Printing Industry Experiencing Uptick in Sales EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK Conference Reports Before thousands of GRAPH EXPO 16 attendees fi lled the Orange County Convention Center–North on Sunday afternoon, a jam-packed room of industry professionals gathered for the annual preshow EXECUTIVE OUTLOOK conference. Attendees listened intently as experts spoke on the smartest and most profi table approaches to “Finding New Markets”, the theme of the half-day conference. The need to offer more than print After a warm welcome message from NPES President Thayer Long, Doug Grant, President of Westamerica Communications, gave the keynote presentation titled “Winning the Omni-Channel Challenge: Inside Westamerica’s Journey,” where he opened up with an inspiring analogy of a rudder on a ship. “If the ship is anchored in harbor, you can turn that rudder all you want and it’ll have no impact on the boat. But if that ship is moving, no matter how slowly, then even tiny movements of that small rudder will change the direction of the ship. In the same way, if we’re standing still in business, we’ll be going nowhere fast. But if we just start moving, we can begin to make tiny movements that could one day have a dramatic positive infl uence Thayer Long, President, NPES and GASC on our business,” explains Grant. The use of multi-channel marketing to create a seamless customer experience is imperative to keeping your business afl oat these days, Grant says. Customers may start in one channel and end up in another, but the key is to offer these various opportunities. There are a ton of marketing channels being used by clients, including social media, online ads, and promotional media. “You do not have to offer them all, you only need a few to get started,” he notes. “In today’s world, if all we have to offer is print, we don’t have much.” Grant also noted the need to focus on training newer or hungry reps. “Hire young guns,” he says.” We are intentionally looking for new talent to join our team. They have energy and a fresh perspective; they are not inhibited by the ‘good ole days’ mentality.” A n d r e w P ap a r o z z i , Chief Economist at Idealliance (Booth 1009) laid out the industry’s current “Economic Forecast,” and if the weatherman is right, it looks like sunny skies ahead. We are in an upturn with sales now totaling $82.6 billion, 6.2% above the 2011 low of $77.8 billion. Industry totals are expected to grow 1.5-3% in 2017 after growing 1-1.5% last year. “I don’t see a lot of it changing signifi cantly for the better or worse. Everyone is talking about how we are going back into a recession but I do not see any evidence of that happening.” Accolades and more To wrap-up the morning conference, Hinderliter announced the 2016 MUST SEE ’EMS Award winners, including the “Best of Category” winner and the “Legacy Award” winner while Long and Phil Riebel, President of Two Sides North America, announced the 2016 Positively Print Awardee. The MUST SEE ’EMS saw an astonishing 107 entries from 44 different vendors this year. Eleven companies took home the award for “Best of Category”, of which Electronics Andy Paparozzi, Chief Economist, Idealliance for Imaging (Both 1349) took home three awards in the Pressroom – Digital Presses, Pressroom – Wide-Format, and Management Systems categories. For a complete list of the MUST SEE ’EMS awardees, please see the Show Daily story on page 4. The MUST SEE ’EMS 2016 Legacy Award, which honors a previous MUST SEE ’EMS winner who has had a lasting infl uence on the graphic communications industry, was presented to Xerox (Booth 1625) for its DocuColor iGen3 Digital Production Press. The 2016 Positively Print Award was awarded to Rolland Enterprises Inc.’s publication “The Paper Loop,” a promotional document under the guise of a magazine for paper afi cionados that promotes the virtues and high-impact value of print to creative designers, printers, advertisers, and corporate communicators. The magazine, designed for Rolland by Alezane Design & Com Inc., provides readers with an assortment of information about the processes of paper production and printing, news about the industry, measures being taken to protect the environment, and other related topics for, and about, those who share Rolland Enterprises’ passion for paper. The Positively Print award recognizes the power of sustainability and print. The Paper Loop uses 100% recycled sheets, is processed chlorine free, and is made using renewable biogas energy. “Rolland Enterprises Inc.’s engaging and informational magazine not only portrays the impact of print through real-world success stories from major international companies that have effectively integrated print into their communications, but also puts ‘front and center’ the facts about sustainability as well as measures being taken to protect the environment,” said Long. Hal Hinderliter, Program Coordinator, MUST SEE 'EMS Members of Senator Marco Rubio’s Staff Tour GRAPH EXPO 16 Today The NPES will welcome two members of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s staff to GRAPH EXPO 16 today. Mark J. Nuzzaco, NPES Government Affairs Director, will give Tom Self, the Senator’s Regional Director, and Sarah Davila, the Senator’s Staff Assistant, an exclusive tour of the show from 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm. “NPES is grateful to Senator Rubio for sending his staff to GRAPH EXPO 16 to learn more about issues of importance to printers and their suppliers,” says Nuzzaco. “Hearing directly from constituents is always the best way to tell the industry’s story and highlight its concerns to lawmakers.” The entourage will visit the booths of all Florida-based NPES members exhibiting at GRAPH EXPO 16, along with several NPES board members' exhibits, including: • Canon (Booth 1500), Boca Raton, FL • Konica Minolta (Booth 1801) • DHP Mfg., Bindery Equipment & Supplies (Booth • HP (Booth 1825) 820), Pensacola, FL • Xerox (Booth 1625) • Garrido Printing Equipment (Booth 749), Miami • KBA North America (Booth 1435) • Virtual Systems (Booth 1690), Jacksonville Beach, FL • Nova Pressroom Products, LLC (Booth 1219), • Estimator Corp. (Booth 1885), Weston, FL Jacksonville, FL • Printers Software (Booth 2272), Sarasota, FL • Alyeant Systems Inc. (Booth 2372) • Dealer Communicator/Trade Show Times (Booth 2866), Margate, FL • MGI Inc (Booth 2149), Melbourne, FL • Morgana Systems/Plockmatic (Booth 2434), West Palm Beach, FL • Fastbind USA (Booth 2824), Davie, FL 62 | September 26, 2016 | GRAPH EXPO 16 Offi cial Show Daily | PrintingNews.com
GraphExpo_ShowDaily_September_26_2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above