print are all real savings to the bottom line that must be included in any ROI calculation.

DOESN’T MATTER UNLESS YOU SELL IT It’s a great irony that, in the printing world where technology has always been king, it’s not really about technology anymore. It has come so far as to make it almost a moot point. Technology is there regardless of what you are trying to do. Now, it’s a matter of matching the technology to the application. That starts with a detailed knowledge of the customer and the application. It’s a complete reversal of the way printers are used to doing things.

response rate for static direct mail might end up being 0.3 per cent. At a 50 per cent conversion, a 12 per cent response rate for 1:1 printing might become 6.5 per cent. When you take into account not just the inquiries but the percentage of respondents who actually convert to sales, the numbers (and the cost equation) can change yet again.

REVENUES PER SALE

Relevance plays a role here, as well. Better-matched products and services and more engaged respondents are more likely to generate higher revenues than traditional campaigns. If the average sale from a traditional campaign is $100.00, it would not be unusual for FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

BUT IT’S A NECESSITY

Print is no longer print. It’s simply a tool in a large and expanding marketing toolset. Unless printers understand and embrace all that this means, the technology will almost be a moot point. Heidi Tolliver-Nigro is an industry analyst specializing in digital and 1:1 printing. She is founder of Digital Printing Reports. heidi@digitalprintingreports.com.

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TECHNOLOGY

PETER DULIS

The magic behind inkjet printing In this first of a series of articles, we would like to look at the heart of all inkjet printers – the print head. With a better understanding of inkjet printers and how they work, you will be able to capitalize on this technology to propel your business to the next level in an ever-changing graphics world where inkjet is quickly becoming a predominate technology in many areas.

PRINT HEAD TECHNOLOGIES

So first and foremost, the “engine” of an inkjet printer, the print head, determines image quality and print speed of an inkjet printer. There are different types of print heads – thermal, piezoelectric and continuous inkjet. These, in turn, may use aqueous, UV, solvent, latex, solid, oil and eco-solvent inks, which in turn may use dye- or pigment-based colorants. An inkjet printer reproduces a digital image by firing variably-sized droplets of liquid or molten material (ink) onto a page. The history of inkjet printing dates back to the 19th century and the technology was first developed in the early 1950s. Starting in the late 1970s, inkjet printers that could reproduce digital images were developed, mainly by Canon, Epson and Hewlett-Packard. Inkjet printing technologies are used in a wide range of applications including home, office, industrial, three-dimensional, medical and for textile printing. There are three main technologies in use in today’s inkjet printers: thermal, piezoelectric and the continuous inkjet method. As we will see over the next few series of articles, certain print head technologies lend themselves better to different applications. One of the most dramatic developments over the last few years has been the increase in the number of nozzles per print head and how print heads are being combined to create wider arrays. It wasn’t long ago that the largest print heads were about 1-inch wide and contained 128 nozzles, but now Canon makes a high-density print head with a total of 15,360 nozzles. HP also has a new scalable printing technology (SPT) that combines five heads in a single 4.25-wide print head array with a total of 10,560 nozzles.

THERMAL PRINT HEADS

Most of the consumer inkjet printers (Canon, Lexmark and Hewlett-Packard) use print cartridges with a series of tiny electrically-heated chambers constructed by a photolithography process. To produce an image, the printer runs a pulse of current through the heating elements causing a steam explosion in the chamber to form a bubble, which propels a droplet of ink onto the paper (hence Canon’s trademark name of Bubblejet for its inkjet printers). The ink’s surface tension as well as the condensation and contraction of the vapour bubble, pulls a further charge of ink into the chamber through a narrow channel attached to an ink reservoir. The ink used is known as aqueous or water-based ink, usually consisting of pigment or dye ink droplets. The principle was discovered by Canon engineer Ichiro Endo in August 1977. FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

PIEZOELECTRIC PRINT HEADS Most commercial and industrial type of inkjet printers as well as some consumer printers (Epson) uses a piezo-electric material (piezo-ceramic) in an ink-filled chamber behind each nozzle instead of a heating element.

The word “piezo” is derived from the Greek “piezein,” meaning to squeeze or push. When a voltage is applied, the piezoelectric material changes shape or size, which generates a pressure pulse in the fluid forcing a droplet of ink from the nozzle. This is essentially the same mechanism as the thermal inkjet but generates the pressure pulse using a different physical principle. Piezoelectric print heads (also called piezo print heads) allow a wider variety of inks to be used because there is no heat involved in the jetting process, but the print heads are also more expensive. Piezo print head technology is often used on production lines to mark products – for instance the use-before date is often applied to products with this technique; in this application, the head is stationary and the product moves past.

CONTINUOUS INKJET

Continuous inkjet is one of the oldest inkjet technologies in use and is fairly mature. The idea was first patented in 1867, by Lord Kelvin, and the first commercial devices (medical strip chart recorders) were introduced in 1951 by Siemens. One of its advantages is the very high velocity at which the ink droplets are fired, and this allows for a relatively long distance between print head and substrate. A piezoelectric crystal creates an acoustic wave as it vibrates within the gunbody and that, in turn, causes the stream of liquid to break into droplets at regular intervals – 64,000 to 165,000 drops per second may be achieved. Another advantage of this continuous inkjet technology is that the nozzles don’t clog as easily because the inkjets are always firing, which allows volatile solvents such as ketones and alcohols to be used, giving the ink the ability to “bite” into the substrate and dry quickly. Therefore, continuous inkjet printing is ideal for marking and coding packages. Peter Dulis Wide Format Printing Specialist Canon Canada pdulis@rogers.com

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Heidelberg plays a major role in helping its eastern region clients retool for the future While most printers across Canada are looking to reduce costs, cut staff or even restructure this year to survive, Québec printers have been quietly and successfully installing new Heidelberg equipment and retooling their shops to be better prepared for the challenges of 2010. What is even more amazing is that these companies are medium to large, family-owned commercial businesses – not the large corporations usually associated with this region. This is extremely encouraging news and reinforces the traditional argument that, with the right business models and equipment, success can be achieved even during the most difficult economic times. Here is a report on four such forward-thinking companies.

JB Deschamps: There is a “lion” in the city! The name JB Deschamps has been synonymous with “Family Printing Businesses” in the province of Québec since 1926. Today, its distinctive lion’s head logo signifies one of the larger players in the province when it comes to printing services. The company is owned and managed by three brothers. It began as a security printer and stayed that way for 40 years, printing monetary notes for industrialized nations around the world. Since then, it has branched into commercial printing by acquiring sound businesses and employing top quality staff. Today, security printing still accounts for about 20% of its business, with its fully secured Québec City plant handling most of this work. Commercial work has grown to an astounding 80% of the business, which is printed and finished in both Québec City and Montreal. The company employs over 200 people and boasts annual sales over $25 million.

Its latest major investment was a re-tooling of the Montreal plant. A Polar 115 Cutting System, Heidelberg Stahlfolder TH-82 High-Speed Folder and a Speedmaster CD 102 5+L were just recently installed. This has added automation and much greater integration capabilities to an already efficient and successful operation. Company President, Jean Deschamps, felt that the advanced technology of the Speedmaster CD 102 with WallScreen, Intellistart Operation and other integrated components was much more efficient than a machine that was only a few years older. “When we saw the new CD 102, there was no question that make-readies and turnaround times would be greatly improved,” he said. But why didn’t the company consider the Speedmaster XL 105 press series? “Convenience of format,” insisted Deschamps. “I have five other Speedmaster presses between Montreal and Québec City so I can move from press to press and plant to plant when needed.” The press is equipped with Prinect Pressroom Manager, a software solution that provides all job data to the press while allowing the transmission of real-time actual costing and other press-relevant information back to prepress for archiving. One important feature, Prinect Image Control, is a Spectrophotometric device that can measure and control up to four printing presses in one shop. This takes colour management to an entirely new level while ensuring the overall quality of the entire printing operation. The brothers also mentioned that the Heidelberg Service team in the Eastern region made staying with Heidelberg as a vendor an easy decision. When you have all that equipment in two locations, local service is critical, they felt. Even though some of the modern equipment can be accessed remotely, most of it can’t. “We need people to support us,” they added. With all this Heidelberg technology, the JB Deschamps lion’s head is still “prowling” the province, offering its customers a consistently high level of service and satisfaction. Let’s just say that they always leave a great impression – in more ways than one!

Christian Deschamps, vice-president administration; Jean Deschamps, president; Francis Deschamps, vice-president purchasing and R&D of JB Deschamps, stand in front of their Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102-5+L with WallScreen, Intellistart Operation and Prinect Image Control FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

Imprimerie L’Empreinte: Staying a step ahead with Saphira consumables L’Empreinte started as a small commercial business in 1986 with a GTO single-colour press. Over the www.graphicartsmag.com

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other colours – which is more environmentally beneficial. And the environment is important to L’Empreinte, recent winner of the “Québec Imprimerie” Award for Environmental Achievement. Saphira Consumable Products played a major role in this award. For example, the ink used on many jobs is “Saphira Bio” – one of very few inks on the market today with the “EcoLogo” for low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) content. “This is our lab,” say the professionals at L’Empreinte. “Here we can create solutions for our customers instantly. It keeps us a step ahead of our competition.” Sébastien Chartrand, production manager, and Luc Janson, VP of marketing at L’Empreinte, stand in their new Heidelberg In-house Ink Lab featuring Saphira Inks and other Saphira consumable products.

years, it has enjoyed steady growth in sales and today is a powerful, respected commercial printer with 115 employees. Its print department has also grown at a steady pace and now consists of two Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 presses, both with high-end coating capabilities. Add a Speedmaster SM 52 and a highly-developed digital division to the mix, complete prepress and finishing departments, and you have a modern, efficient, fullservice operation. Located in the heart of Montreal, L’Empreinte has the reputation of a high-end printer offering special services to its customers. In fact, customers are very involved in the work that’s done. Company CSR’s are often dedicated to one account! The company prides itself on staying ahead by installing innovative products before its competition. For example, it began using CTP as early as 1998, offering this improved technology and resulting benefits to its clients.

Groupe Litho: “We are looked at as leaders in the market now.” Founded in 1994 and now employing 32 people, Groupe Litho predicts a phenomenal 15% growth in sales this year. This success is not surprising when you consider that, from day one, they have indeed thought “outside the box.” Example: their recent decision to purchase and install a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 8P+L. Not only are they now one of the very few printers in Montreal to own a long perfector, they are definitely the only printer with a “mid-size” long perfector. This 23 5/8” x 29 1/4” press not only perfects at 15,000 impressions per hour, but also features Heidelberg’s latest make-ready tool “Prinect Inpress Control,” which is capable of measuring ink and register inline without stopping the press. Makeready times are cut by 50%, even though both sides are printed. During production, Inpress Control continues to measure colour, guaranteeing the highest print quality

It was for this reason that L’Empreinte decided to install an in-house Ink Mixing Facility supplied by Heidelberg that featured the Heidelberg Saphira product line of inks and coatings. But how would an in-house mixing lab specifically benefit this company? “For our customers, we problem-solve much quicker. We do many press approvals in our day-to-day operation,” said Luc Janson, V.P. of Sales and Marketing. “To be able to re-mix an ink and get a colour for the customer that’s just right, makes them very happy. We know they will return with this kind of service.” Having an in-house ink facility has other advantages too, such as saving both time and money. There is a Heidelberg Ink Specialist on-site, always ready to react quickly to any customer concern. Solutions for special applications are quicker to come by, the right amount of PMS ink can be supplied for a job reducing waste, and leftover ink can be re-mixed to

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Michel St-Onge, president, and Claude Surprenant, vice-president, Imprimerie Groupe Litho Inc., with their Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 75 8P+L with Prinect Image Control and Prinect Press Centre

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throughout the entire print run, without operator intervention. This takes efficiency to an entire new level. But why choose this specific configuration? “We are in the mid-size market and we feel comfortable there. However, we wanted to expand our capabilities and flexibilities in this market, but didn’t want to fight with the 40-inch guys,” said President Michel St-Onge. “The perfecting press has many advantages. Our customers can come in for a press approval and ok both sides of the sheet at the same time, and they know that the colour and consistency is ensured because the job is printed with the same characteristics inline. The customers also see their jobs digitally displayed on our press by looking at the WallScreen on the press console. They see how integrated we now are.”

“When we looked at the flexibility of the CD 102, the automation of the make-ready and the presetting capabilities of the press, it was clear that this press was best in class. It is performing the work of our two older presses and our operators are much happier.”

Indeed, efficiency is the key at Groupe Litho. The press is supported by a recently upgraded prepress workflow, including a Suprasetter A75 with automatic plate loading. One prepress person now performs tasks that previously required three people. All prepress information can be sent to the Prinect PressCenter, a fully integrated workflow that sends job information to the press for printing. The same two operators (that ran the straight printing press) now produce twice as much printed work! The combination of perfecting and Prinect Inpress Control also helped Groupe Litho win an environ-

mental award for “Emphasis on Paper Savings.” Because the press is not starting and stopping during the make-ready and both sides of the sheet are prepared at the same time, less waste occurs. This press was a big step for Groupe Litho and it is definitely paying off. “Customers see Groupe Litho in a different light compared to the past. We are looked at as leaders in the market now. And customers know that Groupe Litho will deliver premium products promptly!”

Imprimerie HLN chooses Speedmaster CD 102 for the future A family-run business founded in 1977 by Richard Côté, and today employing 25 people, the shop boasts a very relaxing atmosphere – not unlike the laid-back environment of surrounding Sherbrooke, Québec. And though HLN is a rare sight in today’s hectic print shop world, don’t think for a minute that it isn’t progressive. When they went shopping for a new press, they looked at “all the vendors” before deciding that a Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 5+L was the press to take them forward into 2010 and beyond. Why? “We’re a typical commercial printer. Run lengths average 5,000. We can be running lightweight book stock one minute and packaging board the next,” said Robert Côté, Plant Manager and older son. “When we looked at the flexibility of the CD 102, the automation of the make-ready and the presetting capabilities of the press, it was clear that this press was best in class. It is performing the work of our two older presses and our operators are much happier.” Head press operator and younger son Francis Côté also cited numerous advantages using the machine. “This press is solid. It runs fast. The AxisControl Measuring System also helps me achieve colour quickly without wasting many sheets. My makeready times are cut more than 50%.” Also a first at HLN is the Anilox Chamber Coating System supported by an extended delivery for fast drying. The operators were brought up-to-date regarding the principals of coating thanks to the state-of-the-art automated coating features on the press. For example, pressure from roller to blanket and from blanket to sheet can be set remotely from the Prinect Press Center, thus removing any guesswork. Automatic pile temperature and moist air extraction systems that are critical to coating gloss and drying are made much easier! The coating system has also brought increased business to HLN.

Francis Côté, chief press operator, and brother Robert Côté, plant manager for Imprimerie HLN Lithographers, stand in front of their new Speedmaster CD 102 5+L with Extended Delivery, Wallscreen, Axis Control and Intellistart operating system. FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

Bottom line: HLN is a perfect example of when skilled craftspeople roll up their sleeves, work hard, have good family values, and choose the right equipment, they can succeed in the challenging, competitive and fast-paced world of Canadian printing. www.graphicartsmag.com

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TECHNOLOGY

ANDREA MAHONEY

Acrobat text tricks The most common and annoying problem to deal with in a PDF workflow is adding new text to a PDF. Whether there are pages that need to be numbered or slug information that needs to be added for proofing or printing, something that should be so simple can be complicated within a PDF. The same is true when trying to automate the simple addition of text to PDF files; Javascript allows only certain commands to be automated within Acrobat and is subject to the same errors encountered when adding text manually. The Touch Up Text tool allows you to add text to existing text boxes; however, the system font encoding error message can change all the text in the text box â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not to mention cause the problem with a font that is now not embedded. The tool can work properly when custom font sets are loaded but when a system font like Arial, Helvetica or Times is used, the system font encoding error will often be encountered. For slug information to appear on each page, a watermark can be added. This is static and the Javascript command AddWatermarkFromText can be used to apply the text to the pages you want. You cannot add page numbers using this command. A new watermark must be created for each different item, and it is best to optimize the file between watermarks if you want different data on different pages. Acrobat does have a page numbering function, but there is no Javascript command to perform the same task. Both the watermark and page numbering allow you to use fonts that are already embedded in the PDF so you do not run into problems with font encoding or embedding. The page numbering function, also called the Header or Footer menu, allows you to place your page numbers and slugs left, center or right aligned within a specific distance from the trim. Like the Watermark tool, you can choose even or odd pages to apply to a specific range.

One thing that can be used to add text to a new text box in a PDF and can be automated using Javascript is the Form Field tool. Creating a form field to act as a page number and slug on right and left pages can be achieved with a simple Javascript. FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

One thing that can be used to add text to a new text box in a PDF and can be automated using Javascript is the form field tool. Creating a form field to act as a page number and slug on right and left pages can be achieved with a simple Javascript. By selecting the default font, the font can change when opened on any computer and does not need to be embedded. Imposition 32

programs, batch optimize or third-party optimizer programs will all flatten the form field. Or you can choose to ignore the form field (if you were only using it for soft or hard copy proofing). With the form field tool in Acrobat, you can add text anywhere on your PDF pages without disrupting other text on the page or worrying about font embedding. When the default font used in the form field is flattened, it uses the default font that is embedded in the PDF. In Javascript, using the addfield method, you can define the size of the box for text, the actual text, the text size, rotation, colour and fill colour of the box (white and transparent are options).

A Javascript can be created to add page numbers and slugs to right and left pages based on the number of pages in the document. By placing this script in an Acrobat Configurator in FullSWITCH, you can create hot folders to add page numbers and slugs to any PDF. You can specify whether the text appears at the edge of the bleed of each page and make the text box knock out a 1/16â&#x20AC;? of the image in the bleed to accommodate the slug and page number. Finding the best way to automate a task will often involve manual trial and error with different tools in Acrobat. Not all tools in Acrobat are available as commands in Javascript, however it is Acrobat that we want to automate more and more. The FullSWITCH Acrobat Configurator makes it easy to plug in a Javascript and have Acrobat run the script when a PDF file has entered the hot folder. FullSWITCH takes care of saving the file and sending it on to the next task so you are just working on scripting the simple tasks you want to perform. Andrea Mahoney designs and installs automated workflows for all types of printing professionals. Tribay, a workflow automation company, offers the tools, training and setup for successful automated workflows. Visit www.tribay.ca and/or email Andrea at andrea@tribay.ca.

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TECHNOLOGY

TIM MITRA

Graphic Arts’ IT Guy Ever since I upgraded to Snow Leopard, I have been unable to print Adobe PDFs. I print the file, but I cannot find the PDF when it is done. Apple’s latest operating system, Mac OS X 10.6 aka Snow Leopard, is an upgrade for Intel-based Macintosh computers that uses 64-bit processing, which allows for faster and wider data processing. As a result, the computing experience is much faster and seemingly gives new life to all compatible Mac desktops and laptop computers. While the upgrade has negatively affected some printing services, the refinements in Snow Leopard make it a welcome improvement. In the case of Adobe’s virtual printers, Adobe PDF 9.0 et al, the method used to print a PDF contravenes Apple’s security protocols. In the past, when you chose to print a PDF from a program, you were actually printing a PostScript file using the LaserWriter print spooler, which was then silently passed to Adobe’s

Snow

Leopard Adobe PDF issue

Distiller application. Distiller would actually convert the PostScript into a PDF and save the file to the location you specified. That is a simplified explanation, and there are more applications under the hood involved. Apple’s CUPS or common Unix printing system handles most printing tasks and there is some issues with the permissions set by software manufacturers that is prohibiting successful printing. You may see a notice in a print spooler that warns that you need to contact the manufacturer for an update. The method to print a PDF yourself involves a few simple steps. You can print your file to PostScript, which will result in saving a file ending with “.ps”. Next, open Adobe Distiller and drag and drop the PostScript file onto the main window. Distiller will convert the PostScript file to a PDF and save it in the same folder as the PostScript file. In most cases, you would choose “Standard” but if you want a PDF ready for press, you can choose “High Quality Print” or “PDF-X1a” – check with the printer’s account manager. If you want to send the PDF by email, choose “Smallest File Size” to create a compressed version. FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

The Acrobat Team has added an Apple Automator workflow to print PDFs. From the Print dialog, you can choose “Save as Adobe PDF” from the PDF menu. If you’re printing with the regular Mac OS X Print pane: 1. Choose Print from the File Menu. 2. This will open Mac OS X print dialog. 3. Choose the “PDF” button and select “Save as Adobe PDF.” 4. Click Print. 5. In a few seconds, Automator will open and prompt you to choose what type of PDF. 6. Choose Standard (see above). 7. On the next window, you will be asked where to save the PDF. 8. Automator will create the PDF.

How does it work when you want to acquire a domain name that is parked by someone else? I was looking into registering a domain, but it looks like it’s just kind of sitting there… Registering a domain name is similar to getting a deed, or more accurately, a lease to some actual real estate. You determine a name for your domain and contact a registrar to pay for the rights to that domain name. The domain is yours to use for as many years as you pay for it. While you hold the rights to a domain you have the exclusive use of it. A domain is meant to be a group of computers and/or services owned by a single organization. A domain can be as small as a single computer or server that hosts a website, an email server and/or an FTP site. Often, a domain is named for the company that owns it, such as apple.com, sun.com or microsoft.com, but often the most successful domains are named for the service or information they provide. Unfortunately, nearly every combination of English words have already been registered and parked. The owners may be speculating that someone would be willing to pay more privately for the domain and the squatter would profit from the sale. Parked pages also can be set up to advertise other services and the squatter could enjoy recurring revenues from the ads. If you really want a particular domain name, you may have to pay extra to get it. Timothy Mitra IT specialist (IT Guy) Do you have a question you would like answered by the IT Guy? tim@it-guy.com 416.278.8609

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autolaminator

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* 35

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KRISTEN READ

Featured markets Your monthly buyer’s guide to the latest print industry products This month: CTP and MIS systems CTP SYSTEMS

Customers’ thoughts: Randy Milligan of Maracle Press

For many companies, buying Computer-to-Plate equipment is a big investment. There are a lot of vendors out there that make a lot of devices. How do you know which one is right for you? We’ve looked at five different vendors and did the work for you. We asked what was the most popular CTP device sold at Heidelberg, Fujifilm, Presstek, Agfa and Xanté and found out all the details. We even talked to the customers that use the device who gave us the inside scoop. Find out what we discovered below:

Heidelberg Suprasetter 105 Overview:

The Suprasetter 105 is designed for a range of print shops from the smallest to the largest. Its biggest benefits are reliability, automation and ease of use. Heidelberg’s machine can accept plates from other vendors. In terms of eco-friendliness, it is a compact machine that doesn’t use a lot of power.

The details: Dimensions (H x W x D): 60.47” x 84.65” x 58.82” Minimum Plate Size: 14.6” x 12.7” Maximum Plate Size: 36.6”x 14.9” Resolution: 2400 or 2540 dpi Customers’ thoughts: Jerry Sheer of Harbour Printing “I bought this machine over other vendors because of its reliability and reputation. The advantages we’ve seen are speed, price, and the fact that it’s a workhorse. It gets the job done with not much down time. It’s not missing any of the bells and whistles, and it’s a good-looking machine. Sometimes it can give you warnings when you don’t need them, but overall we are quite pleased.”

Fujifilm Javelin 8000-Series Overview:

The Javelin 8000 is an OEM device that Fujifilm has branded from Screen USA. It is best for small-mid sized companies. Fujifilm services and installs this device and is known for its customer support system. This is a chemistryfree machine that can also accept plates from other vendors.

The details:

Presstek Vector SL52 Overview:

The Presstek Vector CTP is a good quality machine with a very small footprint and is meant for small format printers. It is very easy to operate and is a chemistry-free device. It has good dot quality, but is only meant to run with Presstek’s Freedom Pro plates.

The details: Dimensions (H x W x D): 52” x 29” x 58” Minimum Plate Size: 14.4” x 11.0” Maximum Plate Size: 19.9” x 20.6” Resolution: 2400 dpi Customers’ thoughts: Dan Kearney of Mansfield Rodney “Our fleet includes four offset presses, one of which is a 5-colour press. Overall, we liked the Presstek Vector CTP system best. It seemed to be a perfect fit for us, from its chemistry-free operation to its compact footprint and high quality. It also supports all of our presses. We get more work done with the same employee base.”

Agfa :Avalon N8-Series Overview:

The Agfa :Avalon is a reliable CTP device that can suit a range of shops from small to large commercial and packaging printers. It is very advanced in terms of ecofriendliness, as it is chemistry-free, produces little waste and consumes low amounts of energy. It is meant to be scalable and to grow as the company grows.

The details:

Dimensions (H x W x D): 51 x 96.1 x 51.3 Minimum Plate Size: 12.0” x 14.6” Maximum Plate Size: 45.6” x 37.0” Resolution: 2400, 2540 or 4538 dpi FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

“I bought the Fujifilm machine because of the company’s track record, history and service contract. It has given us real-time plating, and we can get our press running in half an hour. There is a lot of value added in this machine; we can run a higher line screen and run it faster. We’re happy with it. The machine is bullet-proof and Fujifilm’s service is leading-edge.”

Dimensions (H x W x D): 51.3” x 96.1” x 51.0” Minimum Plate Size: 17.8” x 14.6” Maximum Plate Size: 45.6 x 37.0” Resolution: 2400 dpi 36

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JVA PRE/ PRESS /POST

www.tribay.ca (416)729-9687 sales@tribay.ca Spend less time receiving & sorting files Automate manipulation of PDF files Unleash the Power of Creative Suites

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“YOUR MAILING EXPERTS”

Providing full mailing services for Canada, U.S.A. and International destinations. We provide polybagging, inkjetting, labeling, laser printing, full lettershop, folding, clip sealing and specialized hand fulfillment. Our Staff is customer focused and professional. Serving the industry for over 40 years. We operate from a 25,000 square foot modern facility and we are here to help you. 817 Brock Road, Unit 1, Pickering, ON L1W 3L9 Tel: 905-420-1099 • Fax (905) 420-9878 Contact Stuart Sullivan for further information or your no obligation quote

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Customers’ thoughts: Charles Pais of Accent Impressions “Overall we are happy with the Agfa device. We have found that it is environmentally friendly and cleaner since it is chemistry-free. We have saved money as well because of this, and because the plates themselves aren’t very expensive. The speed of the :Avalon is another reason why we bought it.”

Xanté PlateMaker 5

“I’m able to take in jobs that I used to turn away. The quality of screens, halftones and the registration is excellent. Set-up time is greatly reduced and the plates have little stretch. I have recommended the machine to many others. So, yes, I am very pleased with the all around quality and service.”

TIP:

Overview: Xanté’s CTP system has a very small footprint, making it ideal for small- to mid-sized shops. The CTP uses Xanté’s Myriad 2 conventional polyester plates, and doesn’t use chemical processing. The company says that most print shops see an ROI in less than a year.

The details: Dimensions (H x W x D): 16.2” x 22.8” x 23.7” Minimum Plate Size: 10.0” x 15.0” Maximum Plate Size: 13.4” x 25” Resolution: 1200 or 2400 dpi

TOP QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE PURCHASING:

How comprehensive is the training they offer? Will they support us if we need help?

How dedicated is the vendor to the industry? Make sure they’re going to be around a while.

How much money will this actually save us? Run a cost/benefit analysis.

What is the real month-to-month cost of the system? Are we going to be locked into many contracts and commitments?

How well will it integrate into the rest of our workflow?

steps, and the system is flexible to adapt to different businesses.

Specific advantages: This system is beneficial because it eliminates touchpoints in the workflow process. It keeps information consistent and current. The same basic system is implemented from company to company, but each are configured uniquely to benefit each business. Customers’ thoughts: Damian McDonald of Ampersand Printing “The Hiflex JDF data slips right through to our new Mitsubishi press, allowing our operators to achieve amazing make-ready times. We have been able to accomplish times as low as six minutes under the right conditions. This level of automation is extremely important in an environment where press operators are pushed to output large amounts of printed material in a small amount of time.”

Bard Business Solutions Graphics Manager Overview:

Bard’s Graphics Manager is made for small to mid-sized commercial and trade printers. While it doesn’t utilize JDF integration, it is designed to be compatible cross-platform and is very customizable. It offers speed, accuracy and quick setup of quotes and dockets. The company does on-site training and also has an online training database.

Specific advantages: This system becomes a central-point for communication. It allows for timelier estimates and invoices, and dockets can be opened quicker. Cost tracking is easy, and customers say it offers as much as the bigger solutions for a lower cost. Customers’ thoughts: Dan Thompson of DT Print Solutions “As a growing digital shop with pressures on pricing and processing more dockets through; without the Bard system I don’t know if we would have been able to manage the information that we now stick handle as we push more through our shop. We’ve been able to customize portions of the system to both our customers’ and our own specific needs. This is the only solution that fits this market niche. The only thing I would change is to make the interface more visually appealing.” FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

EFI Pace

Overview: EFI’s Pace is a browser-based MIS system. It is designed for small to medium commercial printers, but can also be used in larger shops like multi-web and publishing or even smaller digital shops. It is fully web-based and runs off one server. It is customizable, flexible and has an open-source architecture. It uses JDF wherever possible to integrate into the workflow.

Specific advantages: You can get more work done with less people using EFI’s system. It also allows remote access because of its browser-based format, meaning its nearly impossible to crash the system. Customers’ thoughts: John Rawlins of Itek Graphics “Pace runs the show at our company, we would probably be lost without it. Once you get it all set up, the system ties your whole workflow together. We’ve been with Pace a long time. Over the years, the things I saw that I would have wanted to change, EFI changed. EFI is very responsive to input from its users.”

TIP:

You must have a clear vision and plan within your company to successfully implement an MIS system. A lot of people hate change, but it will transform your thinking and the way you do business. There has to be commitment from the very top levels of the company because this is a long-term investment and an ongoing process. An MIS system can stay with a company for decades so make sure that everyone in the company believes in it and is onboard.

Kristen Read kread@graphicartsmag.com

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CANADIAN PRINTING RESOURCES

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NORM BEANGE

Laser cutting applications When used appropriately, laser cutting can be successfully combined with many other finishing processes with spectacular results – although conventional die cutting is still typically the most cost effective way to go.

HOW THE PROCESS WORKS

In the simplest terms, laser cutters use a focused beam of light to scan art onto, or completely through, material. No physical cutting tools make contact with the stock. Therefore, the level of detail possible in a laser-cut design is primarily limited by the durability required of the finished piece. Designs are created by moving the target sheet under a stationary beam, moving a beam over a stationary target sheet or by a hybrid system using a combination of both actions.

Archival and 100 per cent cotton papers are typically without any discolouration and remain that way for years. Discolouration is also affected by the thickness of the stock. A thick stock exhibits the effect more than a thin one because more material has been vapourized. Getting the stock test cut is the best way to avoid quality surprises later on. This should ordinarily be a free service and encouraged by laser cutters as a part of every job where an unfamiliar stock is being used. Also, laser cutters will be able to recommend stocks with which they have had good results in the past.

THE FUTURE OF LASER CUTTING

Laser cutting, as a graphic arts medium, is still relatively in its infancy. Though it has been used successfully by most greeting card companies for over 20 years, it is just now beginning to find much wider use in other markets, such as party accessories, stationery products, insert ads and direct mailings. It is no longer a high-priced novelty medium reserved for limited quantities and high-end applications. Within the last couple of years, one of the most rapidly growing uses of laser cutting has been in packaging. The unique qualities of laser cut surfaces add elegance to food and cosmetic packaging that would be difficult to achieve in any other way. Cut openings can have a delicate visual quality and offer a subtle peek at the product or allow customers to sample scented products. The tactile quality of cut papers also creates an additional level of interest. In the highly competitive field of packaging, laser cutting has given manufacturers new tools with which to differentiate their products. Increased demand, lower equipment costs and higher volume capabilities suggest there are lasers in the future for many finishing shops.

PAPER CHOICE

Choosing a paper stock for a laser cut project is extremely important as most stocks are produced for qualities other than laser compatibility. Most are formulated for an ability to be embossed, die-cut or scored cleanly in addition to handling the specific requirements of whatever printing will be used. Because of the nature of a laser cut, there can be some discolouration immediately adjacent to the beam’s path on the target side of the sheet. This effect can be worked around the printing of a neutral colour on the target side, designing the piece so the target side is not seen, or using the discolouration as a part of the design, such as an “antique” look to a lace pattern. However, the best solution to this potential issue is choosing a stock that cuts cleanly in the early design stages. Discolouration is most often found on stocks having a relatively high percentage of recycled material, perhaps more than 40 per cent. This discolouration can become progressively more noticeable with time. FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

Norm Beange Specialties Graphic Finishers Ltd. info@specialtiesgraphics.com

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MYRNA PENNY

Revolutionizing printing The Digital Imaging Association’s Annual General Meeting and Christmas Lunch featured keynote speaker Ray Schiavone, president and CEO of Quark. Two decades ago, Quark helped spark the first revolution in publishing by developing software that moved publishing from proprietary typesetting systems to the desktop computer. QuarkXPress changed the way people published around the world. Today, the inherent nature of publishing has evolved — new pressures brought on by the Internet, handheld devices and other ways of delivering information present challenges to traditional publishing approaches. While most companies have computerized the production of high-quality designs, they have not yet automated their publishing processes. Organizations of all types have a stronger need than ever to control costs, while simultaneously improving their information quality, enhancing their ability to meet changing requirements and creating new revenue streams presented by new communication channels.

What Quark’s been up to Quark’s first step in its strategic plan was to observe publications and the Mike Millard, president, DIA; with Quark’s Ray Schiavone, state of print in general. What Quark president and CEO, and Jim Haggarty, CIO. found was the confirmation of what we have all seen; a decline in commercial printing. The overall conclusion was that Quark needed to fundamentally look at its business and identify how the company could use the knowledge it already had to create new channels for content. The good news, says Schiavone, is that printing won’t die; it will morph. As an organization, Quark sees the need for itself and for the industry to evolve with it. There are opportunities to expand. Specifically focusing on what audience would consume print, Quark has developed key offerings that address the trending toward personalized content and mass customization. Schiavone says, “There are tons of markets that we have not tapped.” And Quark is poised to do just that with two robust offerings.

Quark Dynamic Publishing Solution Quark’s Dynamic Publishing Solution promises to be enterprise – class software that will maintain creative design integrity, automate the publishing process and enable output across multi-channels. Quark views this as an opportunity to take customers where they are going, not where they have been. And the company intends to do this with software that creates new revenue streams for itself and its customers. In March 2008, Quark launched its Dynamic Publishing Solution to facilitate the automation. Quark views this as the next revolution for print. At the core is the offering of FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

a software solution to take costs out and to automate workflow across multi-channels.

Quark Promote With the November 2009 launch of Quark Promote, Quark extended its experience in design and publishing software to help owners and employees of small and mid-sized businesses promote their products and services easily, professionally and affordably. Quark Promote is a new web-to-print service for small businesses. Using Quark Promote, says Schiavone, anyone can create business cards, postcards, flyers and other professionally-designed marketing materials in a few easy steps. While it may sound like Quark is going into the printing business in competition with the printers it has historically sold software to, the reality is that the company has partnered with some of the biggest printing franchises and welcomes any neighbourhood printer that meets the quality guidelines. Online orders will be downloaded to a local print provider as a Quark file format that facilitates seamless production. Printers will be able to capitalize in the advantage of Quark’s historic file preparation expertise as well as the team of graphic designers and software developers who have facilitated this unique online application. Quark will be expanding the service into Canada this year and look forward to partnering with local entrepreneurs. The company’s objective with this software development is to partner with bricks-and-mortar printers to deliver strong and ongoing revenue streams. VistaPrint, says Schiavone, has just scratched the surface with its business model. There is every opportunity to expand the pie.

Partnerships This time, Quark is not going it alone. In addition to partnering with service providers, the company has teamed up with some of the biggest players in enterprise technology solutions. In April 2009, Quark announced a partnership with IBM to bring XML and DITA to the masses. In July, the company partnered with EMC to integrate Quark XML Author with EMC Documentum. And in October, Quark joined Microsoft to demonstrate an integrated solution for multimedia journalism and multi-channel publishing. Quark is committed to the marketplace. The company is growing in tough times, just as Apple has done. “We need to come up with our iPhone and iPod,” says Schiavone. Become a member of the Digital Imaging Association today. The privilege of membership enables companies to send as many employees as they deem appropriate to each informational session at no additional charge above the low cost of membership. Contact Marg Macleod, Association Manager 416-696-0151 or marg@digitalimagingassoc.ca. As a member of the DIA, you’re not just a name on a list. You become part of a network of professionals dedicated to the strength and future of the industry. www.graphicartsmag.com

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INC.

WHEN YOU NEED IT FAST

4611 Burgoyne St., Mississauga, ON L4W 1G3

Folding Set up charge 8.5 x 11 - 14 fold ( letter / half ) 8.5 x 11 - 14 fold ( 2up ) 11 x 17 fold ( letter / half ) 11 x 17 (2up)

$15.00 $6.00 / M $5.00 per M / side $6.00 / M $5.00 / M

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$20.00 $10.00 / M $10.00 / M

Cutting

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$15.00

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$10.00

$25.00 / M

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$0.30

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MY CUSTOMER ASKED ME

NATALIA GILEWICZ

My customer asked me “Can I make money from social networks?” As an industry, print is beginning to understand the importance of social networks. Many companies are starting to dabble in the area, trying to understand how they can fit it into their business. Personally, I have been involved in this space for some time, choosing to complete my Masters of Management Science on the topic. The reason I became interested in social networks is the same reason that many are still skeptical about them; I wanted to identify their use and, more importantly, their value.

What is a social network and how did this all start? Social networks are a place for people to connect and display those connections – Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are examples. I have yet to come in contact with a person who doesn’t know at least one of those three sites. But why is it that it’s suddenly not enough to have your friends in a black book? Why is this a public experience? Conceptually, there is one way to understand how this happened. First, there is the bandwagon effect. If you have joined a network recently, you will have noticed that all it takes is one click for the network to send a message to your entire email contact list to be invited to join your network. This had a big impact on me joining these sites. From a network design perspective, it’s really brilliant. I was getting several messages per day telling me that my friends wanted me to join the network. My friends, of course, weren’t sending the message themselves every day, but it felt personal enough that I felt compelled to join. Then the minute I joined, all of my contacts were emailed, and then theirs and then theirs — and there we have exponential growth.

FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

How do these social networks keep getting bigger? The second the bandwagon starts rolling, we get network externalities, which means that as the number of people who join these networks increases so does their value. It’s likely that the more of your friends you can find online, the better the experience is for you. This is in part why displaying the network to everyone on the site is so important. It allows users to identify friends of friends to grow their network. If everyone’s network were hidden (which is increasingly the case on sites like Facebook), growing your network would be difficult. The network externalities and the exponential growth lead to statistics like Facebook being the second most visited site on the Internet, just after Google (alexa.com).

But what is the value?

There are many ways in which you can conceptualize the value of social networking sites. In order to do this, you have to examine them from a particular perspective. I will explore them from two perspectives: the individual and the company. There are some commonalities between the two. First, the value for both companies and individuals is embedded in the connection. Second, the value is some sort of capital. Let us explore the individual perspective to begin with. The value of social networking (interestingly both on and offline) for the individual can be seen as social capital. There are three primary forms of capital: economic (money), human (employees and their skills) and social capital (resources from relationships). In the late 90s, there was a lot of concern for social capital decreasing in North America as articulated by Robert Putnam in his book, Bowling Alone. We were spending less time connecting with one another. Now, whether having online friends is actually connecting is another topic in and of itself.

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Generally, we can build up an online network, then call upon to “withdraw” resources. For example, in a professional network like LinkedIn, you can find new business opportunities; on Facebook, you can ask your friends which company catered their wedding and get feedback quite quickly. Interestingly, the most valuable type of social capital is what is called bridging social capital existing between weakly tied individuals. Knowing friends of friends expands your pool of experience since it is likely that you and your friends and family have similar experiences. So to tie it up in a bow, individuals can use social networks to harvest their contacts for personal opportunities. Let us now understand the value from a company perspective. First, I would argue that both perspectives should be important to today’s business owners and managers. Often, individuals use their network for company good. For example, you can post a question you may have about a product your company is buying — let’s say a photocopier — and you will get responses from trusted contacts that will be more valuable than a vendor search. Companies that are restricting the use of social networking sites are limiting this benefit, not to mention they are not placing trust in their employees, which can cause a backlash. The other side of this coin is, of course, that if you sell photocopiers, you want to make sure that you are participating in this space to be able to join that conversation. This would allow you to change your involvement into economic capital (by way of gaining customers). This is really the tricky part. One of the most prominent characteristics of Web 2.0 is that the content is user generated. Simply trying to push product information is not particularly effective. We have to reposition the way we think about selling in this space…and like much of the shift in sales generally, this is all about relationships.

Why don’t we come up with an action plan? First, you want to be present in the space as a company. One way in which to do this is to have a Facebook page, for example. Your presence can be a reputation builder as people start to acknowledge your presence in their own networks (by becoming FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

your fans). User reviews are very valuable, even negative ones! They build trust in your brand. The second step, is trying to change these fans into economic capital (customers). Here is where a lot of companies are struggling now. This is in part due to the fact that this space is new. We are all out there looking and hoping for a Pazzaz Printing miracle, where a video idea turns viral. I would suggest that this is a little bit like trying to make money off of a lottery ticket. I buy them, but I wouldn’t place my faith in them enough to think they will become my income. As such, we need a more promising plan. In the coming months, I will share some success stories and case studies with you. For now, here is a task: reposition how you think about a social network and try to think of ways you can be a resource for your customers. We know that individuals seek to use resources from the network…you need to be one of them. This means pointing your customers to new and relevant information that will help them in some way. For example, update your status to tell them about a great article. Why don’t I start the trend and recommend some good reads: Inbound Marketing by Halligan and Shah and Six Pixels of Separation by Mitch Joel. Natalia Gilewicz is a full-time Assistant Professor in the School of Graphic Communications Management at Ryerson University. Her teaching concentration is in areas of prepress, typography, and layout. In her research, she studies e-print and its applications. Contact her at ngilewic@ryerson.ca

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I N

U S T

R Y

P R O

F I L

AIIM poised to make a huge impact in Canada’s direct-mail market Avant Imaging & Information Management Inc. (AIIM) is partnering with Insource Corporation to take its already successful direct-mail business to a bold new level. AIIM in Aurora, Ontario is an inspirational Canadian success story. Under the direction of its Chairman and CEO, Mario Giorgio, and President, Frank Giorgio, the brothers have grown their company each year since it opened in 1990. What was once a leading-edge printing business is today a highly-successful, multi-level marketing company of more than 100 dedicated employees. And while its core business is still commercial printing, its services expanded about six years ago to include digital and variable printing, data-driven print AIIM’s Jack Simone, operations manager; Frank solutions with PURLs, data manGiorgio, president; Mario Giorgio, chairman & agement, analytics, full CEO, with Tim Wakefield, president, Insource, lettershop and direct-mail serviholding a direct-mail sample made with AIIM’s new ces. Today, the growing list now Kirk Rudy Intelligent Collating, Folding, Tipping boasts 1-to-1 marketing, weband Labeling line shown in the background. to-print, data-driven statements, print-on-demand and unique proprietor software for GeoMapping print solutions. It continues to be a leader in serving the financial, insurance, automotive, healthcare, retail and not-for-profit markets – not surprising, considering that the company has managed to keep well ahead of the technology curve. “We were one of the first printing companies in Canada to create our own website back in 1995,” says Mario Giorgio. “That same year, we established our own in-house IT department.” Overall, AIIM has won over 240 awards for quality and service excellence. But what’s turning heads now is its rapid growth into the direct-mail market via the recent installation of Buhrs and Kirk Rudy technology from another industry leader, Insource Corp. of Markham, Ontario, under the direction of President Tim Wakefield. This experienced team is Mario Giorgio, chairman & CEO, Avant set to take AIIM’s direct-mail department Imaging and Information Management to a new level of flexibility, technological sophistication, efficiency and above all, customer service. “We had the opportunity to choose any supplier,” Giorgio says, “but we wanted an edge and a competitive FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

advantage in the areas of automation and continuous assembly that would eliminate the number of times the product is handled. We specifically searched for an organization that would work with us to achieve these goals. Insource not only listened, but proposed an automation system that would intelligently collect multiple sheets, nest, fold, tip-on a mock credit card and tab a label – in other words, one system all inline. This was exactly the competitive edge we were looking for.”

PARTNERS IN SUCCESS

“The Buhrs BB300 Inserter is the perfect match for our clients at AIIM,” stresses Wakefield. “Insource appreciates being selected as AIIM’s supplier of choice heading into this new venture.”

Doug Ferguson, national service manager, Insource, with the Buhrs BB300 Inserter at AIIM. Insource supports the direct and transactional-mailing marketplace with technologies designed to facilitate production and performance. Insource’s key partners include Kirk Rudy for inkjet printing, tabbing, tipping and camera systems, Buhrs for inserting and polywrapping, Norpak for polywrapping, KAS for unique inserting applications and Astro for entry-level inkjet and tabbing applications. “Most of our time is spent with printers, binderies, lettershops and transactional mailers,” says Wakefield. “However, we are also active in peripheral industries.” Wakefield stresses that all Insource manufacturers have been carefully selected worldwide for the Canadian market based on the high quality and functionality of technology and ongoing support they provide. The company has an exclusive agreement with all its suppliers. “We listen to our customers, understand their needs, www.graphicartsmag.com

D V

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TONY CURCIO

then combine our 25 years of hands-on industry experience with leading technology from our vendor partners resulting in optimal solutions,” says Wakefield.

Kirk Rudy tipping solution.

Doug Ferguson, national service manager at Insource says that it is service that sets them apart saying, “we have assembled a group of high-end manufacturers which allows us to provide a one-stop solution for our clients. Regardless of the quality of technology supplied, Insource believes customer support is paramount. Our clients depend on the technical support, intensive staff training and responsible service with an ongoing commitment from Insource.” “Service is really what sets our company apart from alternative suppliers,” adds Ferguson. Meanwhile, Insource’s client AIIM has acquired a tremendous amount of additional Insource technology to distinguish itself from its competition such as Kirk Rudy camera matching, read-and-print verification, Kirk Rudy inline tipping with tabbing and labeling, and of course, Buhrs inserting.

Buhrs BB300 Inserter if problems do occur, Insource reacts quickly.” The installation has also enabled AIIM to accelerate one of the most important benefits when it comes to direct mail – speed to market. “By providing a one-source solution, our speed to market has improved by about 7 to 10 days,” says Mario Giorgio. “This is as important to our larger clients as is having everything done under one roof. Our high level of in-plant security is also important to many of our clients, especially in the financial and insurance sectors.” President Frank Giorgio is also impressed with the machine’s efficiency. Kirk Rudy camera matching equipment

The Buhrs BB300, for example, has a legitimate output of 10,000 inserted envelopes per hour. Its various special applications can be changed quickly at any time. It has intelligent handling for missed or double sheets, diverting potential errors without affecting production. One of the machine’s first projects at AIIM was the mailing of mock credit cards for a major financial client incorporating variable data letters inserted into window envelopes. Buhrs modularity also enables upgradeable feeder options including folding, gimmick feeding, pick and place, rotary, shuttle and vacuum/friction. “With so many features, training is crucial,” emphasizes Wakefield, “so our technician remains on-site until such time as AIIM’s staffers are 100 per cent capable of operating everything smoothly on their own. Of course, www.graphicartsmag.com

“The various modular features make it easy to adapt to the most complicated of jobs while still maintaining a fast, efficient, assembly-line-type operation,” he says. “This is crucial in eliminating downtime, controlling costs and eventually passing savings along to our customers.” Operations Manager Jack Simone has already seen improvements on the shop floor. “I’ve seen AIIM grow tremendously in the past few years, but this will really make us major players in the Canadian direct-mail business,” he says. “Where previously we were talking about runs in the thousands, now we’ll be looking at runs in the millions. I’m very excited about the new opportunities and added benefits for our customers.” For more information: www.aiim.com & www.insourcecorp.ca

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MANAGEMENT

JOHNATHON ANDERSON

Stop your mining For years, I have been given a multitude of statistics that are meant to convince you that customized digital pieces for customers are far better than mass mailings. The customized units cost more per unit and often have a greater total cost than the mass mail counterpart, but everything else that you’d want is there. The ROI is often as much as three times greater than traditional mass mail. You have nearly five times the response rate. This list just really keeps on going. The beauty of it is that you seem to get nearly the same results if you go with fully customized print as you do by printing a litho shell and then only hitting a few key areas with customized content. So why am I not getting more customized stuff in the mail? Part of the reason is cost; many companies on a tight budget in these hard times can’t justify spending more money on advertising, especially on a medium as “stale” as print. However, many companies can’t really afford not to try and take advantage of new opportunities and with seemingly no risk, what is stopping them? Perhaps, the data is not sufficient enough to make the process very effective. You may have heard the term “data mining.” Essentially, this is a process of going through all the data that a company has in its records to try and pull some semblance of value from it that can be used to advertise to a person or group of people. While the concept in general isn’t anything new, the application of this idea to print is. When you print for the masses, you’re trying to hit the masses. You’re trying to show as many things that will appeal to the most people possible. Flyers are the perfect example of this. No more than a dozen pages with several small pictures of products along with a name and price. When you’re selling to one person, you only want to display the items that person would be most interested in. Sending them information about items they are not interested in is a waste of their time and your money. So the data is mined to try and figure out exactly what to send and when to get the most out of each communication point with the customer. The problem is that the data most places have isn’t great. It’s either out of date, not trustworthy, or doesn’t contain enough actual data to do much with. Before this customizable option was available to companies, there wasn’t much use for a lot of personal information on their clients. Clients fell into broad categories, and those categories relied on market research and not internal data. Now we have the ability to use everything and anything to our advantage when advertising to clients and before we can even get the ball rolling, there has been consumer backlash in the form of concerns for privacy. Now customers want to give you as little information as they can. They don’t want any of their information to be stored, shared or distributed. The wave of identity theft has only increased the concern and reluctance of the average consumer to provide companies with meaningful information that can be used. FEBRUARY 2010 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE

So, how do you as a printer, or your client as an advertiser, get useful data and get your clients to give it to you willingly? Before you start trying to get information, you have to decide what information you want to get. Basic information such as age and sex and mailing address are easy, but think up to 10 years ahead with campaigns that you’ll be running. Figure out what sorts of things will useful and make sure you find ways to address that with your information. Often having a focus group at the beginning of the process is a good way to figure out where you might want to go. Then, look at all this information and sort out what you have already, and what you can easily get from your existing data and interpretation of that data. No sense is asking for information that you already have. Take what’s left and find a way to request that information from the end client in a way that’s not intrusive. A focus group might work, but here are some suggestions. Having profiles for users in an online environment is a perfect way to get going. Users often have to set up a profile when purchasing things online, so the request doesn’t seem intrusive. The problem with this is you only get your online customers and many will merely fill out mandatory fields. A survey with an incentive (coupons or points) is another way to hit a variety of users. You may only have certain demographics responding, or may end up with incomplete data, but it’s a start. Surveys can be handed out at locations, emailed or as part of an online order (“Take a short survey and receive 10 per cent off your order”). The great thing about the survey is you can present it with serious intentions (“In an effort to better serve our customers, please fill out this survey so we can inform you of our offers that matter most to you”) or you can make the item seem more fun and less serious. I’ve even seen games where I’m certain the basis of the game is collecting market research and not so much entertaining the participant. Lastly, you can make it an ongoing process internally to collect the information manually. This is a very time consuming process, but the information would be current and collected firsthand by your employees. The ability to print customized pieces is something that should be taken advantage of. It offers far too many benefits to be ignored. Getting the client onboard and getting their data up to snuff may take some time, but once you do everyone sees the huge financial benefits. Avoiding mining for those benefits would make the whole process that much more enjoyable. Johnathon Anderson johnathonanderson@graphicartsmag.com

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