When you hear “Who you gonna call?” we tend to think of those ghost-busting heroes from the 1980s. But Printing Industries of America has real experts who printers call on when they need challenging problems solved and are continually working to drive the industry forward with technical innovations.  The full-time researchers and scientists working on-site at the Center for Technology and Research have helped hundreds of industry members by offering technical advice, lab testing, consulting services, training, and more. In our 2013 Member Satisfaction Survey, more than three-fourths of members said these technical services are an important membership benefit. At the Center for Technology and Research, we focus on all aspects of the printing process, including paper and ink testing, color management, digital printing, and management information systems. Find out about the services we offer in “What Can the Center for Technology and Research Do for You?” So who are these experts and how can their work benefit your company? Get to know some of our staff members here. They are just a few of the professionals helping our industry get the most from production processes, improve consumables, access education, understand the industry standards we set, and benefit from the latest technical innovations. Dr. Mark Bohan, Vice President, Center for Technology and Research—Dr. Bohan has spoken extensively on many topics, including research, press optimization, CIM technologies, and the opportunities they present. He is active in CIP4, (More…) Jim Workman, Assistant Vice President, Technology and Research—Jim Workman helps members by providing them with the knowledge to make smart decisions about technology. He is directly responsible for the InterTech Technology Awards competition, custom training activities, and the annual Continuous Improvement Conference. He is a certified mailpiece design consultant and provides member support on mailing issues (More…) Lloyd DeJidas, Director, Graphic Services & Facility Group—Supervising printing and support services for research, material testing, training, marketing, and technical information, DeJidas serves as a workshop instructor and has guided publishing efforts through major changes in lithographic technology and process controls (More…) Dave Dezzutti, Technology and Research Analyst—Dezzutti is one of the industry’s leading experts in color management and is a  G7® Certified Expert. He brings years of practical experience to his consulting assignments (More…) Mike Duvall, Computational Research Analyst—As a certifier of JDF products, Duvall writes applications in the C# programming language. He is also an active member of CIP4 (More…) Brad Evans, Senior Research Technician/Lab Coordinator—Evans is a technical expert providing support to industry companies for more than 30 years. He has developed an unparalleled reputation for spotting the causes of print, ink, paper, and finishing problems. Over the years he has evaluated 5,000 problem jobs (More…) Dillon Mooney, Technical Consultant—Mooney runs the Technical...

When you hear “Who you gonna call?” we tend to think of those ghost-busting heroes from the 1980s. But Printing Industries of America has real experts who printers call on when they need challenging problems solved and are continually working to drive the industry forward with technical innovations.  The full-time researchers and scientists working on-site at the Center for Technology and Research have helped hundreds of industry members by offering technical advice, lab testing, consulting services, training, and more. In our 2013 Member Satisfaction Survey, more than three-fourths of members said these technical services are an important membership benefit. At the Center for Technology and Research, we focus on all aspects of the printing process, including paper and ink testing, color management, digital printing, and management information systems. Find out about the services we offer in “What Can the Center for Technology and Research Do for You?” So who are these experts and how can their work benefit your company? Get to know some of our staff members here. They are just a few of the professionals helping our industry get the most from production processes, improve consumables, access education, understand the industry standards we set, and benefit from the latest technical innovations. Dr. Mark Bohan, Vice President, Center for Technology and Research—Dr. Bohan has spoken extensively on many topics, including research, press optimization, CIM technologies, and the opportunities they present. He is active in CIP4, (More…) Jim Workman, Assistant Vice President, Technology and Research—Jim Workman helps members by providing them with the knowledge to make smart decisions about technology. He is directly responsible for the InterTech Technology Awards competition, custom training activities, and the annual Continuous Improvement Conference. He is a certified mailpiece design consultant and provides member support on mailing issues (More…) Lloyd DeJidas, Director, Graphic Services & Facility Group—Supervising printing and support services for research, material testing, training, marketing, and technical information, DeJidas serves as a workshop instructor and has guided publishing efforts through major changes in lithographic technology and process controls (More…) Dave Dezzutti, Technology and Research Analyst—Dezzutti is one of the industry’s leading experts in color management and is a  G7® Certified Expert. He brings years of practical experience to his consulting assignments (More…) Mike Duvall, Computational Research Analyst—As a certifier of JDF products, Duvall writes applications in the C# programming language. He is also an active member of CIP4 (More…) Brad Evans, Senior Research Technician/Lab Coordinator—Evans is a technical expert providing support to industry companies for more than 30 years. He has developed an unparalleled reputation for spotting the causes of print, ink, paper, and finishing problems. Over the years he has evaluated 5,000 problem jobs (More…) Dillon Mooney, Technical Consultant—Mooney runs the Technical...

This is a guest blog post from Michael Walters, Executive Director, Distributor Services at Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). For more information about the National Buying Programs available to members through Printing Industries of America affiliates, visit www.printing.org/buyingpower. Every client who buys from you already uses imprinted items—logo pens, t-shirts, bags, etc. Selling promotional products is a natural progression for a lot of printers—you already have your clients’ logos, there aren’t any start-up costs, there’s a high ROI, and it’s easy to get started! The Printing Industries of America National Buying Program with ASI, for members through Printing Industries of America affiliates, is a great way for you to break into this $19.4 billion industry and immediately begin increasing revenue. Margins and Sales Distributors selling promotional products see: Profit margins up to 40% Average yearly sales around $775,000 ROI Opportunities Based on the results of ASI’s Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study v.3, your customers spend an average of $3,000 per year on promotional items, with an average gross profit margin of 38%. Take a look at what that could mean for your annual revenues and gross profits if you sell promotional products to your current customers: Click here to view Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study v.3. Increase Your Earning Potential Instead of doing one-off print jobs, help your clients build campaigns using promotional products. Campaigns help increase brand recognition for your clients and ensure repeat business for your company. You can help customers be more successful—and increase your sales. Want to Learn More? Find out how ASI’s tools can help you grow profits and expand your business and see all that ASI has to offer members through Printing Industries of America affiliates by visiting...

This is a guest blog post from Michael Walters, Executive Director, Distributor Services at Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). For more information about the National Buying Programs available to members through Printing Industries of America affiliates, visit www.printing.org/buyingpower. Every client who buys from you already uses imprinted items—logo pens, t-shirts, bags, etc. Selling promotional products is a natural progression for a lot of printers—you already have your clients’ logos, there aren’t any start-up costs, there’s a high ROI, and it’s easy to get started! The Printing Industries of America National Buying Program with ASI, for members through Printing Industries of America affiliates, is a great way for you to break into this $19.4 billion industry and immediately begin increasing revenue. Margins and Sales Distributors selling promotional products see: Profit margins up to 40% Average yearly sales around $775,000 ROI Opportunities Based on the results of ASI’s Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study v.3, your customers spend an average of $3,000 per year on promotional items, with an average gross profit margin of 38%. Take a look at what that could mean for your annual revenues and gross profits if you sell promotional products to your current customers: Click here to view Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study v.3. Increase Your Earning Potential Instead of doing one-off print jobs, help your clients build campaigns using promotional products. Campaigns help increase brand recognition for your clients and ensure repeat business for your company. You can help customers be more successful—and increase your sales. Want to Learn More? Find out how ASI’s tools can help you grow profits and expand your business and see all that ASI has to offer members through Printing Industries of America affiliates by visiting...

Colors speak loudly when it comes to brands. The professionals responsible for brand color from concept to final product need to speak the same language to ensure colors are communicating the correct message. You may think that ideal is hard to achieve. Take a look to discover how you can get the color management skills from leading companies to communicate brand color, maintain its integrity through the workflow, and save costs. For some real-world insight, in the comprehensive rebranding of American Airlines, the iconic brand’s red, white, and blue signature colors were reinvigorated. A product of extensive market research, the update was made to evoke a “more modern, vibrant, and welcoming spirit” that represents modern American ideals. Leading the project was Chief Creative Officer Sven Seger of FutureBrand, a creative branding agency that helps companies like American Airlines use color to enhance their brand. Seger, one keynote at the 2013 Color Management Conference, modernized the brand, creating a new livery and logo. The first in the last 40 years, this update effectively communicates the brand and remains consistent across different aircraft composite materials, ticketing kiosks, credit cards, and other substrates as well as online. Seger goes in depth at the conference as to how his team defined the American brand’s core message and created a design that saves their client resources by being repeatable across multiple substrates.  A further example of how the rebranding experts of FutureBrand approach critical color consistency is in the creation of a new visual identity for UPS that was carried across all of the brand’s products from vehicles to uniforms to packaging. They also helped their clients communicate the revamped look through the workflow of design, production, and implementation of the new brand. The rebrand included a “color palette designed to both complement and energize brown—the company’s signature color for over 100 years.” According to this FutureBrand case study, the rebranding resulted in 13% increased earnings and ranked in FORTUNE Magazine’s Top 50 in brand recognition in 2011. Creative software company Adobe is one that is constantly putting out more innovative products to help designers maintain color from screen to print like Creative CloudTM, Photoshop® CC, and Illustrator® CC. Adobe Senior Creative Director Russell Brown is an Emmy Award-winning instructor, Adobe Photoshop virtuoso, and host of a popular Web tutorials series, “The Russell Brown Show.” Brown utilizes creative Photoshop design techniques to get the most precise colors. Another all-star keynote at the 2013 Color Management Conference, he offers aesthetic and technical tips to maximize software for consistent color management. Passionate about adding real tangibility to his work, he states that “projects aren’t real until we have something we can touch, like a print,” said...