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  BOCA RATON, FL., January 16, 2025 – thINK , an independent community of Canon U.S.A. production inkjet customers, is pleased to announce 2025 thINK Board positions, as follows: thINK 2025 Board: Pete Studer –  President 2025 | CEO, Impact Lori Messina – Immediate Past President 2025 | President, Access Direct Chris Wells – Director | 2025 VP/Treasurer | Executive Vice President, DSG | UW Eric Hollingsworth – Director | 2025 Conference Chair | VP of Operations, RevSpring Shelley Hyde – Director | Co-Owner PrintMailPro Fred Van Alstyne – Director | Chief Operating Officer, Cathedral Corporation Tom Ling – Director | Managing Member, Advantage Colorgraphics Francis McMahon – Executive Sponsor | Executive VP, Production Technology & Services, Canon U.S.A. Tonya Powers –  Executive Sponsor | Director, Customer Marketing-Production, Canon U.S.A. Eric Hawkinson – thINK Executive Director Pete Studer, a seasoned leader with a deep-rooted belief in the power of human connection, steps into …

BOCA RATON, FL., January 16, 2025 – thINK , an independent community of Canon U.S.A. production inkjet customers, is pleased to announce 2025 thINK Board positions. …

Introduction You may have seen the recent news that the United States Postal Service (USPS) had a deficit of $9.5 billion during its recently completed 2024 fiscal year. This is after Postmaster General Louis DeJoy suggested four years ago that his “Delivering for America” plan had a chance of getting the USPS to a breakeven point by now. As it turns out, though, this is not all DeJoy’s fault. In a very true sense, the USPS has its hands tied. The United States government does not see the postal service as a “service” provided to taxpayers—it wants the USPS to be self-funding, but in several important legislative ways, the government has made it very difficult for the USPS to break even.  Good News and Bad News The good news from the latest USPS fiscal announcement was that the USPS increased its operating revenues by $1.4 billion, largely due to gains in package shipping. Even so, it still experienced a $9.5 billion net loss in its 2024 fiscal year. Of this $9.5 billion, the USPS …

Research Reveals Pathways to Success in 2025 The upcoming year presents numerous opportunities for print service providers to leverage emerging trends, improve operational efficiency, and drive sustainable growth. Success in 2025 will depend on identifying and implementing strategies aligned with key market forces shaping competition and growth. A NAPCO Research report, Production Digital Printing 2025: Setting the Course to Thrive in the Year Ahead, outlines 11 key trends expected to impact industry competition, guide the competitive landscape, and identify critical strategies for print service providers. Here is a summary of key trends featured in the report. Preparing for a New Generation of Workers A NAPCO Research survey found that 72% of commercial printers view hiring production staff as a significant challenge, with 63% citing similar difficulties in hiring sales staff. To address this, print providers must focus on attracting and developing Gen Z workers, who are expected to …

One of my clients, family-owned Cummings Printing, located in Hooksett, New Hampshire, produces a variety of publications, including catalogs, magazines, and newsletters. They’ve been in business a very long time—since 1914—and their success reflects their long-standing straightforward commitment to “provide customers with a quality product, delivered on-time and within budget.” Notwithstanding its dedicated and skilled employees, I would suggest that Cummings Printing’s longevity can also be attributed to a progressive and highly actionable approach to production demands, specifically:   Nurturing the past. A focus on lifecycle management, a planful approach to asset management, has allowed Cummings Printing to make informed, timely decisions regarding how to better utilize and protect their bindery investments, now and in the future.  For years, Cummings relied on one of Muller Martini’s premier legacy machines, the C-12 Corona Perfect Binder which we stopped manufacturing about …