Many in the print industry are finding it difficult to find and hire pressmen, print operators, finishing operators, and even salespeople. Could part of the problem be because it is increasingly difficult to hire the “right” people? You know, trained people who are like your past and current staff. Let’s discuss alternatives.

With great sorrow, we share the passing of our friend and former colleague, Katherine O’Brien. Katherine served for 18 years as American Printer’s editor-in-chief, North America’s oldest publication, founded in 1883. Her reputation as the print industry’s “investigative reporter” resulted from insightful questions and to-the-point follow-up queries...

McKinsey & Company’s second Global Survey on automation has many interesting insights for production print companies. A successful post-pandemic recovery requires more automation to enable greater profits from existing work and supports many new clients while minimizing scale-up costs.

What are Apple presentations consistently beat the competitors? Because they tell attention grabbing stories. And those stories show how their product matters and makes life better in a way that competitors don't. Learn how your firm can integrate Apple’s 3 simple presentation rules to win new, profitable business.

In this episode, Thayer talks with Andy and Julie Plata, Co-CEOs of the OutputLinks Communications Group, American Printer’s parent company. Andy and Julie have served the industry in many capacities - as printers, service providers, analysts, and media providers. They share insights into our changing industry and what it will take for businesses t...

Texas’ power infrastructures imploded, and we sat for days in our dark, cold Texas home. All because energy managers ignored upgrades for changing weather patterns. are print managers prioritizing infrastructure upgrades for changing business communications? Not prioritizing needed upgrades cost Texans dearly. Let’s discuss what printers can learn...

To succeed today and beyond, print needs to integrate seamlessly with the world of digital media. Evidence shows that adding print to digital campaigns, delivers significant response increases. So, what keeps marketers from embracing print in their digital marketing campaigns? Read Jacob Aizikowitz’s discussion on a little-explored limiting factor.

Harvey Levenson, Professor Emeritus at Calpoly State University, responded to Andy and Julie’s article Thriving Beyond 2021. Harvey shares the underlying need has always been the most effective and influential means of delivering meaningful information. Harvey’s response gets into rhetoric and communication, as well as Aristotle’s definitions of Et...

In the past, digital and automation were considered cost-saving investments. But now, they need to be recognized as strategic competitive strategies. To thrive in 2021 and beyond, print professionals must prioritize deep upgrades to their automation and digitization technologies. Business is gained or lost based on a company’s ability to support th...

Information silos are more about management style than about structures or technologies. Fostering a work environment built on trust, sharing, and accountability is your best bet for improving cross-departmental collaboration. Can your businesses increase collaboration by creating regular check-ins between teams to discuss new processes and workflo...