Digital Printing and The Pirates that Sell it!

2020-03-21T10:34:00.001-05:00

13 years later, what happened to Pirate Mike?

Hard to believe that it has been 13 years since I started blogging. There has been some separation anxiety for me, but letting it rest was for good reason. I have always enjoyed writing, as I use it for therapy. When I look back, I see how I adopted social media early on and how wonderful of an experience it was to reconnect with old friends, stay connected to family, and communicate with the community at large. For me, social media has seen great days and some gruesome ones as well. While social media continues to grow in adoption and maintains a respectable place inside of a professional's life, it is a two-edged sword.

As an aging corporate pirate, I have chosen safer pathways over the years and for the most part, set my sword down. I have always maintained a social presence, whether on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, or another medium. However, I have learned to keep a healthy respect for the dangers that it presents as well. I do still believe you have to write for yourself and remain genuine while appreciating when you should speak and when you should just keep your thoughts to yourself. Writing to please your audience has it's own dangers of which I have never wanted to tackle. Shedding light on subjects less understood, and giving people access to innovative ideas was why I originally started in the first place.

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Navigating the oceans of industry, and trailblazing the topology of corporate America can be hazardous enough without adding the complexity of social media. Yet, in today's world of business, one must be careful not to step onto the landmines laid by social media but create content that influences and changes the trajectory of the world of business and society. Armed with tools like Grammarly, I hope to at least get my punctuation correct, even if the content a little less exciting than it used to be. With a lifetime invested in visual and virtual communications, expressions, and experience with a specialty in technology, I have always embraced being on the bleeding edge. Hopefully, I can impart ideas, give insight and thought leadership that will provoke others from my time in the trenches.

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Creating authentic and engaging content doesn't need to be like entering the lion's den or a tiger's liar— both of which I have done personally. Over the years, I have tripped over myself a few times picking up the broken pieces of my career from the misplaced trust of social media. I do believe in earnest that my writings have made a difference to many and at least entertained some. Much older now, and hopefully wiser, I have opened this blog back up to see if lightning will strike again or if I have learned the lesson for good.

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When I found this blog purposefully and mindfully forgetting about it, I was shocked to see how few articles that I left published. Mostly about my human experience and personal growth. With so many articles written over the years that had corporate analysis, future industry speculations, and best practices, which opened so many eyes to what was happening inside of the technology, printing and publishing industry, I was sad, but just for a minute. Taking the writings down was like closing the door to an era where we saw the significant consolidation, technological advances, and industry reform. All of which had my personal perspective and unique thought leadership, but also put me in the sights of those that didn't like seeing me on the other side of the boardroom.

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In these days of #SocialDistancing & #FlatteningTheCurve, I have more time to think and, therefore, a much stronger desire to write. Also, with my newest career adventure on the ocean of customer experience design, strategic digital marketing, business management consulting & technology development for web and mobile, I find that social media is not only part of the modern landscape, but it is also indeed a requirement. Living on a '34 sailboat for over a decade, I've ridden out Harvey, the great flood, two world-shaking oil crashes, and now our war with covid-19. I have survived two virtual disasters during that time as well. So between reality and virtual expressions, I have gained some wisdom and a few smile lines over the years, not to mention a lot of salt and pepper in my hair. But as they say, information wants to be free, and I have always wanted to help the cause.

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While maintaining my authentic, and luminary style, I am excited to start writing again and reinventing my lifestyle. With so many career events and challenges with our local economy, I had started social distancing many years ago. I am hoping for a rebirth this decade as I enter my golden years. My goal is simple I want to be transformational for my clients, but offer value and longevity for those I touch and that live in my community. I do not think I am asking too much out of myself. I believe in setting expectations high and rising to the requirements.

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Technology and learning are escalating at such a pace that I find myself reading and studying almost as much as I work or sleep. Taking on new responsibilities and roles, changing careers, and migrating into unique specialties inside of the print & marketing world, I find that my obsession, which used to be work, is now learning. We are quickly creating AI that is now rivaling our sharpest minds. Giving and breathing life into quantum computers and algorithms that adjust themselves soon, we will have another war to win after we beat our new invisible enemy covid-19.

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Let's pray for the world as it grapples with covid-19, and understand how we can navigate these uncharted waters together, while I prepare to start writing again!

Please Stay Safe & Stay Connected!

Pirate Mike 3.0

Digital Press Certifications; Konica Minolta, Xerox, Canon - Interesting Developments...

2011-09-15T18:28:00.000-05:00

Now here we are a month and a half later and we find that the Konica Minolta is not the only Digital Press that is certified by IDEAlliance. Even thought Konica Minolta was the first to be certified.

Konica Minolta’s Flagship Color Digital Press becomes First in the Industry to Meet Production Requirements of GRACoL Color Specifications

The press release was issued August 15th, which was about 2 weeks behind the official date that IDEAlliance issued the actual certification. IDEAlliance issued Konica Minolta's Digital Press Certification on August 1st, 2011.

Digital Press Certification Results Sheet

The Digital Press Certification program is broken into two parts: Part 1 is for Commercial Production (xerographic & ink jet) Devices. Part 2 is for Wide Format and Grand Format Ink Jet Devices. The program consists of testing and certification in areas of color, press sheet properties and print production.

In the certification process, a series of test forms are provided, suppliers print these forms according to a given criteria, the forms are sent to the IDEAlliance designated Evaluation Contractor where they are measured and compared against pre-determined tolerances. Systems that pass all tests are awarded certification, the supplier system details are published on an IDEAlliance web site and the supplier is able to display the certification logo on their product collateral.

This is great news for potential digital press buyers as they will be able to immediately recognize the logo and know that they are considering a product that is already certified. There has been a lot of press surrounding these certifications. The framework for the digital press certification is based on upcoming international standards ISO 12647-8, 15311, and 15339.

Now customers have a way to find their way through an always growing field of Digital Press Products. As of 9/15/2011 The following presses have been certified under the following conditions.

8/1/2011 Konica Minolta Business Solutions got the Bizhub PRESS C8000 with the Creo IC-307/Version 1.0 using the GRACol Print Condition on Sterling Ultra Digital 80# Gloss Cover

8/26/2011 EFI got the Canon imagePRESS C7010VP/C6010VP/C6010 with the Fiery A1200/A2200/A3200 using the GRACol Print Condition on EFI Laser Proof XF130 Semi matt 130 gsm

9/1/2011 Xerox got the iGen4 Matte Dry Ink Press with the FreeFlow Print Server V8 using the GRACol Print Condition on Xerox Digital Color Elite Silk 140gsm

9/6/2011 EFI got the Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C8000 with the Fiery IC-306/IC-3600 using the GRACol Print Condition on EFI Laser Proof Paper XF130 Semi matt 130gsm

Konica Minolta not only has their equipment being certified a quick look at IDEAlliance's website and you will find that 17 Konica Minolta employees are now certified G7 Experts!

Konica Minolta has put a tremendous effort in not only producing top of the line affordable digital presses but also in investing in having color experts to help commercial printers and in plant printing operations get their shop certified as a G7 Master Printer using the G7 methodology. Originally when I looked Xerox had like 8 and Kodak had like 7 G7 Experts worldwide. HP did not have 1 certified G7 Expert and neither did Canon, IKON or Ricoh. I have been informed that the first batch of RiKON professionals have now been certified.

It is not enough to just make good equipment, but to have the support structure to enable those that purchase the equipment to be successful. The race is on!

Pirate Mike

For those that would like to keep up with the lastest certifications go to IDEAlliance's Website!

Konica Minolta's Flagship Color Digital Press becomes First in the Industry to Meet Production Requirements of GRACoL Color Specifications

2011-08-18T15:52:00.000-05:00

Ramsey, N.J. - August 15, 2011 - Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today announced that the bizhub® PRESS C8000 is the first digital press to receive the IDEAlliance® Digital Press Certification.

The IDEAlliance Digital Press Certification program validates that digital presses can consistently meet the production requirements of IDEAlliance's GRACoL® color reproduction specifications. Other aspects validated in the certification process include uniformity, rub resistance, color gradations, text quality and color registration. Additionally, designated Konica Minolta production print technicians earned G7 Expert status, thereby permitting the bizhub PRESS C8000 to earn Digital Press Certification. Due to the overall successful efforts, the Customer Engagement Center at the Konica Minolta Headquarters in Ramsey, N.J. has earned G7 Master Status.

"Our industry benefits greatly from independent system verification and certification. Digital press technologies that meet industry specifications and standards have crossed a new milestone and we thank Konica Minolta for their leadership in supporting this exciting program," said David Steinhardt, President and CEO, IDEAlliance. "Konica Minolta's participation in obtaining a Digital Press System Certification will go a long way in helping the industry enhance its understanding and application of digital printing."

"By being the first in the industry to earn Digital Press Certification from IDEAlliance, the bizhub PRESS C8000 is setting the standard for excellence that will come to be expected by customers looking for the highest quality and superior performance from their digital presses," said Kevin Kern, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. "Having G7 Experts in house and certifying our industry-leading digital presses is just another reason print professionals can count on Konica Minolta to ensure that our technology is not only innovative, but also leading the industry in superior performance certification."

IDEAlliance certifies that Digital Press Certified systems meet or exceed established industry tolerances for excellence in the areas of Colorimetric Accuracy, Uniformity, Repeatability, Durability, and Registration. The certification program is similar to what GRACoL and SWOP is for inkjet proofing, and the framework is based on upcoming international standards ISO 12647-8, 15311, and 15339.

Witness firsthand the bizhub PRESS C8000 at GRAPH EXPO 2011, the year's largest graphic communications exhibition and educational conference, which runs September 11-14 at McCormick Place South in Chicago. To schedule a personal tour of the Konica Minolta Booth (#2227) and/or an executive interview, please contact James Norberto at JNorberto@kmbs.konicaminolta.us.

ABOUT IDEAlliance

IDEAlliance® (International Digital Enterprise Alliance) is a global community of content and media creators, and their service providers, material suppliers, and technology partners. Our association identifies best practices for efficient end-to-end digital media workflows - from content creation through distribution. Through our active committees, educational conferences, webinars, training and certification programs, we provide members the forum for the exchange of information that results in the creation of our industry's most valued standards. More information at www.idealliance.org.

About the IDEAlliance Digital Press Certification Program

IDEAlliance® Digital Press Certification Program certifies the capabilities of commercial production xerographic and inkjet devices to meet specific print standards. The program consists of testing and certification in areas of color, print properties and print production. The program considers the entire press system, including the digital front-end, print engine, and paper. Program details can be found at www.idealliance.org/certifications/digital-press or by contacting Joe Fazzi at jfazzi@idealliance.org or calling 913.839.9623.

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is a leader in advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop. Konica Minolta has been named Supplier of the Year by both the Allegra Network and the National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP), as well as received the Sales Support Award from Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. For more information, please visit www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

IDEAlliance Contact

Steve Bonoff

IDEAlliance

+1 952.500.8889

sbonoff@idealliance.org

Konica Minolta Contact

James Norberto

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.

+1 201.825.4000

PR@kmbs.konicaminolta.us

Konica Minolta is a registered trademark of Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. bizhub is a registered trademark of Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

Konica Minolta's environmental commitment is tested!

2011-08-01T08:17:00.003-05:00

The Miami-Dade branch of Konica Minolta is now committed to use certified

paper from sustainable forests instead of regular paper. They have also established a system to recycle their paper waste instead of throwing it away in the landfill.

Recent results from the International Deinking Industry Association (INGEDE) have revealed that five Konica Minolta printers are eco-friendly.

The key process in today's paper recycling procedure is called deinking, which measures how easy it is to remove toner and ink from recovered documents.
Results from INGEDE's tests revealed that Konica Minolta's bizhub Pro C6000, C7000 and its Press C6000, C7000 and C8000 devices showed excellent deinking properties.

Just another tidbit for those of you that are interested in working with sustainable companies that make environmentally concious products!

Move over MPS for the new OPS, the BPO that is automated and doesn't have a 30% uplift!

2011-07-16T20:45:00.002-05:00

Funny I would write about OPS but in this world of outsourced business processes there is always a "better mouse trap." and in the world of MPS WE DON'T hear about automating and "lean" practices in it. In fact I would contend that MPS is to printers what FM is to big iron heavy, loaded with overhead and full of mystery.

In the world of business and technology solutions we talk about "where there is mystery there is margin. And that is what I feel about MPS.

Who asked for MPS anyway? Was it the companies that said "we are inefficient at managing our printers?" Or what it the industry that said "look over hear at this shiny bright object?"

Yes it is true all of the statistical data of help desk calls and the clutter and cost that these little objects cause pain and mayhem for the enterprise. But my contention is that by using lean concepts we would never throw people at the solution.

People are inherently the cause of inefficiency and over spending in this world! The death of a copier said it well "MPS is dying; let's kill it!"

And that is exactly what Konica Minolta is doing with OPS. Optimized Print Services is what JDF is to the printing world. Optimizing the fleet and automating the processes surrounding the printers and allied print services.

MPS will die but not because people will give up their printers; no in fact we see that even with the push of the MFD grouping and clustering of assets printers are alive and well in our "paperless offices."

Letting people keep their printers and bundling them with their MFDs and automating the processes surrounding the management and implantation of an enterprise fleet is what OPS is about.

Someday I will be replaced to when people can automate their high volume, high quality production of their transactional and one to one marketing communications, but not in my lifetime!

Long live production print and the fools that follow this insane career path!

Pirate Mike

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:MPS the dinosaur of the business solutions world...

Xerox rebounds slower than expected; shuts down wide format and enters another era of layoffs…

2011-06-30T21:54:00.000-05:00

2011 may be known as the “Year of the Rabbit” for some but not the great Xerox. Goliath is falling and I’m not sure who can catch his fall. The first 6 months of 2011 may be part of the rebuilding of American economics but for Xerox it has been nothing but a nightmare.

6 Month Stock History for Xerox (courtesy of Yahoo Finance)

Going into a new age Xerox’s CEO Ursula Burns moves full steam ahead having to announce some very difficult decisions at the end of the 4th quarter of 2010 that they would be moving ahead with a plan to lay off 2500 employees. Then early on in 2011 Xerox announced or rather whispered quietly that they were going to discontinue their wide format business in North America.

In an article named, “How Will Xerox’s Decision to Discontinue “Wide-Format” Impact Reprographers, Xerox Wide-Format Dealers, and Other Wide-Format Manufacturers? “ The writer gives an interesting view about the effects industry wide on this decision. None the less it was a difficult decision to arrive at and an even more difficult one to announce to their employees that have heard nothing but bad news for a long time. In an article written by Anthony Bianco and Pamela L. Moore back in 2001 for Business Week named, “Xerox; the downfall” the writers talk about the many rough decisions made over the years by Xerox executives and the timeline associated with those decisions.

So what’s next? How will Xerox reorganize knowing that they will be 2500 people light in the coming months? Who will they lean on? Where will the work load go? Well for months I have been hearing rumors on a big announcement coming from Global – Xerox’s rogue warrior.

I have talked about this subject on many occasions only to get my hand slapped by my presumptions. Although many of my predictions did in fact come true, some were slightly off the mark. But as anyone vested in my industry knows I have opinions based on what I see and hear on a local and national level and we are all subject to rumors.

Well the rumor on the street is that as Xerox makes good on its promise to lay off workers it is also going to restructure how they distribute the workload. What does this mean do you ask? Well I think in the short term Xerox customers are going to get a visit from their first cousins at Global saying, “Hi my name is Bob from Global Imaging Systems, a Xerox company I am just stopping by to introduce myself as your new rep.”

My assumption is that very shortly Xerox will be unloading assets sold by Xerox sales reps themselves only to find out that they are no longer with a job and that their assets have been given to a Global rep to manage as Xerox tries to cut the fat from their organization. This “live long enough to see a better day” strategy will have some interesting implications for their customers that signed up for “an elite manufacturer direct experience,” not a close imitation.

The other assumption is that many of these assets will be production print devices and not just workgroup systems. This also creates some interesting situations as not all Global offices have dedicated or specialty trained production teams. This puts a lot pressure on a workforce that is less disciplined as Xerox’s own. Global has been allowed to run a bit unrefined and now it will be dealing with an even greater share of Xerox’s business; business that Xerox itself sold.

So how will customers react to this news? Well it will depend on how they hear it and really it is a people business so it largely will depend on the rep that shows up to the door and the resources that he or she has at their disposal which will depend on the local branches culture and strength. Many of Global’s offices have or were very strong dealerships prior to the acquisition.

Does this leave opportunity for everyone else? Why of course with another great competitor in transition and weak it means that thousands of customers, potentially a 100 million dollars of assets will be up for grabs to those who are willing to bring to light the new risks associated with being a Xerox customer.

What used to be said, “No one ever got fired for buying a Xerox,” could now change to “No one wants to be the one to pull the trigger on Xerox as it could get them fired.” Only time will tell if any of this comes to fruition but one thing is certain. It is a dangerous time to choose the wrong vendor for your infrastructure as it is getting harder to choose a company that is solid.

With the holocaust in Japan leaving many manufacturers crippled both in their own capacity but also hindered in that their supply chain partners had suffered as well. This has left many deals wide open as “he who has the goods gets the deal.” As we have seen here in Houston Texas some decisions have been made to buy from people that “have inventory” without regard to who had the best price or gear.

This leaves one that is watching thinking that they have been watching day time soaps like “Days of our lives,” when in fact they were watching “As the copier turns.” It will be interesting to listen carefully to both Xerox and Global and see what they do in the near-term. It appears that big changes are coming and it is not good news for customers that invested in “Xerox dominance.”

Happy Selling…

Pirate Mike

Offset Press Manufacturers; the lines are being drawn...

2011-01-21T12:40:00.001-06:00

As you know the offset world has been growing at a pace just slightly under inflation which shows that this technology although needed is dying. As we watch the big iron manufacturers like Heidelberg, Kamori, , KBA, MAN Rolland, Mitsubishi, Ryobi, Sakuri, Akiyama, Presstek (AB Dick) and others what we see is large layoffs and very cautious maneuvering to stay alive. (keep these names close to mind these represent all the most common presses you will find)

Shinohara just filed for bankruptcy (January 2011), and many others are not far behind. Hamada pulled out of North America last year and many others are very shy about spending money.

Just like the copier industry everyone is closing aligning themselves to survive and digital press manufacturers are "WHERE ITS AT" As you may remember OCE and MAN ROLAND just annouced their partnership leading the way for other "big Iron" makers down the path of survival.

http://global.oce.com/news/press-releases/2010/oce-and-manroland-announce-global-strategic-alliance.aspx

And what you may not know is that the most prestigious press manufacturer has been partnering with a well know digital press manufacturer for sometime now.

http://www.heidelberg.com/au/www/en/content/articles/recent_news/newsletter/gen_2010/gen_1004/s8_km

You should also know that Heidelberg announced that it will later this year 2011 announce who their "full time" digital press partner will be globally. I think you will agree that it makes sense for them to remain partners with us. Our relationship with Kodak keeps them arms length to "their own" technology that they abandoned 10 years ago and allows them to leverage both the "entry" level and "high end" digital press lines.

What we will see from this is a stronger commitment to automation (JDF and CIP4) and faster advancements in feeding and registration (mechanical feat advancements) which might take us years to accomplish on our own. The battle is tough but we are making progress! Don't let any small setbacks or individual battle losses get in the way of the big picture! Stay the course!

Big Iron Mike,

Konica Minolta Wins an Award from Better Buys for Business for the bizhub PRESS C8000 Color Digital Press!

2010-12-29T07:23:00.000-06:00

Konica Minolta Wins Multiple Awards from Better Buys for Business

Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA Inc. has announced that Better Buys for Business has recognized the bizhub PRESS C8000 Color Digital Press and bizhub 423/363/283/223 Series of Monochrome MFPs for 2010 "Innovative Product of the Year" awards in the high-volume printer and office copier categories respectively. These awards are given to exceptional models and are based on rigorous analysis of all current competitive models.
Better Buys for Business also recognized Konica Minolta with the following awards:

• bizhub C280 as Editor's Choice in the 2011 Color Copier Guide
• bizhub C360 as Editor's Choice in the 2011 Color Copier Guide
• bizhub C452 as Editor's Choice in the 2011 Color Copier Guide
• bizhub C552DS as Editor's Choice in the 2011 Color Copier Guide
• bizhub C652DS as Editor's Choice in the 2011 Color Copier Guide
In addition to featuring award winners, each of the ten annual product guides from Better Buys for Business includes product features and technology; vendor profiles; full specifications; and pricing information.

"Konica Minolta keeps adding new features that make their machines ever more viable for high-end users who want to produce offset-quality print runs using sophisticated tools to produce very good color pages inexpensively," said Steve Hannaford, editor-in-chief, Better Buys for Business. "The bizhub PRESS C8000 looks to be an impressive new addition to its line."

"We are extremely excited to receive the 2010 Innovative Product of the Year Awards as it further validates our ability to deliver cutting edge technology, superior performance, and affordability," said Kevin Kern, senior vice president, marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions USA. "Our customers can count on Konica Minolta to continue providing them with award-winning solutions that meet all of their demanding digital printing requirements."

7-13-2011

2010-12-13T06:39:00.000-06:00

7 months left...

A new digital press; the anatomy of a new acquisition…

2010-11-26T15:24:00.000-06:00

So you are in the market for a new digital press? Well then you are in luck as you have many choices to look at. With offerings from every major player in the market the job of making an intelligent choice is quite daunting. No one machine can be perfect for every situation and no one manufacturer can be everything to everyone.
Before walking down the digital printing isle to chose something off the shelf, you will want to review carefully at your current customer base and the jobs that they are providing to you, the skill sets of your people and the current equipment capabilities and capacity and your business as they are today. A bit of dream building and having a clear vision of what you want to accomplish both in the near term and the future can be a job by itself.

Take into account that a digital press acquisition in not an inexpensive one and is a decision that you will have to live with for a while. Whether you purchase or lease and what options you chose will have a lot to do with the current state of your business and your short and long term vision is for your company. A solid business and marketing plan are essential when undertaking such an expense.

Environmental considerations, Electrical needs, Space requirements, Speed, Reliability, Output Quality, Throughput, Substrate Handling, Duty cycle, Image Processing in both Accuracy/Power & Speed, Initial Acquisition Price, Cost to operate, Serviceability, Operator Control, Uptime, Training & Ongoing Support, Color Management and the ability to put this new asset in line with a workflow system or MIS system are all considerations that you must take into account when shopping. Companies that cannot answer your questions and provide you with a reasonable level of confidence cannot be considered seriously.

Let’s face it digital printing has come of age and is a serious rival to offset lithography. Run lengths for digital are getting longer while the average run lengths of offset lithography are getting shorter. At the GATF/PIA training I received in PA last month we were told the national average has dropped to 5000 sheets per run. At the same time the digital printing technology has evolved to the point that the delta between digital and offset has risen significantly from on average 1500 sheets to the 2500 sheet neighborhood. Even with the industries greatest achievements and innovations set up times are still 30 to 45 minutes on an average 4 to 6 color press. Highly skilled labor, Chemicals, Plates, Make Ready are still serious pricing components to any offset job. The systems required to drive these new offset presses are expensive and have many cost factors associated with them as well.

Now that the economic pressure has put companies on alert CMO’s are being pressured to do more with less both in marketing budgets and in labor. Companies are reaching out to find new ways to increase ROI of their marketing campaigns and are seeking to increase revenues without increasing the money spent to bring in those revenues. Marketing and Communication departments have redefined what “good looks like” and have looked to the science of timing and relevance to increase response to their offers.

With this science the advent of cross media advertising and elaborate relevant campaigns have become the norm. Print service providers have also had to redefine themselves and have been stretched from selling a commodity in their chosen craft to becoming a practitioner of a manufacturing science and participating in a solution based sale. Reaching out to expand their horizons the common print service provider has had to look for new revenue streams and retool their staff in their transition to marketing service providers.

Now many printers are selling a product based service instead of just a cost center product. With 1 to 1 marketing and the ever increasing sophistication of conditional variable data printing the choice of a digital press has become a very important one indeed for the printer that intends to be around in 2020. With many companies looking at variable data printing the ability to print long digital runs has changed the way to make a digital press choice.

So where do we start in the dissecting of a digital press acquisition? Well let’s start with the workflow surrounding a digital press. Many companies have already invested or will invest in a make-ready/workflow tool. Whether you use something simple like a suite of applications, or something more advanced like a server based solution there are many options available; one must look at what solutions are supported by the equipment and what training and ongoing support is also available.

If your sales rep and his/her team do not have a strong resume and experienced background you cannot take them seriously in their recommendations for your business. As important as the attributes of your press are so is the connection to that company both from a training and support side and from a recommendations side. You cannot spend enough time to know everything therefore you have to have a relationship that is strong enough to be able to count on their recommendations at a certain level. Sure you have to be a student of the business but the reality is you have way too much on your plate to learn about everything involved.

Pick a company that locally has a strong presence both in production print and in the ancillary services and has the relevant knowledge to help you become successful. Make-ready tools, Workflow systems, Business Development, Hardware setup and support, Business system integration, Initial training and long term support along with the typical financial services and flexible billing options are all key elements to take into account. Listen for people with vision but that are not unrealistic or that sound like “perfection in a bottle.” People that don’t talk about the risks associated with a solution are not being realistic. You should always be presented with options and a well thought out upgrade path so you are not caught off guard.

Make sure to know what level equipment you need and that the company you are looking at has a sufficient upgrade path for you and your business. Make sure to take the time to understand all of the cost elements and product limitations and upgradability. Digital presses can cost from $50,000 to millions of dollars. Ensure that your system is modular and has a way to add feature sets as your business adds new revenue streams and takes on new offerings. The last thing you want to do is short change yourself by buying the cheapest machine on the market without taking into consideration what you may be doing in 3, 5 and even 10 years.

Companies that don’t show interest in your business processes and rush to offer a “solution” without taking the time to observe and ask questions are not going to be good business partners now or in the future. Reluctance to slow the process down to seriously talk to you and your key operators and production managers are not going to offer anything but a nightmare down the road. Without a true understanding of your current capabilities, capacity and business offerings any proposal given to you would be futile.

Look for companies that not only have a good product but have local talent that understands both your needs and business model. Listen to the questions being asked and the level at which they communicate with you and their responsiveness to your requests. Be willing to give a serious contender the time to be able to fully grasp both your current situation and your future vision. Companies that are not interested in your future will under or over sell you and compromise you and your company.

Many a printer has gone out of business by over extending themselves. There are almost as many companies that have gone out of business by not taking new technologies seriously and not having the firepower to compete in the marketplace effectively. The effective use of technology is a delicate balance and sometimes it takes someone from the outside to help. Look to sound organizations that can help like the GATF/PIA who have a broad understanding and membership that crosses all sections of the industry. Whether you are a specialty printer or a general commercial printer they can offer invaluable advice as they see things from a 50,000 foot view.

After you have narrowed the field to a manageable list of potential suitors it is time to look closely at the hardware and software solutions that are being presented to you. In the next segment we will look at the hardware considerations of a digital press and what options are available.

Pirate Mike

When it is ok to quit; and other excuses we accept the unraveling of pirate logic.

2010-10-27T23:21:00.000-05:00

When it is acceptable to quit? Have you ever really thought about that before? All of us have our own cross to bear and as a foot soldier my orders are different but not dissimilar to the orders that are given to my associates or superiors. In fact really I would guess that all of our orders are very similar both at work and at home. So when it is ok to just set the sword down and quit fighting the fight? Is there ever a day that you can rest?

I ran into a situation that caused me to think. I had a system configuration that was not going to work on several levels but do to circumstances it was one of my only options. I could see the frustration in everyone’s eyes when I took one of our best technicians out of the field to “test a non supported never tried before theory.” In fact everyone around me seemed to be quite irritated that I was not ok with what all the literature said and what the advice of everyone in our technical organization. “Well in theory Michael that might work.” “Well then,” I said we will try every option till we prove it cannot be done successfully. A day went by and I was unable to get the configuration to work no matter what I tried.

At the end of the day when most thought I had completely wasted not only my day but the resources of many in our branch I sat down to write an email. I sent it to every business development liaison that I have ever met. Most only casually but none the less I built my business case on why we should look into the engineering that stops us from achieving our business objectives. Within an hour I heard back from the director of business development for production. The message was upbeat, positive and simple. I love having an impact even if the ultimate decision is that it is not worth making the change globally in a system that is aging. What I do like is that those around me have no limits to their mind and what is conceivable and they are willing to work for it.

I am always trying to achieve this mythical work-life balance that I have heard about in writings. What I do know is that we often times sell ourselves short by not walking something all the way through. As I make career and personal decisions I hope that I always keep an open mind to the possibilities and am able to achieve the level of success that makes me happy, not what someone else thinks is what I deserve but what I have earned. As the business environment gets ever increasingly difficult and my chosen industry narrows the field even more I hope to always be referred to as the one that will “carry the ball.” I never want to just block and tackle but respect those that do.

I hope to meet the people needed in my life who can help me be a “great ball carrier.” Even as I sit typing, I have been sick for almost 3 weeks now, I am planning to travel again next week for more training. I hope that my attitude settles in on the troops that I serve and that I set a good example of what “good looks like.” And in those many moments when I do not, I hope to have someone in front of me that does! I have 44 people that depend on me for my part of the game and I hope that in the second half that it is what becomes the “game changer” or at least to play and contribute to the winning team.

So every day we need to look at our behaviors and examine have we become hardened by not seeing change implemented successfully? Just because it didn’t work before are we not going to try again when it is the right thing to do? At what point do we hang up our professional opinions and just not give input anymore? I hope never…

NO you cannot drive the advanced finishing accessories with the C5501 but doesn’t mean you will never be able to… Just not now… Thank you for everyone that helped me and allowed me to act foolish without shame.

“Our real discoveries come from chaos, from going to the place that looks wrong and stupid and foolish.” - Chuck Palahniuk (author of the Fight Club and many other novels)

Sorry to be so philosophical but our attitudes drive our behaviors and as consultants our behaviors determine our success, the success of our solutions and ultimately our clients.

Looking Up; Kodak see's a light at the end of the tunnel, they just hope it's not a train!

2010-09-06T19:22:00.000-05:00

Kodak Reports 2nd-Quarter 2010; Digital Profits Continue to Improve

2nd Quarter Revenue of $1.569 Billion; Company’s Digital Commercial Printing and Consumer Inkjet Businesses Show Continued Strong Growth, Outperform the Competition; Kodak Ends 2nd Quarter with Cash Balance of $1.3 Billion; Cash Usage in Line with Company’s Seasonal Pattern; GAAP Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Improves by $24 Million; GAAP Earnings (Loss) Before Interest, Other Income (Charges), Net, & Income Taxes Improves by $19 Million; Digital Earnings (Loss) from Operations Improves by $17 Million

ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 28 -- Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today reported second-quarter results that reflect continued acceleration of the company’s major growth businesses in commercial and consumer inkjet, unit growth in the company’s largest digital businesses, the continued decline of its traditional business, and operational improvements. Revenue from the company’s digital commercial printing businesses grew 9% in the second quarter, including 18% growth in commercial inkjet printing. Consumer inkjet printer and ink revenue grew by 50% in the second quarter. Profits from the company’s digital portfolio showed year-over-year improvement for the third consecutive quarter.

Second-quarter sales totaled $1.569 billion, an 11% decrease from $1.766 billion in the second quarter of 2009. Revenue from digital businesses totaled $1.103 billion, a 6% decrease from $1.173 billion in the prior-year quarter. Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group revenue totaled $466 million, a 21% decline from $593 million in the second quarter of 2009.

On the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the company reported a second-quarter loss from continuing operations of $167 million, or $0.62 per share, compared with a loss from continuing operations on the same basis of $191 million, or $0.71 per share, in the year-ago period. Items of net expense that impacted comparability in the second quarter of 2010 totaled $31 million after tax, or $0.11 per share, primarily due to legal contingencies and restructuring charges. Items of net expense that impacted comparability in the second quarter of 2009 totaled $75 million after tax, or $0.28 per share, due primarily to restructuring charges and tax related items. (Please refer to the attached Items of Comparability table for more information.)

“We continue to gain share in our growth businesses, maintain cost discipline, and drive improved profitability,” said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company. “Our new digital businesses, particularly consumer and commercial inkjet, continue to gain traction, with sales growth outpacing the competition. Digital commercial printing revenue, for example, grew 9% in the second quarter, consumer inkjet printer and ink revenue grew 50%, and operating margins improved in the majority of our digital product lines and for our digital business in total. We remain focused on building a leaner, more competitive company powered by innovative products that compete in large, new markets. Given the solid digital unit growth that we saw in the first half of the year, we continue to target full-year revenue of $7.5 billion to $7.7 billion, reflecting the increasing strength of our digital portfolio."

Other second-quarter 2010 details:

• The company’s second-quarter loss from continuing operations, before interest expense, other income (charges), net, and income taxes was $100 million, a $19 million improvement as compared to a $119 million loss in the year-ago quarter. This was driven by operational improvements, including productivity gains, and lower restructuring charges.

• Gross Profit improved to 19.3% of sales, as compared to 18.5% in the year-ago period. This increase in margin was driven by continued productivity improvements.

• Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses were $313 million in the second quarter, down 3%, from $324 million in the year-ago quarter.

• Research and Development expenses were $81 million in the second quarter, as compared to $84 million in the year-ago quarter, as the company focuses research dollars on its core growth businesses.

• Second-quarter 2010 cash generation, before restructuring payments, reflected a use of $170 million. This compared with cash usage on the same basis of $136 million in the year-ago quarter. This corresponds to net cash used in continuing operations from operating activities on a GAAP basis of $173 million in the second quarter, compared with net cash used of $161 million in the second quarter of 2009. As has been the case in previous years, the company expects to generate the majority of its cash flow during the second half of the year, consistent with its historic seasonal pattern.

• Kodak held $1.3 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2010, compared with $1.1 billion as of June 30, 2009.

• The carrying value of the company’s debt stood at $1.3 billion as of June 30, 2010, with total debt maturities of approximately $1.4 billion, including amounts classified as equity.

Segment sales and earnings from continuing operations before interest, taxes, and other income and charges (segment earnings from operations), are as follows:

• Graphic Communications Group second-quarter 2010 sales were $656 million, compared with $670 million in the prior-year quarter. Second-quarter earnings from operations for the segment improved by $28 million to break-even, compared with a loss in the year-ago quarter. This earnings improvement was primarily driven by lower raw material costs, increased volumes of digital plates, and improved operational performance, particularly within Digital Printing and Prepress Solutions, partially offset by negative price/mix.

• Consumer Digital Imaging Group second-quarter sales were $447 million, compared with $503 million in the prior-year quarter. Second-quarter loss from operations for the segment was $110 million, compared with a loss of $99 million in the year-ago quarter. This decrease in earnings was largely driven by the expiration of a significant Retail Systems Solutions customer contract and increased advertising investment, partially offset by improved profitability in Consumer Inkjet Systems and Digital Cameras and Devices.

• Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group second-quarter sales were $466 million, a 21% decline from the year-ago quarter, driven by continuing industry-related declines. Second-quarter earnings from operations for the segment were $29 million, compared with earnings of $51 million in the year-ago period. This decrease in earnings was primarily driven by industry-related declines in volumes and increased raw material costs, partially offset by cost reductions across the segment.

2010 Outlook

For 2010, Kodak remains focused on three key financial goals, which the company first announced at its February investor meeting: digital revenue growth, earnings from operations, and cash generation. The company today provided an updated outlook for 2010 performance against these metrics, recognizing the uncertainty created by the global economic environment. Kodak’s ability to achieve its full-year 2010 goals is predicated upon modest improvement in the global economy, stabilization of foreign exchange values, the introduction of new, higher-margin digital cameras and devices, and continued execution of the company’s intellectual property licensing program.

• For 2010, Kodak continues to target total company revenue of $7.5 billion to $7.7 billion.

• The company expects full-year digital revenue at the high end of its previous forecast and full-year traditional revenue slightly below the previous forecast.

• Kodak is targeting 2010 segment earnings from operations that will be within the previously communicated range of $350 million to $450 million. This equates to GAAP earnings from continuing operations before interest expense, other income (charges), net and income taxes of $275 million to $375 million.

• Kodak continues to forecast 2010 GAAP loss from continuing operations in the range of $50 million to $150 million, including the impact of the $102 million net charge for early extinguishment of debt, related to the company’s financing transactions in the first quarter of 2010.

• For full-year 2010, the company remains focused on its goal of achieving positive cash generation before restructuring payments. On a GAAP basis, the company is targeting net cash provided by continuing operations from operating activities in the range of $50 million to $150 million.

• The company continues to target a year-end cash balance of $1.8 billion to $2.0 billion, after taking into account all cash actions, including modest debt payments due during 2010.

Form 10-Q and Conference Call Information

The Management Discussion & Analysis document is included as part of the company's Form 10-Q filing. You may access this document one of two ways:

1. Visit Kodak's Investor Center page at: www.kodak.com/go/invest and click on SEC filings

2. Visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission EDGAR website at: www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml and access Eastman Kodak under Company Filings

In addition, Antonio Perez and Kodak Chief Financial Officer Frank Sklarsky will host a conference call with investors at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time today. To access the call, please use the direct dial-in number: +1 480-629-9818, ID 4320279#. There is no need to pre-register.

The call will be recorded and available for playback by 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 28, by dialing +1 303-590-3030, ID 4320279#. The playback number will be active until Wednesday, August 4, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

For those wishing to participate via the webcast, please access our Kodak.com Investor Relations webpage at: http://www.kodak.com/go/invest. The webcast audio will be archived and available for replay on this site approximately one hour following the live broadcast.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Certain statements in this document may be forward-looking in nature, or "forward-looking statements" as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For example, references to the Company's expectations regarding the following are forward-looking statements: economic conditions; currency exchange rates; revenue; revenue growth; cost of goods sold; gross margins; earnings; cash generation; new product introductions; electronic component supplies; potential revenue, cash and earnings from intellectual property licensing; liquidity; and debt.

Actual results may differ from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors as described in more detail in this report under the heading “risk factors” and in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010 under the headings "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," and "Cautionary Statement Pursuant to Safe Harbor Provisions the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995" and in other filings the Company makes with the SEC from time to time:

• Continued weakness or worsening of economic conditions which could continue to adversely impact our financial performance and our liquidity;

• Whether we are successful with the strategic investment decisions we have made which could adversely affect our financial performance;

• Whether we effectively anticipate technology trends and develop and market new products to respond to changing customer preferences which could adversely affect our revenue and earnings;

• The competitive pressures we face which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings and market share;

• Whether our commercialization and manufacturing processes fail to prevent product reliability and quality issues which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings and market share;

• Whether we are successful in licensing and enforcing our intellectual property rights or in defending against alleged infringement of the intellectual property rights of others which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings, expenses and liquidity;

• Whether we are able to provide competitive financing arrangements or extend credit to customers which could adversely impact our revenue and earnings;

• Whether our pension and post-retirement plan costs and contribution levels are impacted by changes in actuarial assumptions, future market performance of plan assets or obligations imposed by legislative or regulatory authorities which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operation and cash flow;

• Whether we are successful in attracting, retaining and motivating key employees which could adversely affect our revenue and earnings;

• Changes in currency exchange rates, interest rates and commodity costs which could adversely impact our results of operations and financial position;

• Our reliance on third party suppliers which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings and results of operations; and

• Whether we are required to recognize additional impairments in the value of our goodwill which could increase expenses and reduce profitability.

The Company cautions readers to carefully consider such factors. Many of these factors are beyond the Company’s control. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent the Company’s estimates only as of the date they are made, and should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s estimates as of any subsequent date. While the Company may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, even if its estimates change.

Any forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated in light of the factors and uncertainties referenced above and should not be unduly relied upon.

Download an ADOBE Acrobat version of the Second Quarter 2010 Results Non-GAAP Reconciliations (pdf).

Yes there is a point to reposting a Press Release from a company's website. But you will just have to wait and see what it is!

Pirate

bits & bytes; The Truth About Xerox “2400 dpi”

2010-08-17T23:38:00.007-05:00

Have a customer confused by the advertised DPI Resolution or Bit Depth of Xerox DocuColor production color systems? Most of the new DocuColor models advertise that they offer 2400dpi.

Here are more details on what they are talking about:

The print controller on the Xerox (be it Fiery, Creo or Xerox FreeFlow) sends 600x600dpi at 8 bits per pixel to the print engine, therefore the process is NOT truly a 2400dpi process.

• The print engine uses VCSEL technology which stands for Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser, meaning that 32 beams of laser light are used to create the image using 8 micron sized toner particles.

• The print engine takes the instructions from the print controller for one dot, and divides it into 16 quadrants. For example, in an area that is supposed to show 25% cyan, rather than dimming the laser to create the needed fill in the pixel, the Xerox VCSEL engine places a pattern in the 16 quadrants to simulate the 25% fill using a screening method.

In summary, each 8 bit 600dpi pixel byte sent by the computer through the RIP print controller is converted in the Fuji-made engine to 1 bit 2400dpi binary pixels.

- This may be a bit outdated, I am curious who might have more infomation on this subject. Go ahead and help us understand the math!

Exit Stage Left... Elvis has left the building and the sinking ship....

2010-06-29T22:31:00.002-05:00

I thought that this was already old news but people seem to keep asking about it so here it is:

From: M.Espe

Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 7:21 AM
To: DL-All US Users
Subject: Thank you

It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing my departure from Ricoh. It was an extremely difficult decision for many reasons, particularly because of all the momentum we have built and the strong opportunities in front of us. Most of all, I am going to miss the dedicated and energized employees that make up our great team. I have forged many close working and personal relationships with many of you over the years, and I will always look back fondly at the time I have spent at IKON and Ricoh. I am very grateful for all that you have done to position Ricoh as a leader, and the work I know that you will continue to do in the future to create an even stronger organization.

The opportunity to take on the CEO role at Armstrong, a publicly traded NYSE company headquartered in Pennsylvania, was a great fit for me both personally and professionally, and one that I could not ignore. Knowing that we have a strong leadership team in place with Kevin Togashi and the Ricoh Americas staff, and that our leaders in Ricoh U.S. now have the vision, strategies and support to carry our integration planning in the U.S. forward, made the decision easier. I leave knowing that you have a strong leadership team, the best employees in the industry, and by far the strongest portfolio of technology and solutions to offer our customers and dealer partners.

You should all be proud of the work you are doing and the company that you all help shape. The past eight years at IKON and more recently as part of Ricoh have been extremely satisfying for me, and I remain energized by your commitment to Ricoh’s continued success and the opportunities you have to create something great. I know you will build on the foundation you have to strengthen the company, grow revenue and increase market share. Most of all, I know that you will continue your intense focus on the customer and dedication to Ricoh’s success.

I want to thank all of you for your support over the years, and for the privilege of working with this great team. I wish you all the best in the future and know that Ricoh’s best days are ahead.

Thanks,

Matt Espe

So really what does this mean? Why would Matt leave a pretty solid position with Ricoh Americas to move along to well I had never heard of Armstrong so I have no idea what his motivation is. What I will say is that quite a few of Ricoh's leadership have popped up at places that I have been and they were all pretty tight lipped but have all left the building. Matt on the other hand has left the building and the industry. Probably a good move. I have no other qualifications but to stay and wait for the next round of acquisitions and mergers.

So what is going on out there? Things have gotten very quite about Canon and the Oce... Not much on the home front as I still am struggling to get my arms around my next steps. What I can say is that I have gone from Champagne to a glass of water with lemon please...

So tell me what is a pirate without his ship?

IPEX 2010: Fujifilm's Xerox Color 1000 press will be showcased...

2010-05-09T16:25:00.005-05:00

The Xerox Color 1000 press is the big brother to the 800 and can produce 100 pages per minute and uses Xerox's low-melt, EA (emulsion aggregation) "Dry Ink." Unlike the iGen units, these new models use polymerized toner using the emulsion aggregation method so they do not use a fuser oil.

Fuser oil has been used for a long time to allow for proper fusing at speed, the newer presses that are worth considering do not use the "fuser oil" and give the user more post process options. Fuser oil can be very undesirable. From making it hard to get a print laminated to the application of coatings there are a lot of variables to take into consideration when you work with prints from a device that utilizes the fuser oil technology. Typically it is undesirable especially since there are devices that do not use an oil in the fusing process.

The Xerox 1000 is claimed to print on substrates from 55 gsm to 350 gsm without slowing down like the Canon imagePRESS (will only allow up to 300 gsm) and the Konica Minolta Bizhub PRESS C8000 which will also go all the way to 350 gsm . The press has the ability to print a clear toner as part of its fifth print unit like the Canon imagePRESS C1 plus.

Xerox will also be showing the Xerox 700 and Docucolor 7002 presses, XMF Workflow and Web2print systems in an integrated production area designed to showcase digital print systems.

The Color 1000 press is claimed to print at 2,400 x 2,400dpi, but it is not true 8 bits per pixel as the Xerox calculation just takes a pixel from a 600 dpi data stream and divides it into 4 quadrants to get to 2400dpi. The "Dry Ink" EA Toner is claimed to provide an offset-like finish like the Canon imagePRESS or Konica Minolta Bizhub PRESS C8000. There are very few manufacturers that use a true 8 bit color depth in their digital presses. Konica Minolta and Kodak both use a true 8 bit per pixel depth which is why you see their prints with a richer more well rounded gamut than the competition. Some manufacturers use as low as 2 bits per pixel which typically offers a much smaller gamut and a much lower image quality.

The press has a lot of finishing options from a GBC advanced punch, high-capacity stacker (single or dual) with removable carts, Xerox standard finisher with optional C-Z folder or booklet maker finisher and Squarefold trimmer. Xerox has just launched the Color Press 800 and 1000 so there are still options that will be available in the future but are not currently ready to deliver like the Xerox tape binder, GBC Ebinder 200 and Plockmatic Pro 30 professional booklet maker.

The Xerox Color Press 800/1000 will print onto sheet sizes up to 13 x 19.2in (33 x 48.8cm). This size format is very common among digital presses that use electrostatic toner technology. It is becoming a very common term to call toner "Dry Ink" Kodak and Xerox refer to their toner as a dry ink to further close the gap with commercial printers by using their lingo.

It will be interesting to see how consistent the color is on these new devices.

IPEX claims to be the second largest print show on the planet with an attendance of well over 100,000 visitors. The show only comes around every 4 years. This year the show will cover over 100,000 square meters and have over 1000 vendors.

Color Calibration is the Key to Consistency; the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things seen!

2010-04-29T10:52:00.019-05:00

Talk to ten people about color management and you will get ten (or more) different answers. I really like the commentary that Frank Romano wrote for WhatTheyThink.com.

Frank suggested that "color management is the ultimate oxymoron. You can no more manage color than you can manage light or nature (or even teenagers)."

Unclutter your mind, Standardize your equipment

We all know that the same color image looks different when viewed on different monitors, printed on different proofers and printers, on different brands of paper, or even viewed under different lighting environments. Yet this is the task that we are given to accomplish. Color management is about characterizing color imaging devices. It is about understanding color space and the creation and proper use of profiles, both input and output. Color management is about achieving color portability and predictability so that you can count on the result.

If you are working in the digital world, you have to manage color somehow, whether by eye or by making a substantial commitment to hardware, software and training. Regardless of how far you have traveled down the color management path, you know this isn't easy. Don't forget, every color device and every combination of ink and paper has its own color "signature" requiring separate profiling and calibration to achieve the best results. (Perhaps this is why my hair has gone gray way before it's time.)

While many of the people selling color management solutions would like you to believe that installing their group of widgets and software will give you perfect color all the time, I prefer to look at color management as a way to achieve repeatable, consistent results. No matter what you have done to set up your color managed workflow, there will be some colors that you just can't reproduce or that are out of gamut for your suite of devices. A good color management system will allow you to deal with this in an efficient manner. So consistency is the key to the overall success. So how do we arrive at consistency you ask? Good process control!

Getting to Consistency

How sophisticated do you need your color management system have to be?

If you are working on in-house newsletters or printing real estate flyers on a color laser or inkjet printer, you may not need to do anything more than calibrate your monitor. Working with the default settings on your digital camera, scanner and printer may be producing acceptable results as is. There are many ways to set up your color managed workflow, there are a lot of options none of them are 100% right or wrong. There ARE things though you should do and things you shouldn't do; but you have a lot of options.

One thing that is very important regardless of which color space you work in or what or what color output profiles you assign is you do have to use the SAME settings across all of your cameras, scanners, and software applications etc to maintain consistent results. If you have multiple designers or pre press people that have their own computers you have to ensure that both are working in the same color space and using the exact same settings or jobs coming from both of them will ALWAYS look different.

If you are working in a photography/design studio and someone else has to output the files you may want to see what they are using and how much sense it makes to adopt their system for consistency sake (always ask for some help from your printer). I have found most printers are pretty happy to explain how they like their files set up before they start on the job. This will usually go a long way when it gets to press time. They may even have custom profiles for the equipment you are using, making the process even easier. If you know who will do the final output you can call ahead to find out what they will run the job on and ask them if they have the output profile for their device or how they would like the file setup and delivered.

Printers have a hard time of it as they deal with so many clients that it many times is impossible to "train" all of their parters to provide them with exactly what they need in the format that they need it. Hence the Pre Press department earns their keep. There are a lot of things that must be done by printers to ensure consistent color job to job so that the Pressman do not have to be "Artists." Web submission has helped this by taking files and processing them in a consistent and predictable manner you know that the fonts and graphics are there as the customer submitted them.

Many times printers are using a particular standard like SWOP or GRACol or using a particular methodology like G7. Most of the time they will be more than happy to put their geeks with your geeks to save them time in the long run. Everything you do will get closer to what you are aiming for and over time you can perfect the "art" of color managing your systems to work with theirs.

If it exists, It exists to be Calibrated

If you are going to implement a color management strategy in your print center and start down this many times slippery path, you need to manage it all. Calibration is a way to ensure process control. Calibration is not color management but you cannot color manage what is not controlled! But it will help allow you to implement a system of color management that will ensure consistent, predictable and repeatable results. Color calibration is a requirement for all devices taking an active part of a color managed workflow. You cannot arbitrarily pick one element to "Control." For instance calibrating your monitor is not enough. You will need to calibrate and profile all of your monitors, or have just one dedicated color workstation that everyone works from. All devices that are part of the system need to be controlled! Maintaining process control will allow you to implement a successful color management program.

Consistency is one of the major keys to color accuracy; so whenever you can standardize equipment do so – that will make your job a lot easier. You will need to profile every combination of printer and substrates (paper) that you use, because of the differences between them. This is work but once you get started things get a lot easier and when you quit having to redo things to get colors right you will be thankful. First, you must calibrate your monitor – using your flavor of color calibration software along with a spectrophotometer that you will attach to your screen.

For the most accurate results you will want to have your monitors in a subdued light environment to be able to discern color. The walls of the room should be a neutral grey so they do not add ambient color to the images you are viewing.

The light recommended for the ultimate viewing your prints in production uses yet another standard called Kelvin. Daylight is considered to be 5000K or 5000 Kelvin.

You will want to look at the papers you use and standardize a bit. Pick a good smooth proofing sheet that you can always use to look at comps etc. This day and age it is hard to find a good digital sheet that isn't completely saturated in optical brighteners which give the sheet a slightly bluish hue.

Optical brighteners are additives that paper manufacturers put into paper in order to help a paper look "whiter." They do this to compensate for the yellowish or brownish tinges of the low quality paper. It is an optical illusion though and is to fool your eye into thinking the paper is a bright white. This many times is factored in with the "Brightness Factor" you see mentioned on the package numbers over 100 indicate a high level of optical brighteners have been used.

L* is also another term used for the quality of a sheet and refers to it's "Lightness". L is one of the components of the L*A*B* or CIE (Commission Internationale De l'Eclairage ) LAB color space. Paper has a profound effect on the ultimate appearance of the image as a sheet with an L* of 80 will be several shades darker than a paper with an L* of 90 and so on. This make makes a huge difference when printing on such papers, as the sheet with an L* of 80 will add a 22.75% K component to the image your printing where as an L* of 92 only adds 9.41%.

Moral of the story, pick a good sheet that you like it should have a brightness of at least 98 (only adds 2.35%) to minimize the effect of the added K and profile the paper; many times you do not have to re-profile do to adjustments in thickness but you do for finish changes like from matt to satin, to gloss to uncoated. Uncoated papers have a different gamut that they can produce do to the propensity of the toners, dry inks, offset inks and other pigments to absorb into the paper fibers and not lay on top like a well coated stock.

The next step in process control after you have done your monitors is to calibrate your printer(s). Most of the higher end systems with print controllers will have their own targets and process to accomplish this but there are many that can be used as a standard like the IT-8.7 target. Then you can move on to whatever input devices you use, i.e. scanners, digital cameras, etc. Once your input devices are calibrated, you have a closed loop, calibrated system that should make it easy to achieve files and prints with outstanding color fidelity. Many times your equipment vendor will have a couple great targets to use and can show you what they should look like considering your setup.

Printers like other equipment need to be continually calibrated to be brought back to a baseline. Characterization profiles (output profiles) can be used to maximize what is known about your particular system. As you change key components of your printer like replace ink, toner, drums, or any other color critical component you need to recalibrate. As things like corona wires get older they take charge differently and this will change your color if you do not calibrate your machine routinely. After long runs you may want to recalibrate as well. Whether it is daily, weekly or whatever you need to put a process in place to ensure it gets done and in the same fashion each time.

Easier said than Done

The sad thing is that it is all easier said than done, as Frank Romano put it, "There are many standards committees, organizations, and vendors working on "standardized" approaches to color reproduction. It seems that the more standards we have, the more chaos there is." For the most part this is true but if we do nothing at all we will have customers upset and operators that have no hair! We have to start somewhere. Your equipment vendors will have ideas that will guide you in the right direction in the end you will have to put together a system that makes sense for you. There is no end to color management so it can get involved. You need to work out a process that is duplicate-able and predictable. Keeping things simple enough that everyone can follow the process and use the system will greatly help your success. Human error can also lead to color infidelity so having a system that is understood and always followed is key!

Even when you apply science to every input, viewing, and output device we still cannot control how the client or end user will see the finished product under what lighting conditions etc. The reality is that color management albeit full of science is still a highly practiced art form.

Bon Appetite

Pirate Mike

Seven Deadly Sins of a New Equipment Purchase; how to buy your next press and be happy about it…

2010-04-27T14:12:00.005-05:00

From being involved with the printing industry for now almost 20 years I have seen a lot of purchases go bad. Most of the time I was the guy that had to operate the new toy in hopes that it would magically bring in the "motherload" and pay off all of the other poor purchases before it. Now I am on the other end of the stick trying to help owners maximize their next purchase so that they can maximize their production and profitability through the shop.

Traditional printers have been very good at finding used presses and making due. But in this new world of digital printing and automated systems each owner has to become a better buyer. Many times the next purchase is not going to be a used piece of gear but something that fills a gap and brings him/her closer to the overall vision of the business.

In an age of globalization and increased competition on a regional and national level companies are being forced to make sure that each purchase they make is in fact the right one. As systems become more interdependent and "connectable" to our workflow and information systems we are increasingly becoming aware that each purchase is critical to the overall success of the shop. Purchases that may have taken a phone call now are taking 6 months or longer. Since we cannot just start over we find that most shops started off traditionally buying a piece of equipment for a particular task or customer. Now each purchase needs to be taken into consideration so that eventually we can "plug" them all in to an automated manufacturing system. Between "Green" and "Lean" there is a lot for the printing entrepreneur to learn and master.

From being on both sides of the fence these are the 7 most common mistakes that I have seen made by printing professionals and their production management when looking to make a new equipment purchase.

Sin #1 Not knowing the nature of the orders being taken and the needs of the customer base

Many owners when asked are not sure of the nature of the jobs being brought in or how many jobs are being sent out. It is critical before buying a new piece of equipment to have a comprehensive understanding of the current jobs being taken in.
Understanding the customer base is very important to. Most owners will tell you that they are generally a "commercial printer" but when you take a closer look they tend to have a clientele that leans one way or another. Knowing who your customer is and what they need will help you look at your equipment palette to know where you are lacking.
Knowing how many deals are being lost and why. Are you losing to price or because you are outsourcing and are not competitive? Are you losing due to antiquated equipment that is not in line with today's practices? Most of today's presses are automated, you may be able to save money buying a press that isn't but lose to your competitors because your set up time is 4x longer. In today's short runs if it takes you longer than 15-20 minutes to set up your job you are already losing.
As jobs are being completed it is always a good idea to hand deliver some of these to get a pulse of what changes may be taking place in your customer's requirements. Some shops do not have dedicated sales staff or customer service representatives, so it is imperative that the owner do these deliveries to ensure he/she is in touch with changes going on inside of their customer's organizations.
Take your best customer to the equipment demo and run one of their jobs on the new device and ask them, "Is this what you want?" If the sales person can sell them you are possibly looking at a good acquisition.

Sin #2 Not keeping up with the industry economics and technology advancements

Printing is a complex and ever changing industry; the closer you are to your clients and competitors the better you will be able to make decisions.
As the industry evolves it becomes more and more digital and automated. Do not let the technology slip away from you. You must stay on top of what is going on and not rely on someone else in your organization to do it for you. Be proactive it's your business so drive it!
Technology brings advancements that can fill holes in your product offerings, streamline your workflow, and increase your profitability & productivity. Make it your business to know what is out there and keep a list of questions ready for anyone that wants to talk to you about equipment.

Sin #3 Buying a piece of equipment based on the payment with no plan

You would think this one would be a no brainer, but many times companies will make decisions solely on the monthly payment and have no plan on how to implement the new acquisition.
Look to your equipment vendors for help, lean on the top 2 or 3 choices in your area and ask them for ideas. Many times manufacturers have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into industry experts to devise plans and give advice to their customers on how to maximize their investment. Most companies that value your business will offer plans on how to best utilize your new "potential" investment.

Sin #4 Buying on relationship only and not looking at the company behind the relationship

This happens equally as often; you know the sales rep so you forget to investigate the company behind them. True sales reps are a bit migratory like pressman and other positions on the floor, but more often than not sales people looking for a job get sold on grandiose ideas of their new employer and may not know what they have gotten themselves into before it's too late for them and you!
Make sure that you are dealing with a reputable dealer or direct manufacturer branch. Take the time to get references and look into what level of service that they are willing to offer and guarantee.
When dealing with a dealer or authorized reseller make sure that the company you are dealing with is solvent. The contact may be for 3 or 5 years but they need to be around to honor it! Getting service after they go out of business may be a lot more difficult than you think! Companies do not like taking over service on equipment that they didn't sell and could charge you exorbitant fees to go through and bring the machine up to spec.
When making a large acquisition take the time to review what you think you need and take the time to sit down with each of the reps from the companies that you are considering. Walk them through the plant and explain what you need to get done and why. Don't leave out anything you think is material, good reps have worked in the industry and are students of the business.
Good sales reps are truly entrepreneurial and have valuable ideas. They are walking in and out of shops all day long and may have valuable ideas on how to improve your operation as they have seen what has worked and failed in other shops. On the other hand it is not wise to buy from a rep that has not walked the walk. People pushed by greed will say anything.
Relationships are good and many times they keep you away from bad purchases and untimely deals, just always remember to do your research. Don't think that a relationship is a pass to not do your homework!

Sin #5 Buying for today and not looking out for tomorrow

Be aware of what is going on in your shop and don't let equipment decisions be put to the last second.
You know your lease expires in a year, then it is time to start looking; waiting till 2-3 months out is a disaster waiting to happen. You have spent all your time running your business and dealing with issues how are you going to get caught up in 2-3 months. Most contacts have odd requirements know exactly what you need to do to notify your current vendor upon lease end.
You know you have a customer that needs short run digital but you're not currently doing variable data so you short change the system with a built in controller. Know the industry trends, look at what is going on with your customers do not get caught off guard in a 3 or 5 year lease for jobs that require a reconfiguration of equipment you have already purchased.
Things are constantly changing look for equipment that is versatile and can grow with you. Look for equipment that may not be the cheapest but that might outlast the lease.

Sin #6 Buying equipment based on hardware specs alone

It is easy to get hung up on the science of it all. Whatever you do look at each equipment purchase in light of the other equipment in the shop and the systems that you have in place or may put into place. As JDF and Cip4 become more widely used you will want all of your equipment to be able to participate in the automation. Do not let the fact that someone else's equipment is 5 pages per minute faster or $50 dollars cheaper a month discourage you from looking at the big picture.
Implementation process, be sure to know what is involved and do not get caught off guard. What seemed cheaper and better was only if you did a bunch of things on your own that could cost you a small fortune like install special environmental controls or create a separate room for the device.
Ensure that you have a clear understanding on how your operators are going to get trained, support after the sale and ongoing training.
Substrate Flexibility. Yes it's fast and yes it's cheap but if you can only print on 1 brand of paper that is 3x more expensive than your competition then it's not worth buying! Don't just stop at the equipment; look into everything that will go into the system.

Sin #7 Biting off more than you can chew; not all deals are created equal

Everyone wants the lowest click charge, but what people do not seem to ever understand that it is better to hedge your bets than to bet the farm. If you are only doing 60,000 don't vouch for 100,000, set your monthly at 50,000 and pay the overages. Sometimes companies will do a cost per copy but many times the rates for them are quite a bit higher than setting a reasonable base and paying overages when needed.
Understand exactly what your responsibility is toward the servicing of the new system and how your operators are going to be trained and kept current.
When looking at your needs plan 3 to 5 years out. Depending on your financial situation don't get caught up in keeping up with the printer next door. On the other hand don't under buy because you are not willing to take the time to plan and execute a plan to afford the right equipment.
When moving into a new area or product offering, look at the strata of the equipment for that arena. Typically there are light production, mid and heavy production devices in all areas of the shop. If this is your first step in an area make sure to make the distinction and know what volumes are needed to support each level of equipment. Look hard at what you have "in hand" and what you can readily access through your current customer base. If you are boarder line step up to the next level now but put into action a plan to get you to a sustainable level quickly. If you are well below what you need to enter the arena with your own equipment look at used or "rental" equipment if none exists look to your fellow printers that are not direct competitors to you and work out a deal, they have payments to make as well!

All in all printers are becoming better buyers all the time. With experience being the best teacher many of the best buyers have made a few mistakes along the way. Unfortunately some of those mistakes make have cost them a shop or two. In today's economic environment it pays to be a student of your business and reach out to those that can help.

Today most manufacturers have representatives that do not do the end selling but can offer technical advice and offer suggestions. Taking advantage of these people can be a valuable asset in looking into a new equipment purchase. Most Sales Reps for "big iron" production equipment understand the financial metrics that are required to make a piece of equipment profitable. Asking is free so don't be shy when digging for information.

Treating your sales person with respect and as a person goes a long way when the chips are down. Many reps need a poke or two to keep them jumping but they will work much harder when treated as professionals. Don't buy what you think is a good product from someone that cannot help you. The rep that is sent out to you is your connection to the company.

Sure there are 1-800 numbers and online this and that but the flesh and blood being sent out to service you is what you will know from the company you choose. Your experience will be based on their ability to get you connected to the resources inside of that organization. Almost all manufacturers of production products have some great people but depending on the area you are in you may not have access to them. Make sure you have met the service personnel and the sales management so that you have plenty of touch points to keep your boat afloat!

Pirate Mike

This is a bit over simplified, but I am going to produce a series that will look at this process in depth, but for now enjoy!

Here a press there a press; the competition narrows…

2010-04-27T11:36:00.008-05:00

Now that On Demand is behind us we can get back to work. With the economy coming around and companies looking at capital improvements again the rush is on to put more toys in front of owners. With the digital production competition narrowing the choices are getting easier to make.

The field is down to about 4 key players; Konica Minolta, Xerox, Canon and Ricoh. With the new introductions by Xerox and Konica Minolta you can be assured that there are launches in progress or planned for this year!

The color production systems that are now for consumption are the:

    Konica Minolta
                bizhub PRO 5501/6501
                bizhub PRO 65hc
                bizhub PRESS C8000
    Xerox
                Xerox 700
                DocuColor 5000AP
                DocuColor 7002/8002
                Xerox Color Press 800/1000
                iGen3
                iGen4
    Canon
                imageRUNNER ADVANCE C9065 PRO/C9065 PRO
                imagePRESS C1
                imagePRESS C6000
                imagePRESS C6000VP
                imagePRESS C7000VP
    Ricoh
                Ricoh Pro C550/C700 also known as the MPC 6000/7500
                (office grade color copier)

                Ricoh Pro C720/C900

The quality and consistency of these devices gets better with each generation. So far this year a number of new devices have been introduced raising the bar for the introductions that are slated for the end of the year. It has been interesting to watch the operations from inside several of these companies. Sometimes the success of a device has nothing to do with how good it is but by the hearts of those that sell it. That I have witnessed firsthand. As I get ready to get back into the workforce I am hoping for a full recovery of the economy and look forward to swinging the battle axe once more.

Pirate Mike

Graphic Arts Monthly Closed; what in the world is going on?

2010-04-21T17:43:00.007-05:00

I have been hearing about the closure for a while but it just hit me how long I have been reading GAM. And really how much I learned by keeping in touch through the trade journals.

This memo was posted on their website

"Graphic Arts Monthly has closed

No additional print issues will be published, and this web site will close on April 30, 2010.

RBI Staff -- Graphic Arts Online, April 16, 2010
Our parent company, Reed Elsevier, announced in July of 2009 its intentions to substantially exit its Reed Business Information-US publishing business, while retaining specific businesses. Over the past several months, multiple publishing brands were divested. As of April 16, 2010, the remaining publishing brands and their associated products and services have closed.

As a result Graphic Arts Monthly has closed. No additional print issues will be published, and this web site will close on April 30, 2010.

For a full list of the brands that have been closed, the brands that have been retained, and the brands that have sold, please see the Reed Business Information-US corporate web site at http://www.reedbusiness.com/us.

We are proud of the role we have played in helping our loyal readers, advertisers and partners. Thank you for your support.

-- Reed Business Information-US"

I can remember when I was just getting started in this business, I signed up for everything. I was receiving 10-15 different trade journals a month and became a student of the business. It was a great way to see new products and equipment come out and a way to stay in touch with the industry from a national perspective. I do realize that there are plenty of online sources but many of them do not have the editorial content and journalists to keep up with the content collection and creation. It is a very sad day when we don't support our own industry. The magazines were created for us; they kept us in tune with what was going on. I for one am saddened to see so much turmoil in the printing and publishing industry. I guess all that will be left are a few national conglomerates, and handful of quick printers and a bounty of web programmers.

I hope that people can look forward and not lose hope as we move through a tough time in our economy and an awkward time in our industry. The digital age does not mean less print it just means we are creating it differently. As an industry we must keep on top of the changes and support those allied industries that do this "compiling" for us so that we can tend to the production work at hand. The shows, the magazines are all part of our industry we need to support them as they rely on us for their livelihood. Just as we rely on our customers to keep coming back and being loyal to us.

Pirate Mike

Konica Minolta, the bizhub PRESS® C8000; coming out serving CREO out of the gates…

2010-04-19T19:52:00.012-05:00

Konica Minolta has always partnered with Creo for controllers but many times the Creo Controller wouldn't be available at launch. The new Konica Minolta, the bizhub PRESS® C8000 will be shown at On Demand with the The IC-307 Print Controller. This new Creo Controller will be JDF compliant as to fit into the most predominant workflows like KODAK Printergy and Agfa Apogee and many other top level systems. Anymore not being able to maximize your investment with your production printing means extra steps and wasted resources. By tying your systems together and maximizing your capital investments your getting closer to a LEAN environment. This is one way to PRINT LEAN!

The new Konica Minolta, the bizhub PRESS® C8000 will boast a twin fusing system like the Canon imagePRESS to allow rated speed up to 300 GSM.

With true 1200 X 1200 Dpi and the Konica Minolta standard 8 bit color you are surely going to have world class color. I have not seen the device but everyone that has been privileged to work on it seems to think this "clean sheet" design will revolutionize how production color is produced. With the ability to run 300 GSM at rated speed you will have the opportunity to maximize your production. Running up to 300GSM duplexed or 350GSM simplex will allow for more options in the shop. Especially since 14pt and 16pt business cards are becoming so prominent now days.

For those that are serious about investing in a production color device this year take some time and go to On Demand starting tomorrow and get a glimpse of history in the making. From exacting color management tools to the production level inline finishing options this new digital press is surely going to make some IGEN, NexPRESS and Indigo owners take notice with a price tag of half to 2/3rds Less and an operating cost that rivals cheap color copiers there are going to be some changed buying decisions over the next few years by these big iron owners.

I am excited to see the technology deliver the promise that was offered some fifteen years ago that never materialized. The next time you think Digital Press Don't Forget toThink Bizhub!

Pirate Mike

Just when you thought you were safe! Ricoh America’s is Closing down their Irving Texas Location!

2010-04-15T13:49:00.004-05:00

New fiscal year starts and you are scared for your job, things are not right but then April 1st comes and goes and you go Whew! Thank god you still have a job! Then you cautiously wait for the compensation plans to come out and Whew no big deal.

Then just when you thought it was safe to get out of the closet - Wham Unemployed! I have predicting this for months and now it is a reality.

When everyone thought I was crazy here are the facts:

"Ricoh Americas Corp., which sells and provides services for imaging equipment such as printers and copiers, plans to close an Irving location, according to a filing with the Texas Workforce Commission.
Some 53 people will be affected by the June 4 shutdown, according to the April 2 letter to the agency.
The letter did not disclose a reason for the closure of the office. Comment wasn't immediately available Wednesday from the West Caldwell, N.J. unit of Japan's Ricoh Co.
According to the corporate data service Hoover's, Ricoh Co. had a total of 110,000 employees and $21.5 billion in revenue last year."
Read more: Ricoh Americas Corp. to close Irving shop; 53 employees affected - Dallas Business Journal:

Well there it is the I's have it! And I don't mean Ayes I mean I's IKON has survived the first round it will be interesting to see how long it will take to get all of the extra real estate dealt with!

The carnage is about to begin! Even thought I didn't want to be unemployed myself it is probably the best thing that could have ever happened to me! I was not happy selling their equipment and had no successful installations of their color equipment. I was probably on track to ruin my reputation as a consultant if I continued on.

We will see what happens in the coming months but it cannot be good for anyone that stayed there. Compensation plans didn't change that radically, with the exception that they are trying to make it very hard to afford to be under plan.

I don't blame them on that one. They had tons of people making rent at 36% and they still kept them! Everyone that I know that was at or over 100% has left with a few rare exceptions at least locally.
Happy Sale'ing

Pirate Mike

Inkjet is building steam; will it ever do anything other than transactional…

2010-04-14T09:06:00.004-05:00

Inkjet is building steam and this time in a new report!

"In its "North American Transactional Printing Market Update & Forecast 2009-2014" study, Interquest reports that inkjet presses are gaining volume and installations. Interquest is a leading market and technology research and consulting firm serving the digital printing and publishing industry.

The 2009 study notes that although inkjet equipment accounts for only four percent of the transactional printing systems (monochrome, spot and full color) used by respondents to the survey, inkjet presses produce 35 percent of the total transactional print volume reported – up from 31 percent the year before. The number of print operations using inkjet equipment took a big jump. The survey found that about one-third of the respondents now use inkjet equipment for transactional printing, up from 16 percent in the first half of 2008."

What will be interesting to watch is how well this technology is received as the quality gets better. All I have heard from printers lately have been thoughts that the volumes will not be there if they take the risk and invest in the technology. But transactional and trans promotional volumes are relatively untapped as not many printers have attempted to sell this business. As the economy strengthens companies will have to return to the drawing board and look at their capabilities and ensure that they are investing in areas they can make money in and that has growth potential.

Printers are struggling to reinvent themselves this time as technology is pushing them away from their traditional business. I have had many comments from printers that were a bit on the negative side on the high volume inkjet, I am worried that they will pass this opportunity up and allow the commercial sector to invest which will shut them out of the business completely. In house marketing departments already have the ability to add 3 or 4 small machines to take over much of their companies printing needs. As in-plant facilities grow in capabilities and skill sets traditional printers will lose their foothold.

It is interesting how much cross media advertising that I receive but printers are saying "no one is doing it." Traditional advertising agencies have stayed away from cross media as it requires them to add additional skill sets beyond just the creative. I think it is time to rethink business plans and put away the ideas of "this is how we have always done it." Every day another printer goes out of business or gets acquired by one of the conglomerates. As employment comes back and companies start thinking about capital reinvestment printers need to be the first ones in their ear talking about where they can spend their money.

The print salesman of the last decade will not be the print salesman of the next. Marketing services and solution selling will take over and the idea of asking for "cost center" business will be over with, as most companies can produce that work themselves. If printers keep shying away from the work the commercial sector will use their IT and marketing departments to develop their own cross media programs and printers will lose out on that business as well. The work is getting printed but will it get into the hands of a printer is the only question.

With the advent of Inkjet this ability to produce high volumes of print inexpensively will be just one more tool in the data center that could easily erode volumes that go out to the local print shop. With the resurgence of direct mail it is only time that Inkjet will get its hold on the industry. Now with everyone demanding quality 1 to 1 marketing in their direct mail programs and as those programs get adopted by larger institutions the run sizes will grow. This business lends itself to inkjet as long as the quality is there, otherwise it will go to the electrophotography devices that we are used to.

As digital presses advance (electrophotography) Inkjet will have new quality levels and substrate standards to meet. Maybe the technology will never get to that point but I doubt it. "The best way to predict the future is to invent it." - Alan Kay and the Inkjet companies are working hard to rival the "dry ink" technologies quality and substrate handling it will only be a matter of time before we see the technology mainstream. With Canon's latest purchase of Oce they are making sure that they do not have all their eggs in one basket. This acquisition could prove to be a very valuable one in the future.

Fortunately for those of us that sell the "dry ink" technologies, inkjet is new, expensive and the quality is not quite there. But many companies are joining in the race to develop a new level of inkjet so this will be a no holds barred battle.

Pirate Mike

Let’s Get Ready To Rumble; US economy is showing strong signs of coming back…

2010-04-13T11:11:00.010-05:00

Here we are 04/13/2010, exactly 3 months since I had a slight employment diversion. During the 3 months I had an opportunity to take a good look around me and realize that things were not as I remembered them. I had been so busy focused on the insanity that was around me at our office that I had forgotten to look outside or really listen to my clients talk about their experiences with the economy.

What is sad is how easy it is to get caught up in the forecasting, closing and the implementing of what we do and forget that there is a real war outside. Our economy has taken some major hits which has severely impacted all of us in one way or another. I had my head buried so deep in the sand that I didn't realize how vulnerable we are really were, until I ended up on the unemployment line. No one is irreplaceable and I guess that is the lesson that I had to learn. I do think it is a lack of leadership not to be able to make corrections without throwing the baby with the bathwater but that was not my call.

In the end I ended up in a culture where I was already a known entity and had a strong track record of success; so the hope is that after 3 months of soul searching I too will be part of the solution to our National economic issues. The good news is that the US economy is optimistically coming out of its funk slowly but surely. There are many strong signs of recovery in our favor and a few that were not.

Printing shipments were down month to month and year over year. In January 2010 commercial printing shipments were $6.7 billion, down -7.2% compared to 2009. This data is a bit obscure but can be found at the Manufacturers' Shipments, Inventories, and Orders also known as the M3 survey has monthly statistical data on economic conditions in the domestic manufacturing sector. The survey measures current industrial activity and provides an indication of future business trends. The preview for February's report will come out March 24^th. There are a lot of organizations and individuals that take this raw data and manipulate it to formulate their own opinions on the state of our economy. Of interest to those that sell the big iron or are purchasers of the big iron a report that is nicely put together with analysis and commentary is the one produced by WhatTheyThink.com.

Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center, they have just released a current report titled, "North American Monthly Printing Shipments, Issue #52." This report is available for purchase at: https://store.whattheythink.com/monthly-u-s-printing-shipments. I had never really spent much time looking at economics or the reports as they came out till I became unemployed. The old days I would have made a phone call to the company of my choice and would have found myself picking a desk the same day. In this new world I did have a lot of job opportunities but getting the decision makers to pull the trigger on an addition to their payroll budget was not as easy as it used to be. While unemployed I started to pay attention to the financial reports release dates and following what was going on much closer than I had ever done before.

But there are a lot of people looking forward to the "Spring" back of our economy. In an audio report by Jerry Webman, Ph.D. a Senior Investment Officer & Chief Economist for the Oppenheimer Funds I found this report to be very "level headed" and was characterized by cautious optimism. His sentiments can be found all over the economic strata. Many do share Mr. Webman's thoughts and they are easily found. His commentary can be found here: U.S. Economic Recovery in Full Swing--Weekly Market Commentary.

Founded in 1915, the Institute for Supply Management™ (ISM) is the largest supply management association in the world as well as one of the most respected. ISM's membership base includes more than 40,000 supply management professionals with a network of domestic and international affiliated associations. ISM is a not-for-profit association that provides opportunities for the promotion of the profession and the expansion of professional skills and knowledge.The ISM releases 2 reports a month, the Manufacturing ISM Report On Business^® and the March 2010 Non-Manufacturing ISM Report On Business^®The ISM used to be known as the Purchasing Managers Index or PMI.

The manufacturing sector has been coming back now for 8 months. WE are now seeing new job creation begin and will continue as the economy recovers. Jobs finally returned in March, however, as nonfarm payrolls increased by 162,000 (48,000 were census workers). Manufacturing payrolls rose by 15,000 and construction payrolls by 17,000 which were 2 of the hardest hit and are now showing some reprieve. Temporary employment improved in March by 40,000 which could be a indicator for future job growth as companies retain those employees fulltime when merited. There are all good signs for our industry and the recovery of our economy in the near future.

Here are a few key pieces of the ISM report.

MANUFACTURING AT A GLANCE
Mar-10
Index	Series	Series	Percentage	Direction	Rate
	Index	Index	Point		of	Trend*
	March	February	Change		Change	(Months)
PMI	59.6	56.5	3.1	Growing	Faster	8
New Orders	61.5	59.5	2	Growing	Faster	9
Production	61.1	58.4	2.7	Growing	Faster	10
Employment	55.1	56.1	-1	Growing	Slower	4
Supplier Deliveries	64.9	61.1	3.8	Slowing	Faster	10
Inventories	55.3	47.3	8	Growing	From Contracting	1
Customers' Inventories	39	37	2	Too Low	Slower	12
Prices	75	67	8	Increasing	Faster	9
Backlog of Orders	58	61	-3	Growing	Slower	3
Exports	61.5	56.5	5	Growing	Faster	9
Imports	57	56	1	Growing	Faster	7

OVERALL ECONOMY				Growing	Faster	11
Manufacturing Sector				Growing	Faster	8

There are a lot of reports and raw data out there for those that have the time to acquire and distill it. One government site that keeps a nice calendar of all of the key government reports can be found here: http://www.economicindicators.gov/ the National Bureau of Economic Research also keeps a nice list of economic reports and their releases on their New Economic Releases Page.

Pirate Mike

Winds of Change; Konica Minolta repositioning the troops for the next wave of the offensive...

2010-04-08T11:05:00.002-05:00

The Morning with Michael:

I have been going to comment about this release since the day it came out but had a few other posts that were a priority. Now that the articles have served their purpose I will make my comments.

Konica Minolta positioning Jun Haraguchi Takes on Global Leadership Role for Konica Minolta Business Technologies in Japan; Nobuo (Ned) Umehara Takes Over as President and CEO of Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. on April 1

Ramsey, N.J. - March 25, 2010 - Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today announced senior management changes.

Jun Haraguchi, President and Chief Executive Officer will return to Japan to become General Manager, Worldwide Sales and Marketing for Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. In his new position he will be responsible for global sales operations and marketing strategy. Mr. Haraguchi has spent the last 13 years in positions of increasing responsibility within Konica Minolta, the last five years as President and CEO of Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. During his tenure he led the successful integration of Konica and Minolta, the integration of several acquisitions, most recently Danka Office Imaging, while improving market share and the overall operating performance of the company. He will remain on the board of directors of Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.

Nobuo (Ned) Umehara has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. effective April 1, 2010. Mr. Umehara, who until recently served as General Manager of OEM Sales for Konica Minolta Business Technologies, has been with Konica Minolta for 33 years. He has considerable experience in the U.S. market having worked here on two separate assignments in the past, once in the printer division and once within the MFP sales operation. Mr. Umehara will be leading an organization with strong brand awareness, award-winning product lines, and a solid infrastructure in place.

"It has been a privilege leading a dynamic organization such as Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A.," said Haraguchi. "Despite the tough economy over the past two years, our corporation has been able to grow market share and improve operating performance. Ned will be assuming responsibility for a company that is led by a strong senior management team and is well positioned for future success. I want to thank the entire Konica Minolta family for their unwavering support and dedication during my time here, and I look forward to their future success - both individually and as a group."

"I am honored to take on this important role at this time in our company's history," said Umehara. "Leveraging the strength of the operation, I envision continuing our strategies to expand our presence in commercial print, managed print services, and the solutions business while gaining share in the core MFP business. One thing is certain, and that is our business partners and end users will not be affected during this transition. My number one goal is to ensure them they can continue to count on Konica Minolta for industry-leading technologies and superior service."

There are lots of changes going on inside of the office equipment sector and more to come as everyone reposition themselves for the 2010 fiscal year. New product introduction are being prepared, new compensation plans are being presented and explained to the troops.

Some organizations had the setup that if you were at 60% of plan you were still making money, the new trend is to set those gates so that anyone under 80% is unhappy and people that over achieve are very happy. Oddly enough in the midst of the storm there has come upon the industry a "calm peace."

Now that Ricoh/IKON have made their first moves to consolidating the new world reps from RiKON seem to be ok with the changes. Their compensation plan has adopted the above strategy which is the kind that you would expect in a sales organization. No one should be happy at 60-80% of their budget.

Konica Minolta was not in such a place of upevil but more in a transition that will be marked by the normal marching orders. Repositioning the troops, working on the distribution model, fine tuning supply chain and cheering on the troops. They have a lot to be proud of coming out of a markedly tough 2009 with the loss of one of their lead distributors of production products and the loss of a key strategic partnership with Oce.

They are poised to make a remarkable comeback as the introduction of their new FLAGSHIP product the 8000! This new tool of destruction will be of the likes of the Canon imagePRESS, Xerox 8002, Ricoh Pro C900 ETC. That paired with their own "heavy iron" black and white offereing the 1200. They are ready to do battle with the likes of Xerox, HP and Kodak!

Being prominently displayed at the 2010 On Demand show it almost makes you want to buy a plane ticket just to see it. As Konica Minolta repositions itself within the Print Production as an "End to End" provider not just of hardware but also in the lines of solutions we will see a Gartner "Challenger" move toward Jun's original battle cry "We are on the road to Tier 1." This battle cry was introduced in Jun's road tour of the branches in North America.

I have met Jun personally several times and was always enamored with his charisma and ability to reach down to everyone and pull them up. It is a sad day to see him leave but I am sure that they have great plans for a warrior of his caliber. All in all the seas are calming down only to meet the currents that are bringing the next wave of economic changes to us.

That's it for Pirate Mike's observations of the day, I hope that your day is full of prospects and that your afternoon is absent of any excessive service call reports! The winds have been strong the last few days so I am about to head off and "go catch the wind."

Good Sale'ing...

Lakefest Approaches; another year to celebrate

2010-04-07T10:35:00.007-05:00

Texoma Lakefest Regatta began nearly a quarter century ago as the Easter Regatta; Lakefest was the first charity regatta in the United States. Today, it has grown to become one of the nation's premiere sailing events and is still recognized as the largest inland charity regatta in the U.S.

April 16th, 17th, and 18th

Lakefest is not just for Sailors! Everyone can enjoy the event and participate by coming out to watch the fleets battle it out and then party with the rogues at the Shipwrecked Ball! From coming out on the spectator boats to drinking and dancing with a bunch of saucy sailors you are guaranteed to have a blast!

This year, Lakefest will feature two separate racecourses: one for spinnaker and main and jib handicap (PHRF) fleets and one dedicated to Melges 24, J/80 and performance multi-hull One Designs. With a large number of PHRF boats expected, the handicap fleet will be divided into numerous divisions giving everyone from high octane racing sloops to "bimini and BBQ" cruisers ample and fair competition. Keelboats of all sizes, kinds and speeds are encouraged to participate.

Since its inception, Lakefest has raised more than $2 million in support of various children's charities in North Texas. The Texoma Lakefest Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt not-for-profit corporation.

In 2009, the Texoma Lakefest Foundation selected a new beneficiary – the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of North Texas. The sole purpose of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, in order to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Their goal is to provide children with the hope for better times, strength through the tough times and the joy to experience the present. The Make-A-Wish Foundation has granted more than 3,000 wishes since its inception in 1982.

With the changing of times comes new life. This new combination of Sailor's Championing a Cause will bring new life to children that desperately need hope and comforting. Sailing has seen many charity events. Sailors as a whole, race for the right to say they challenged an obstacle and won. In this new chapter of Lakefest we challenge you to help Make A Wish come true for these children!

We will see an increasing level of competition and number of sailors participate as we make others aware of the event and as fleets decide to participate and help to make it great. That way we can all get together to enjoy the great competition and the spirit of helping others not so fortunate.

Texoma Lakefest Regatta is sponsored by the hard working volunteers at the Texoma Sailing Club. The club is headquartered at Grandpappy's Marina and Resort on the South East side of Lake Texoma near Highway 75. Texoma Sailing Club is one of the largest and most active sailing clubs in Texas! Our full racing and social calendar provides ample opportunity for all members to be as involved as they wish. As member of US Sailing you can be assured to have both of your needs for a well organizaed and challenging event, fun and adventure will be fulfilled!

As we move forward, looking to bring Lakefest to a new level of support and attendance we hope that all racers whether they are PHRF, First Timers, or One Design remember to mark their calendars and come out each and every year to participate in one of the country's greatest sailing events!

Pirate Mike

Bowman for Second Star Racing Team

Click Here to get your Shipwrecked Ball Tickets

Feel free to contact me here at the blog for more information or follow the links above to make your plans to attend or race...