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Canada's adaptable digital printers respond and the acceleration of digital trends The month of May is usually when Graphic Arts Magazine shares an update on digital printing and its impact on our industry. This year would have made for a great overview opportunity since this is the year that we would have attended drupa 2020, which was originally scheduled to start next month. Every four years major vendors consider this event as a major jumping-off point to launch or announce their latest hardware and software products, setting their evolutionary tone for the years to come. This in turn drives the printing industry to consider the impact of these evolving technologies on their business models and adjust their strategies and business plans accordingly. With digital printing, especially inkjet, reaching the tipping point of going mainstream, many in the industry were looking forward to attending drupa 2020 with the intent to use this event as their ideal platform for research and development efforts. Then COVID-19 hit. In a matter of weeks, the virus threat went from a growing concern in January and February, to a full-blown worldwide crisis with a complete lockdown in Canada in the second half of March – except for essential services. Almost overnight the graphic arts industry, as many other industries, went from contemplating their next mid-term to long-term strategic planning, to survival mode. However shell-shocked, the printing industry showed a remarkable agility to adapt as parts of the industry got designated as an essential service. Think of packaging printing for food and pharmaceuticals, commercial printing for direct-marketing messaging, wide-format printing for floor decals, banners and posters, etc. What struck me even more so was the printing industry’s ability to transform its manufacturing capabilities to provide tools to help the fight against COVID-19. Here are a couple of examples that really stood out.
The creativity and agility of the printing industry C17media in Richmond Hill repurposed its wide-format equipment to make t h o u s a n d s o f f a ce s h i e l d s f o r healthcare workers.
On March 31, C17media, a printmedia shop based in Richmond Hill, set up to help in the fight against COVID-19 and started a campaign called “Support Canada’s Frontline.” Spearheading the effort was Chris Pereira, President of C17 Group. He decided to repurpose the company’s wide-format equipment fleet to make medical face shields for healthcare workers. By mid-April they delivered their first batch, and soon received their Health Canada license as a medical device manufacturer.
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Chris revealed what drove his organization to such a drastic change: “It’s surreal how much has changed since mid-March. I have spoken with a lot of entrepreneurs and now is not the time to sit back and ride out the storm. Plan, adapt and execute. Most businesses will not return to normal for a very long time – and no one is coming to save you.”
PDI modified its production lines to produce protective shields and visors.
Another example is PDI, based in Kirkland, Quebec. Right from the beginning of the lockdown PDI got involved in helping to fight the crisis and repurposed part of its Wide-Format Division. They modified their production line in record time to deliver protective shields to essential services. These shields are being used, for example, at reception desks at hospitals, pharmacies and clinics, as well as at cash registers and checkouts in grocery stores, etc. Next to these protective shields they also produce protective visors for face shields. Jamie Barbieri, President and co-owner of the PDI Group, and Martin Blais, Vice President of PDI Wide-Format Solutions, were impressed by how their employees put their heart, ingenuity and great dedication into producing more protective shields and visors each and every day. On the west coast it’s equally remarkable how sustainable printing leader Hemlock Printers, based in Burnaby, BC, had stepped up its efforts early on to help fight COVID-19. Regarded as a social, purpose-driven organization, the company also used its manufacturing capabilities to help its
GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE | May 2020 | 17
