In 2018, the number of people employed by these printing businesses was 4.8 million. That number fell to 4 million in 2022, for a reduction of 14.8 per cent. The decline is consistent across all regions, according to report author Jon Harper Smith.

The commercial and publishing sectors were in decline prior to the start of the review period (2022-2028), as consumers chose to adopt a more online experience, with some sectors such as newspapers, magazines and physical advertising print hit particularly hard. There are some exceptions to this, for example books, which saw a positive growth during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic further depressed the print and allied industries sector that were already experiencing a slow downward decline.

An additional factor that has affected staffing levels is the increased use of automation throughout the print industry which has allowed companies that have embraced these technologies to produce work at lower cost and with fewer staff. However, the additional investment has squeezed profitability at some companies.

In combination with a variety of 3M media, the Tauro printer series and the Anuvia ink set (CMYK + light colors and white) were subjected to a series of rigorous mechanical and physical tests carried out under 3M’s stringent assessment conditions to qualify for the Performance Guarantee.

The 3M Performance Guarantee provides assurance that 3M media will meet the highest quality standards with the tested inks. It ensures reliable performance throughout the digital printing process and during the warranted period after application. The program covers various aspects, including physical defects, manufacturing defects, printing and cutting defects due to media, stated warranty period, fitness for use, adhesive to specified substrates, and removal for removable/changeable film.

Dieter Jancart, segment manager, high-end systems for Agfa, said, “At Agfa, we’re committed to partnering with print service providers to help them achieve sustainable growth. Our best-in-class Tauro printers provide a modular printer platform with advanced automation options. With the 3M Performance Guarantee, we are even better equipped to give our customers peace of mind and empower them to meet the highest quality standards and achieve boundless creativity. It lets them take full advantage of the Tauro and Anuvia performance across a full spectrum of graphics, including banners, front- and back-lit graphics, self-adhesive vinyl, rigid plastics, cardboard, and more.”

Joining the Drytac Zero range of products, Polar Blockout UV is a 2.0 mil (50μ) highly opaque layered white PET film with a matte finish. It is coated with a white pressure-sensitive, permanent aqueous acrylic adhesive which is protected by a 50# siliconized PE coated release paper. It is a suitable solution for two-sided window graphics and other block out layer requirements.

The film is compatible with UV printers, offers seven years durability across interior and exterior applications and can be supplied in widths of up to 54 inches/1370mm.

“Polar Blockout UV offers another effective solution for customers seeking to produce colourful and impactful window graphics,” Dennis Leblanc, senior business development manager for North America at Drytac said.

The ROI breakdown

When it comes to large format UV LED printers, ROI is not just an acronym; it is a game-changer. Maximizing your ROI means harnessing the potential of cutting-edge technology to create a seamless blend of efficiency, quality, and profitability. Key factors are:

1. Reliability: You need equipment and partners you can rely on 100 percent. The printers must be precise for spot-on results, and built to withstand the rigors of heavy-duty production. This ensures minimal downtime and maintenance costs, both very measureable factors. You also want equipment that does not need to be replaced every 4 to 5 years. Apart from the equipment you want a partner supporting you in every aspect – training, inspiration and technical advice – and at any time.

2. Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF): Your time is money, and every minute your printer is down translates to potential revenue loss. swissQprint systematically monitors the machine reliability and has measured above the average results. When evaluating equipment, it might be worth asking the supplier for their standards.

3. Reasonable service contracts (or none at all): We are in an industry riddled with service contracts that drain your resources. Imagine the savings when you are not bound by restrictive service agreements. Your ROI equation becomes simpler and more rewarding, as you retain control over your maintenance budget and allocate resources where they truly matter. Printers with low service requirements, high efficency, and no mandatory service contracts will potentially save hundreds of thousands over the operational lifetime.

Strategies for skyrocketing ROI

Changes to any bussiness may be painstaking to launch, but they have the potential to motivate and retain your workforce and to pay off in multiple ways:

1. Quality and versatility that sells: Attract more premium customers with higher value products. High-end clients are willing to pay for exquisite print quality and embelishments such as texture or specialty colors and effects. Given the appropriate equipment printing with 1350 dpi at a rate beween 20-80 boards/hour is well possible.

2. Streamlined production: Minimize bottlenecks and delays with a reliable printer that can keep up with your demands. Increased production capacity means more orders fulfilled, translating to greater revenue.

3. Diversified offerings: Think out of the box, and experiment with new substrates, applications and special effects. From signage and banners to packaging prototypes to interior decor, tap into new markets and expand your revenue streams.

4. Reduced idle time and wasted effort: When your equipment delivers consistent performance, your team can focus on creating, innovating, and driving your business forward. Install equipment your operators love to run, and watch your efficiency increase. We like ot say that the most productive equipment is the one operators enjoy running.

The ROI reality

Imagine a world where your large format UV LED printer not only pays for itself but propels your business into a realm of unprecedented profitability. Break free from the constraints of service contracts, experience unmatched versatility and reliability, and enjoy a game-changing ROI that is tailor-made for your success.

Don’t wait, elevate

Look into new possibilites and join the ranks of visionary businesses that have transformed their operations, elevated their profitability, and left their competition behind.

Feel free to contact the swissQprint US subsidiary if you are ready to assess your potential: +1 224 802 2770.

This printer offers a larger bed size, up to three rows of industrial printheads for maximum productivity, an electromagnetic carriage drive system as well as field-upgradeability. It offers up to 1800 dpi print resolution and speeds up to 3,875 sf/h.

Jim Peterson, COO and founding partner, Vanguard Digital North America, said, “The VK3220T-HS is the culmination of years of technological advancements and our response to the demands of the market. We are dedicated to delivering the best printers available, and through our innovation and commitment to our customers, we have created the new benchmark for speed and quality, with a focus on productivity and efficiency. The VK3220T-HS symbolizes the start of a new chapter for Vanguard Digital, and we are so proud to share it with the North American market.”

The VK3220T-HS can print on nearly any substrate up to 4 in. thick and is driven by an electromagnetic drive. Other features include auto height detection, one-touch pin registration, front-to-back and back-to-front printing, water-cooled LED curing technology, and ionization bars.

The findings come from the ninth Global Trends in-depth survey, run this spring by Printfuture (U.K.) and Wissler (C.H.) with over 600 printers and suppliers from the Drupa expert panel of senior decision makers. Globally, 32 per cent more printers and suppliers described their company’s economic condition as ‘good’ compared with those that reported it as ‘poor’. Amongst printers, almost all regions and markets were more buoyant than 2019 (i.e. before COVID).

Richard Gray, operations director at Printfuture, stated, “While positive forecasts might be expected from packaging and functional printers, what was pleasing was the increasing confidence amongst commercial and publishing printers.” It would appear that commercial and publishing printers have weathered the worst of the impact of digitization, are starting to plan ahead with more confidence.

Higher prices bring more confidence

The source of such confidence across all markets is clear from the financial performance figures provided. Globally, 50 per cent more printers raised prices in 2023 than lowered them, sustaining the pattern of last year, after the previous seven years of falling prices. Better revenues and margins have followed. This pattern was true across all markets, although there were regional variations.

Digital adaption is growing

The resilience of sheetfed offset print volume across all markets is remarkable, matched amongst packaging printers by growth in Flexo. Digital toner cutsheet colour print volume remains the leader among digital print technologies. Globally, the digital adoption – printers claiming more than 25 per cent of turnover in digital – is growing from 26 per cent in 2014 to 29 per cent in 2023. At first sight this is only a modest growth. However, various industry sources show volumes have grown significantly since 2014 even though the digital adoption rate appears to be slowing down.

Good prospects for investment

Capital expenditure tumbled during COVID, recovered a little last year and accelerated this year with 27 per cent more printers investing more in 2023 than those who reduced expenditure; a better global figure than any year since 2017. An even higher investment rate is forecast for 2024 by printers and suppliers. In general, print technology and finishing remain the most popular targets, with sheetfed offset and digital toner cutsheet colour being the most popular technologies globally, though there are significant variations by market.

Strong industry growth forecasts must, of course, be balanced by recognition of stiff economic headwinds, with the risk of recession, or at least damaging inflation, now outweighing the impact of the pandemic and a wide variety of more specific regional socio-economic concerns.

Sabine Geldermann, director Drupa and global head print technologies at Messe Duesseldorf, commented, “Printers and suppliers know they must innovate to succeed in the longer term. I am confident that Drupa 2024 will be the ideal opportunity to explore how best to achieve this objective.”

Drupa will run from 28 May to 7 June 2024. Tickets are now available.

The full report will be released by mid-November and will be available for sale from www.drupa.com. The executive summary will be available for free.

In his new role, Fitzgerald will assume responsibility for overseeing all graphic and industrial sales across the Americas.

Fitzgerald was previously serving as technical sales manager for industrial products in Canada since joining Drytac in September 2021.

Fitzgerald offers more than 28 years of technical management experience in the adhesive/tape markets. He is also bilingual in both French and English, has a bachelor’s degree in commerce, and is a graduate from the Schulich School of Business.

“Since joining us two years ago, Glen has exceeded expectations and made a huge impact on the industrial side of the business,” says Hayden Kelley, CEO of Drytac. “We very much look forward to seeing his involvement grow in this new role within the graphics side of the business.”

Demand for printing and writing paper demand in the first eight months of 2023 was 26.5 per cent lower than in January-August 2022, according to data from Pulp and Paper Products Council (PPPC).

Learn more at https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/printing-and-writing-paper-destocking-in-north-america-continues-pricing-pressure.

Measuring devices

In my Colour 101 class, I describe three categories of colour instrument: densitometer, colorimeter, and spectrophotometer (the names are indicative of what they measure). In printing, traditionally density measurements are used to monitor ink amounts on press. Recently, instruments and press consoles have migrated to better, more visually relevant metrics, primarily L*a*b*. A spectrophotometer (spectro) measures the spectrum of a printed colour which allows us to compute L*a*b* (and any other desired metric). A spectro is “backward compatible,” as it can report L*a*b* while also allowing readout of old-fashioned print density.

Spectral data is the uber data type, and the holy grail of colour measurement. It enables us to do many colour calculations, such as predict metamerism to see if the colour of a product on a supermarket shelf will change when exposed to outdoor natural light. Spectral data allows for efficient spot colour matching. The spectrum allows us to take into account different light sources such as daylight D50, fluorescent lights (F Illuminants), or LEDs.

Until recently, to get spectral data, a user had to buy a $10,00+ handheld or scanning spectro.

Nix Toolkit and Variable Spectro represent a new generation of phone-based colour instruments. Measurements can be easily shared via text or email or used within an app to match paint or Pantone colours.

Phone-based spectros

An exciting development in colour measurement is a new generation of lightweight, low-cost, durable spectros that tether to smartphones. At Toronto Metropolitan University, we studied two new-generation smartphone spectros, the Nix Spectro 2 (CD$1339) from Hamilton and Variable Spectro 1 (CD$400) from the U.S. The Nix and Variable spectros were simple and easy to use; they have apps that were effortlessly downloaded from the app store. Measurement data was a one-click export via text or email. Data was plotted within minutes.

Colour difference is technically described in terms of Delta E. Typically, a value between 1-2 Delta E is acceptable in printing. In our testing, we noted around a 1 Delta E colour difference between the low-cost instruments and the $10K+ handheld model.

Phone spectros are a great idea as they rely on your phone for display. The app can be easily updated, and computation is done using your phone’s processing power. Everybody owns a phone these days. Apps can take the measured colour and assist a designer in finding complementary, analogous, opposite colours, shades, harmonies, trends, palettes, etc. The spectros have licenses for spot colour libraries and are therefore able to measure a colour and give you the nearest Pantone match. App developers can go wild with data from these devices.

Further, colours are displayed on a tablet or smartphone in much better fidelity compared to the LCD panel of a hand-held instrument. Connection to the device via Bluetooth, and from the phone to the internet, makes two-way communication a breeze.

The Nix sensor has found huge success in helping customers choose and match paint. In a real-world application, when a burst pipe in the author’s home needed dry wall repair and painting, a Nix Spectro 2 was used to measure the colour of the wall and the app showed the nearest Dulux paint colours with one, two or three stars to indicate best matches. With the user-selected preference, all that was needed was for the painter to estimate the amount of paint needed and a quick bike ride to the local Dulux store with the SKU to get ready for a colour accurate repair job.

M1 and M2 measurement modes

The whole colour measurement industry (both handheld and phone spectros) have contended with two major changes in colour measurement: UV-excited optical brighteners as well as measurement of textiles and fabrics.

UV-excited optical brighteners are widely used in printing papers. To deal with colour measurement of optically brightened papers and to reduce inter-instrument differences, there are standard measurement modes: M1 (UV included) and M2 (UV excluded). M1 is equivalent to D50 lighting and is the preferred measurement mode in the graphic arts. The Variable Spectro 1 only measures in M2 mode, which is a limitation if intended for use in the printing industry.

The other change in instruments is due to the need to measure colour on textiles and fabrics. The weave or thread count is very coarse compared to a halftone printed dot or tiny inkjet droplet. Instrument manufacturers were forced to create larger measuring apertures, 2 mm for print samples but often 5 mm for colours printed on cloth. Some instruments have interchangeable apertures. The Nix Spectro 2 comes in 2 mm and 5 mm sizes while the Variable Spectro 1 is only available in an 8-mm aperture size.

When a burst pipe in the author’s home needed dry wall repair and painting, the Nix Spectro 2 was used to find the closest Dulux paint colour.

Colourful applications

The low price of phone spectros means that we don’t mind their use in a range of dirty situations, such as measuring the colour of raw meat in meat processing plants, wastewater liquids, or nicer liquids such as wine. The consumer can measure and match paint for home decor.

The development of low-cost spectros, linked to our smartphone, has created an infinite range of opportunities to advance the use and integration of colour into design and equally exciting technical and scientific applications. 

Acknowledgement: The author is grateful to Nix Sensor for review devices provided for testing and evaluation and to Sasha Blay for proofreading and copy editing.

Abhay Sharma is a Professor in the School of Graphic Communications Management at Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, and author of Understanding Color Management, Wiley, 2018.

Available to purchase now, ReTac Clear PET is a 3.0 mil clear polyester (PET) film with a clear ReTac adhesive​ and forms part of Drytac’s ReTac range of solutions.

The film can be applied to all flat and simple curved surfaces. The solution has also been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for incidental food contact.

“We are delighted to add ReTac Clear PET film to our ever-expanding range of products,” said Drytac’s senior business development manager for North America, Dennis Leblanc. “This new solution is suitable for use across all manner of applications, while its non-PVC qualities make it a more planet-friendly option for users. Add in ease of installation and clean removal, as well as five-year durability across interior and exterior projects, and ReTac Clear PET is an incredibly exciting addition to the Drytac product portfolio.”

Previously, they utilized profiles downloaded from the RIP vendor on one machine, while on the other flatbed, they relied on custom profiles created years ago for a specific media. For roll devices, they utilized profiles included from a different RIP.

During our discussion, I suggested utilizing a single RIP software platform across all devices to maintain consistent colour output. This approach ensures the same underlying colour management process is applied to all printers, resulting in improved colour accuracy. Additionally, using a single RIP software can simplify spot colour reproduction.

Initially, I worked with flatbed printers that utilize UV-cured ink. Through my experience with UV and LED curing systems, I have come to realize that it is unnecessary to develop a profile for each individual type of media. Instead, I opt for a media with a neutral white point, which serves as my profile for all media. This is because on UV and LED curing printers, the ink adheres to the surface of the media and is bonded with the LED/UV lights. The sole difference in colour lies in the media’s white point.

I have measured various batches of styrene and coroplast and the white point varies from batch to batch. One can be blue while another can be neutral. The same is true for coroplast and other media.

A master profile

Printing and colour management become easier with a single master profile. There is no need to guess which profile to use, and managing your spot colour library becomes simpler. Most importantly, if you need to re-profile due to a change in colour, you can do so within an hour to bring the machine back to its baseline. I have come across systems with six to eight profiles created at different times, and redoing all those profiles in case of colour drifts can be a daunting task.

Some have argued against my theory, claiming that I am not taking into account the media’s white point. While this may be true, it’s important to note the white point is constantly shifting. Although profiling the bluer styrene may provide a slight advantage, there’s no guarantee the next batch will be the same colour. Additionally, some argue different media types require separate profiles due to their unique characteristics. However, this is not the case with UV and LED-cured inks, as they do not behave like aqueous or solvent inks.

Getting back to my customer. I created one master profile for each machine. I then tested the colour on three different media. I measured the colour between the two flatbeds. The primary and secondary colours (CMYKRGB) were within 1.1 DE00 average to each other. Visually you could not see a difference between them. They did share the same ink set. I then compared the roll printers to the flatbed and the variation in the same colours was an average of 2.3 DE00. Still a very close match but there was a slight saturation difference. However, the colour was really close.

Lastly, I measured the Lab values for the custom brand colours and created new spot colours in the RIP. We printed and optimized the brand colours for each printer. The brand colours now matched so that if they colour print a job on any of the four printers, they would be visually very similar. 

I wanted to share this experience because this customer had been doing a great job with printing but spent too much time every day making colour adjustments. I revisited the customer after a few months, and they said that now they are able to print, and they don’t have to think about colour. If they get a new custom brand colour they know how to measure it and load that colour into the RIP, print the swatches and choose the best version. This becomes the brand colour for that printer. That process takes 30 minutes. The operator said, “Now the greys are grey.” Yes, the foundation of colour that you may recall from my last article.  

Angus Pady is a G7-certified expert that has helped customers resolve colour management challenges for over 30 years. He can be reached at angus.pady@fujifilm.com.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of PrintAction.

“Our objective has always been to integrate the production processes as much as possible, from initial input files to digital finishing,” says Marc Raad, president of Significans Automation. “In our research, we discovered that Elitron has one of the most elite backgrounds in the world for digital finishing systems and technology. Its robotic, unmanned, agile systems are second to none. We feel they represent a sophisticated, adaptable, and expandable finishing and cutting technology on the market today – and we’re always looking to partner with the best of the best to bring our printing and packaging clients more value.

“This partnership also allows us to accelerate the end-to-end workflow process, specifically for print finishing, while achieving more automation throughout a printer’s entire production line,” adds Raad. “We can now add elevated levels of workflow automation with a customized Turbo Switch Pack for the Elitron file format. ”

“With advances in robotics, we are seeing a bold, more complex age of print production that will require even more automation,” remarks Marc Rannow, national sales manager of Elitron America. “Our partnership with Significans Automation, one of the most innovative software and workflow system integrators in the industry, will allow print businesses to exceed expectations of what’s possible within a digital workflow. It will facilitate an ultra-efficient, end-to-end, ‘lights-out’ production environment that requires little or no human intervention.”

The UCJV330 Series of cut-and-print UV-LED roll-based printers builds on previous Mimaki models for signage and graphics applications. It will be available in two sizes: the 54-in. (137 cm) UCJV330-130 and the 64-in. (162 cm) UCJV330-160 models. Both models will be equipped with standard CMYKLcLm plus White and Clear LUS-170 inks for printing onto a variety of media including translucent, transparent, white or coloured base media, PET, PU (polyurethane) and other resin films, cloth, and paper (including uncoated paper). The UCJV330 Series is expected to be available for order at the end of October 2023.

The UJV100-160Plus UV-LED roll-based, entry-level printer will make its debut at Printing United Expo, October 18-20 in Atlanta, Ga. The 64-in. (162 cm) UJV100-160Plus printer will be equipped with standard CMYK plus white and clear LUS-170 UV-LED inks. It is expected to be available for order at the end of October 2023.

QR codes are a type of two-dimensional barcode that store information as a series of pixels in a square-shaped grid. They can store over 7000 characters. They can be scanned in either direction (transverse or longitudinal), making them more versatile and easier to use for supply chain and inventory management purposes.

While their use in Asia is near ubiquitous, as they are a popular method for payments, their acceptance in North America has been more fraught. When they were first introduced in the 2010s, these boxy barcodes were seen as a hassle because you needed a smartphone, access to the internet, and a separate app to scan them. The lack of education in their use and versatility was a misstep in their implementation.

The renaissance

QR codes experienced a renaissance during the pandemic. In the pandemic-induced touchless reality, these little boxes, as mobile-first technologies, became lifesavers. They appeared on menus, posters, and stored our health information. They easily integrated into our everyday lives because, as of 2017, QR code scanners had been incorporated into most smartphone cameras. Plus, according to Pew Research, 84 per cent of Canadians own a smartphone. Our desire to experience a world outside our bubbles increased their mainstream acceptance in design and communication, thereby creating a meaningful way for organizations to connect with customers.

However, three years later we still have a complex relationship with these unsexy boxes. As our society adjusts to a post-COVID-19 world, the QR code’s use continues to be polarizing. With increased familiarity, QR code scams have become more common. Some uses, such as on menus, have become less popular. For example, in the span of two years, the New York Times published several articles praising QR codes only to spell their doom in May 2023.

We have come full circle. Society knows what and how to use QR codes but cracking the right use-case scenario is still unclear. Since Denso Wave does not enforce their patent, QR codes are being developed to solve unique problems like NaviLens for the visually impaired. However, for marketing purposes, the primary thing to remember is they can store information and, therefore, do a lot of different things. Unlike their one-dimensional counterparts, they can: 

• direct consumers to a website, redeem a discount, or subscribe to your marketing communications;
• post on social media;
• link directly to download an app on the Apple App Store or Google Play;
• authenticate online accounts and verify login details;
• access wi-fi by storing encryption details such as SSID, password, and encryption type;
• send and receive payment information; and
• build augmented reality experiences, etc.

Any one of these could be a great addition to marketing strategies, as QR codes can amplify every stage of the consumer journey, from initial awareness to brand advocacy. Their popularity has indeed grown. According to Statista, in 2022, approximately 89 million U.S. smartphone users scanned a QR code on their mobile devices, up by 26 per cent from 2020.

Here are some considerations if a client wants to use a QR code.

Purpose

What value will the QR code be adding to the customer journey? Is it practical? QR codes on subway cars or billboards can be problematic if there is no internet access or a risk to public safety. QR code menus have fallen out of favour, as restaurants and meals have the societal expectation of non-technology zones. Choose applications that are appropriate and add value.

Design

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes when considering placement and size. Ensure your code is easily accessible and big enough for phones to scan (and leads to a mobile-friendly landing page). As a barcode, contrast is important; inverse or low contrast colours can make it unscannable. Simplicity is also key. For long URLs, consider using a link shortener so fewer characters need to be encoded. One of the unique properties of QR codes is some generators will build in redundancy so that even if part of the code is damaged or removed (such as placing a logo in the centre) they will still scan. However, the more complex the QR code the bigger it will need to be for the pixel pattern to read.

Dynamic vs. static

There are multiple methods to create a QR code from online paid or free generators to application-based solutions like InDesign or XMPie. Consider though that many of these options create static QR codes. The problem with this form of QR code is that when a link changes, the barcode becomes obsolete. When possible, use a service providing dynamic QR codes. A dynamic QR code has an editable final destination URL, thus continuing the longevity of the media on which it is printed.

Security

Humans cannot read QR codes, so it is easy for hackers to alter a QR code. Attackers can embed malicious URLs containing custom malware or direct a user to a phishing site. In 2020, Denso Wave improved the original design. Their new QR codes include traceability, brand protection, and anti-forgery measures. Also consider using a secure QR code platform as well as a custom domain and SSL.

Data collection

QR code generating software can offer analytics. The data collected can include location, the number of times the code has been scanned and at what times, plus the device which scanned the code. More tech-savvy users can add UTM parameters to website URLs to track and perform in-depth analysis of campaign performance. Understanding which communication channels are reaching customers is invaluable in marketing campaigns.

Future of QR codes

In 2013, marketing experts Scott Stratten and Alison Kramer wrote the book, QR Codes Kill Kittens: How to Alienate Customers, Dishearten Employees, and Drive Your Business into the Ground, where they said, “we are using QR codes to show that we’re using QR codes.” Some may say we are doing the same again. However, according to a study by the Drum and YouGov, 75 per cent of consumers have said they plan to use QR codes going forward.

The widespread adoption of QR codes provides businesses with information to help grow and enhance customer satisfaction. Educating your customers on the versatility of QR codes and how they are quick and simple to implement could be just what they need to help ease their concerns and build value-added user experiences.    

Olivia Parker teaches visual communication and media production. She can be reached at olivia.ovp@gmail.com. 

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of PrintAction.

As a business model, employee-ownership “fosters sustainable ownership, improves financial performance, and provides a host of benefits to both the company and the country,” said Chad, who is a member of the Canadian Employee Ownership Coalition’s (CEOC’s) steering committee. He believes employee-ownership offers a promising alternative to the negative impacts of capitalism that are becoming more visible these days.

Need for change

According to a 2020 survey by Edelman Data & Intelligence, 57 per cent of people believe capitalism, as it exists today, does more harm than good. There is a stark wealth gap between owners and workers. According to Stats Canada, most wealth is held by relatively few households in Canada. The wealthiest households (top 20 per cent) accounted for more than two-thirds (67.9 per cent) of net worth at the end of 2022, while the least wealthy households (bottom 40 per cent) accounted for 2.6 per cent.

We are also seeing market consolidations in monolithic companies like Amazon as well as the rise of faceless private equity ownerships. Employee-ownership presents an opportunity to address these concerns and create a more equitable economy.

Employee-ownership models attract talented individuals who want to be part of a great story and contribute to the company’s success.

Benefits to the company

Employee-ownership offers several advantages to the company. Firstly, it establishes a sustainable ownership structure, ensuring continuity and long-term commitment from employees. Secondly, employee-owned businesses tend to exhibit better financial performance, driven by a shared sense of responsibility and dedication among workers. Moreover, being part of a company with an empowering ownership model attracts talented individuals who want to be part of a great story and contribute to its success.

Chad Friesen.

Benefits to the country

Beyond the benefits to individual companies, employee-ownership is beneficial to Canada. It contributes to economic resilience by diversifying ownership and reducing dependency on select companies. By encouraging broader distribution of wealth, employee-ownership helps address income inequality, thereby fostering a more inclusive society.

According to a survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), 76 per cent of owners plan to exit within the next 10 years. But, 43 per cent of these businesses lack a succession plan, leaving them vulnerable to being sold to consolidators or private equity firms, most likely from outside the community, province, or Canada. With approx. 140,000 businesses in Canada employing between 20 and 500 workers, the implications are significant for roughly 5 million individuals.

As we all know, in the printing industry, many company owners are looking to retire. Employee-ownership would be an attractive option for these owners. A CFIB survey indicates 53 per cent of existing owners would be more inclined to sell to their employees if viable options were available. A majority of the surveyed business owners (61 per cent) said they’ll prioritize “protecting employees” during a business sale over attaining the highest possible price.

Employee-ownership ensures a smooth transition, and the local economy can continue to sustain itself. Canada will also benefit from the reduction in foreign ownership.

Role of EOTs

Employee ownership trusts (EOTs) provide a framework for implementing employee-ownership. EOTs hold shares on behalf of employees, allowing them to benefit from shared ownership without requiring upfront payment. These trusts often borrow money to acquire shares, and employees receive the benefits of ownership based on formulas tied to their tenure and pay. EOTs offer a simple, cost-effective solution to transition ownership and empower employees, said Chad.

Canada’s opportunity

In the U.S. and U.K., employee-ownerships have been successful for years. In the U.S., the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) was established in 1974. Equity growth is the focus in the U.S. where 6,000 companies with 2 million employee owners have ESOPs. Most of these companies employ around 20 to 250 employees, and are in varied industries, such as manufacturing; professional, scientific, and technical; and financial services. Publix Super Markets is the largest privately held ESOP in the U.S. with more than 200,000 employee-owners.

In the U.K., EOT was established in 2014. Profit-sharing is the focus in the U.K. where 800 companies with 100,000 employee-owners have EOTs. Most of these companies employ around 20 to 250 employees, and are in varied industries, such as manufacturing; professional, scientific, and technical; and IT services.

In Canada, we have around 30 EOTs with profit-sharing as the focus. In 2010, Friesens adopted the EOT business model. Today, it has more 650 employee-owners. In 2022, $10,000 was the average EOT payment at Friesens. 

Brett House, former deputy economist of Scotiabank, predicts Canada could have up to 750 EOTs by 2030 if appropriate policies and incentives are adopted. Per an analysis shared by Chad, the level of adoption would result in 50,000 to 114,000 new employee-owners; $4.3 to $9.6 billion in wealth generated for employee-owners; and over 100 new employee-owned companies formed per year, creating over 10,000 new employee-owners annually.

Stumbling blocks

The federal government committed to creating an EOT framework by January 2024 in the 2023 budget. A draft legislation was also published for feedback. While the legislation proposes providing benefits to all employees at no additional cost, CEOC argues it lacks key measures that are needed to make Canada’s employee-ownership as successful as in the U.S. and U.K.

CEOC is asking the federal government to increase eligibility for EOTs; introduce clear and simple rules for an EOT; adopt a governance structure that promotes smooth and gradual transition of privately owned businesses to an EOT; and incentivize employee-ownerships for about-to-be sold businesses by providing capital gains tax exemption to owners who sell a majority of their company to an EOT.

Employee-ownership has the potential to shape a more equitable and resilient economy. If you’re struggling to draft a succession plan for your company, consider an employee ownership trust.

Speakers from RBC Royal Bank, Staples Canada, Canada Post and Flash Reproductions shared valuable insights that would help print leaders be better prepared to understand client needs in greater detail and develop strategies for long-term success.

Retail merchandising
Grace Chan, vice-president from RBC, shared insights from a financial services merchandizing perspective. One purpose of printed material and display graphics is to start conversations between customers and their staff. This is intended to lead to a discussion on solutions that can be provided. Exterior graphics can be used to attract and engage consumers from the community. This can include socially conscious and/or seasonal themes, or product and solution themes that are co-ordinated with messaging from other media.

Once inside the branch, there are other types of graphic communication and printed materials with different messaging intended to create client interest in products or services. All this printed material are only components of a sophisticated messaging system designed to inform and assist clients to engage and benefit from financial services and available solutions.

Direct mail
Sylwia Plawinski from Canada Post shared many insights on how marketers can use data and visualization to deliver results. After all, if clients conduct direct mail programs, and do not achieve results, then they will not continue. We must always be mindful that our clients are not buying printed products from us but are investing in the benefits of the printed products.

Plawinski shared six key purposes of direct mail initiatives to emphasise the importance of using data to identify and target your priority customers. Canada Post tools providing measurements and data analytics that can be used to prove and improve results were also shared during the discussion.

Digital printed products
Brendan Ireland from Staples Canada provided positive news that the trend for digital product demand has grown consistently over the past five years, while some areas of industry are in decline. Another interesting observation is the increase in cloud printing due to changes in the workplace and reduced in-office time for employees.

Customer expectations have changed. Whether they are end-consumers or businesses, they expect on-demand delivery. The impact of reduced volumes has resulted in more frequent printing of smaller quantities. However, pricing pressure remains from all customer segments. There was a brief period when demand exceeded supply due to supply chain issues. Pricing pressure was not severe then but has now returned.

Packaging unique products
Rich Pauptit, president of Flash Reproductions, showed samples of some of their products. Flash works closely with the design community to bring unique ideas to life. Their clients require products that stand out and leave an impression on the end-user. It is often intended to provide a positive opinion of the customer and/or item enclosed. Their goal is to be remembered and stand out from competition—‘impress, engage and be remembered.’

This event was a great opportunity to gain an understanding and a reminder to continue to focus on customer needs and ask clients key questions that go beyond, ‘what do you need?’ Explore why do they need it and how are they going to use the printed piece. Successful salespeople understand and advise clients on what will work best for their needs.

Bob Dale is co-founder of Connecting for Results, the premier management consulting company focused on the graphics communications industry. He can be reached at b.dale@cfrincorporated.com.

Minoh offers a large range of products and services including a-frames, banners, billboards, hoarding, acrylic lettering, stickers, cut vinyl, and custom projects.

They were driven to invest in the Canon Colorado M-series due to the “simplicity in the printer and the ability to print white, which allows them to step outside their comfort zone and offer out-of-the-ordinary printing services, and more custom jobs, while being a true solution provider to all clients,” said a company statement.

Since Henry Ford’s time, companies have argued over how best to attract young people, but with meagre results. Once powerful organizations, such as trade unions and the Craftsman, are distant memories. We are too busy trying to keep our ships afloat, so we don’t have time to agree and fund a plan. Apprenticeships may have worked decades ago, certainly in Europe, but in North America, we graduated employees from sweeping floors to running  presses.

‘Let the cream rise to the top’ was our form of labour capture. This may have worked in the past, but better incentives are needed now.

Different skillsets

Today, skill levels differ with new print technologies. The in-depth knowledge and experience needed in 1960 aren’t required in the digital age. With recent changes, along with the general public’s opinions of what we do, we often find hiring people to become non-skilled servants of a large inkjet printer—heaving large sheets onto a table and taking them off. This drives them away to seek something with more of a future in an industry offering better prospects. Still, we have positions to fill, and although remuneration has increased, we can’t seem to attract talented people.

Previously, governments attempted to build proper apprenticeship programs. Those failed because schools tended to look forward to the needs of printers by looking back in time. Secondary schools and trade colleges that should have kept current ran antiquated courses on print. Students ended up graduating with the same knowledge Gutenberg used to print his 1450 Bible. Isn’t it ironic an industry that owned the ability to communicate finds it hard to benefit from its own tools? 

Some post-secondary colleges and universities may have taken an equally misguided approach, giving up on essential, practical machine skills and instead focusing on print management. All exciting, perhaps, but what is needed now is more practical skill learning. Look at most inkjet production equipment; only some are well cared for. In almost all cases, the piezo heads are poorly maintained, as it’s better to replace a head than clean it. The same holds for offset presses. How often do we see poor-quality, washed-out colour and incorrect densities on relatively new machines equipped with in-press tools to correct and maintain colour? Isn’t it ironic how we complain about finding talent, yet accept the costs of re-running a lousy job?

Better marketing

The solution may reside in us marketing what we do as exciting, relevant and financially rewarding. We can start by removing negative obstacles, particularly the perception that print has no future. If some ‘printers’ and industry pundits spent the effort used on promoting themselves on encouraging workers and new hires, perhaps more quality applicants would take notice. Pay the key people better. Focus on engaging a company’s most important asset: people.

With print technologies changing, we must attract more workers to join our ranks. It’s never been as easy as it is now for a young person without print skills to enter the workforce. Methods and machinery have never been as simple to learn or as effortless to operate. Institutions and private enterprises must help rally support for logical training plans and foster much-needed encouragement for young people who thought printing was what their grandfather did.

Nick Howard, a partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment. Contact him at nick@howardgraphicequipment.com.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2023 issue of PrintAction.

Family-owned Simpson Print is a leading player in sustainable print manufacturing and provides an extensive range of print manufacturing capabilities for events, displays and in-store signage. This investment will allow the company to future-proof its Bloomingdale facility by adding new digital technologies, including new greening features and processes, such as UV LED curing, that will allow the company to reduce its use of hazardous chemicals, improve its carbon footprint, and support the recycling of 100 per cent of its waste.

By integrating these improvements, Simpson Print will also be able to provide more in-house, end-to-end, green solutions that will help attract new retail opportunities. As a result, the company will be able to enhance its competitiveness, expand into new markets, both in Canada and the U.S., and reduce up to 1 ton of printing waste annually.

The investment was made through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

“Family-owned Simpson Print is demonstrating the strength of Canadian products and practices while boosting its competitiveness and decreasing its carbon footprint. Our government is committed to supporting our businesses as they adopt sustainable solutions, increase their production capabilities and create quality jobs for Canadians,” said Filomena Tassi, minister responsible for FedDev Ontario.

“For over 60 years, Simpson Print has been driving solutions in display manufacturing across North America. Through this investment from FedDev Ontario, Simpson Print will drive more jobs, more growth and more automation than ever before,” added Carla Johanns, president, Simpson Print.

The company acquired an Arizona 250 in 2006. That helped it move from a traditional screen print shop to a fully digital shop. As the business grew, IDent bought an Arizona 550 to increase their capacity.

“The Arizona line of printers have been solid investments for us and fit our process flow very well,” said Dany Babakhanian, IDENT’s president.

When it came time to look at new technology it was difficult not to consider another Arizona and the 2340 with Flow technology checked off all the boxes in terms of speed, features and capabilities for IDent.

With the 2340, IDent is expanding its traditional energy focused line of business and pursuing opportunities in commercial graphics and signage including flat panel printing, polycarbonate illuminated faces as well as tackling the specialty print applications others struggle with.

Owned by Creative Education of Canada, Great Pretenders designs and manufactures dress-up, toys, jewellery, and accessories for children. The brand recently opened a new space at FAO Schwarz in New York to reach more customers in the U.S. and required help decorating the facility.

The company approached Riverside Print & Graphics, located near its own base in Ontario, to assist with the project. The brief was to create child-friendly graphics that reflected the fairy-tale stories made believable with Great Pretenders.

However, this came with the additional challenge of completing the job on a “rush” basis, with Great Pretenders requiring fast turnaround on the job so that the new space could open on time.

A specialist in delivering high-quality print work at short notice, Riverside was happy to help. Riverside opted for Drytac’s ReTac Smooth 150 media.

All the graphics, which included castle-style wall designs complete with fire-breathing dragons and other mythical beasts, were printed in-house on a Mimaki JV100-160. Graphics were applied to standard flat walls, as well as in and around arch doorways to provide a fully immersive effect for visitors.

“We chose ReTac as we know it’s dependable and easy to install,” said Barb Hayes, customer service representative at Riverside. “After meeting with the customer and providing printed samples, we chose not to laminate the graphics as they wanted more of a realistic finish.

“It was definitely an exciting project as it was such a fun design. The graphics were produced onsite at Riverside Print & Graphics in Canada and were taken to New York to be installed by the Great Pretenders and the Creative Education of Canada staff. They were very happy with the results!

“Special recognition is owed to Meg Forstmanis, Lindsay Eve and Kira Brown of Great Pretenders for their exceptional work in designing and executing this remarkable display. Their hard work deserves all the praise for bringing this project to life!”

Katie Mazur, e-commerce and digital marketing manager at Great Pretenders, was full of praise for Riverside, saying the graphics have received excellent feedback from all quarters.

“There has been a really positive response from the staff and management at FAO Schwarz, as well as customers at the store, and also internally within the Great Pretenders team,” Katie concludes.

As Hemlock Display Solutions, the company will leverage its expertise in large format print solutions. With a fresh identity, the company aims to strengthen its position as a market leader.

Hemlock president, Richard Kouwenhoven, expressed his enthusiasm for this step, stating, “The rebranding to Hemlock Display Solutions represents the progress we have made over the past three years since our acquisition of PrismTech Graphics in partnership with the PDI Group.We have closely aligned processes with Hemlock Printers, integrated our sales and service teams, and look forward to the continued expansion of our wide format offering to regional and national customers in the months and years ahead.”

PDI president, Jamie Barbieri, added, “The new branding initiative is in keeping with our strategic focus on growing our national footprint in the point of purchase (POP) and point of sale (POS) marketing segment.”

In August 2022, Rocket piloted a two-month four-day work week program, which has now become permanent.

“We chose August because it is a month heavy in vacations and September tends to be a heavy production month. We felt these two months together would be a good test to see if we could actually do it and to determine where any deficiencies might be that we hadn’t thought of,” explained Scott Williams, CEO, Rocket.

It is well known that the print industry is struggling to attract skilled labour. Williams realized he had to look at new and innovative ways of retaining and acquiring team members. Inspired by the four-day work week trials in the U.K., he decided to test it out at Rocket.

Scott Williams, CEO, Rocket.

Productivity increases

The pilot program was a success. Williams said it was well-received. “We actually gained production capacity because some team members wanted to come in earlier while others preferred to come in later. This resulted in an expanded production capacity,” he added.

Williams’ observation mirrors recently released results of the world’s largest four-day work week trial. The pilot program—conducted by the non-profit 4 Day Week Global, the U.K.’s 4 Day Week Campaign and think-tank Autonomy—guided more than 60 companies in the U.K. and almost 3,000 workers through a six-month trial of a four-day week, with no loss of pay for workers. Post-trial, 91 per cent of participating companies said they’re continuing or planning to continue a four-day week. Companies rated their overall experience of the trials an average of 8.5 out of 10. According to the survey results, revenue rose by 35 per cent over the trial periods and hiring increased while absenteeism decreased. Companies also reported that the health and well-being of employees improved, with “significant increases observed in physical and mental health, time spent exercising, and overall life and job satisfaction. Rates of stress, burnout and fatigue all fell, while problems with sleep declined.”

Given the findings, it’s not surprising the Rocket team embraced the four-day work week from day one. “They knew that it would mean longer hours, but the extra day has been more than worth it. We haven’t had a single complaint,” said Williams.

Matt Keilty, shipping co-ordinator, Rocket, loves the four-day work week, as he gets to spend quality time with family.

A four-day work week has meant that Rocket’s employees are able to reduce childcare costs; spend an extra day with family; not do chores on the weekend and do the same quicker on a weekday; save 20 per cent on gas and travel; and having more time with friends and to do things they normally hadn’t had time for.

“The four-day work week has been amazing! Work-life balance has been perfect. The productive work week flies by and being able to wake up Friday morning and have coffee with my significant other is really nice. Every weekend being a long weekend has given us more time to plan/enjoy our adventures with no rush. All of North America needs to adopt this work schedule,” said Matt Keilty, shipping co-ordinator, Rocket.

His colleague Pam Fraser, accounting administration at Rocket, is all praises for the new schedule. “What can I say about the four-day work week—I love it! Having the extra day off each week gives more family time as you can unwind, get household chores done and still have the weekend,” she added.

Brian Holland, bindery operator, has been able to save on commute time due to a four-day work week. He said, “I live about an hour away and one less day to travel to and from work is great. I’d much rather stay at work a couple of extra hours over four days and have every Friday off. Fridays now are for running errands, booking appointments, and getting work done around the house and leaving Saturday and Sunday for fun activities.”

Contrary to popular belief, a four-day work week increased Rocket’s production capacity.

Industry response

While the Rocket team thoroughly enjoyed the change, there were a few minor challenges such as deliveries and receiving, but Williams explained, “Those things worked themselves out fairly quick. The response from clients and partners has overwhelmingly been one of envy more than anything else.”

Client reaction was one of the major concerns that Williams had about the four-day work week switch. However, those concerns were “quickly alleviated after having conversations with several long-standing clients and being able to assure them that their delivery times would not be affected,” he explained.

Rocket’s innovative plan has garnered some criticism too. “Being one of the first private businesses to adopt a four-day work week has resulted in a few negative comments like ‘it must be nice’, ‘wish we were making your kind of money’, and ‘glad business is so good for you’. None of these are true or the reason for our move to a four-day work week. We did it to look after our team members,” shared Williams, who would highly recommend the four-day work week to all privately owned businesses.

“With the pandemic, lack of available labour, and the stresses on families that seem to be continually building, we need to look after our employees. Our team members are our most important resource, and we need to make sure they have a legitimate opportunity for work-life balance. A four-day work week helps achieve this goal. There will also need to be flexibility on the part of the employer. Some team members may need to be accommodated due to family responsibilities etc. We do have some employees that work a hybrid five-day week, and you need to be open to some of these concepts. The idea of a nine to five, five days of work per week concept is dying, if it isn’t already dead. Accommodation is key,” he explained.

The jury’s verdict: “The printer addresses a very mature market where versatility, driven by new applications and substrates, is critical.”

Kudu is the only swissQprint model with 10 freely configurable colour channels. The result is a yet broader spectrum of applications for users. A maximally equipped Kudu prints with 30 print heads. The printer offers speeds up to 304 m²/h.

SwissQprint’s Nyala, Impala and Oryx flatbed printers offer a glass option. Made for efficient, full bleed direct printing on pre-cut glass panels, it scored an EDP Award in the ‘Glass Production’ category.

“This solution enables new applications while protecting existing investments,” stated the jury. In addition to the mechanical part of the solution – an alignment mechanism and protective paper – SwissQprint offers an ink set optimised for glass printing.