As a professional in the printing industry, it never hurts to get a refresher on the basics. These basics are not “old” ideas or theories of graphic communications. They are simply the building blocks of print and without them, you would not be able to grow with the industry or even understand it. Let’s face it, everyone can use a refresher once in a while. Printing Industries of America will take it back to basics with the workshop Orientation to the Graphic Arts. This popular worskhop is the must-attend event for anyone in the industry who wants to be reminded of basic technology and language. Have you stopped reading, thinking “this isn’t for me, I’ve been in the industry for 20 years?” Well the novice is not the only professional who can benefit from orientation. It is equally beneficial to an expert in the field who wants to get a refresher in technology and industry language. And you don’t need to work in the pressroom to take advantage of all that Orientation to the Graphic Arts has to offer. In past workshops, Orientation has been filled with attendees who are in sales, customer service, graphic design, human relations, marketing, production, and much more. Or if you are thinking of making a move in the industry, it doesn’t hurt to attend either. You will have the opportunity to learn about several different areas you may not have realized you were even interested in. Orientation to the Graphic Arts will be held twice in 2013 at Printing Industries’ state-of-the-art facility just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. Attendees will work hands-on and in classroom-style settings, instructed by Printing Industries’ own experts. The first workshop will be held April 15–18, 2013, and will feature the print production workflow, major printing processes, color theory and reproduction, bindery, desktop publishing, and much more. For more information about this event, visit www.printing.org/training and click on “Orientation to the Graphic Arts” under the “Public Workshops” tab. Get the refresher you need—attend Orientation to the Graphic Arts....

Getting hands-on training is important when trying to get your printing facility up to speed. With the upcoming workshop, Extreme Offset: Troubleshoot, Control, Optimize, attendees will get the proper training to keep their facility in top condition, while learning how to print higher quality pieces more efficiently. Extreme Offset will be the first workshop of 2013 for Printing Industries of America. Held March 19–21, 2013, this popular workshop will provide the essential training to save your business money and gain an aggressive edge against the competition. Attendees will participate in sessions in the areas of troubleshooting, controlling, and optimizing printing capabilities and activities in the pressroom environment. With this comes hands-on learning from Printing Industries of America’s experts—Lloyd DeJidas, Director, Graphic Services and Facility Manager, and Greg Workman, Pressroom and Bindery Supervisor. Printing Industries’ Test forms are just one resource that will be presented in the press laboratory. Learning their proper use will be part of day one at Extreme Offset. Test forms are comprehensive diagnostic and measurement tools designed to help printers achieve quality color printing with less waste and reduced makeready time. The instructors will demonstrate how you can use test forms to see if your printing presses are reproducing consistent color. Additionally, see how to use these forms as a benchmark, with the ability to put your own color management targets into the form to compare color and consistency from the original colors. To learn more about this informative event, visit www.printing.org/training and click on “Extreme Offset: Troubleshoot, Control, Optimize” under the “Public Workshops” heading. Don’t wait to register for Extreme Offset as this program is known to sell out quickly. If you want to attend Extreme Offset but March is not convenient for you, there are other options. This event is so popular, we are running two sessions in addition to the March event—July 23–25, 2013, and November 5–7, 2013. Choose the date most convenient to you and put it in your calendar...

The following article is contributed by Jackie Jordan, Color Expert, Director of Color Marketing, The Sherwin-Williams Company. Ms. Jordan is one of the keynote presenters at the 2012 Color Management Conference, December 1–4, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her valuable session, Opposites Attract: The 2013 Sherwin-Williams Colormix™ Forecast, will explore today’s color mood and reveal the dueling influences that are shaping four divergent color directions. Colormix 2013 is the exploration of extremes and opposites that reflect our diverse mindsets, lifestyles, and design philosophies. We are intrigued by the push and pull of luxury vs. austerity, light vs. dark, textured vs. smooth, fantasy vs. reality, synthetic vs. natural, and so on. We all have our own identities, but we are also influenced and shaped by the divergent energy of the world around us. With influences coming at us at warp speed, how do we find our own equilibrium, and, most importantly, how do we filter the overwhelming number of choices in a world where we have access to everything with the touch of a button or swipe of a finger? As forecasters it’s our mission to process and filter out the noise and focus on the relevant and meaningful so we can share a synthesized view that defines key drivers, inspirations, influences, and influencers that shape and inspire current and future color directions. We look everywhere and at everything to guide and inform us so that we can present a comprehensive account of the why’s, the who’s, and the what’s behind the trends and forecast for the future. Our exploration this year takes its cues from key indicators in fashion, cinema, pop culture, art, product design, science, and nature. Elements of each serve to craft the story and vision of future color and design direction that will inspire us to enhance our environments and provoke a new—or alter an existing—point of view. I look forward to sharing this amazing journey with all of you and perhaps initiating a fresh way to experience color. Please click on the PDF to view conference brochure. Visit www.printing.org/color for more information on Opposites Attract: The 2013 Sherwin-Williams Colormix™ Forecast. Register today to hear from more keynote speakers from Hallmark Cards, Inc. and Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee Inc., as well as innovative sessions that will show you how to gain control of color. Early Bird registration ends November 3,...

Adding a QR code to link your LinkedIn page or to your business card is just one example of fusing social media with your marketing initiatives. If you’re finding yourself thinking, now why didn’t I think of that?, introduce yourself to the concept fusion marketing, and you won’t get left behind! The world of social media is evolving, and to be prepared for the future, Lon Safko, CEO, Innovative Thinking, and bestselling author of The Fusion Market Bible, encourages you to discover the totally new concept of “interconnecting” all of your traditional and digital tools! “The Fusion Marketing Bible is the next generation of marketing that brings our 6,000 years of traditional marketing, the exciting digital marketing tools of the Internet, and social media and fully integrates them into one seamless tool set that will accomplish every objective you set!”—Lon Safko, CEO, Innovative Thinking Printing Industries of America Training Programs is offering a FREE webinar: “The Fusion Marketing Bible—It’s what’s Next!” on Tuesday, October 16. This is the first time Printing Industries of America has offered a free webinar for anyone outside its membership. This is a perfect opportunity for entrepreneurs and business executives to better understand the relationship between traditional media and social media. Fusion Marketing has the tools you need to kick your company into high gear—and get ahead of your competition.  ...

Inkjet printing is a $33.4 billion market today and is forecast to double by 2017! Signage is the largest sector in the inkjet printing realm, representing 57% of the market in 2011, much of it printed on flatbed inkjet presses. But the types of work a flatbed device can produce are almost endless. Take a crash course covering everything you need to know to get up to speed on flatbed inkjet–including a review of everything from the types of machines, inks, and finishing equipment out there to real-world applications and markets that you can jump into! Flatbed Inkjet — A Crash Course for Print Service Providers will be presented by Printing Industry of America’s Julie Shaffer, Vice President of Digital Technologies. Flatbed Inkjet — A Crash Course for Print Service Providers Sponsored by Océ October 2, 2012 2:00 PM Eastern FREE for Printing Industries of America Members $99 for non-members Register for this webinar and learn how to get in on this very profitable business...

Does this sound familiar? “We knew we weren’t as efficient as we could be. We were experiencing long makereadies and jobs were being rejected because the color consistency across processes and devices was non-existent. We had the best of intentions to make improvements, however between difficulties in finding time and not knowing how to get our arms around the issues, we procrastinated. It wasn’t until we risked losing our biggest client that we were forced to reach out for help. With outside support, we turned it around! Our client relationship was saved, finally we have consistent color, faster makereadies, and less waste in time and materials. If only we had done this sooner! Times are too challenging not be deadly serious about becoming a smarter, better-run company.” — CEO, XYZ Printing This is a common sentiment. Companies know they need to improve and search for solutions for better color management, but they falter when the time comes to put solutions in place that will make a long-term difference. In the end, after months of stalled efforts, no ground has been gained, and they are left wondering if anyone else has similar struggles they could learn from? The answer is yes! The majority of problems are not unique; others have gone through the same challenges. So, rather than wasting any more time, money, and resources, find someone you can trust to provide help! Someone who can identify the root cause of vexing problems, recommend solutions, provide implementation support, and get you on your way to efficiency and profitability. Whether through staff training, use of new technology, developing procedures, or doing that strategic planning you keep putting off, the right consultant can provide a fresh perspective that will guide you to solutions that are tough to see from the trenches. In what ways can our trained consultants help your company improve? Providing independent, unbiased assessments and working with you to solve your issues. Focusing on improvements that will strengthen your competitive advantage. Benchmarking your improvements. Developing new skills in your employees. Implementing new technology. Efficiency + Quality + Productivity = Profitability! Avoid the “If only I had called for help sooner” syndrome and proactively seek training and consulting that will impact employee performance and ultimately the company’s profitability! You’ll be glad you did, and so will your bottom line! For more information or to take advantage of Printing Industries of America’s Center for Technology and Research consultation services, contact Karen J. Keller, Senior Training/Consulting Specialist at 412-259-1711, or kkeller@printing.org. If you are searching for training on enhancing your color management or digital production, we have educational resources for you as well: Optimizing Color for Your Digital Press WorkshopSeptember 25–26, 2012 Extreme...