PGSF Student Spotlight: Danielle Wood
In the Student Spotlight Series, we chronicle the effect of PGSF scholarships on the lives of everyday graphic communication students. This edition features Danielle Wood, a third-year graphic communication student at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Danielle Wood is an aspiring graphic communications student who is excited about the world of print. However, finding funds to continue her education came as an unwelcome roadblock in her plans. Like many students, she only pays for school with funds she earned herself and through various government grants and loans. “I was stressed beyond words trying to figure out how to pay for it,” said Danielle. “I was so worried about how I was going to come up with that money every year.” Luckily, some of the weight lifted off Danielle shoulders when she learned she had won a scholarship through PGSF. “I can still remember the day when I got the reward letter in the mail, and how I was so excited that I cried,” she said. “Being able to stress a little less about money really allows me to focus more on my studies and the career path I want to take.” Danielle sends her thanks to all those who’ve helped take the financial strain off her back and allowed her to concentrate on her education. “Thank you again. I am eternally grateful for all you do for me and all the other college students in situations similar to mine!” Because of generous donors, PGSF has awarded in excess of $410,000 in scholarship funds to students like Danielle all over the country. In honor of PGSF 60th anniversary, we encourage you to make a $60 donation to our fund. If you’d like to make a difference in the life of someone like Danielle, visit...
read moreCFOs and CEOs Unite at the President’s Conference
When you operate on your own, plunging into financial pitfalls is all too easy. That’s why conversing with a group committed to industry financial success is paramount for a strong business. Year after year, PIFE members benefit from exceptional opportunities afforded to them. During meetings, they explore potential investments to grow their business, find new ways to save money, and gain insight into the current marketplace. “New participants are always amazed at how open and honest the discussions can be. I have left every peer exchange session with at least one great idea to try back at my company,” said Terrie Rubac, Heritage Press. Next year, PIFE will once again provide an excellent opportunity for collaboration. At the 2016 President’s Conference, PIFE professionals will meet to discuss current economic trends and strategies for effective financial planning. However, rather than planning an isolated event, the new and improved PIFE gathering will put CFOs and other financial executives right next to CEOs and other critical profit leaders in the graphic communication industry. At the 2016 President’s Conference, business owners, presidents, CEOs, and their immediate executive management teams will learn about new and improved leadership skills and unlock essential business strategy transformation methods. The event kicks off with a golf tournament and bocce tournament followed by three days of leadership-focused sessions and networking opportunities. This is your opportunity to unite with your CEO and bring your business the extra boost it needs to succeed in the current marketplace. Although there will be no specific PIFE Conference, finance executives can still expect the utmost in educational, networking, and collaborative opportunities. You’ll hear from knowledgeable industry speakers as they examine issues such as strategic planning, projection models, economic trends, and much more! Not to mention, you can relax with exciting networking opportunities where you’ll rub elbows with all the other “who’s who” in print. Because we’re all money people, we all love a good discount. Right now, you can save a significant amount on the registration price when two or more people from the same company sign up for the 2016 President’s Conference. Don’t miss your chance to collaborate and learn from the best of the best in print. Find out more by visiting...
read moreCFOs and CEOs Unite at the President’s Conference
When you operate on your own, plunging into financial pitfalls is all too easy. That’s why conversing with a group committed to industry financial success is paramount for a strong business. Year after year, PIFE members benefit from exceptional opportunities afforded to them. During meetings, they explore potential investments to grow their business, find new ways to save money, and gain insight into the current marketplace. “New participants are always amazed at how open and honest the discussions can be. I have left every peer exchange session with at least one great idea to try back at my company,” said Terrie Rubac, Heritage Press. Next year, PIFE will once again provide an excellent opportunity for collaboration. At the 2016 President’s Conference, PIFE professionals will meet to discuss current economic trends and strategies for effective financial planning. However, rather than planning an isolated event, the new and improved PIFE gathering will put CFOs and other financial executives right next to CEOs and other critical profit leaders in the graphic communication industry. At the 2016 President’s Conference, business owners, presidents, CEOs, and their immediate executive management teams will learn about new and improved leadership skills and unlock essential business strategy transformation methods. The event kicks off with a golf tournament and bocce tournament followed by three days of leadership-focused sessions and networking opportunities. This is your opportunity to unite with your CEO and bring your business the extra boost it needs to succeed in the current marketplace. Although there will be no specific PIFE Conference, finance executives can still expect the utmost in educational, networking, and collaborative opportunities. You’ll hear from knowledgeable industry speakers as they examine issues such as strategic planning, projection models, economic trends, and much more! Not to mention, you can relax with exciting networking opportunities where you’ll rub elbows with all the other “who’s who” in print. Because we’re all money people, we all love a good discount. Right now, you can save a significant amount on the registration price when two or more people from the same company sign up for the 2016 President’s Conference. Don’t miss your chance to collaborate and learn from the best of the best in print. Find out more by visiting...
read moreStaying Ahead of Color in a Print and Packaging Workflow
The following post was submitted by Color 2015 sponsor, X-Rite Pantone. Author: Mark Gundlach, Solutions Architect, X-Rite Pantone In a print and packaging workflow, there are many places where color can go wrong. However, implementing good process control makes it possible to achieve predictable, repeatable color. Fine-tuning your print workflow is not as hard as you may think, and the increasing availability of affordable tools is making it easier than ever. Today we’ll look at the top five places where printers and converters can achieve stability to save time and money, improve quality, and increase the possibility of repeat business. 1. Set up a proper color-managed workflow. From specification through production to final inspection, your color must stay true. But when each device you use to capture and reproduce color uses slightly different RBG or CMYK formulas, it’s not always an easy task. Small errors along the way can lead to output that fails to meet the customer’s expectations with rejects and rework. The best way to ensure that each of your devices is sharing accurate color information is to use the proper hardware and software to set up a color-managed workflow. First, you need to confirm that your devices are all capable of achieving repeatable, accurate color. For instance, if your press can’t produce consistent color from day to day, then there’s not much color management can do to help. Next, calibrate and optimize each device to achieve the best color reproduction possible. Achieving proper color on press is a combination of the substrates, proper inks, calibrated plates, and press settings that produce the right solid ink colors and tint/tone values. This is all part of the “fingerprinting” process. You will need ICC profiles to produce proofs that match your press. You can also use ICC profiles for converting your files so the printed work better matches the original file. And in some cases you may want to make a custom ICC profile of the press, or calibrate the press to match a print standard like SWOP® or GRACoL®, then use the print standard profile for proofing or converting your files. Above: Regularly calibrating and profiling your devices will ensure they continue to provide accurate and repeatable color. 2. Specify your colors digitally. Designers bring passion to the colors they specify, but it’s up to printers and converters to make those visions a reality. While paper-based Pantone®Guides are valuable for communicating and evaluating color, factors such as age, environmental conditions, and wear and tear make them susceptible to inaccuracies. They are guides, not standards. Pantone PLUS libraries are included with most graphic applications. These libraries have the standard digital color values, which the books are printed to match. Pantone Color collections are always growing, and you will need to make sure that you have the latest libraries. PantoneLIVE makes accessing the latest digital colors much easier. It’s Cloud-based, so anyone–from brand owners to designers, prepress professionals, and printers–can access them from anywhere around the globe. Another important feature of PantoneLIVE is that it incorporates both Master and Dependent Standards to accurately specify and communicate color. They contain the spectral data for that color–its DNA. The Master Standard is based on the same Pantone PLUS libraries that are included in your design applications, but they are...
read moreStaying Ahead of Color in a Print and Packaging Workflow
The following post was submitted by Color 2015 sponsor, X-Rite Pantone. Author: Mark Gundlach, Solutions Architect, X-Rite Pantone In a print and packaging workflow, there are many places where color can go wrong. However, implementing good process control makes it possible to achieve predictable, repeatable color. Fine-tuning your print workflow is not as hard as you may think, and the increasing availability of affordable tools is making it easier than ever. Today we’ll look at the top five places where printers and converters can achieve stability to save time and money, improve quality, and increase the possibility of repeat business. 1. Set up a proper color-managed workflow. From specification through production to final inspection, your color must stay true. But when each device you use to capture and reproduce color uses slightly different RBG or CMYK formulas, it’s not always an easy task. Small errors along the way can lead to output that fails to meet the customer’s expectations with rejects and rework. The best way to ensure that each of your devices is sharing accurate color information is to use the proper hardware and software to set up a color-managed workflow. First, you need to confirm that your devices are all capable of achieving repeatable, accurate color. For instance, if your press can’t produce consistent color from day to day, then there’s not much color management can do to help. Next, calibrate and optimize each device to achieve the best color reproduction possible. Achieving proper color on press is a combination of the substrates, proper inks, calibrated plates, and press settings that produce the right solid ink colors and tint/tone values. This is all part of the “fingerprinting” process. You will need ICC profiles to produce proofs that match your press. You can also use ICC profiles for converting your files so the printed work better matches the original file. And in some cases you may want to make a custom ICC profile of the press, or calibrate the press to match a print standard like SWOP® or GRACoL®, then use the print standard profile for proofing or converting your files. Above: Regularly calibrating and profiling your devices will ensure they continue to provide accurate and repeatable color. 2. Specify your colors digitally. Designers bring passion to the colors they specify, but it’s up to printers and converters to make those visions a reality. While paper-based Pantone®Guides are valuable for communicating and evaluating color, factors such as age, environmental conditions, and wear and tear make them susceptible to inaccuracies. They are guides, not standards. Pantone PLUS libraries are included with most graphic applications. These libraries have the standard digital color values, which the books are printed to match. Pantone Color collections are always growing, and you will need to make sure that you have the latest libraries. PantoneLIVE makes accessing the latest digital colors much easier. It’s Cloud-based, so anyone–from brand owners to designers, prepress professionals, and printers–can access them from anywhere around the globe. Another important feature of PantoneLIVE is that it incorporates both Master and Dependent Standards to accurately specify and communicate color. They contain the spectral data for that color–its DNA. The Master Standard is based on the same Pantone PLUS libraries that are included in your design applications, but they are...
read moreHow to Use Financial Benchmarking in Your Company
Secrets aren’t any fun. When you’re left in the dark about what other companies in your industry are up to, growing your business can be difficult. That’s why benchmarking—especially financial benchmarking—is so important. As Arthur Rothberg from CFO Edge explains, “Benchmarking is one of the most effective things businesses can do to improve their operations and boost profitability and productivity.” Essentially, you need to know where your business stands now in order to move forward later. Financial benchmarking tools help you determine the overall health of your business. They are a resource for finding strengths and weakness in your strategies—then they help you patch up sections that need the most work. Benchmarking tools also offer a great way to motivate your employees and push them to the next level. When you lay out numbers, steps, and goals so everyone can see, it gives your team a concrete message that everyone can understand. Although sifting through the abundance of information could seem daunting to some, learning how to efficiently benchmark your company (and using the information to improve your business) is fairly simple. We suggest trying out these three steps for a powerful financial benchmarking experience. 1. Find the tool that works best for your company. Many financial benchmarking tools exist, but you may find that not all of them help you with your goals. For example, the U.S. Census lists many statistics for the printing industry. However, the wealth of information may prove too broad for your needs. The Printing Industries of America Ratios Report includes 16 volumes, each segmented to a separate part of the printing industry. Therefore, if you’re an advertising printer or if you just want information on product specialties, you can find financial stats based on those parameters. 2. Decide which areas need your attention. After reviewing all of the reports, it sounds tempting to jump into making improvements. But as the leader of the operation, you should give careful consideration into which areas of your business needs addressed first. “Do not attempt to tackle everything en masse,” says Scott Slater of Charles Schwab Advisor Services. “The key to a successful action plan is to focus on just one or two initiatives that the data indicates will generate the biggest return on your investment of time and resources.” 3. Develop concrete goals for improvement. Again, before rushing into any concrete plans, sit down with your team and discuss your needs. Develop measurable short- and long-term goals for success. Reviewing progress over time is much more manageable than trying to—for instance—“double our profits.” What would you see as success in a month’s time? A quarter’s time? A year’s time? When you lay these items out for everyone to see, you create feasible stepping stones for advancement. As you can see, financial benchmarking is an important tool for all businesses. With a proper plan, any business owner can take this wealth of information and turn it into profitable strategies for growth. If you’d like to learn more about Printing Industries of America’s financial benchmarking program, the Ratios Reports, you can visit www.printing.org/ratios. You can also purchase your own copies by visiting our store or contacting Member Central by clicking...
read moreHow to Use Financial Benchmarking in Your Company
Secrets aren’t any fun. When you’re left in the dark about what other companies in your industry are up to, growing your business can be difficult. That’s why benchmarking—especially financial benchmarking—is so important. As Arthur Rothberg from CFO Edge explains, “Benchmarking is one of the most effective things businesses can do to improve their operations and boost profitability and productivity.” Essentially, you need to know where your business stands now in order to move forward later. Financial benchmarking tools help you determine the overall health of your business. They are a resource for finding strengths and weakness in your strategies—then they help you patch up sections that need the most work. Benchmarking tools also offer a great way to motivate your employees and push them to the next level. When you lay out numbers, steps, and goals so everyone can see, it gives your team a concrete message that everyone can understand. Although sifting through the abundance of information could seem daunting to some, learning how to efficiently benchmark your company (and using the information to improve your business) is fairly simple. We suggest trying out these three steps for a powerful financial benchmarking experience. 1. Find the tool that works best for your company. Many financial benchmarking tools exist, but you may find that not all of them help you with your goals. For example, the U.S. Census lists many statistics for the printing industry. However, the wealth of information may prove too broad for your needs. The Printing Industries of America Ratios Report includes 16 volumes, each segmented to a separate part of the printing industry. Therefore, if you’re an advertising printer or if you just want information on product specialties, you can find financial stats based on those parameters. 2. Decide which areas need your attention. After reviewing all of the reports, it sounds tempting to jump into making improvements. But as the leader of the operation, you should give careful consideration into which areas of your business needs addressed first. “Do not attempt to tackle everything en masse,” says Scott Slater of Charles Schwab Advisor Services. “The key to a successful action plan is to focus on just one or two initiatives that the data indicates will generate the biggest return on your investment of time and resources.” 3. Develop concrete goals for improvement. Again, before rushing into any concrete plans, sit down with your team and discuss your needs. Develop measurable short- and long-term goals for success. Reviewing progress over time is much more manageable than trying to—for instance—“double our profits.” What would you see as success in a month’s time? A quarter’s time? A year’s time? When you lay these items out for everyone to see, you create feasible stepping stones for advancement. As you can see, financial benchmarking is an important tool for all businesses. With a proper plan, any business owner can take this wealth of information and turn it into profitable strategies for growth. If you’d like to learn more about Printing Industries of America’s financial benchmarking program, the Ratios Reports, you can visit www.printing.org/ratios. You can also purchase your own copies by visiting our store or contacting Member Central by clicking...
read moreTop Ten Reasons to Thank Your Printer
In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, the folks here at Printing Industries of America would like to take the time to thank printers all over the world for all of their hard work. From prepress to binding, printers make the lives of marketing professionals and company executives happy and easy. But the life of a printer isn’t as easy as it looks. Printing a brochure for a conference or a label for the newest product is a lot more intricate than it seems. So, before you start thinking you could “do it better for less,” let’s stop and look at our top 10 reasons to thank a printer. Remember when you emailed a last-minute file at 4:00 p.m. on a Friday evening and asked for it to be delivered on Sunday? Remember when they got it done? Thank a printer. Remember when you hand delivered a high-profile job to the facility just to ensure that “everything goes smoothly?” Remember when they exceeded your expectations? Thank a printer. Remember when you insisted on a two-hour meeting during the holiday season to review machines, methods, colors, paper, coatings, folding, binding, and mailing? Remember when the printers participated and walked you through every step? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted to change the brightness of your blue and you couldn’t understand why your yellow didn’t pop? Remember when they sat with you in a press check and explained color management? Thank a printer. Remember when your file specified a red from CMYK but you asked for Pantone colors because “all reds are the same?” Remember when your red turned out the way you hoped anyway? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted your 500-piece table promotion folded in the shape of a swan? Remember when the swans was the prettiest you ever saw? Thank a printer. Remember when you sent your 5,000+ mailing list to the mail house with information from the 70s? Remember when all your direct mail pieces where delivered to the correct addresses? Thank a printer. Remember when you rushed a typo-filled document to the print house because “you didn’t have the time to proofread?” Remember when your piece came out error-free? Thank a printer. Remember when your boss insisted they see a printed proof or bindery dummy before you paid for the final job? Remember when the proof was everything you’d hoped for? Thank a printer. And finally—remember when you literally “stopped the press” for a change during the last day of printing? Remember when they worked with you and helped you get the end product you desired? Thank a printer. Always, always, always, thank your...
read moreTop Ten Reasons to Thank Your Printer
In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, the folks here at Printing Industries of America would like to take the time to thank printers all over the world for all of their hard work. From prepress to binding, printers make the lives of marketing professionals and company executives happy and easy. But the life of a printer isn’t as easy as it looks. Printing a brochure for a conference or a label for the newest product is a lot more intricate than it seems. So, before you start thinking you could “do it better for less,” let’s stop and look at our top 10 reasons to thank a printer. Remember when you emailed a last-minute file at 4:00 p.m. on a Friday evening and asked for it to be delivered on Sunday? Remember when they got it done? Thank a printer. Remember when you hand delivered a high-profile job to the facility just to ensure that “everything goes smoothly?” Remember when they exceeded your expectations? Thank a printer. Remember when you insisted on a two-hour meeting during the holiday season to review machines, methods, colors, paper, coatings, folding, binding, and mailing? Remember when the printers participated and walked you through every step? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted to change the brightness of your blue and you couldn’t understand why your yellow didn’t pop? Remember when they sat with you in a press check and explained color management? Thank a printer. Remember when your file specified a red from CMYK but you asked for Pantone colors because “all reds are the same?” Remember when your red turned out the way you hoped anyway? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted your 500-piece table promotion folded in the shape of a swan? Remember when the swans was the prettiest you ever saw? Thank a printer. Remember when you sent your 5,000+ mailing list to the mail house with information from the 70s? Remember when all your direct mail pieces where delivered to the correct addresses? Thank a printer. Remember when you rushed a typo-filled document to the print house because “you didn’t have the time to proofread?” Remember when your piece came out error-free? Thank a printer. Remember when your boss insisted they see a printed proof or bindery dummy before you paid for the final job? Remember when the proof was everything you’d hoped for? Thank a printer. And finally—remember when you literally “stopped the press” for a change during the last day of printing? Remember when they worked with you and helped you get the end product you desired? Thank a printer. Always, always, always, thank your...
read moreTop Ten Reasons to Thank Your Printer
In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, the folks here at Printing Industries of America would like to take the time to thank printers all over the world for all of their hard work. From prepress to binding, printers make the lives of marketing professionals and company executives happy and easy. But the life of a printer isn’t as easy as it looks. Printing a brochure for a conference or a label for the newest product is a lot more intricate than it seems. So, before you start thinking you could “do it better for less,” let’s stop and look at our top 10 reasons to thank a printer. Remember when you emailed a last-minute file at 4:00 p.m. on a Friday evening and asked for it to be delivered on Sunday? Remember when they got it done? Thank a printer. Remember when you hand delivered a high-profile job to the facility just to ensure that “everything goes smoothly?” Remember when they exceeded your expectations? Thank a printer. Remember when you insisted on a two-hour meeting during the holiday season to review machines, methods, colors, paper, coatings, folding, binding, and mailing? Remember when the printers participated and walked you through every step? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted to change the brightness of your blue and you couldn’t understand why your yellow didn’t pop? Remember when they sat with you in a press check and explained color management? Thank a printer. Remember when your file specified a red from CMYK but you asked for Pantone colors because “all reds are the same?” Remember when your red turned out the way you hoped anyway? Thank a printer. Remember when you wanted your 500-piece table promotion folded in the shape of a swan? Remember when the swans was the prettiest you ever saw? Thank a printer. Remember when you sent your 5,000+ mailing list to the mail house with information from the 70s? Remember when all your direct mail pieces where delivered to the correct addresses? Thank a printer. Remember when you rushed a typo-filled document to the print house because “you didn’t have the time to proofread?” Remember when your piece came out error-free? Thank a printer. Remember when your boss insisted they see a printed proof or bindery dummy before you paid for the final job? Remember when the proof was everything you’d hoped for? Thank a printer. And finally—remember when you literally “stopped the press” for a change during the last day of printing? Remember when they worked with you and helped you get the end product you desired? Thank a printer. Always, always, always, thank your...
read more