What Can You Expect at the 2016 Continuous Improvement Conference?
What Can You Expect at the 2016 Continuous Improvement Conference? The 2016 Continuous Improvement Conference (April 10-13) is the only industry event focused on helping companies achieve operational excellence by using the concepts of Lean Manufacturing and other management and quality systems. Year after year attendees directly link reduced costs, lowered waste, and increased profit margins to ideas gained from conference presentations and networking. Whether you’re starting a structured improvement program or are looking for ways to sustain and improve your existing efforts, the conference has content specifically designed for your knowledge level. The conference is organized around subject areas: Leadership and Culture, Process and Tools—Advanced, and Process and Tools—Fundamental. With the event right around the corner, we sat down with PIA Vice President for the Center for Technology and Research and In-House Continuous Improvement Guru Jim Workman about what you can expect at this year’s conference! PIA: Remembering that the Continuous Improvement Conference is all about Lean manufacturing, what are some of the ideas and messages that you try to instill in every conference? JW: One message that will be uttered repeatedly in Milwaukee is that continuous improvement is all about leadership and culture. Without enlightened leadership and a supportive culture, even small gains won’t be sustained. That’s why we have a whole series of sessions that address what is required of leaders that want to move their company toward operational excellence. Another message is that benchmarking is essential. Companies shouldn’t accept that their performance is satisfactory without finding out how it compares to others. For example, one presentation at the conference details how a printing company was able to drive down its spoilage amount to a ridiculously low level by way of a specific action plan. Knowing how your company compares against those spoilage percentages should be helpful to your goal of improvement. PIA: With the ever-changing nature of the print industry, how does the Continuous Improvement Conference stay relevant from year to year? JW: It’s tough to get a competitive edge, but one way is to operate better—and improve faster— than the competition. You do that by using Lean manufacturing and other management and quality systems to root out inefficiency, engage employees in spotting and fixing problems, reduce excess inventory, shorten lead times, add capacity without capital investments, and so on. The printing and converting industry features some very sophisticated companies that are profit leaders in part because of their ongoing focus on these issues, and many will be speaking and attending the conference. PIA: What are some of the aspects of the conference previously enjoyed by returning attendees? JW: The CI Conference is built on networking (in fact, years ago it was called the Continuous Improvement Network Conference), so we are careful to maintain that portion of it. We have six conference events designed to foster networking. The roundtable networking tables in which small groups discuss specific topics have been a staple of the conference for years. We conduct this hour-long discussion session on both Monday and Tuesday. Potential attendees can review this year’s topics at ci.printing.org/program/roundtable-discussions. PIA: What are some new parts of the conference that attendees can get excited for? JW: For the first time, we’ll feature CI-related videos followed by discussion sessions. In addition, we’ve added the CI Café in which small...
read moreIn Memoriam: Jim Mayes
Printing Industries of America mourns the loss of one of its long-time allies, James (Jim) Mayes, Jr. Recognized as a faithful supporter and vocal advocate of the printing industry, Jim leaves behind an indelible mark. Jim owned and operated Colorcraft of Virginia for many years prior to his retirement. He was exceptionally active in Printing Industries of Virginia (PIVA), Print & Graphics Association of the Mid-Atlantic (PGAMA), and Printing Industries of America (PIA). Jim served on several committees within all three organizations, chairing both, the PIA and PIVA organizations, during his career. His most recent tenure was spent as the Chair of the PIA’s Premier Print Awards, a position he whole-heartedly embraced. Jim’s spirit will continue on in the many young people he introduced to the printing industry through his vigorous support of printing educational programs, including Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation and the Monroe Technology Center. “Today is a very sad day for America’s printing industry as one of its greatest left this Earth. Jim Mayes was one of the most passionate promoters of print in the industry,” said Michael Makin, President & CEO of Printing Industries of America, upon hearing of Jim’s passing. “He was a consummate gentleman, champion of education, proponent of research and ambassador of print awards from coast to coast. He will be sorely missed and PIA extends its heartfelt condolences to his wife Kathy, daughters Michelle and Meredith, and his grandchildren.” A funeral service will be conducted, Saturday, March 19, 2016 in Palmyra, Virginia. Friends and family may leave remembrances at the Thacker Brothers website. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Jim Mayes Memorial Scholarship Fund at Monroe Technology Center, 715 Childrens Center Road, Leesburg, VA 20175, Attention: Janice...
read moreIn Memoriam: Jim Mayes
Printing Industries of America mourns the loss of one of its long-time allies, James (Jim) Mayes, Jr. Recognized as a faithful supporter and vocal advocate of the printing industry, Jim leaves behind an indelible mark. Jim owned and operated Colorcraft of Virginia for many years prior to his retirement. He was exceptionally active in Printing Industries of Virginia (PIVA), Print & Graphics Association of the Mid-Atlantic (PGAMA), and Printing Industries of America (PIA). Jim served on several committees within all three organizations, chairing both, the PIA and PIVA organizations, during his career. His most recent tenure was spent as the Chair of the PIA’s Premier Print Awards, a position he whole-heartedly embraced. Jim’s spirit will continue on in the many young people he introduced to the printing industry through his vigorous support of printing educational programs, including Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation and the Monroe Technology Center. “Today is a very sad day for America’s printing industry as one of its greatest left this Earth. Jim Mayes was one of the most passionate promoters of print in the industry,” said Michael Makin, President & CEO of Printing Industries of America, upon hearing of Jim’s passing. “He was a consummate gentleman, champion of education, proponent of research and ambassador of print awards from coast to coast. He will be sorely missed and PIA extends its heartfelt condolences to his wife Kathy, daughters Michelle and Meredith, and his grandchildren.” A funeral service will be conducted, Saturday, March 19, 2016 in Palmyra, Virginia. Friends and family may leave remembrances at the Thacker Brothers website. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Jim Mayes Memorial Scholarship Fund at Monroe Technology Center, 715 Childrens Center Road, Leesburg, VA 20175, Attention: Janice...
read moreLeveraging PPA Wins for Business Wins
The 2016 Premier Print Awards opened for submissions in February, and all of us at PIA headquarters are excited to see what printers around the world have produced over the past year. Often referred to as “The Oscars of the Industry,” this international competition brings together printers from around the globe to have their pieces meticulously judged by our panel of industry experts. Together, our judges have over 100 years of industry experience and will thoroughly examine each piece down to the last drop of ink. Now in its 67th year, the Premier Print Awards prides itself on honoring every deserving company no matter their size; from the mom-and-pop shop to the million dollar franchise, every organization has their fair shot at the prestigious, coveted Benny statue. Recipients of the Premier Print Awards benefit from substantial industry exposure. Winners are announced to a list of over 800 industry media contacts and included in the PPA Supplement that is available at the Premier Print Awards Gala as well as the Printing Industries of America GRAPH EXPO booth. Winners are also invited to attend the Premier Print Awards Gala featuring the InterTech™ Technology Awards, where the Best of Show winners collect their Benny statues. During this event, print’s biggest winners gather to rub elbows and show off their winning pieces. Shortly after the results are announced, self-promotion kits are mailed to help you highlight your win. As a recipient of a Premier Print Award, you have access to a pre-drafted press release and Premier Print Award logos. By prominently displaying your statue, certificate, and logo, you let the whole world know that you are the best of the best in print! There are lots of ways to use award wins to grow your customer base. Join us on March 2 at 4:00 p.m. EST when we co-host Print Chat and talk about your options. Simply log on to http://nurph.com/PrintChat/chats/3135 with your Twitter handle and join the conversation. We hope to see you...
read moreLeveraging PPA Wins for Business Wins
The 2016 Premier Print Awards opened for submissions in February, and all of us at PIA headquarters are excited to see what printers around the world have produced over the past year. Often referred to as “The Oscars of the Industry,” this international competition brings together printers from around the globe to have their pieces meticulously judged by our panel of industry experts. Together, our judges have over 100 years of industry experience and will thoroughly examine each piece down to the last drop of ink. Now in its 67th year, the Premier Print Awards prides itself on honoring every deserving company no matter their size; from the mom-and-pop shop to the million dollar franchise, every organization has their fair shot at the prestigious, coveted Benny statue. Recipients of the Premier Print Awards benefit from substantial industry exposure. Winners are announced to a list of over 800 industry media contacts and included in the PPA Supplement that is available at the Premier Print Awards Gala as well as the Printing Industries of America GRAPH EXPO booth. Winners are also invited to attend the Premier Print Awards Gala featuring the InterTech™ Technology Awards, where the Best of Show winners collect their Benny statues. During this event, print’s biggest winners gather to rub elbows and show off their winning pieces. Shortly after the results are announced, self-promotion kits are mailed to help you highlight your win. As a recipient of a Premier Print Award, you have access to a pre-drafted press release and Premier Print Award logos. By prominently displaying your statue, certificate, and logo, you let the whole world know that you are the best of the best in print! There are lots of ways to use award wins to grow your customer base. Join us on March 2 at 4:00 p.m. EST when we co-host Print Chat and talk about your options. Simply log on to http://nurph.com/PrintChat/chats/3135 with your Twitter handle and join the conversation. We hope to see you...
read moreTechnology Advantages Favor the Commercial Printer
Jim Workman, Vice President, Center for Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America Technological capability is a critical competitive advantage for commercial printers. It is one reason that even companies with in-house printing capabilities rely heavily on commercial printers for their business printing needs. The issue came to the forefront again during a recent survey of 400-plus marketing and business executives at medium and large companies across different industrial sectors. Printing Industries of America and FedEx Office jointly conducted the survey, which delved into the executives’ use of and attitudes toward business printing. Among the many topics explored in the survey, respondents indicated if they would like more services in seven specific areas. Technology-related services were three of the top four print-related requests by business and marketing executives. The top four included the ability to print from the Cloud, access to advanced technology for color printing, access to advanced digital imaging, and the management of digital assets. Print’s marketspace is evolving in a very specific direction—from the simple provision of printed products to adding ancillary services to providing communications solutions. It’s not uncommon for in-plant operations, such as those at universities, businesses, and government entities, to be well behind the curve when it comes to reacting to changing customer needs. It is doubtful, for example, that most of them can provide an easy way of submitting files and ordering print via Web portals. They are unlikely to be able to enhance direct marketing campaigns with customized and variable-data printing. Nor are they as responsive as commercial printers to providing new digital print technologies and applications, such as signage, posters, and point-of-purchase displays. Make sure your firm is on the proper trajectory in technological evolution and in thinking about how you can take advantage of technical and process superiority when selling against in-house print resources. Emphasize the careful attention given to product quality, since the survey showed that product quality was the number one reason why customers rely on commercial printers compared to in-house resources. Customers of commercial printers reported lower instances of content being displayed incorrectly, color consistency problems, color accuracy problems, and product quality challenges. You might even consider joining the group of printers that are getting involved with print management services, by which we mean the practice of a customer outsourcing all of their print needs to a commercial printer—not just on a job-by-job basis. In that situation the commercial printer is managing the overall printing process for the customer. This may even include operating and staffing the customer’s existing in-plant facility. The complete survey findings, contained in an eight-page Flash Report, should be very helpful to company owners and executives determining how best to position their company against in-house competition. PIA Member companies can read the full...
read moreTechnology Advantages Favor the Commercial Printer
Jim Workman, Vice President, Center for Technology and Research, Printing Industries of America Technological capability is a critical competitive advantage for commercial printers. It is one reason that even companies with in-house printing capabilities rely heavily on commercial printers for their business printing needs. The issue came to the forefront again during a recent survey of 400-plus marketing and business executives at medium and large companies across different industrial sectors. Printing Industries of America and FedEx Office jointly conducted the survey, which delved into the executives’ use of and attitudes toward business printing. Among the many topics explored in the survey, respondents indicated if they would like more services in seven specific areas. Technology-related services were three of the top four print-related requests by business and marketing executives. The top four included the ability to print from the Cloud, access to advanced technology for color printing, access to advanced digital imaging, and the management of digital assets. Print’s marketspace is evolving in a very specific direction—from the simple provision of printed products to adding ancillary services to providing communications solutions. It’s not uncommon for in-plant operations, such as those at universities, businesses, and government entities, to be well behind the curve when it comes to reacting to changing customer needs. It is doubtful, for example, that most of them can provide an easy way of submitting files and ordering print via Web portals. They are unlikely to be able to enhance direct marketing campaigns with customized and variable-data printing. Nor are they as responsive as commercial printers to providing new digital print technologies and applications, such as signage, posters, and point-of-purchase displays. Make sure your firm is on the proper trajectory in technological evolution and in thinking about how you can take advantage of technical and process superiority when selling against in-house print resources. Emphasize the careful attention given to product quality, since the survey showed that product quality was the number one reason why customers rely on commercial printers compared to in-house resources. Customers of commercial printers reported lower instances of content being displayed incorrectly, color consistency problems, color accuracy problems, and product quality challenges. You might even consider joining the group of printers that are getting involved with print management services, by which we mean the practice of a customer outsourcing all of their print needs to a commercial printer—not just on a job-by-job basis. In that situation the commercial printer is managing the overall printing process for the customer. This may even include operating and staffing the customer’s existing in-plant facility. The complete survey findings, contained in an eight-page Flash Report, should be very helpful to company owners and executives determining how best to position their company against in-house competition. PIA Member companies can read the full...
read moreDigital Versus Offset—Profit Is the Key!
The following post was submitted by 2016 President’s Conference sponsor, Heidelberg. Your profit per job should be the driver of which technology and processes you use to produce a job. Think of an ideal production scenario: 1) Your MIS/workflow would determine (based on cost parameters) how a job is scheduled and produced to maximize your return on that entire job. 2) Your color management is so well defined that quality across technologies is a given and will match. 3) Data from your production devices would provide exact and timely feedback for that critical information loop on cost versus estimate. With Heidelberg, that production scenario is a reality today, not a futuristic “wish list”! Heidelberg is committed to improving and expanding its digital solutions as its customers need to run jobs from one to a million sheets. The crossover cost point of digital versus offset technology is much, much lower than people think! Generally, customers compare the cost per copy of a new digital device versus their old offset press, but if you compare the latest Anicolor 75 offset press, it breaks even at 250 sheets versus a 29-in. digital device. In reality, you only need ultra-short run and personalized digital output, a gap which is nicely filled by the latest Linoprint CV (90ppm) & CP (130ppm). At the end of the day, the questions to ask are: – What volume can you bring in to utilize an asset? – What’s your cost per sheet based on that volume and the asset price? – What can you charge for that sheet? Those questions lead to the investment decision, not the technology...
read moreDigital Versus Offset—Profit Is the Key!
The following post was submitted by 2016 President’s Conference sponsor, Heidelberg. Your profit per job should be the driver of which technology and processes you use to produce a job. Think of an ideal production scenario: 1) Your MIS/workflow would determine (based on cost parameters) how a job is scheduled and produced to maximize your return on that entire job. 2) Your color management is so well defined that quality across technologies is a given and will match. 3) Data from your production devices would provide exact and timely feedback for that critical information loop on cost versus estimate. With Heidelberg, that production scenario is a reality today, not a futuristic “wish list”! Heidelberg is committed to improving and expanding its digital solutions as its customers need to run jobs from one to a million sheets. The crossover cost point of digital versus offset technology is much, much lower than people think! Generally, customers compare the cost per copy of a new digital device versus their old offset press, but if you compare the latest Anicolor 75 offset press, it breaks even at 250 sheets versus a 29-in. digital device. In reality, you only need ultra-short run and personalized digital output, a gap which is nicely filled by the latest Linoprint CV (90ppm) & CP (130ppm). At the end of the day, the questions to ask are: – What volume can you bring in to utilize an asset? – What’s your cost per sheet based on that volume and the asset price? – What can you charge for that sheet? Those questions lead to the investment decision, not the technology...
read moreThe Product of Excellence Awards Join the Premier Print Awards
No matter what segment of the postpress industry you’re in, there are always a few special products that really make you proud. Whether it was a unique binding or a project that everyone said couldn’t be done, you made it happen to the best of your abilities and then some. It’s these types of projects that deserve recognition on an industry-wide level. And now, you have the opportunity to enter these into one of the biggest industry award competitions—the Premier Print Awards. Starting in 2016, those companies who previously entered the Product of Excellence Awards now have the opportunity to showcase their work within the Premier Print Awards Competition. The Premier Print Awards recognize the highest quality printed pieces in various categories from around the world. Each year, only the most worthy pieces receive Awards of Recognition, Certificates of Merit, and the highest honor—the Benny statue. For more than sixty years, winners of the largest, most prestigious print competition in the world have leveraged this honor to gain a competitive advantage. What Categories Can I Enter? To ensure your postpress piece is submitted in the appropriate category, the Premier Print Awards have updated five of their categories: O-2 Diecuts and Pop-ups O-4 Folding, Unique Folds, and Involvement Devices O-5 Binding O-6 Other Special Finishing Techniques T-1 Cartons, Containers, Boxes, and Totes Of course, you are more than welcome to submit your pieces into other Premier Print Awards categories including “They Said It Couldn’t Be Done,” “Special Innovation Awards,” and other segments. You can view all of this year’s categories by visiting www.printing.org/ppacategories. Benefits of the Premier Print Awards Recipients of the Premier Print Awards have been known to use their win as leverage in the industry. Receiving an award in the competition will show your customers that you are among the elite in the industry. And your employees can feel proud knowing they work for a highly regarded company. Each recipient will receive an invitation to the Premier Print Awards Gala featuring the InterTech Technology Awards (Benny winners receive a complimentary ticket), inclusion in the Premier Print Awards Supplement, exposure to the media with a press release from Printing Industries of America, a Benny statue, a certificate or plaque to proudly display, industry recognition, a self-promotion kit to help endorse the win, and Premier Print Award imagery to display on your promotional pieces. We encourage you to participate in this exciting event. To submit your entries into the Premier Print Awards, visit awards.printing.org, create your company profile, and enter your pieces. For questions regarding the Premier Print Awards and how to enter this year’s competition, visit www.printing.org/ppa or contact Mike Packard by clicking here or by calling...
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