Printing’s strengths as a sustainable and environmentally responsible communications medium will be explored and promoted in a new position paper that is being developed by The Print Council. Created for use by the printing industry, the report is scheduled for release at Print ‘09, the industry’s premier trade show, which takes place in Chicago September 11th to 16th.

“Our industry is a leader in recycling, sustainability and pollution control,” says Ben Cooper, executive director of The Print Council. “In fact we pioneered putting those concepts into widespread practice over the past three decades. But we did so quietly, to the extent that there is a lack of awareness regarding the environmentally responsible nature of print. That’s why we created and will be distributing this new position paper.”

Titled “Why Print Is Green,” the new report describes 10 specific ways in which print is green – from responsible products used, renewable energy sourced, increased recycling rates, improved design and delivery methods. The report is intended for use by printers and designers to demonstrate to their customers why print media is the environmentally sound choice for communicating with the audiences they want to reach.

Among the facts the white paper documents:

In 2008, more than 57 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling, more than any material.
The paper industry is aiming to reach 60 percent recycling by 2012. Every additional percentage point means that a million tons of paper are recovered.
Less than 10 percent of U.S. power comes from renewable sources, but in the pulp and paper industry, that figure is greater than 60 percent.
Printers are frequent buyers of renewable-energy certificates. These certificates — which represent power generated by wind, hydro, solar, or biomass — support growth of renewable energy producers.
The average person’s paper use for a year — 440 pounds — is produced by 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the amount used to power one computer continuously for 5 months.
“Media buyers and marketers who believe that print is lagging as an environmentally friendly medium need to know these facts, which show that print is in fact leading in this critical area,” Cooper points out. “Why Print Is Green will document the information, serving as an easy-to-use reference guide for print producers and print consumers.”

Printed copies of “Why Print Is Green” can be ordered via e-mail: jnvinyard@msn.com.

HP announces Mercury Print Productions, a Rochester, N.Y.-based print service provider, is bolstering its competitive advantage in the book publishing market by leveraging the high productivity and broad media compatibility of the new HP Indigo W7200 Digital Press.

The press, which prints 240 letter-size four-color images per minute or 960 letter-size monochrome images per minute, expands Mercury Print Productions’ ability to win new work by offering the flexibility, quick turnaround and waste-reduction environmental benefits of digital to publishers facing growing demand for a range of educational books. Mercury, which produces textbooks, teacher’s editions, workbooks and other materials for the educational market, is expanding its offerings with the increased productivity gained through this latest technology installation.

Designed to offer digital productivity with true offset quality, the HP Indigo W7200 Digital Press is a roll-fed liquid electrophotographic printing dual-engine solution for high volumes of variable-data and short-run-static printing. The HP Indigo W7200 can produce up to 7.5 million letter-size color images, or 30 million monochrome letter-size images, per month. This high-volume capability helps PSPs drive profitable growth in on-demand and short-run book printing, personalized color direct mail, high-value transpromotional statement printing, photo specialty printing(1) and other applications.

The press prints up to seven colors and employs features such as PANTONE®-licensed HP IndiChrome process-color imaging and spot-color inks, which offer brilliant, vivid imaging as well as unparalleled accuracy in color matching and corporate brand color reproduction. A standard in-line priming unit on the press enables compatibility with virtually any standard, off-the-shelf paper.

“The HP Indigo W7200’s quality, speed and efficiencies are transforming the current limitations and scope of digital printing,” said Christian Schamberger, vice president, Operations, Mercury Print Productions. “In a time when customers are changing the way that they look at inventory as to not tie up their cash flow, the press offers us the ability to provide cost-effective, high-quality products when they are needed at a price point that makes sense.”

Mercury also added HP’s newest print server technology, HP SmartStream Production Pro Print Server version 3.5, which offers improved redundancy in raster image processing (RIPing) for more reliable throughput and faster job processing.

HP showcased the new HP Indigo W7200 Digital Press and HP SmartStream Production Pro Print Server version 3.5 at an open house event at the Mercury Print Production Book Division facility in Rochester, N.Y. The new solutions will be available worldwide next month and featured in HP’s booth No. 1229 at the PRINT 09 trade show at McCormick Place in Chicago, Sept. 11-16.

See http://www.hp.com/go/graphicarts.

Many people use the terms “digital press” and “digital printer” interchangeably. “That’s bit misleading,” says Justin Searles, a consultant with InfoTrends Printing and Publishing Services (Weymouth, MA). “A press is essentially something that prints the same impression over and over again.”

Searles suggests that there are two definitions of a digital press: a loosely applied marketing term and a specific class of products.

“At InfoTrends, when we refer to digital presses, we’re not talking about desktop printers,” says Searles. “We’re looking at machines with a high duty cycle — 1 million or more 4-color impressions per month — and substantial speeds — 50 pages per minute (ppm) or faster.”

Searles categorizes machines as light, mid-volume, high and very high-volume production. Speeds range from 50-ppm cutsheet devices to web-fed models zipping along at 750 feet per minute (fpm). Other distinguishing factors include average monthly printing volume (AMPV) and resolution.

Digital print quality has improved by leaps and bounds over the past few years. “At one point, you saw a very glossy toner layed down and it didn’t look great,” says Searles. “If you look at any of the products in the high-volume production range now, the quality definitely [is competitive with] offset.” He further notes that several vendors are migrating color and laser technologies perfected on their high-end machines to their midrange models.

While not every digital printer can meet exacting color requirements, great strides are being made. “In the high-volume production segment, a lot of devices can’t produce true spot colors, but most are Pantone certified to produce spot color representations,” says Searles. “They’re all getting there. HP Indigo, which can produce a true spot color, is probably in the lead, followed by Kodak’s NexPress with its fifth color option.”

While I have studied economics and on occasion have made some sound economic predictions, I am not an economist. Therefore, I cannot predict when we will see an upturn.

I will, however, go way out on a limb and predict we will see an upturn. Even today, as markets are up and down, thousands of employees are being laid off and grim economic news is surrounding us, I believe you should start getting ready for an upturn. With that being said and in hopes that you agree with me, let’s talk about how you can prepare yourself and your company:

1. Get creative. There is no time like down time to be creative. Innovation is one of two things that make money for companies. Use the down time to think and prepare. Spend time brainstorming with your employees, friends, coaches, whoever. Get everyone’s juices stirring around products, services and processes.

2. Get your operations house in order. Start spending time with your customers, even with the ones that aren’t currently buying from you. Let them all know you value their businesses as well as their business. Then ask them how you can improve. Find out your strengths and weaknesses as an organization, and then work on them.

3. Get your financial house in order. You’ve got to create a firm foundation for growth if you want to participate in the next upturn. Have all the necessary documentation ready for the bank if you might need to borrow at the onset.

There could be a race for the funds and you’ll want to win that race.

4. Have a strategic plan. Make sure you have a game plan for game day. A true strategic plan is all about tactics, techniques and implementation. If you’re going to beat the competition out of the gate and down the stretch you need a strong strategy.

5. Get the right people on your team. Evaluate your team and if you have doubts about anyone, consider replacing them. There are a lot of free agents on the market, and you can use this time and their talent to upgrade your team. I highly recommend you bring in an objective third party to help with this process, especially around interviewing and selection.

6. Invest in your people. When the upturn comes, so will the war for talent. If you’ve got good talent and want to keep them, invest in them now. Help them prepare themselves to be the best they can be. Provide them more training as well as developmental opportunities. Investing in your people now will demonstrate a commitment from you that will factor big time if and when the competition attempts to steal them away.

7. Carry the torch of hope. When times are tough, a leader must spread hope throughout the organization. The times are tough, but that doesn’t mean the talk has to be. Don’t let your employees dwell on the negative. Rather, help them see the positive. Find ways to energize and lift them. Spread cheer. Consider bringing in an inspirational speaker.

Making it through an economic downturn is not an easy process, nor is it something we all can sit back and wait to see turn around.

If you’re working your company goals and objectives as well as planning for the good times ahead, you’ll not only have a better chance at surviving the current storm, you’ll be ready to ride the next wave. If I can be of any assistance, call and ask Coach Dave.

Dave Ferguson is the owner and head coach of The Growth Coach of the Carolina’s, a Mooresville-based business coaching, consulting and training firm. Reach him at (704) 907-0171 or at Dave.Ferguson@TheGrowthCoach.com.