What is the state of the print industry today, in your opinion?

SC: Exciting! The technology is forever evolving, and the possibilities continue to expand. While the majority of our business is weddings, our customers are continuously pushing us to learn new techniques and adopt new technologies to bring their designs to life. We continue to add technology, and subsequently, new capabilities. This is in addition to our core strengths, which remain in specialty print and finishing. Technology is allowing us to deliver more complex projects quicker with a greater degree of accuracy.

What attracted you to the print industry in the first place?

SC: I went to school for fine art. I specialized in printmaking, and then I kind of left that for a while. I started working more in digital and web design. It wasn’t until I was working with a letterpress printer to create our wedding invites that I was re-introduced to physical print. I started a greeting card company in the back bedroom of our house in Toronto, and eventually started designing and printing wedding stationery. Word got out that there was a new specialty printer in Canada, and we started to get requests from other wedding stationers to print their designs. That side of the business grew so quickly that the decision was made to focus on production and move away from greeting cards. The single garage became a double garage, then 1000 sf, and most recently, several thousand along with a handful of employees.

How can the industry attract more young people?

SC: The industry serves young people. The more they can become part of the process, the more they will come. The entrepreneurial spirit seems to be alive and well with young people, and because the cost of entry into the industry can be low, more youngsters are starting businesses printing on all kinds of things from clothes and wood to acrylic. We have friends who have started businesses in their apartments with a laser or silkscreen and now have scaled to the point where they have converted from side hustle to full time. In many cases, they’re providing a living wage to others.

In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?

SC: It is important to understand your business and strengths. Printing is no longer only about paper and ink. We recently attended a print show and were amazed at how people were able to do one thing really well and building a very lucrative business around that one product or service. We happen to focus on specialty printing on a wide variety of papers using both digital and analogue techniques. We don’t print t-shirts, mugs, or vehicle wraps. However, there are plenty of shops doing just that and making a decent living doing so. If you are good at what you do, you will attract the people who are seeking what you provide.

What are some of the biggest opportunities you see in the print industry?

SC: The constant evolution of technology is opening up possibilities for creators. The idea that small runs and one-off products can be created very easily and inexpensively is allowing creators to prove concepts and establish need prior to investing or printing massive runs. Additionally, platforms like Etsy and Amazon Handmade are enabling makers to test the market and maintain manageable inventory levels. They are also allowing those same creators to reach audiences that they never could have hoped for 10 years ago.

What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?

SC: The sheer volume of print products that are available today are creating opportunities for the creators. Innovation in technology and creative minds pushing the limits of their capacity make for an interesting combo that perpetuates this cycle.

Sibylle Cox’s response was edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit www.printaction.com/profile.

This article originally appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of PrintAction.

What is the state of the print industry today?

MF & CF: The self-adhesive label industry is growing rapidly due to the increasing demand for personalized products and functional labels. Technological advances in digital printing have led to significant improvements in print quality, speed, and durability. Digital printing offers flexibility. Cost is also lower for shorter production runs with multiple SKUs.

The linerless market is also growing, as they are an environmentally friendly alternative to standard self-adhesive labels and consumers as well as companies are looking to reduce their environmental impact and carbon footprint. Currently, we are the exclusive distributor of linerless labels in Canada.

What attracted both of you to the print industry?

MF & CF: Printing allows us to bring ideas and projects to life and make them tangible. It is rewarding to see our clients’ creations take shape. As an industry, printing is constantly evolving with new technologies and trends, be it ERP systems, prepress advances, printing, or automation. These are all very exciting areas for us as owners. We also have the opportunity to be a driver of change, make sustainable choices and rethink packaging and make it eco-friendly.

How can the industry attract more young people?

MF & CF: Promote sustainable development, seamless customer experiences, and the new technologies and innovative practices used in the printing industry to show youngsters that it is not an obsolete or uninteresting sector. We can also showcase how vibrant our industry is as well as the fascinating jobs and career opportunities that are waiting to be discovered on social media channels.

Invest in continuous training to help employees develop their skills and knowledge, making sure they fulfil their potential. This is very attractive to talented and ambitious young people. The younger generation is interested in companies that invest in training emerging leaders and use a team-centric philosophy.

In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?

MF & CF:  It is necessary to have an effective online presence by optimizing networking and developing an effective digital marketing strategy. However, customer experience is the biggest differentiator. 

It is important to be present for clients and actively listen to their business, production and staff needs. This increases brand loyalty. Our main values are customer focus and agility. Authenticity in business makes a big difference in creating a win-win relationship with clients.

What are some of the biggest opportunities in the print industry?

MF & CF:  There are many great opportunities for the industry. Process automation, the growing use of the Internet of Things (loT) and sustainability are, however, the focus areas for Imprimerie Ste-Julie. 

Eco-responsible and economical solutions that reduce waste and costs must be integrated into our daily business practices.

What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?

MF & CF:  Our industry can be a part of the circular economy. We must take the steps required to reduce our environmental impact while saving our resources. We’ve been working on this since 2018. We obtained certifications and established partnerships with relevant companies so that our actions are tangible. Several innovative products are entering the market. We need to find a way to develop them in order to bridge the gap with Europe, which is way ahead of us in terms of sustainability.  

Marilène and Caroline Fournier’s responses were edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit www.printaction.com/profile.

Your board members serve different purposes and have distinct expertise, but consistently these members need one key ingredient: trust. The people you trust to be completely selfless in their guidance and advice with a single focus on helping you to meet your goals are the ideal candidates to make up your board.

A simple exercise to determine your board members is to write a list of trusted professionals in your network, noting their area of strength beside their names. Then write down your career goals to assess what resources you may require to support your efforts. Once you have identified the subject matter expertise you need, you can then start to slot in board members identifying any gaps.

While certain members will remain consistent, your board may change depending on the goal you are moving toward and adding members with specific expertise to contribute to more of their knowledge to achieve your next milestone. What if you need a financial expert and don’t have one in your immediate pool of contacts? Network, ask your existing board members for recommendations, ask others for referrals and then identify the best fit to contribute to your career journey.

At this point, a common question becomes, “Why would someone join my board of directors and donate their time?”. This is a general question I get from career starters about networking with more senior professionals, and my answer is consistent: anyone further along in their career recognizes the value of the many contributors to their journey and often welcome the opportunity to pay it forward by giving someone else a helping hand. This rule does not apply to everyone, but you’ll be surprised by how many people openly and willingly share their expertise to assist others in their careers. Well-developed expertise is a gift to be shared, and those confident enough to know that share enthusiastically.

Now that you have identified your board of directors formally or informally at your discretion and want to activate it, how do you do that? To make the most of the resources available to you, it’s vital to be a receiver, meaning your goal is to provide plenty of air time for the member to share their knowledge, ask open-ended questions and listen, take notes and not dismiss a single idea of how you extract the most information to consider.

Listening to advice does not mean you need to take it or even apply it. Instead, consider it, layer over the nuance of your particular circumstances and goals and make the best-informed decision for you. If you do not take the lead in the process and filter accordingly, this is where people can get lost chasing their tail and by changing direction with every piece of advice. The belief that respecting the recommendation is to follow it is honourable, though it leaves you rudderless when navigating toward a goal. You have to be the captain of your ship, and taking this approach of listening, considering, and adjusting to customize your strategy is a critical lesson in leadership. No one should lead your career journey but you.

You are the head of your board that you have contributed to your career goals. To get the most out of this esteemed group, you need to compose thoughtful, open-ended questions. For example, “I want to be a director in the next three years; what should I do now to prepare myself?” “How would you approach asking for a raise?” “What are some things you had to overcome to get to where you are?” “What do you suggest to improve my writing?”. By preparing clear and direct questions before engaging with each member, you can ensure you are making the best use of their time.

The most respectful approach to your members is to prepare before speaking with them, acknowledge the importance of their time and don’t take too much. Engaging with members for shorter increments of time and more frequently can keep your guidance current relevant and adjust to real-time developments on your progress.

For a checklist example of open-ended questions, email crystal@propelleadership.ca.

Crystal Hyde is a certified professional coach in Waterloo, Ont., and founder of Propel Leadership Coaching, specializing in communications consulting and leadership coaching.

For 24 years, Yardley has led Print Panther whose clientele is largely international. An industry veteran with a global perspective Yardley has some interesting thoughts about the state of the Canadian printing industry.

What is the state of the print industry today, in your opinion?

CY: I think everyone is looking for ways to increase business opportunities. It doesn’t matter where you are or what business you are in. I think high value, exciting, innovative print is a leader in helping companies, especially small and luxury brands, regain market share and position. Print allows brands to communicate on a tangible level. I think that is paramount after the last 18-24 months. It is difficult to imagine a post-pandemic world, but history proves innovation and creativity prevail during difficult times. From direct mail to packaging, tactile, meaningful print will be at the forefront when we come out of this digitally saturated period of history.

What attracted you to the print industry?

CY: I have always been attracted to the printed page in some form. My background in typography, graphic design and marketing positions me to create beautiful print that legitimately helps my clients connect with their customers. My love of print has been an organic flow of ideas and design. A life-long love affair, really.

How can the industry attract more young people?

CY:  Like any industry, there are ebbs and flows. I think we all, no matter our age, suffer from some sort of digital fatigue. When someone enrols in a program at Ryerson University [Toronto] for example, they are taught design needs to cross over between print and digital. Print is a large part of the curriculum. Further, successful brands need print. I am not sure if there is truly an issue with attracting young people. I can tell you that everyone working for me is about half my age, and they love it.

In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?

CY: I do not think the industry has become more competitive than previous years. Having said that the industry is not only competitive, but also turbulent. I think printers need to embrace new technologies. It is our job to show customers what they can do to help elevate their brands and support their businesses. During times of crisis, opportunity is everywhere. Just think: you can provide a small company a custom brand colour that’s fresh and different. With metallic and fluorescent inks, foils and spot varnishes, the opportunity to make a product and/or service stand out is at our fingertips, literally! We must help managers and others who help promote companies and products understand the positive impact of innovative printed solutions.

What are some of the biggest opportunities in the print industry?

CY:  We should all see opportunity as the world re-opens. Everyone is craving some sense of normality. Businesses will be looking at ways to move forward. With the holidays upon us, it is the perfect time to reconnect with clients with a wonderful, printed piece. I love receiving cards; it never gets old. Getting something physical and personal is more meaningful than a “pop-up” on a website. Print creates a touchpoint with customers.

What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?

CY: I think print is exciting and beautiful. We need the tactile experiences that only print can provide. Quality has never been better, thanks to new digital printing capabilities. The technology has transformed design. We are seeing more customized and personalized print products. I love foils and bright inks. Bright colours, clever bindery and textured papers for creating tactile, sensory products are certainly going to lead in 2022.

Yardley’s responses were edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit
www.printaction.com/profile.

Carla, a single mother of two girls at that time, was living in Niagara, Ont., and pursuing a master’s degree. Carla never imagined that one day she would be leading the family business. However, the death of her younger brother, who was the company’s principal shareholder then, propelled Carla into unchartered waters.

“We lost almost $3 million in 90 days. I sat in the hallway and did what comes naturally: sell,” recalls Carla, who was always involved in sales in some capacity throughout her professional life.

In a hyper-competitive market, Carla, a goal-oriented individual, managed to successfully turn around the business. Simpson Print posted a profit of $9.7 million last year. This year, it earned $13.1 million. Carla is forecasting a revenue of $15 million for the next fiscal year.

After almost 10 years, Carla is no longer the “reluctant” president of Simpson Print. The 49-year-old has embraced her role as the company’s executive head, and has ambitious plans for the printing business. She also owns 25 per cent of the company’s shares.

About Simpson Print

Simpson Print is known for integrating art effects, coatings and unique finishes with special effects and embellishments on diverse and unusual substrates.

“We’re very substrate-savvy. We’re great at merchandising, metallic packaging, obscure postpress, diecutting and finishing, and managing budgets for a Cadillac end-result,” explains Carla.

The urban legend

Carla’s father, Martin Johanns, is the minority shareholder, chair and founder of Simpson Print. An immigrant from the Netherlands and an aspiring arborist, he discovered his entrepreneurial calling in offset printing.

In 1964, he began a company called Johanns Graphics. This was the heyday of conventional Renaissance printing of annual reports and magazines. Carla remembers watching designers working on storyboards in a 1,000-sf room.

“My father is an extremely passionate ambassador of ink on paper and the craft of print. His enthusiasm and think-ahead mentality carry us even today,” says Carla.

Even though the company was successful, technological changes, such as the introduction of desktop publishing and elimination of film, were starting to emerge. Martin sold the company before the economic crash of 1990.

Two years later, Carla’s mother, Maddy, found, in the middle of another farm field, a screen printing company called Simpson Screen Printing with one client, MTD. The company made $1.3 million in sales of label identification on lawnmowers and other industrial applications.

As an early adopter of an increasingly popular technology, Simpson Screen Printing began to grow. It soon had US clients so much so that 70 per cent of its customers resided south of the border.

In 1994, when Martin’s old offset company went into receivership, he bought it along with the building where Simpson Print is currently located.

Simpson Print is known for combining art effects with unique finishes on diverse substrates.

Diverse offerings

Carla believes Simpson Print’s biggest strength is diversity.

“I don’t see myself as a screen printer or a digital printer. I view us as an all-under-one-roof print manufacturing and merchandising solutions provider,” says Carla. “Our business is very diverse. Forty per cent of our business is industrial nameplate identification. Another 40 per cent is wide-format solutions from custom through in-store signage programs, and then we have offset, which is actually doing remarkably well. The name of the game is to be diverse,” says Carla.

The company has the capabilities to print spot colour face down; UV litho print with spot UV screen print with specialty inks; different touches, such as textured, powdered and soft; clear; sparkle; tinted; glitter; raised clear with glitter; screen print spot matte; and digital print on vinyl, plastic or paper. It can also do custom diecut, folding, embossing, shrink wrapping, laminating, grometting, hemming, drilling, heat bending, heated platen diecutting, gloss coating and spot reticulation.

“We’re not in the business of conventional prints. When others say no, we say yes. We offer multiple products. We offer still high-resolution screen prints and have an extensive line of wide-formats, digital and UV offset and finishing solutions. In the last few years, I invested around $3 million in new technology and capitol investments. The print industry is capitol intensive, and I do not believe you can remain relevant if you are not continually investing,” adds Carla.

SwissQprint as partners

Simpson print is proud to have two screen printers while everybody is eliminating their screen presses. They’re also the largest Canadian client of SwissQprint, which is very dominant in Europe.

“SwissQprint is easy to maintain. I spend $14,000 on maintenance on three SwissQs, and they contribute to 75 per cent of my bottom line. SwissQ is also the most versatile press. They all have varnishes and primers, which means I can print on an unusual amount of substrate, such as tempered glass, building materials, laminate flooring, wood, aluminum and polyethylene. Since it has UV-LED, it is significantly reducing a project’s carbon footprint. It limits the conventional, heavy screen deposit. The fact that I have three of them ensures that I can do small, multiple or 5,000 sheet jobs with an in-store deadline of 24 hours,” explains Carla.

Sustainability

As someone who was taught to work hard and use sustainable practices in all walks of life, Carla is keen on adopting eco-friendly principles in the business.

“Print is naturally a very toxic industry. It generates a lot of waste. In the early days, we used recycling ponds at the cost of $14,000 to $20,000 monthly to decontaminate water. We also looked at living walls to control dust. We’ve been thinking green because it’s not just about marketing and the end product, but also being lean in our manufacturing workflow by adopting automation. When you’re lean in your manufacturing principles, you’re passing on savings to your customers,” she says.

Pandemic’s impact

Carla admits having many sleepless nights in the initial days of the pandemic, but the company was able to pivot quickly.

While some of their clients (e.g. event organizers) didn’t need printing services, others increased their orders. Simpson Print’s label business increased by 20 per cent, and it is still growing.

Carla attributes this resiliency to the fact that the company has seen many ups and downs, especially a big one (the death of its principal shareholder) in 2012, so it was able to navigate the pandemic pretty well. It also helped that Simpson Print offers diverse solutions.

“Post-COVID, you’ve got to go back to the basics of great pressing and quality, and on time execution. We recognize it’s going to be the Wild West domestically. [Thankfully] our business is now evenly spread between Canada and the US,” says Carla.

Future plans

Carla’s main focus is restructuring the company including finance and operations and maintaining strategic growth either organically or through “sensible US acquisitions.” Carla is also keen on enhancing the company’s digital marketing capabilities so as to complement its print services.

As indicated earlier, Carla has expanded the company’s inventory to maximize potential and take on new projects. She’s also expanding space in her print plant by another 20 million sf. “I see my fulfillment and warehouse businesses significantly increasing,” adds Carla.

Since Simpson has been in the printing business for 16 years, Carla feels it’s critical for the company to be leaders in innovation and sustainability as well as to champion the importance of print as a marketing channel.

Carla believes the industry would soon be shifting focus from the need for speed to software that increase workflow automation.

“The beauty of the industry is you have to commit to change. You have to be creative,” says Carla. Her ambition is to make Simpson Print “omni marketing intelligent.”

As she explains, “You cannot install a press and deliver value; you have to build all silos of the business to be better and to drive innovative solutions that work with your customers. Print is no longer just about placing ink on paper; it is about the pre- and post-show.” 

What is the state of the print industry today, in your opinion?

CL: Throughout history, the print industry has steadily grown. It has changed constantly, but I think it has evolved more in the past 10 to 15 years. The introduction and continuous improvement of digital technologies have made this even more true, as new opportunities are now at our disposal. The exciting part is that technology and equipment are evolving. This makes the print industry a very fast paced and dynamic one. There was a point when people thought the print industry would slowly die, and make way for everything digital. Of course, this theory has been proven wrong. It isn’t a matter of print vs. electronic media. A combination of both can be a powerful communication tool.

What attracted you to the print industry?

CL: I was around my father’s business since a young age. He built Paragraph in 1989, working with his associate and two pressmen. Today, the company employs more than 200 people and is constantly growing. When I was 14 years old, I started working summer jobs in the bindery and I filed dockets for a couple of years. While there, I became curious about the work, clients and the beautiful products we were making. From that moment, whenever I walked into a store, I would try to locate the work we had done. It made me proud, and also made me realize print is everywhere! I understood quickly there are many opportunities in this industry, but no one is really aware of it, yet.

How can the industry attract more young people?

CL: Young people don’t consider printing because the industry isn’t well known. Further, a lot of youngsters are focused on ‘new media’. They don’t realize print goes hand in hand with new media. It isn’t about just printing. It’s the whole process of creating displays or marketing materials that will help companies reach their clients better and faster.

In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?

CL: I think printers who understand their job goes beyond “putting ink on paper” will win more sales. The goal of printers is to produce pieces that drive our customers’ sales. Print buyers are not experts, so they will appreciate someone guiding them and proposing original and creative concepts to help them reach their clients.

What are some of the biggest opportunities in the print industry?

CL: Digital printing! It allows for flexibility and agility. Both are important in today’s market conditions. Digital printing allows customers to test multiple offers and to use personalization tools with variable images or text. They can produce personalized printed pieces suited for each audience segment, at full production speed, without sacrificing quality or spending more once the variable data has been programmed. Digital printing for packaging is also a big opportunity. In the cosmetics or consumer goods industries, for example, packaging is a major area of focus because it often plays a big part in product selection by consumers. Digital short run packaging testing can help companies understand what types of shapes, colours and adornments impact buying decisions. Whether it’s for evaluating alternative ideas or simply trying to maximize impact through a highly personalized approach, the possibilities with digital printing are endless.

What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?

CL: Most people are realizing print is an important part of the communication mix, and it is definitely here to stay. Another exciting aspect is the continuous improvement in equipment and technology. As mentioned earlier, digital printing offers a lot of flexibility. Ten years ago, digital printing was still considered ‘less than’ for many. Look at all the opportunities available today. Imagine where technology could take us in 10 years.

Lépine’s responses were edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit www.printaction.com/profile.

This article originally appeared in the November 2021 issue of PrintAction.

What made your start 5am Lemon?

AJ: I always had a passion for greeting cards, as well as print, paper substrates and shopping. During the first wave of the pandemic, it was near impossible to send a gift online and couple it with a personalized greeting card. I tried a few times through Chapters/Indigo, and the message was always printed on the packing slip, which was missed by the recipient. I thought it would be great to order a fully personalized card online and have it accompanied by a small gift or gift card. I had just installed the KM-1 inkjet press that had a 23 x 29 sheet size with full variable capabilities, so I started playing with the sheet. The next thing I know, my team and I had created a fun and functional greeting card gift box for my daughter’s university graduation. I even took advantage of the side panels, which formed the box, and included pictures of her with her roommates that she could remove and display.

What is the state of the print industry today, in your view?

AJ: I think outside of the current supply chain issues with paper, the state of the print industry is strong. Print delivers is a tangible punch that is tough to match digitally. Print and direct mail carry a ton of credibility that is harder to match with digital.

What attracted you to the print industry?

AJ: I started selling advertising for special interest magazines back in the early 90’s. That was my first introduction to the print world, and I have been in love with print ever since.

How can the industry attract more young people?

AJ: I think as an industry we need to show young people how unique and powerful print can be in a digital world. We know they are super comfortable with everything and anything digital, but may not feel as comfortable in the tangible world of print. We need to make sure we educate and expose younger generations to the different printing platforms, paper substrates, embellishment opportunities and all the other finishing options available for print communications. As humans, we love engaging in anything we are really good at or know a lot about. The print world can be a scary unknown to younger generations, so we need to introduce them early and take advantage of their creative minds.

In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?

AJ: Printers need to go beyond just putting ink on paper. They need to constantly be in consulting mode and assist clients with the creation of their pieces. They need to introduce new paper stocks, finishing ideas and cost-efficient solutions. Today, marketers have more advertising options than ever before and anyone selling print or direct mail need to offer an expertise that goes well beyond knowing paper and ink.

What are some of the biggest opportunities in the print industry?

AJ: I see an opportunity for marketers to really stand out in the mailbox using print. The inbox is overflowing, and the digital market can feel a bit saturated. Print offers a refreshing medium that does not interrupt your day, and can be consumed at leisure. Increasing personalization and relevance to a targeted audience is key.

What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?

AJ: Production inkjet printing is definitely exciting. The ability to offer high-quality, fully variable pieces on unique substrates at an affordable price is really cool. The integration of print with digital will keep getting stronger and it’s going to be great to see how creative marketers are going to use the two media. As an aside, who would have thought it would take a pandemic to make QR codes cool again. I think in the future we will be seeing these codes on much more than just restaurant tables.

Jamieson’s responses were edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit www.printaction.com/profile.

This article originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of PrintAction.

This announcement is part of HP’s Sustainable Impact strategy to “create a positive, lasting impact on the planet, our people and communities where we live, work and do business.”

“Our 2030 goals are designed to make HP the world’s most sustainable and just technology company. The actions we’re taking to address some of society’s greatest challenges will strengthen our communities while spurring innovation and growth across our business,” said Enrique Lores, CEO, HP.

HP is making a concerted effort to support women’s career advancement. The company aims to achieve 50/50 gender equality in HP leadership by 2030. HP also commits to achieving greater than 30 per cent technical women and women in engineering roles by 2030.

In addition to championing gender equality, HP aims to have its racial/ethnic representation meet or exceed market availability in the United States by 2030.

Moving forward, HP commits to maintaining a higher than 90 per cent rating on its internal inclusion index for all employee demographics annually. It also seeks to be universally ranked as employer of choice for underrepresented groups in the technology industry by 2030.

Further, HP will create a visible and resilient supply chain with the goal to assure respect for labour-related human rights for 100 per cent of its key contracted manufacturing suppliers and higher risk next tier suppliers by 2030.

What is the state of the print industry today, in your opinion?
CE: A myriad of different models exist in the print industry today due to the pandemic. The commercial print market has once again been hit hard, but the labels and packaging sectors have seen a surge in demand due to consumer buying trends. Technology has improved greatly, thus allowing printers to print better quality work at record speeds. It is truly a marvel.

What attracted you to the print industry?
CE: I was fortunate to grow up in the print industry because I started working for the family business as a teenager. At that time, I had no idea I would run the company one day. However, I have always said print and packaging is addictive, and it somehow draws you in over time. I love that the print industry is fast-paced, and has many different facets to learn and manage.

As a woman, how challenging has it been to work in a male-dominated industry?
CE: When I started out in the industry 30 years ago, it was very male dominated. As a female, it almost felt like things were kept behind closed doors for just men to discuss and figure out. At first, when I was accepted into meetings, I stayed very quiet and sat on the sidelines so as to not draw attention to myself; what if they decided that I, the only female in the meeting, shouldn’t be there! As time passed and I felt more confident, I would ask questions or offer suggestions. As my career progressed, I  didn’t place emphasis on gender, and instead focused on surrounding myself with people who were on the same page as I and relate to.

What sort of biases did you experience? How did you deal with them?
CE: I had a double whammy as far as biases go, as firstly, I was the owner’s daughter and secondly, I was a female. I took over from a father who was very involved in the packaging industry, and really, just evolved in his shadow for many years. I recall being invited to the now defunct Canadian Paper Box Makers Association (CPBMA) meeting as its first female member—It was an honour because I knew the association was a boys’ club! I was really nervous at the first meeting because I wanted to be accepted as one of the ‘boys’, and to have a voice that would bring value regardless of gender.

Looking back, what kind of support systems would have helped you deal with some of the gender-related challenges you may have encountered in the industry?
CE: It would have been great to have more female role models in the industry to look up to for mentorship. Currently, I am a member of the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) that runs female leadership meetings. These meetings are a great avenue for women to discuss current topics. It is truly empowering and helpful to have the opportunity for a community of women leaders to discuss some of the challenges we face in the industry.

What steps should the industry take to increase the number of women leaders?
CE: I feel the industry has really changed over the past 20 years. Today, we see that more print companies are led by women. It is exciting to witness the ‘changing of the guard’.

How can the industry attract more young people?
CE: Today’s youth are drawn in by social media. Perhaps, we need to demonstrate further using that venue. Unfortunately, the trade schools that once taught print programs no longer exist. The education system should be placing more emphasis on the trades profession.

In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?
CE: In today’s market, it’s all about quality, service and flexibility. We must be responsive and almost intuitive to our customers’ demands. As mentioned earlier, while the consumer packaged goods market is very busy, the commercial sector has suffered due to the pandemic. I believe new technologies give printers the necessary tools to meet current market challenges.

What are some of the biggest opportunities you see in the print industry?
CE: As the plastic ban becomes more widespread, we will see a greater demand for paperboard packaging alternatives. I believe many products will transition from plastic to paper over the coming years. We need to ensure our design teams are ready to take on these challenges. Digital print will make further gains within the commercial market with its speed-to-market abilities.

What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?
CE: Gosh! The print industry has really morphed so much over the past 30 years. I think the truly exciting thing is the technology. Years ago, we were limited by what our technology could do. Today, our presses are so intuitive and programmable. More information is available with the new technology that enables us to analyse and improve our waste and throughput whereas in the past we had to rely on manual collection of data that wasn’t always accurate.

Industry introduction
Tracey Preston, president of the Ontario Printing and Imaging Association (OPIA), came to the industry by chance as a government lobbyist for the construction and other (often male-dominant) industries. But as luck would have it, she had her own personal connection to print, as her father was a printer, and her grandfather worked at a paper company for over 40 years.

As president of the OPIA, Preston serves the board of directors and the membership to help reach the OPIA’s goals as an industry association, including government affairs work at all three levels to ensure that the voice of the industry is heard.

On the flip side, April Burke, vice president of operations at Bellwyck, got her start in the industry through Ryerson’s Graphic Communications Management program, when the school was still classified as a polytechnic institute. After a highly successful internship at McLaren Morris and Todd Limited (MM&T), which led to her spending 18 years at the company in progressively more advanced and high-profile roles, and then positions at Lowe-Martin and now Bellwyck, Burke knows a lot about printing.

April Burke, vice-president of operations at Bellwyck

As the company’s vice-president of operations, Burke leads the team on a daily basis, and is responsible for multiple sites. She helps develop talent, reviews financial results and operating metrics and more. Burke is very passionate about packaging and the creativity that it affords those in this field.

“I’ve always liked the manufacturing side, because it’s where I feel that I’m the most confident in the sense that its hands-on. I’m not a desk person,” she says. “What I like about packaging the most is you create something in someone’s vision, and then it becomes a structure, and then it becomes a functional piece. It attaches to tactile sensitivities along the way.”

Female representation
Preston came to print from the construction lobby, which didn’t have any other female representation, so joining the print industry seemed a lot more balanced to her, even though it still had a lot of work to do in that regard. However, Preston noticed that at the time, there were three other women managing provincial associations here in Canada, and in the U.S., the split was more even, close to 50/50.

“There are women now in executive functions of this industry that are very elevated, and I don’t think it’s as shocking as it was, I don’t know how many years ago,” she says. “Certainly, when I came [to the OPIA] 20 years ago, there were women in predominant places and printing companies that it really wasn’t as foreign as we would have thought.”

For Burke, starting at her internship at MM&T, there wasn’t a whole lot of female representation, but she never felt that fact held her back.

“It didn’t really matter that I was a female and that it was a union shop,” she says. “Most of the plant was male-dominant, but over time, we had some female operators come into the plant as well.”

However, Burke acknowledges that her experience can be out of the ordinary, compared to what is experienced by many others.

“I never really had any [of the same issues] compared to some of my female counterparts, who have had some more challenges. I’ve been really fortunate to be with some great companies; it has really never been an issue for me,” says Burke. “I do see challenges in the industry, and I’ve talked to people who have had challenges because they are female, or they’re young. I think sometimes it’s hard to create inclusivity in organizations, and not every company can do it well. I’ve just been afforded the opportunity to pick the right ones.”

Attracting new female talent
In order to attract more young women to the industry, Burke suggests advertising this career path to younger women.

“I think we have to start earlier on; I think we have to get out to the high school level!” she says. “We have to be better advocates for our industry. We still are not strong enough, promoting our industry as a whole. We’re very environmentally conscious, and we’re doing all the right things as an industry to play a role in the protection of the planet. I think we have to start being better advocates for our industry as a whole, and I think it starts at the high school level; promoting our industry, not just in the management side, but also on the skilled trade side. It’s very technically strong, we’ve got some of the best technology in our industry than any other industry in the things that we can do today.”

Preston agrees, noting: “If we can explain the opportunities that are better in print and the kind of work that it is, I think more young people, including young women, would be interested.”

However, Preston adds that gender aside, it’s really a specific type of person that is needed for print. “I look at the contributions of all of the people that I have met over the past two decades in the printing industry, and I can’t help but be impressed by the men and women that I have met who contribute to this industry and reinvent themselves daily,” says Preston. “It really isn’t about gender. It’s about a kind of person; someone that is innovative and creative and entrepreneurial and very high-tech and really goes above all else to try to meet the needs of their clients. And I think that’s an impressive type of person.”

What’s next for a beloved industry
Looking ahead, Preston believes change is inevitable as society recovers from the past year. “I think after COVID, we’ll see a metamorphosis of how [printers] have decided that they are still necessary for their clients. They will reinvent themselves again in a new way, because that’s what they do. They’re very resilient,” she says. “The best part about the printing industry is the way it reinvents itself. I like the entrepreneurial mindset that it has in order to survive, and to be agile. It has undergone so many changes that have affected the face of the industry, and it still finds a way to succeed.”

As for making sure more women achieve their goals in this industry, Burke suggests encouragement. “We have to continue to encourage women to know that they can do it. We just have to make sure that women have the courage to recognize that they have the confidence and the ability to compete with their male counterparts,” she says. “There used to be a pathway for females and what you could do and what you should be doing. I think it comes down to us as leadership, as mentors, to encourage people to follow the light and know that they can be successful.”

This article was originally published in the March 2021 issue of PrintAction.