One opportunity available for wide-format PSPs and their customers is the ability to print textures or finishes, offering a tactile and/or visual “bonus” when compared to flat printing on a flat substrate.
Trends/Analysis
Ashley Roberts is Content Director of Printing Impressions.
Dan Marx, Content Director for Wide-Format Impressions, holds extensive knowledge of the graphic communications industry, resulting from his more than three decades working closely with business owners, equipment and materials developers, and thought leaders.
Toni McQuilken is the senior editor for the printing and packaging group.
Cory Francer is an Analyst with NAPCO Research, where he leads the team’s coverage of the dynamic and growing packaging market. Cory also is the former editor-in-chief of Packaging Impressions and is still an active contributor to its print magazines, blogs, and events. With a decade of experience as a professional journalist and editor, Cory brings an eye for storytelling to his packaging research, providing compelling insight into the industry's most pressing business issues. He is an active participant in many of the industry's associations and has played an essential role in the development of the annual Digital Packaging Summit. Cory can be reached at cfrancer@napco.com
Eileen Fritsch is a Cincinnati-based freelance journalist who has covered the evolution of wide-format digital printing for more than 20 years. Contact her at eileen@eileenfritsch.com.
Ken Hanulec serves as co-general manager of display graphics operations and VP of marketing for EFI's inkjet business unit.
Dan Johansen is the Marketing Manager of Wide Format Solutions in the Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group at Ricoh USA.
Andrew D. Paparozzi joined PRINTING United Alliance as Chief Economist in 2018. He analyzes and reports on economic, technological, social and demographic trends that will define the printing industry’s future. His most important responsibility, however, is being an observer of the industry by listening to the issues and concerns of company owners, executives and managers. Previously, he worked 31 years at the National Association for Printing Leadership. He has also taught mathematics, statistics and economics at various colleges. Andrew holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Boston College and a Master’s degree in economics — with concentrations in econometrics and public finance — from Columbia University.
Denise Gustavson is the Editorial Director for the Alliance Media Brands — which includes Printing Impressions, Packaging Impressions, In-plant Impressions, Wide-Format Impressions, Apparelist, NonProfitPRO, and the PRINTING United Journal — PRINTING United Alliance.
Mark Hahn is a managing director and founder of Graphic Arts Advisors, a boutique strategic financial advisory and consulting firm focused exclusively on the printing, packaging, mailing, marketing services, brand management, and related graphic communications industries. With more than 35 years of graphic communications experience in the areas of finance, operations, sales, M&A, and general management, Hahn has served as chief financial officer, chief operating officer and other senior positions with several commercial printing companies, as well as founding and eventually selling his own printing company.The firm assists company owners and management, as well as their lenders, investors and shareholders in the following areas: mergers and acquisitions, sale of business, strategic and financial advisory, capital structure and funding, financial analysis, interim and turnaround C-level management, business valuations and serving as consulting experts. Hahn is the author of The Target Report and is regularly published and quoted in printing industry trade and management journals. Mark Hahn can be reached at (973) 588-7399 or mark@graphicartsadvisors.com
Mark Bunney is director of GTM strategy at Ingenico Group, a French-based company whose business is to provide the technology involved in secure electronic transactions.
Nathan Safran is Vice President, Research for NAPCO Media. Nathan is a former Forrester Research Analyst with deep experience designing custom research solutions that solve client business problems. Nathan works with the subject matter experts across NAPCO’s brands to design research solutions that leverage NAPCO’s engage audiences and provides deep insight. Nathan is a frequent speaker at industry events and his research has been cited in the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, and Fortune Magazine.
David Wilaj reports on economic and industry trends which aim to help printers navigate an ever-changing business environment
He joins the Printing United Alliance research team after beginning his career at Printing Industries of America where he analyzed, reported and spoke on key trends in commercial print and aided in the revitalization of the historic Performance Ratios program.
Peter Schaefer, partner at New Direction Partners, is an experienced dealmaker with more than 25 years of investment banking and valuation experience, 20 of which has been focused exclusively on the printing and packaging industries. He has closed more than one hundred transactions in virtually every segment of the printing and packaging industries. In addition, he has performed hundreds of valuations for ESOPs, estate and gift tax planning and strategic planning purposes. Contact him at (610) 230-0635, ext. 701.
Mark Michelson now serves as Editor Emeritus of Printing Impressions. Named Editor-in-Chief in 1985, he is an award-winning journalist and member of several industry honor societies. Reader feedback is always encouraged. Email mmichelson@napco.com
Toni McQuilken is the senior editor for the printing and packaging group.
Brendan Menapace is the content director for Promo+Promo Marketing.
Bill Farquharson is a respected industry expert and highly sought after speaker known for his energetic and entertaining presentations. Bill engages his audiences with wit and wisdom earned as a 40-year print sales veteran while teaching new ideas for solving classic sales challenges. Email him at bill@salesvault.pro or call (781) 934-7036. Bill’s two books, The 25 Best Print Sales Tips Ever and Who’s Making Money at Digital/Inkjet Printing…and How? as well as information on his new subscription-based website, The Sales Vault, are available at salesvault.pro.
In 2001, Roger Gimbel founded Gimbel & Associates, an international consulting firm providing business and market development services, skills training, and expert public speaking in the graphic communications and digital solutions industry. The mission of Gimbel & Associates is to help clients identify new business opportunities and implement leading-edge solutions using expertise in organizational development, technology selection, implementation, and work processes.
Roger oversees a team of Consultants with expertise in sales training, workflow analysis, MicroModeling, multichannel marketing, marketing plans, transactional printing, trans-promotional applications and creative strategies for mergers and acquisitions, business development workshops and seminars.
Mike Boyle is the Global Head of Large Format Go-To-Market at HP.
Kristine Shreve is the founder and CEO of Kristine Shreve Consulting. She is also the Director of Marketing and Outreach for Applique Getaway and Lynnie Pinnie. An advocate for women, Kristine is the creator and host of Women + Business, a weekly show that discusses being a woman and being in business and how those two states of being intersect. In 2019, Kristine founded the Women in Garment Decoration group on Facebook, which is now over 1,200 members strong. Kristine also has a long history of writing for industry publications and giving seminars and speaking on panels at industry trade shows. She can be found at www.kristineshreve.com.
Kalie VanDewater is associate content and online editor at NAPCO Media.
Wide-format graphics are an integral part of sports events, from banners hanging up above to graphics on the court. Whether it’s on basketball courts or hockey rinks, there are almost always printed elements beneath the players’ feet.
As AI tools proliferate, print service providers can use them to help get better, more consistent color across a wide range of applications.
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) agreed last week to a pay increase of 62 percent, ending a three-day strike that halted operations as U.S. East and Gulf coast ports. It is important to consider that this is a tentative agreement.
For many wide-format projects, printing is only half the story. Improving communication between printers and installers makes a difference.
At HP Imagine 2024, AI took a front seat as the future backbone of all of the company's technology, from home electronics to production print.