|
1. (Paper) Stock Market Woes. Are paper prices about to bottom out? Lowered demand for paper drove prices down to an all-time low this year, and production also dropped 5.8% from 2001. The situation forced a number of plant closures and buyouts, as well as the discontinuation of several popular paper brands. While customers are currently benefiting from the respite that lower paper prices bring in offsetting increased postage rates, a number of experts suspect the relief will be short-lived. If paper prices have truly hit rock bottom, the only direction they can go now is up. 2. On the Road. I just finished a two and a half-week stint providing our free pick up and delivery service by driving our 28,000 lb. diesel delivery truck, covering for one of our drivers on vacation. I have a couple of thoughts to share from this experience. First, I highly recommend it to managers and owners -- how better to get face time with customers? Second, it occurred to me our drivers could be great assets in helping bring in more work, by plugging the services we offer, getting customer feedback, etc. (Perhaps we should start including this as part of their training?) Lastly, it brought a new appreciation for our drivers who must brave the "rude world" of the highways, what with being cut off, cut in front of and, generally, being someone for other drivers to "beat out" on the road. 3. Proof Positive. Along with sewing-machine operators and directory-assistance telephone operators, proofreaders will experience the greatest decline in employment by 2006. This is from projections made by the U.S. Department of Labor. Interestingly, as firms have cut proofreading staff, that skill set is becoming increasingly prized by print buyers. Recognizing the need for such editorial services, some printing and pre press companies have begun to actively advertise that their staff retains someone with copy-editing expertise for grammar, punctuation, and formatting work. Could this be a profit center for printers? 4. Isn’t It Ironic? Here are a couple of funny little ironies we pulled from the latest issue of industry guru Dick Gorelick’s newsletter, Graphic Arts Pulse: The Postal Rate Commission wants to hear your opinions on the recent spate of postal rate hikes, but you'll have to voice them electronically. Says the PRC, it’s all because paper, printing and postage costs "are becoming prohibitive." Hmmm... Also from the same issue, Dick points out that "one area of growth in the printing industry is the increase in sales of publications, books, and even printed promotion materials that deal with the technology that, among other things, is intended to make print obsolete." How’s that for biting the hand that feeds you? 5. Tip of the Week. The automated mylar application process uses heat to fuse mylar onto the sheet so avoid wax-based ink or varnishes, as they are likely to smear in the process. Also, make sure your sheets are dry before sending them to your bindery for mylar reinforcement. Some of our customers add a little cobalt dryer to inks to help them dry before the mylar is applied.
|
Newsletter
|
|
|
|
Services Letterpress
|
|