C. Clint Bolte & Associates

The day before Graph Expo and Converting Expo started, the sixth annual NPES’ sponsored Executive Outlook Conference drew its largest crowd ever. One hundred and fifty attendees gathered at McCormick Place in Chicago to get a review of the “Must See ems” products and technologies that would be on the show floor for the ensuing four days. Additionally a series of rapid-fire treatises on pertinent technology trends impacting the full breadth of the graphic communications industry were presented. The acknowledged growing impact of this meeting may well be the fact that eighteen international visitors, the largest proportion yet, were in attendance despite DRUPA being barely eight months off.

“Surviving After the Economic Upturn” was addressed by NAPL’s Chief Economist Andrew Paparozzi as he reiterated, “The rising tide will not lift all boats!” The recession actually ended two years ago, as measured by GDP growth, and yet the printing industry has continued to suffer as “excesses and imbalances have not been cleaned up since the boom of ‘90s” according to Paparozzi. Current business conditions seem to be breaking out into the sunlight as NAPL’s Printing Business Panel has reported a pick up (52%) in business versus those claiming a slow down (19.9%) on a three month trend. And for the second month in a row more panelists are reporting an increase in work-on-hand.

Print pricing trends continue to erode. Paparozzi acknowledges, “ Full recovery (for the printing industry) won’t be complete until some degree of pricing power is returned to the printer.” Investment priorities of this panel suggest the four corporate priorities to be (1) strengthen the core (bindery on top the list), (2) expand the core (fulfillment, digital presses, database management, and mailing capabilities), (3) digitize, integrate, & improve continuously (CTP, digital infrastructure, MIS) and (4) train and educate (clients and employees).

Luncheon Keynoter Mr. Bruce James, the United States Public Printer, said, “Half of all federal printing is being done illegally (outside the GPO venue) in the private sector.” In order to accomplish the GPO’s overriding mission of preserving government information, the GPO described a new method of print procurement to be inacted. Instead of the GPO being the sole approved print procurement source, beginning this month the Department of Labor will be allowed to buy its own printing. “By October 1, 2004 hopefully all agencies will be buying their own printing,” remarked Mr. James.

Exact electronic manuscripts of each job must be submitted to the GPO by the vendor in order to get paid. The GPO will receive a 3% commission for administering the qualification list of vendors, the digital asset warehouse, and accounts payable to vendors. GPO had a booth at Graph Expo, where their representatives solicited qualified vendors and answered questions. Interested printers should go online to contractorconnect.gpo.gov

Mr. James concluded by saying that the GPO unions are behind these changes. There are 2,700 employees with 52% age eligible to retire. He further added that of his twelve top management team members six are new to the GPO and of the remaining six GPO veterans only two are in their same job.

Steve Musselman, AGFA’s Worldwide Business Development Senior Manager, offered an interesting historical perspective and overview of AM, FM, and hybrid screening. Photolithography, the process of screening for print, has remained unchanged for 125 years until the digital revolution. The more consistent and precise dots delivered by computer-to-plate have allowed suppliers to develop software algorithms for dot sizing and placement. These screening alternatives are intended to optimize the press’ normal ability to render ever-finer halftone details. Virtually every electronic prepress vendor is offering a proprietary series of screening solutions for their clients.

The ultimate roadmap to future print production efficiencies shows the destination to be computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). The intention is to so link each manufacturing task to virtually eliminate all set up times, optimize running conditions and speeds, drive associated production spoilage to a miniscule level, and provide real time management information from beginning to end. This far-reaching goal has been achieved by other build-to-order industries, but not yet printing. Adoption of CIP4 and its job definition format (JDF) is the key to reaching this objective.