Print
Solutions April 2006
President’s
Message
By
TIMOTHY J. MEHL, CDC
Technology
Creates New Opportunities
A
note from DMIA President Tim Mehl,
CDC: Ivars Sarkans, president
of consulting firm Sarkans &
Associates of Los Angeles, Calif.,
is a student of the printing industry
generally, and the forms industry
in particular. He attends more
printing industry meetings than
anyone I know, and he studies
the markets and technologies that
have the greatest impact on our
businesses. When you want perspective
on what is happening in our industry,
ask Ivars.
Sarkans
|
Printed
product suppliers will soon be
faced with new types of buyers
from the “Xbox generation”
who will be more likely to “Google”
for sources of creative services
and printing than to use traditional
procurement methods.
At
the same time, technology gives
print buyers some powerful new
tools. Recent major printing industry
trade shows featured a growing
number of new technology demonstrations
that signal major changes in how
printed products will be created,
produced and sold in the future.
These changes will present new
opportunities for traditional
forms industry participants who
are prepared to expand their business
vision beyond products to become
business document systems specialists
and add e-commerce technology
skills to their core competencies.
Software
developers, printers and other
industry suppliers are working
on a wide range of template-based
print creation and ordering programs
that can dramatically reduce costs
and cycle times. The results are
already evident in template programs
for business cards and software-compatible
forms. Distributors can sell high
volume programs without incurring
significant transaction costs.
Buyers can access template programs
over the internet, choose the
applicable design, enter the variable
imprint information, proof final
copy and submit the order for
production—all from the
convenience of their desktops.
Template-based
print creation and procurement
programs are gradually spreading
to imprinted envelopes, labels,
postcards and other simple direct
mail pieces, brochures, fliers,
product sell sheets and other
types of printing. “Xbox
generation” buyers likely
will be able to access thousands
of printed product design templates
over the internet, customize them
with illustrations from image
libraries or their own digital
cameras, add personalized text,
print a proof on a desktop color
printer, obtain price quotes and
submit orders.
Four
factors will drive the shift to
template-based creation and online
ordering of printing: huge reduction
in the cost of creative services,
convenience, low transaction costs
and automated production with
either digital or conventional
production devices. From the printer’s
perspective, template-based procurement
programs offer the advantages
of reliable print files, already
proofed by buyers, which are essential
for automated production. A parallel
enabling technology is digital
printing, which can be linked
with template-based print creation
and ordering programs to automate
the entire print procurement process
and reduce turnaround times.
Distributors
with business systems knowledge
have a sizeable competitive advantage
over many local printers who have
limited e-commerce capabilities
and who focus mainly on loading
their equipment. Today, even small
distributors can partner with
manufacturers in technology initiatives
that can give them access to large
accounts or distant customers.
Distributors have access to a
wide range of supply chain partners,
from manufacturers to software
developers, who can provide systems,
sales and implementation assistance
for print and promotional product
supply programs. One of the opportunities
for trade manufacturers lies in
partnering with distributors for
joint development of e-commerce
initiatives to support program
sales, automate order flow and
move toward just-in-time production.
Businesses
will continue to need specialists
who can assist them in document
management, elimination of internal
paper documents, economical choices
of digital printing devices, and
use of print for effective communications
with their customers. Services
such as fulfillment, on-demand
printing, mailing and data management
present additional opportunities
for joint distributor and trade
manufacturer initiatives.
The
technologies that offer new opportunities
and challenges for forms industry
participants will be on display
at the 2006 AIIM/On-Demand show,
May 15-18 in Philadelphia.
Timothy
J. Mehl, CDC, is CEO of Dispatch,
a manufacturer in Erie, Pa., and
DMIA’s president.
